The Iowa Finance Authority recently approved a combined total of more than $13 million in water quality loans to assist Bennett, Griswold, Kelley, Kiron, Lake Creek District, Laurens, Le Mars, Liscomb, Lohrville, Melborne, Terril, Walker, Wapello and Winterset. Griswold will receive $1.637-million loan for a Clean Water construction project.

The Construction Loans are a source of low-interest financing for these communities to address pollution of Iowa streams and lakes and the Planning & Design Loans will assist with project expenses. The funding is made available through the State Revolving Fund’s Construction Loan and Planning & Design Loan Programs.

The Iowa Finance Authority has awarded Iowa communities and municipalities more than $1.8 billion in Construction Loans and $120 million through Planning & Design Loans since program inception. The loans are made available as part of the State Revolving Fund. For more information on Planning & Design Loans, as well as other State Revolving Fund programs, visit www.IowaSRF.com.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold a closed session just after they begin their regular session Wednesday morning, in Greenfield. The closed session at 9:05-a.m. is to discuss matters currently in litigation. After they resume their normal meeting, the Board will hear from County Engineer Nick Kauffman, with regard to bids received for a bridge at W-26 Summit. They’ll also award a contract for the project and receive a Secondary Roads Department report on maintenance and activities.

Prior to the conclusion of their meeting, the Board will hear from Chamber Main Street representative Stacie Hull, with regard to a Courtyard Use Permit.

For the second day in a row, firefighters, and farmers with disc implements battled a field fire in the area. The Atlantic Fire Department was called to the scene of a corn field fire just after 11-a.m., at 3484 Falcon Avenue in Audubon County. Also assisting at the scene were the Exira and Brayton Fire Departments. The fire was declared extinguished at around 11:50-a.m.

Monday afternoon, fire crews from Atlantic and Marne were called to a field fire located about one mile north of Highland Road and six miles west of Atlantic.  Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees  said it appears the blaze started with an overheated bearing in an auger, while the machine was unloading grain into a bin. Crews were on the scene for about four-hours, and again later that evening, when some areas rekindled due to strong winds. About 15-to 20 acres of already harvested corn was burned.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says a Villisca teen was arrested today (Tuesday) at around 9-a.m., following an investigation into an incident which allegedly involved felony threats toward another person. 13-year old Cordell Straw was taken into custody and transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs. Additional details concerning the alleged threat were not released.

The Harlan Community School District will lose 31 years of FFA experience at the end of the school year. In a regularly scheduled meeting held Monday, the Harlan Community School Board approved the resignation of High School Ag teacher Dan Leinen. Superintendent Justin Wagner said Leinen has been nationally recognized for his outstanding work in FFA and said it was a privilege and honor to work with Leinen. Leinen has spent the past 31 years working at the Harlan Community School District, with an exception of leaving for a semester a few years ago. He spoke to the board after the resignation approval.

He thanked the Board for the opportunity to work with them and allow him to pursue his passion of working with kids. His retirement brings mixed emotions for him, but he feels that it’s time for someone else to carry on with the tradition of excellence he’s experienced in the Harlan Community School District.

The School Board also approved Leinen’s request for the early retirement benefit package. Wagner said with the exception of the one semester 7 or 8 years ago, Leinen met the criteria for early retirement.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)