The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), tabled matters pertaining to a speed restriction along a road in and near Griswold, on the south side of the City, and the awarding of a mowing bid for the Southlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery. The latter was over possible confusion on the extent of ground to be mowed. A single bid was received for the project, but the bid price raised concerns the person who submitted the bid might not have been fully aware of how much mowing and how frequently, is needed.

The Board tabled action on a Resolution establishing a speed restriction or limit on a portion of Road #6 of 1880 (currently known as Troy Road in Griswold, and Cass Street in the County), until the Griswold City Council takes action on setting the rate of speed on their side, and then making the speed limit uniform for the County side.    The speed limit proposed by City leaders in Griswold is 35 miles per hour.

There are currently no signs indicating the speed limit. Supervisor Steve Baier setting the same speed limit said it would make it easier for law enforcement to enforce, and lessen the chances of an accident. Cass County Engineer Charles Bechtold was not opposed to the speed restriction, and said a traffic survey (counting the number of vehicles using the road) wouldn’t be needed or cost effective to make the change.

In other business, the Board passed a Resolution abating the taxes, penalties and interest on a parcel of land now owned by the City of Atlantic, on the southwest side of town. The move follows the Code of Iowa.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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At least two more people died in traffic crashes in Iowa Tuesday, increasing the total for the year to more than 100. Dennis Kleen tracks crash data for the Iowa Department of Transportation. “Compared to the previous five years, we had three years where we weren’t at 100 yet, so we’re higher than we have been over those other years,” Kleen said.

There were 320 people killed in traffic crashes in Iowa in 2015. Last year, that number rose to just over 400. While there are likely several contributing factors, Kleen notes there’s been an increase in vehicles on Iowa’s roads. “Vehicle miles traveled was higher than it had been in previous years, gas prices were a little bit lower and a little more stable, so there’s more traffic out there,” Kleen says.

Another factor in the rise in traffic fatalities is unbelted drivers. Kleen says over 40-percent of the people killed this year in Iowa traffic crashes were NOT wearing a seat belt. “We’ve got a 93 or 94 percent (seat belt) compliance rate in the general public, so a lot of people who die in crashes aren’t belted,” Kleen says.

The relatively warm weather over the first four-and-a-half months of this year has also contributed to a rise in motorcycle fatalities. “We’re at 12 so far this year and last year, through April, we were only at three,” Kleen said.

At this time last year in Iowa, the traffic fatality count was 120 — 20 more than this year.

(Radio Iowa)

IDA GROVE, Iowa (AP) – A former substitute teacher and coach has been given 10 years in prison for having sexual relationships with students at two northwest Iowa high schools. Online court records say 33-year-old John Tietsort, of Battle Creek, was sentenced Monday. He’d pleaded guilty in Ida County District Court to two counts of sexual exploitation by a school employee.

Prosecutors say Tietsort had a sexual relationship October 2015 through June 2016 with an 18-year-old female student at Odebolt-Arthur and Battle Creek-Ida Grove High School, where Tietsort was a substitute teacher and assistant football coach. Prosecutors also say Tietsort had a sexual relationship last year with a 17-year-old female student from Maple Valley-Anthon Oto High School, where Tietsort also was a substitute teacher.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Severe Storms Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma says another round of severe storms are possible across a large section of Iowa, this afternoon and this evening. The Primary threats include isolated, fast-moving, weak tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, and periods of heavy rainfall.

Storms will develop this afternoon and will continue through the early evening. The greatest potential for severe weather will be during the peak heating evening commute hours from 3 pm – 7 pm. Storms should be out of our area around midnight.

Most of Iowa is under an “Enhanced Risk” for severe weather. Locations south of I-80, and east of I-35 may see a slightly great threat for severe weather. Strong to severe storms that do develop will likely be very-fast moving, moving to the N/NE at potential speeds of 50 to 60 mph.

The President of the United States and the United States Congress has declared the week of May 14-20, 2017 as National Police Officers’ Memorial Week. Today (Wednesday, May 17th), at 2:00 p.m., the Clarinda Police Department will conduct a memorial service at the Clarinda Cemetery Armed Services Flag Stand/ Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to pay tribute to law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.

One hundred and forty-four, federal, state and local law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in the United States and its territories in 2016 according to the United States Department of Justice.

Clarinda Police Department Chaplain Dr. Richard F. Iske will officiate the service. American Legion Sergy Post 98 will provide a 3 volley salute and taps at the service. Clarinda Chief of Police Keith Brothers and his staff cordially invites you to attend the memorial service and pay tribute to those law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty.

In the event of inclement weather the memorial service will be cancelled.

The Atlantic City Council will meet in a regular session beginning at 5:30-p.m. at City Hall. Among the items of discussion and possible action, allowing certain types of poultry to be raised within the City Limits. During the Council’s last meeting, Atlantic resident Jillian Scarf presented a proposal to amend the City Code or Ordinances, which currently bans keeping poultry in town.

Since then, the Community Protection Commission has met and discussed the matter. They voted 2-to 1 in favor of amending the ordinance, which defines the “Keeping of livestock.” City Administrator John Lund said at the CPC meeting, that he’s spoken with officials in Red Oak, Shenandoah and Harlan. The latter does not allow chickens at all. Shenandoah is nearly identical to Atlantic, and Red Oak allows chickens, but only with a permit issued by the City Administrator, and with certain requirements in place. Following the discussion, the Council will hear again from Jillian Scarf, who is expected to request two hens and one cockerel be allowed on her private property.

In other business, the Council will hold the first and final reading of an Ordinance amending the Code, that allows the sale of fireworks beginning in mid-June, but limits when they can be used to the hours of 6-p.m. until midnight on July 4th, and from dusk New Year’s Eve until 12:15-a.m. New Year’s Day. In a letter to the Council, Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees said in-part, “I am concerned that there are no buffer zones for certain areas I would like to see included. In particular around school buildings and assisted living facilities such as the ANRC or Allen House etc. I would like to see at least a 300 foot zone around them to try and protect them from aerial devices that could cause a fire.”

McNees said also, “Even though I would prefer the use [of fireworks] to be banned I realize the enforcement issue reality. With that in mind I grudgingly urge that the allowable hours be reviewed from what is proposed. If fireworks are only allowed on the 4th from 6 to 12 a.m., then it will concentrate the activities and responses IF everyone follows the law. Having said that, we know that won’t happen. I think its reasonable to assume people will be shooting them off all day on the 4th and for days around it as well. Perhaps extending the hours on the 4th would help the police and possible the fire dept . I will guarantee the 911 center will be inundated with calls beginning in June as people start buying fireworks and shooting them off. People are only going to hear that fireworks have been legalized in Iowa.”

Another order of business for the Atlantic City Council, is the setting of June 3rd, 2017 as the date for a Public Hearing to Amend the FY 2017 Budget, which City Administrator John Lund says is needed to reconcile the current budget with final expenditures, and is a “Routine matter.”

State officials are hiring “an outside expert” to examine the Iowa Department of Human Services after a second central Iowa teenager is found dead in a home which had been flagged over child welfare concerns. Sixteen-year-old Sabrina Ray was found dead in her home in Perry last Friday. The Des Moines Register reports she was adopted and the state had investigated at least two complaints of improper punishment and inadequate food at the day care the girl’s parents ran out of the home.

Last fall, a 16-year-old adopted girl starved to death in her West Des Moines home. Neighbors and school officials had reported the girl was malnourished. The public information officer at the Department of Human Services issued a written statement Tuesday, saying the agency will be taking “a comprehensive review of our child welfare system.” The department’s Amy McCoy also sought to “assure the public” that the D-H-S is committed to protecting vulnerable children.

McCoy also expressed “deep sadness” and said the D-H-S staff had “heavy hearts” over the Perry teenager’s death. Last month the Government Oversight Committee in the Iowa House announced it planned to investigate the child welfare system, but Republicans on the same committee in the Iowa Senate were reluctant to join in.

Senator Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, says he was nauseated when he learned another teenager had “fallen through the cracks.” Earlier this year, McCoy convened a few hearings at the statehouse to try to quiz state officials about the starvation death of Natalia Finn of West Des Moines.

(Radio Iowa)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Nebraska man will stand trial next month for the death in northwestern Iowa of his estranged wife. The Sioux City Journal reports 29-year-old Rogelio Morales, of Hubbard, Nebraska, has been ordered to stand trial on June 6 in Woodbury County District Court. The case has been delayed several times as defense attorneys have repeatedly withdrawn from representing Morales.

Morales has pleaded not guilty to killing 21-year-old Margarita Morales on April 19, 2015, in his car near a Sioux City residence. Court documents say Morales told investigators a fight broke out when his wife told him she no longer wanted to be in a relationship and that she was seeing another man.