(Radio Iowa) – A northeast Iowa farmer has been sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for stealing nearly five million dollars worth of livestock and federal pandemic assistance.
Prosecutors say 54-year-old Michael Butikofer of Monona, in Clayton County, had a large operation raising cattle for investors across the U-S and he recruited employees from South Africa who were forced to live on the farm without access to clean water or even furniture. According to a news release from the U-S Attorney’s Office, Butikofer convinced eight investors to let him sell their cattle in his name — and he took over two-and-a-half MILLION dollars of the profits for his own use. He was also accused of getting more than a million dollars in emergency assistance from the U-S-D-A at the start of the pandemic for cattle he did not own — and making false claims to get a one-and-half MILLION dollar disaster loan from the S-B-A in early 2022.

Prosecutors say Butikofer made false statements about his financial condition when he filed for bankruptcy soon after getting that S-B-A loan. The U-S Attorney’s Office says Butikofer used his bankruptcy filing to dupe three migrants who’d worked for him into accepting 30 percent of the nearly quarter of a million dollars a federal court ordered Butikofer to pay them for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Last year, federal agents rescued a husband, wife and teenaged daughter from South African from Butifer’s farm. They had been living in a camper without water, electricity or heat. Then again this past April federal agents prevented other migrants recruited to work at the farm from winding up there.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s Area Education Agencies are still making adjustments in how they operate, based on changes mandated during the last legislative session. Stan Rheingans is interim administrator for the Central Rivers A-E-A, based in Cedar Falls, and he’s also administrator of the Keystone A-E-A, based in Elkader. Under the old plan, Rheingans says schools that graduate 25 students a year would have access to the same resources as schools with 800 graduates per year.

“In the new model, the larger districts, because it’s funded on a per student basis, can purchase many of the services and materials that they would choose,” Rheingans says. “Smaller districts will have to really think through how to spend those resources, because it’s going to be based on their enrollment, and so they’ll have access to limited dollars for that.” He says the A-E-As are having to do more with fewer employees, saying their staffs have been cut by 20-percent.

“We are stretched thinner than we’ve ever been, so we’re working really hard to make sure that doesn’t impact students first,” Rheingans says. “We always want to be student-focused, making sure that as we spread out employees over that geography, that we always focus first on what’s best for kids.”

There are nine A-E-As in Iowa which provide special education services, teacher training and other services to Iowa school districts.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday (Today), approved a Rural Transit System (RTS) joint agreement with SWIPCO (Southwest Iowa Planning Council), for Fiscal Year 2024-25. They also approved waiving the deadline and continuing to operate under the terms of the agreement for private development by and between Cass County and KLC Comes, LLC (Bluebird Hill event venue). The venue is owned by Kim and Drew Comes.

Board Chair Steve Baier…

In other business, there was a motion with regard to “Stand-up” a County Compensation Board, but the motion died for lack of a second. By law, all compensation boards in Iowa dissolved July 1, 2024. Regardless of whether or not a county reestablishes it, new requirements to document comparable positions and justify recommendations now exist

Cass County Supervisor’s meeting, 10-15-24

The Board received a monthly report from Jotham Arber, Executive Director of the Cass/Guthrie County Environmental Health Department, who mentioned they are closing out water testing for the year, with the advent of the first hard frost. The tests are normally conducted every three-years.

The tests cover bacteria, nitrates and arsenic that may exist beyond safe levels, in rural wells. Arber said also, they’re coming to the end of the time for to conduct any perc (percolation) tests for septic systems.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert, Tuesday, informed the Board of Supervisors and residents of the county, that concrete barricades are now in-place on J Avenue, between 215^th Street and 230^th. The road had originally been cordoned-off by a barricade and snow2 fence, following severe storms that took place in May, which undermined the road, and caused a metal culvert to curl-up. Albert said sometime last Friday, someone removed the barricades that were set in-place, making for a dangerous situation, and the potential for additional damage.

While understanding having the road closed is an inconvenience, Engineer Albert asked people to “Please not remove signs,” and please do not cross over that section of road with a damaged pipe. Supervisor Donna Robinson suggested trail cameras be hidden in the area to try and catch the person or persons responsible for removing the signs and barricades, in the future.

In other Secondary Roads Department-related news, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with Hungry Canyons for a project on G Avenue, north of 190^th. Karen Albert says the project involves a bridge replacement in that area.

The Board authorized the Stanton Community Development group to withdraw from Destination Iowa grant funds that were intended for the completion of a trails project. Jenna Ramsey is President of the group.

Stanton Community Development group President Jenna Ramsey speaks to the Montgomery County BOS (10-15-24)

At the end of the year – pending projects continuation – she says, almost one-million dollars will have been spent between different organization grants and people on the Stanton Trails Projects. But there have been some unexpected issues have come to the forefront.

The application was a joint effort between the County and City of Stanton. The Stanton City Council agreed to withdraw from the agreement during their meeting Monday evening. Ramsey said it’s hard to give the grant money up, but there’s too much at risk moving forward.

The Montgomery County Supervisors expressed regret in having to approve from the withdrawal agreement, but they understand the City’s fiscal responsibility in the matter and the inherent risks.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC) today (Tuesday), announced the appointment of Jared Nobbe as the new Director of the 3rd District. Nobbe, who brings over a decade of experience in community-based corrections and criminal justice, will lead the district, effective immediately. He will be succeeding Maureen Hansen, who officially retired after a 34-year career with the department.

Nobbe most recently served as the Probation/Parole Supervisor for the 3rd District, where he supervised the Department’s Sex Offender Treatment Program and oversaw critical initiatives such as the Re-Entry and Incentive Program. In addition to his extensive corrections experience, Nobbe holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Wayne State College.

Nobbe’s tenure as Director will focus on enhancing service delivery, advancing evidence-based practices, and ensuring the safety and security of both staff and the community. His extensive background in risk management and offender supervision will guide his approach in leading the district through future challenges and opportunities.

Maureen Hansen’s departure marks the end of an era for the 3rd District, with her 34 years of service to the DOC leaving a lasting legacy.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Malvern was arrested last Thursday afternoon, on an Assault charge. 34-year-old Cole Raymond Smith was taken into custody for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense – a Simple Misdemeanor. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail. A No Contact Order was issued. Smith’s pretrial conference was set for November 12th.