CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Members of two snowmobile clubs say they’re planning a new event to replace the memorial snowmobile race on Clear Lake that’s been canceled after its 10-year run. The North Iowa Snow Seekers and the Hancock County Snowmobile Association say the event will operate under a new name and format. Snow Seekers treasurer Mindy Eastman told the Mason City Globe Gazette that the name for the new racing event hasn’t yet been decided but will be announced soon. She says the event tentatively has been set for Feb. 8.

Organizers of the Jack Helgren Memorial Race say the event has been discontinued because members of the original organizational group have decided to retire. It had been named after Jack Helgren, an area businessman, former snowmobile dealer and avid racer who died in 2009.

The Creston Police Department reports a man from Adair County was arrested late Tuesday morning. 51-year old Jack Howard Davis, of Orient, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County Felony Warrant for a Controlled Substance Violation. Davis was released by the Courts to the custody of a State Detention Facility, where he is serving time for another jurisdiction until his next court date.

(Radio Iowa) — The Madison County Board of Supervisors has scaled back the duration of its proposed moratorium on new wind turbines. The board voted to end the moratorium on October 1st of next year, rather than on January 1st of 2022. Adam Jablonski of MidAmerican Energy was among those who testified at a public hearing in Winterset yesterday (Tuesday). He argued the 27-month-long moratorium was “excessive.”

“MidAmerican would not be able to develop wind projects if people did not want them,” he said. “Wind turbines have been operating in Iowa for over 20 years and we still have people signing up for them — all voluntary and we would not be able to build any projects if the landowners in those areas we were looking for did not voluntarily sign up for wind projects, so just please consider them as you consider this moratorium.” Others who testified at the hearing complained about the engine noise of the turbines. Bev Anderson of St. Charles raised concerns about the cropland that’s taken out of production by turbines in rural areas. “This land is adding up to more and more acres,” Anderson said. “Farmers need that land to plant.”

Mary Jobst, rhymes with “roast”) of Earlham circulated a petition in favor of the moratorium. “I was stunned by the number of people who believe these turbines are too close and don’t want them and most willingly signed the petition,” Jobst said. “The majority of people living in the footprint of the proposed 52 turbines do not want them.” That includes Jobst and her husband, who signed a lease to host a turbine and she asked the board of supervisors to put a halt to the wind farm project. Bonnie Haugen of Winterset defended wind development. She told the supervisors her husband, father, brother-in-law and a cousin all have jobs in the wind industry. “My nephew just took a job custom welding on turbines in Iowa,” Haugen said. “I just want to be the persona face of 10,000 rural Americans who are working in wind.”

More than 100 people attended yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) public hearing in Winterset. Some who testified said the controversy over wind turbines has ended friendships and created rifts in families.

The Council Bluffs Police Department reports a large disturbance broke out at Iowa Western Community College, in Council Bluffs, just before 1-a.m. today (Wednesday). Authorities say the offenders got into two cars and attempted to flee the area. One vehicle was described as a red Honda Accord and the other a black Volvo. Officers located the Honda Accord on the college property headed towards Valley View Drive. Three of the occupants in the Honda Accord were arrested and charged with Assault causing bodily injury. At this time, the other vehicle has not been located and those offenders have not yet been identified.

The offenders who were arrested are: 19-year old’s Jalen Black Harris and Malik L. Kidd, along with 34-year old Titus Quinell Smith. All three offenders were charged with Serious Assault.