The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports an Arizona man was sentenced Tuesday to prison, on Child Pornography charges. 47-year old Shawn Michael Carrico, of Phoenix, AZ, was sentenced in Council Bluffs by United States District Court Chief Judge James E. Gritzner to 120 months (10-years) in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.

On February 17th, 2012, Carrico was stopped by the Iowa State Patrol as he traveled on Interstate 29 through Harrison County. The Iowa State Patrol determined that there was an arrest warrant for Carrico from Arizona which led to a subsequent search of his items. In his possession a computer was found that appeared to have several suspicious files on it. When examined later by computer forensic experts, the computer contained images of child pornography. On October 3rd, 2013, Carrico entered a guilty plea to possession of child pornography.

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa State Patrol, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, Cyber Crime Unit. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Warren Cultural Center in Greenfield has received a Rural Arts Development grant from the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Grant funds will help support the WCC’s Premier Performance Series, which features a variety of nationally touring acts appearing on the stage of the restored 1896 opera house in Greenfield.

The $5,000 grant will help underwrite the cost of three performances, including soul singer Jane L. Powell, who performed January 18th at the WCC. In addition to her public performance, Powell held a workshop for young singers, which was made available at no cost to area high schools. Other performances are the men’s a cappella group Shy of a Dozen, with jazz singer Ria Olson on March 29, and Frank Ferrante’s “An Evening with Groucho” performance on April 26.

The Iowa Arts Council (IAC) awarded $74,506 in Project Grants and Rural Arts Development Grants funding to support 14 arts projects serving Iowans in 10 communities across the state. The WCC was one of three projects to receive a Rural Arts Development grant.

Rural Arts Development Grants support arts projects that positively impact the quality of life in rural Iowa, demonstrate public value, and support IAC funding priorities. Eligible applicants must be located in select Iowa counties and include nonprofit organizations incorporated in Iowa that have federal tax-exempt status; schools; local, county, state and federal government agencies; and tribal councils. Funding for both programs come from the Iowa Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The 2013-14 Premier Performance series is made  possible through sponsorships by the following local businesses: 1st National Bank, Adair County Abstract Co., Adair County Health System, Adair County Farm Bureau Alliance, Alliant Energy,  Farm Bureau Financial Services – Connie Hohertz agent, Havens Accounting, Hight Law Office, Marion E. James Law Office, Jensen Law Office, Olesen Law Office, Pro Team Insurance/West Bend, Southwestern Community College, Stalker Chevrolet, Robert A. Weiland O.D., and Union State Bank.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports that two male CAM High School students have been charged in Juvenile Court with Theft 2nd Degree (D Felony) in the theft of a vehicle from the CAM High School parking lot on Tuesday, January 28th. The names of the juveniles were not released.

Earlier this week, Sheriff’s officials said that at around 9:12-p.m. Tuesday, they received word a 1998 Ford Escort was stolen from the parking lot of the CAM High School, in Anita. The car, owned by April Annette McAfee, of Anita, was recovered Wednesday morning in a ditch near 640th and Fayette Road in Cass County.

A northeast Iowa couple’s surprise discovery after buying a home is the inspiration for a bill sponsored by Senate President Pam Jochum. “After they had purchased it, they found out that it had been a meth home and they had to spend thousands of dollars to decontaminated that home so they could live in it,” Jochum says. “And until they decontaminated it, they weren’t going to be able to live in it because of public health concerns.” Jochum’s bill would require property owners to disclose to potential buyers if the dangerous drug had been cooked there.

A three-member subcommittee reviewed the legislation this morning (Thursday), but temporarily tabled it after questions and concerns were raised. Senator Bill Anderson, a Republican from Pierson, says it appears the meth-making disclosure would apply to every structure on a property, not just a house. “If it’s a barn, clearly no one’s going to live in that barn,” Anderson says. “I mean, would this require me to disclose?” Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm, a Democrat from Cresco, used to be a licensed realtor.

“First and foremost, I think we’re all of us sitting at the table, we want to make consumers are protected,” Wilhelm says. “….But I haven’t dealt with this issue for many years…I just thought the place just had to be torn down, so I need to have some answers about is there a clean-up process that we can do and who determines if it’s livable or not livable.” Realtors suggest there’s already a requirement on disclosure statements requiring sellers to reveal if there are environmental hazards on the property and that would apply to places where meth’s been made. Jennifer Kingland is a lobbyist for the Iowa Association of Realtors.

“Obviously we want to make sure that people are moving into homes that are safe. That is not our intention for registering opposed to this bill,” Kingland says. “But, you know, really, you are condemning that property to a stigmatized type of perception publicly.” Kingland says realtors would prefer legislators focus on ensuring there’s a way for property owners to get some sort of state certification that a property where meth was made has been cleaned up and is livable.

“For the property owners that surround it, it’s really for the benefit of them, too, that you solve the problem when it’s discovered,” Kingland says. Senator Liz Mathis, a Democrat from Robins who leads the three-member panel reviewing the disclosure requirement, plans to press forward with the bill.  “I think realtors are very concerned about this. I think sellers are very concerned about this and banks are because it does add a stigma to the home. But, at the same time, what about the buyer?” Mathis says. “How do we protect the consumer from something that they knew nothing about?”

About half of all states require some sort of disclosure if there’s been a meth lab in a home. Some states require written notices. Some require no disclosure if the site has been properly cleaned and treated and some allow disclosures to be undone is the site has been decontaminated.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office say the S/O will feature extended hours on Wednesdays, beginning February 5th.  It’s hoped the change will help facilitate the issuance of weapons permits for those who cannot make it to the Sheriff’s Office during normal business hours .On Wednesdays the Office doors will be locked at 5-pm. Anyone in the building prior to 5-pm will still receive their permit.

Here’s the schedule for normal business hours and when weapons permits will be issued:

BUSINESS OFFICE HOURS:

Monday & Tuesday: 8:00am to 4:30pm
Weapon permits issued between 8:30am to 4:00pm

Wednesday: 8:00am to 5:30pm
Weapon permits issued between 8:30 to 5:00pm

Thursday & Friday: 8:00am to 4:30pm
Weapon permits issued between 8:30am to 4:00pm

Firefighters from Griswold and Grant were called to the scene of a fire that spread to a small shed Wednesday afternoon, about 2.5-miles north of Grant. Griswold Fire Chief Andy Steffen told KJAN News the call from 62222 Yankton Road came in at around 2:13-p.m. Steffen said a telephone company repair or installation crew were the first to notice the blaze and notified the homes’ resident. They told her she needed to call 9-1-1.

Steffen said open burning and later wind conditions was the likely cause of the fire. He said a female resident at the home was burning boxes in the open earlier in the day. Embers from the fire were whipped up by the winds and caught some leaves on fire. The blaze spread to a nearby small shed containing wood. The fire then proceeded around the building before spreading to a grassy area. Steffen said if they had arrived any later then they did, the fire could have spread to a nearby machine shed. An area about 100-feet long and 40-feet wide was scorched by the flames.

Firefighters from Grant equipped with two tanker trucks and a grass unit helped Griswold crews get the flames under control within about an hour. Steffen says residents in the area need to be cautious with outdoor burning, because conditions are extremely dry. He says if you must burn outdoors, use a barrel with a cover on it. The dry conditions and a strong wind will cause fires to spread rapidly.

He didn’t rule out the possibility of a Burn Ban for Cass County, after speaking with Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon. He said Kennon has probably spoken with other area fire chiefs as well. Steffen said a ban may be needed to prevent any catastrophes.

There were no injuries reported during Wednesday’s firefighting efforts.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet Friday morning in Atlantic. During their 8:30-a.m. session, the Board will act on approving the regulations for “Radon Control Methods” as passed by the County Board of Health on Monday. They’re also set to act on approving a contract with SWIPCO (the Southwest Iowa Planning Council), for services necessary to carry out the formal adoption of a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) for rural Cass County and the eight cities within the County. The Board had tabled the matter during their meeting last week, because the agreement was not ready.

In other business, the Supervisors will act on a Resolution appointing a person to serve a three-year term (beginning April 9^th) as Commissioner of the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (SIRHA). And, at 10-a.m., the Board is set to hear from Solutions, Inc., with regard to quotes for new computer servers and backups, or intelligent business continuity. Action to purchase the hardware and/or services, will follow.   

The Atlantic Police Department reports two people were arrested Wednesday on theft charges. 21-year old Chelsea Rollins and 27-year old Joshua Batenhorst, both of Atlantic, were arrested on Cass County warrants for Theft in the 5th Degree. Batenhorst was also charged with Introducing contraband into a County Jail. Both subjects were being held in the Cass County Jail pending a court appearance.