A ban on opening burning which had been in place in Cass County since October 7th, was lifted Tuesday afternoon. The ban was issued due to dry and windy conditions, and the danger of seemingly controlled, open burning, getting out of control.  Recent rains and a light dusting of snow last week has helped to lessen the fire danger.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon announced that at the request of area fire departments, the ban burn was lifted at 3-p.m. Tuesday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Chicago attorney says a jury verdict finding a former western Iowa woman guilty of murdering a man in 2001 is a victory for public safety. Stephen Komie on Tuesday praised Sac County Attorney Ben Smith and state investigators for securing Monday’s conviction of Tracey Richter, of Omaha, in the death of 20-year-old Dustin Wehde at her home in Early, Iowa. Komie represented Richter’s first husband, John Pitman III, in a bitter divorce and custody proceeding in the 1990s. Prosecutors say Richter tried to frame Pitman and Komie in a murder-for-hire-scheme in which she had Wehde write in a pink notebook they’d hired him to kill her and her son. Komie says he was surprised to learn last month he’d been framed and he’s “thrilled” Richter had been convicted.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A state audit has found more than $95,000 in questionable spending at the Denison Fire Department, including payments it says were made to businesses owned by the former fire chief. The report released today (Tuesday), from state Auditor David Vaudt details a review that was requested by city officials after former Fire Chief Mike McKinnon left the job in 2010.

It identifies a number of purchases that were improper or did not have proper documentation, including webcams, GPS units,  atelevision, a riding lawnmower and snowblade and clothing. The audit also found thousands paid to businesses owned by McKinnon and included invoices with addresses for post office boxes in Des Moines that did not exist.

The City of Atlantic’s Airport Commission will meet 9-a.m. Wednesday, in the airport terminal building. New business on their agenda includes the review of a letter from the F-A-A with regard to the Parallel Taxiway Project, and the continuation of an Engineering Agreement with Snyder and Associates for final project’s documents, bid, and construction services.

City Administrator Doug Harris said at last week’s City Council meeting in Atlantic, that the F-A-A will pay nearly $600,000 toward the $1.2-million dollar cost of the project, which involves completion on one segment of the taxiway to the runway. The City’s share is 5-percent of the total cost. The letter the Airport Commission will review, spells out a schedule the City must adhere to, including the hiring of an engineer by December 15^th, and the letting of bids by no later than May, 2012.