Western Iowa residents forced out of their homes by Missouri River flooding may have another option for temporary housing. Iowa Finance Authority spokeswoman, Ashley Jared, says flood victims can apply for a waiver to live in housing usually restricted by the federal government to low-income families.  “They don’t have to worry about their income to seek some housing assistance in those properties. We just ask that they go to our website and fill out a form and kind of search to see if there’s a vacancy at an affordable housing property. We have all of the contact information at Iowa Finance Authority dot-gov (www.iowafinanceauthority.gov) for them,” Jared says. The waiver applies to flood victims in Monona, Harrison, Pottawattamie, Mills, and Fremont counties.

“They just have to verify that they did indeed live in one of those five counties in Iowa during the period of May 25th to August first 2011, and that their property was indeed damaged or destroyed by the flooding. And we will go ahead and see what we can do to get them in to an affordable rental project,” Jared says. The Finance Authority says over 12-hundred Iowans have filed for assistance from FEMA following last year’s flooding.

(Dar Danielson/Radio Iowa)

A Harlan woman was injured this (Tuesday) morning during a rollover accident in Audubon County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 46-year old Patty Hildreth, of Harlan, was traveling east on Highway 44, about five-miles east of Kimballton, when the 2007 Chevy Impala she was driving went out of control on the 100% ice-covered roadway. The car slid off the road and into the south ditch before rolling over and coming to rest on its top. The accident occurred just before 8-a.m.

Hildreth, who was wearing her seat belt when the accident took place, was transported by Elk Horn Rescue to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital for treatment. A report on her condition is not available.

The CAM School District’s Board of Education, Monday, approved a bid of $171,326 for the replacement of bleachers at the football and track fields. The single bid was received from Seating and Athletic Facility Enterprises, out of Ellendale, MN.   The contractor will begin work on installing the bleachers in early June, with completion expected sometime in July. The CAM School Board also set the date of March 19th to hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 budget, and on the early start calendar. And, they received an update from Snyder and Associates on the multi-purpose building to be located north of the Elementary building, which included specifications and pre-drawings, but no cost estimates have been received.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 18-year old Christopher Joe McVey, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday, for Possession of a Controlled Substance. McVey was booked into the Cass County Jail and released Monday, on his own recognizance. 

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, 37-year old Gregory James Storjohann, of Walnut, was arrested Friday on a charge of Driving While Barred. Storjohann was taken to the Cass County Jail where he posted $2000 bond and was released. He was arrested the next day by Atlantic Police on the same charge.

One person was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic this (Tuesday) morning, following a single-vehicle rollover accident, north of Atlantic. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, a 2005 Jeep Wrangler driven by 58-year old Debra Sue Seitz, of Atlantic, was traveling north on Olive Street at around 8:55-a.m. When Seitz applied the brakes near Echo Road, the SUV slid on the icy roadway, crossed into the west ditch and rolled onto its top. Seitz was transported to CCMH by Atlantic Medivac for treatment of minor injuries. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $3000.

The future’s looking bright for athletes who will be taking to the softball and football fields in Griswold.  Griswold Community School District Superintendent Dana Kunze told KJAN News the School Board Monday evening agreed to purchase new lighting for both fields. Kunze said it’s hoped both projects can be completed this summer. 

The Board approved a bid from Ardent Lighting out of Knoxville, for approximately $128,000 altogether. He says there’s no guarantee the lights will be up by the start of the softball season, but the football field lights should definitely be up before that season begins. Lights are currently in-place at both fields, but Kunze says they’re well over 40-years old. He says replacement bulbs are hard to find, the new bulbs are more efficient, and much brighter. He says safety issues with the current lights not being bright enough, also contributed to the board’s decision to replace those fixtures.

Kunze says also, bonding for the district roofing project is going smoothly, and progress is being made in realigning the Director Districts. The realignment means there will be four geographic districts and three At-Large. There will be a Resolution in front of the school board next month to accomplish the realignment.