The Cass County Sheriff’s Department says no injuries were reported following a collision Monday, southwest of Anita. The accident happened on White Pole Road (Highway 6), at about 730^th Street. Officials say 65-year old Michael Roger Rasmussen, of Exira, was westbound on White Pole Road in a 2006 Chevy Silverado, and attempting to make a left turn onto 730th Street, when he was hit by a 1991 Oldsmobile 88, owned and driven by 58-year old Gerald Jay Lindberg, of Casey. The collision happened as Lindberg was attempting to pass Rasmussen’s pickup. Damage from the crash amounted to $4,000. No citations were issued. 

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office also reports two arrests occurred on Monday, Dec. 20^th. 25-year old Bryan Stanley Curtis, of Audubon, was arrested December 20^th, on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Curtis was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on $1000 bond.  And, 20-year old Jesse Allen Allen Luft, of Villisca, was arrested on a charge of Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault. Luft was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was being held on $1000 bond. He made his initial appearance in court last Thursday and entered a plea of Not Guilty to the charge. The date of his trial has not yet been set. Luft also pled guilty Thursday, to a charge of Consuming Alcohol in a Public Place. He was fined $100 plus court costs.

A regional commander of the U-S Army Corps of Engineers says we’re in a “very dangerous time,” with weakened levees and dams after the summer-long flood of the Missouri River. Brigadier General John McMahon, commander of the Corps’ Northwest Division, says floodwalls all along the river in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska were significantly damaged by the many months of rising, rushing water.

“The big concern now is the winter weather and also how much runoff we’re going to have as the construction season unfolds that might interfere with that,” General McMahon says. “There’s lots of unknowns. We’re very vulnerable with respect to the condition of the levees now.” Critics say there was a serious lack of communication between key governmental agencies and community leaders in threatened areas prior to the start of flooding this spring, and McMahon says he does not want to see a repeat.

McMahon says, “We’re going to have to work very closely together and communicate well and keep everybody informed as we go through this very dangerous period of time.” The Corps estimated in September that it would cost more than 500-million dollars to repair the many miles of levees, earthen berms and other structures that were damaged in the prolonged flooding. That dollar figure is continuing to grow.

“We currently know of $630-million in repairs, mainly focused on the levees and some on the dams,” General McMahon says. “We’re still assessing the dams and I expect a report from our Omaha district by the end of this month. There’s also additional assessments to the navigation channel.” While work is underway on levee repairs, he says little more can be done until next year and possibly, not before the spring flood season starts up again. 

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)

No fewer than four separate law enforcement agencies cooperated in a chase and the arrest early Sunday morning, of a woman who faces numerous moving violations, in addition to an OWI charge. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office told KJAN News 44-year old Laura Sue Sturdy, of Orient, was taken into custody after a roadblock was set-up in Montgomery County.

Officials say Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Kyle Quist was on patrol at around 11:30-p.m. Saturday, when he observed a vehicle weaving on the road near 630th and Upland Road. When he attempted to stop the vehicle, it sped-off and ended up near the intersection of Highway 71 and old Highway 34, in Montgomery County, a little over 30-minutes later, when authorities set up a roadblock.

Sturdy was taken into custody without further incident. She was brought to the Cass County Jail on a Class D Felony charge of eluding. In addition, Sturdy was charged with OWI/1st Offense, and Reckless Driving.  The woman was released from custody after posting a $5,000 bond Sunday morning.

Assisting the Cass County Sheriff’s Office in the pursuit and arrest, were officers with the Atlantic and Red Oak Police Departments, and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

The public is invited to join former 4-H’ers and Extension staff on Monday, Jan. 2^nd, as they explore the best tactics for developing successful material for applications, resumes and more.  Youth attending the event will leave knowing the basics and options to further explore. The event is open to 9th-through 12th grade students, regardless of whether they are involved with 4-H or not.  The Application Extravaganza takes place from 12:30 p.m.-to 4:30 p.m., at the Cass County Community Center, in Atlantic.

Recent graduates from Cass County will share their personal successes with applications and resume building.   Topics to be covered include:  Getting information, organizing information, and finding opportunities to apply for, resume building, 4-H awards and scholarships, and, letters of recommendation.  Information will be general to benefit all young people in grades 9-12, with opportunities for further learning. 

The event will include door prizes, giveaways, refreshments and hands-on learning.  Persons wanting to attend should RSVP by December 30 to xcass@iastate.edu or 712-243-1132.

A public reception will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) in Atlantic, for a woman who has spent more than 30-years in service to the community. Cass County Home Care director Lorilyn Schultes has announced that she will retire at the end of 2011, concluding a career spanning over three decades in the health care industry. Her retirement will be effective January 1, 2012.

Denise Coder, currently manager of public health at Cass County Home Care, will now manage operations of the entire agency effective January 1, 2012. Coder has over 15 years of experience in the areas of community and public health, serving in dual roles at Cass County Memorial Hospital and Cass County Home Care. She has supervised community health assessments, managed health promotion and prevention planning initiatives and created public health programs.

Schultes announced her retirement from CCHC with “Mixed emotions.” She says she will greatly miss being around her colleagues, many of whom she considers to be good friends, but at the same time she welcomes the opportunity to have more time for her family and friends.

A reception in honor and recognition of Schultes’ career and contributions to Cass County Home Care will take place on Wednesday, from 2 – 5 p.m. at Cass County Home Care, located at 1500 E. 10^th St., Atlantic. Refreshments will be offered and attendees will be able to give Schultes their congratulations and best wishes.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The City Council in Audubon will holds its regular meeting this evening. The Council is set to discuss and possibly act on an abatement, an application for renewal of a Class C liquor license for a local bar, and, discuss: parking in yards; a listing agent for 118 E. Division Street; Compensation practices, and Raises.

The meeting begins at 7-p.m.

Republican Presidential hopeful Rick Perry will be in western Iowa today (Tuesday), holding several “Meet and Greet”-type events. The Governor from Texas will begin with a 10:45-a.m. event in Council Bluffs at the Main Street Cafe’ (102 S. Main St.).  This afternoon, Perry has stops in Clarinda (Glenn Miller Museum, 1:15-p.m.), Creston (3:30-p.m., Adams Street Espresso), and in Osceola at 5:30-p.m.

Perry will also be in west Central Iowa Monday, Jan. 2nd, with stops planned in Sioux City (12:30-p.m. at the Stoney Creek Inn), Carroll (Santa Maria Vineyard, 4-p.m.), and in Perry, he’ll hold  a campaign rally in advance of the Iowa Caucuses (6:30-p.m., at the Hotel Pattee).

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says he’s opposed to enacting a user fee to help spruce up the state’s parks and would rather rely on the Iowa State Parks Foundation to generate donations for park maintenance. Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Roger Lande says Iowans have told him they would be willing to pay such a fee to improve state parks. The Sioux City Journal reports Lande raised the possibility of reinstating a user fee during budget talks with Branstad. DNR funding has declined since 2008 and with it the number of seasonal workers hired to maintain parks. Public complaints resulted in more money for maintenance and the number of seasonal workers should nearly double from 80 in 2011 to 150 for the year that ends June 30.