Police in the eastern Iowa community of Manchester are trying to figure out why a car crashed into a local restaurant late Monday afternoon. Teresa Faulkner was across the street when she saw the car hit the Sunset Family Restaurant the first time. She says it was halfway into the building and the driver backed out, then the driver put the car in drive and it went forward straight into the restaurant again. The car stopped inside the building towards the dining room’s south wall near the restrooms.

There is a large hole in the front of the restaurant just to the west of the front door. Dining tables and chairs could be seen toppled, with broken glass everywhere. Restaurant owner Penka Ismaili didn’t see the accident — but did hear it. “I was in the office in the back room and I heard a big boom,” Ismaili says, “at first I was so scared I didn’t know what it was. I thought the whole building was coming down. He then went to check on what happened.

He says he ran around and saw the roof was still there and someone told him what happened. Ismaili says he asked right away if anyone was sitting in the way when the car hit the building, and he says “Thank God nobody was sitting on that side.” Ismaili says he hopes to have the restaurant back open in two to three weeks. he says he’s
been getting lots of offers of help from regular customers.

Manchester Police say no one was injured – just scrapes and bruises. They have not yet released the name of the driver. Police say the it may have been a vehicle malfunction, with a stuck accelerator. The investigation continues and more details are expected to be released later.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the City of Atlantic report the city’s annual mosquito spraying efforts will begin this Thursday, June 15th, and Friday, June 16th. The spraying will take place from 4-until 7-a.m., weather permitting. Spraying will continue every Thursday and Friday morning throughout the City during the Summer, until further notice.

It’s hoped the spraying will reduce the mosquito population. You can help, by eliminating any standing water on your property.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman was arrested at around 7-a.m. today (Tuesday), for Public Intoxication/2nd offense. Deputies arrested 41-year old Stephanie Ann Marie Currin, of Corning, after they were called to her home. Upon arrival, they found Currin on the street, very confused. An investigation determined she was allegedly under the influence of a controlled substance.

The Iowa Transportation Commission (Commission) has approved the Fiscal Year 2018-2022 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program (Program). The Program reflects Iowa’s multimodal transportation system through inclusion of investments in aviation, transit, railroads, trails, and highways. The Program represents a major commitment to the Iowa DOT’s mission of safe mobility – of getting you there safely, efficiently, and conveniently

Included among the DOT’s “Additional capacity and system safety enhancement” projects in this area, is:

• U.S. 6 in Pottawattamie County from Railroad Highway to County Road G-67 (Hunt Avenue) in Council Bluffs
• and, U.S 169 in Dallas County from Iowa 141 to U.S. 30.

More information of the 2018-22 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program can be found at: www.iowadot.gov/program_management/five-year-program.html.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Council Bluffs died during a near head-on crash Monday evening, southeast of Council Bluffs. Officials identified the victim who died as 73-year old Patricia Larson. Two other people, 46-year old Tina Shipley, of Glenwood, and a passenger in her vehicle, Roger Shipley, were transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Authorities say the accident happened at around 5:19-p.m. near the intersection of Wabash Avenue and Ashwood Lane. A preliminary investigation indicates Larson was traveling southbound on Wabash Avenue in a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze.  Tina Shipley was traveling northbound on Wabash Avenue in a 2013 Ford F-150, when the vehicles collided head-on.

Patricia Larson was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Officials with CASS Incorporated in Atlantic have announced CASS, Inc. intends to merge with Crossroads of Western Iowa, effective September 1st, 2017.  Crossroads, like CASS, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing support services to individuals with disabilities.  They have a similar history and align closely to CASS Incorporated’s mission, vision, values and culture.

Both organizations provide a variety of services including community based employment and residential services that help people live lives of meaning and value.  Community based support services are much more cost effective for the taxpayer than more restrictive levels of care.  Even more importantly is that these services help people live as independently as they can, getting and maintaining jobs, living in their own homes and fully participating within their communities.

Crossroads of Western Iowa was founded in 1975 as Monona Services and based in Onawa, Iowa and later in Missouri Valley. Their administrative offices have  recently moved to Council Bluffs.  Today they serve about 370 people and employ 310 staff.  Over the years Crossroads expanded their services across the western side of Iowa.  Today they are in Sioux City, Cherokee, Onawa, Missouri Valley, Council Bluffs and now, soon to be Atlantic.

Glenda Farrier, CEO of CASS Incorporated for the past 28 years says “We have been working on compliance with the federal Medicaid Settings Rule, moving people out of segregated services in buildings into community based services.  We have sold our main building and continue to work on downsizing.  Throughout this we have been adamant that CASS is not closing and we’re not.  But we are merging with another organization and that was a tough decision for CASS.  We are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year and that’s a long time to provide a valuable service to our community.  We didn’t want to lose our identity.  But, since Iowa has implemented managed care organizations to oversee its Medicaid program, and we are now funded almost exclusively by Medicaid, it has become clear that we are not big enough to survive in this new world.  Our Board and leadership staff have done their due diligence in preparation for this decision.  Like CASS Incorporated, Crossroads is a well respected provider in our state and they accomplish positive outcomes for the people they serve, so it will be a good fit.  Ultimately, we wanted to assure that great services would continue in Cass County and it really didn’t matter whose name was on the door.”

CASS joins Crossroads as a financially healthy organization, an Iowa Top Workplaces employer for the past seven years and a well known provider of outstanding services for the people we serve.  By partnering with Crossroads, we will be able to expand our combined services over a larger geographic area and assure our work will continue in the managed care arena.  We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for the people of Cass County and are really looking forward to being a part of the Crossroads team as we continue to provide top quality services across western Iowa.

A public hearing on a proposal to enter into a General Obligation County Purpose Loan Agreement and the borrowing of not more $4.5-million dollars associated with the agreement, is set to take place Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. The hearing is part of a regular meeting of the Cass County Board of Supervisors, and is with regard to construction of the Echo to Buck Creek to Glacier Roads and the Elite Octane Ethanol Plant. The Board will take action on the Resolution following the hearing.

In other business the Supervisors will act on a Fireworks Resolution, and, Expense Appropriations for FY 2018. They’ll also receive certifications from County officers for base salaries of their deputies and certify base salaries of deputies to the County Auditor. Their final action item is to determine the compensation of “Other Employees.”

The Cass County Board of Supervisor’s meeting begins at 8:30-a.m. Wednesday in the Board Room at the Courthouse.