Iowa Congressman Tom Latham, Friday, announced that some Pottawattamie County properties ravaged by Missouri River flooding last summer will receive help in the form of federal disaster grants. The FEMA hazard mitigation grants will be used to buy out 32 residential properties and one commercial property that were damaged beyond repair. Under the grant structure, the federal government will cover 75 percent of the costs, or a total of about $4.77 million, while the state government will cover the remaining costs.

Members of the Griswold School Board will gather for a special session Monday afternoon, June 4th. During the 5:30-p.m. meeting at the Middle School/High School Board Room, the Board of Education will act on approving the: Parking Lot Lighting Design; Walkways to the Football/Track Stands; and, a Non-Certified Staff settlement.  The board will also discuss and possibly act on personnel matters.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reported today (Friday), one person was taken to the hospital in Clarinda following a motorcycle accident which occurred Monday afternoon. 61-year old Deborah Snyder, of Shenandoah, suffered non-incapacitating injuries, when the 2000 Suzuki Savage she was driving went out of control on a curve, as she was traveling south on M Avenue in Page County. The cycle entered the south ditch and tipped over, causing $500 damage. The accident happened at around 2:45-p.m. No citations were issued.

Sheriff Palmer also reported there were no injuries following two separate vehicle versus deer accidents early this (Friday) morning. At around 3-a.m., a car driven by 20-year old Dakota Kirkpatrick, of Bedford, sustained $3,500 damage, after the man swerved to avoid hitting a deer. The 2003 Kia Spectra went out of control and slid sideways into a ditch, crossed a washout and came to rest against the south embankment. Kirkpatrick tried to drive out of the ditch but ended-up getting stuck. The accident happened about two-miles north of the Iowa-Missouri line, on Highway 2.

The other accident happened at around 6:30-a.m., when a 2007 Toyota driven by 52-year old Randy Leigh, of Council Bluffs, hit a deer on Highway 2. His vehicle sustained $5,000 damage.

Authorities in Pottawattamie County say they are looking for two men who are wanted on kidnapping charges. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office says 29-year old Tabitha Proplesch, of Council Bluffs, was found inside her pickup truck near the Crescent exit on I-29. Sheriff Jeff Danker says when deputies found her, she was restrained by handcuffs and severely beaten.  

Troopers from the Iowa State Patrol and deputies from the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department found Proplesch around 2:30pm Thursday. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Through the investigation with the Department of Criminal Investigation, 38 year old Brian Bey of Crescent and 32 year old Travis Labno of Omaha have been charged with 1^st degree kidnapping.

Danker said he believes Proplesch knew the two men and this was not a random act. A warrant is out for the arrest and whereabouts of Bey and Labno as they are believed to be armed and dangerous. If you have any information regarding the mens’ location, contact the Pottawattamie County Communications Center at 712-328-5737, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office at 712-890-2200 or dial 9-1-1.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, next week, are expected to take action on signing a letter of intent to join with other counties in a 28-E agreement for Mental Health services, as regionalization is required. The move will come during their regular meeting at 9-a.m., Wednesday.   Governor Terry Branstad signed legislation last week in Waterloo, that reform’s the state’s mental health system. It shakes up the current county-based format in favor of one based on “regions.”Cass County Mental Health Coordinator Teresa Kanning told the Board during their meeting Thursday (May 31^st), that the Department of Human Services will not dictate to the various County Boards of Supervisors how to set-up the 28-E agreements, but there will be “boiler plate” documents (templates) available, on how those Boards may wish to proceed. 

Kanning says during a recent meeting she attended, the topic of “Transition Funding” was discussed, as it pertains to the new mandate. She said there is a source of $20-million to put into the transition process which has been identified for the counties. Those counties needing funds to aid in the transition for the coming Fiscal year, which begins July 1^st, need to have their paperwork in order and apply for that money by October. When the new legislative session begins in January, the money is supposed to be in-place, ready to be dispersed. The funds are available to those counties which do not have enough money from property taxes to help pay for the costs of transition. Kanning says right now, she doesn’t think Cass County will qualify for any of those funds, unless something happens that would change that situation.

Supporters of the bill say it equalizes the quality of mental health care across Iowa. One change: the state will pick up the county’s share of Medicaid costs. Some county officials in Iowa say that in order to pay for Medicaid though, the state will take back a large chunk of their funding. That’s funding work programs for the intellectually disabled depend on.