DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A 24-year-old Griswold woman convicted of setting a fatal fire when she was 17 is scheduled to have a commutation hearing before the Iowa Board of Parole. Tracey Dyess is serving a 45-year prison sentence for setting fire to the family’s home in Griswold in March 2005.  She told investigators she wanted to kill her stepfather, Brian Street, because of sexual abuse. He was later convicted. The fire killed her two siblings.

Dyess was given 45 years in prison after making a plea deal. The Des Moines Register says her hearing is scheduled for Friday. The board expects to make its recommendation within three weeks to Gov. Terry Branstad, who has three months to decide.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold their regular meeting this evening, at the high school. On their agenda are special presentations by School Resource Officer Corey Larsen, with the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, and Jerry Purdy, with the architectural firm of Design Alliance.

Action items on the agenda include various administrative matters, such as General- and Special- Education contracts, other contracts and letters of assignment, as well as resignations; the appointment of a Board Secretary and Treasurer; consideration of sealed bids which will be opened a few hours prior to the meeting, for renovations and improvements to the Atlantic Middle School, and a resolution directing the sale of bonds for the project.

The Board is also expected to act on approving: an agreement with the Nishna Valley Family YMCA for sharing facilities, mowing & snow removal; a 5-year Capital Needs plan; and a Memorandum of Understanding with the School Resource Officer for 2011-2012.

The meeting begins at 7:30-p.m., in the high school media center.

A gust of wind from a passing semi-tractor trailer contributed to the cause of a rollover accident Sunday night, in Adair County. The Iowa State Patrol says 27-year old Olga Farnsworth, of Logan, Utah, was traveling east on Interstate 80 at around 11:23-p.m., when the accident occurred.

Officials say her 2002 Toyota Tacoma pickup was pulling a U-Haul trailer near the Casey exit when she was passed by a semi. The woman told the investigating officer she could feel the wind created by the semi blow the pickup and trailer.

She then lost control of the vehicle, which entered the median. Both the pickup and the trailer rolled onto their sides, facing west in the median. Farnsworth, who was wearing her seatbelt, was not injured during the mishap, which resulted in her being cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

Her pickup was totaled in the crash, while the U-Haul trailer sustained an estimated $200 damage.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 34-year old Richelle Ann Smith, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday, on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Smith was taken to the Cass County Jail, and released on her own recognizance later in the day.

And, on Saturday,  Police in Anita arrested 24-year old Matthew Quinn Bonnesen, of Anita, on a charge of Domestic Abuse/Serious Assault. Bonnesen was taken to the Cass County Jail, and also released later that day, on his own recognizance.

The Harlan FFA has been voted as a top chapter in their state by area farmers in the FFA Chapter Challenge pilot program, sponsored by Monsanto Company. FFA members in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Georgia and Alabama took this opportunity to make meaningful connections with area farmers, and farmers then voted for their favorite FFA chapter.

John Raines, vice president of Monsanto customer advocacy, said “Monsanto is proud to be a partner with the National FFA and help these local chapters generate new and stronger relationships with their area farmers.” He congratulated the Harlan FFA on their accomplishment and for opening dialogue with the farming community “That billions depend on everyday.”

Twenty-five FFA chapters across Iowa were in the running for the FFA Chapter Challenge Grand Prize, which was made possible through National FFA and Monsanto.
The chapter that received the most votes won a trip to this year’s National FFA Convention in Indianapolis Oct. 19-22, for six students and one adviser. The trip is valued at $6,500.

The top 10 chapters in each state were awarded a $1,500 certificate of credit as first prize. The remaining 55 prizes were awarded to the overall top chapters, not
to include those that ranked in the top 10 for their state. The second prize chapters received FFA merchandise gift certificates.  The certificates of credit
can be used with the national office for items such as blue jackets, convention fees and more.

To see a full list of 2011 FFA Chapter Challenge winners, visit ffachapterchalllenge.com.

USDA Rural Development Director, Bill Menner, will be in western Iowa Tuesday, to garner ideas to keep “rural Iowa  alive and vibrant.” Director Menner will at the Elk Horn Town Hall at 9-a.m., at the Greenfield City Hall, beginning at 1-p.m., and at the Pavilion on the Adams County Fair Grounds in Corning, at 3:30-p.m.

For more information about finance programs through USDA Rural Development, please call the office located in Atlantic at (712) 243-2107 Ext. 4. This office serves  communities, businesses and residents in Adams, Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Shelby and Taylor Counties.

USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office  locations include a State Office in Des Moines, along with Area Offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.

Further information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting the agency’s web site at  www.rurdev.usda.gov/ia.