A ground breaking ceremony was held Wednesday in Council Bluffs, for a plant which may generate up to 100 jobs. Plumrose USA broke ground on a 100-thousand square foot, $70-million cold-cut slicing facility, which will be built north of the intersection of South 32^nd Street and 21^st Avenue. The company already has a plant at 2650 23^rd Avenue, in Council Bluffs, but that facility produces products which must be sliced at a different location.

In May, 2011, Plumrose USA was one of three western Iowa companies that were awarded financial incentives packages from the Iowa Economic Development Board. The IEDB approved $520,000 in direct financial assistance from the Grow Iowa Values Financial Assistance Program (GIVFAP) and tax incentives, to Plumrose. The new plant is LEED certified, which means its design is environmentally and employee health friendly. Company officials say the facility should be open in about 11-months. Plumrose USA is owned by Denmark-based Danish Crown, a packaged meats company.

The Iowa Economic Development Board last May had also approved Enterprise Zone tax incentives to Menard’s Incorporated, to expand a warehouse at its distribution center in Shelby County, which will allow for a further expansion of its product lines, and $800,000 in direct financial assistance to Tyson Prepared Foods, Inc., for a proposed renovation of its Council Bluffs facility.

Police in Council Bluffs say a man possibly armed with a gun, robbed a pharmacy in Council Bluffs Wednesday evening. The incident at the Medicap Pharmacy located at 2201 West Broadway, happened at around 5:35-p..m.   Officials say a white male walked into the store and told employees he had a gun and demanded an undisclosed amount of prescription medications. No weapon was ever displayed during the incident.

The suspect was described as being white, about 5-feet 10-inches tall, and anywhere from 17- to 25-years of age. He wore a red jersey with “Cyclones” written in white on the front, along with cut-off black pants and black shoes. The suspects face was covered up with a black nylon panty hose.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-328-7867.

Sheriff’s officials in Audubon County say two Nebraska, men were arrested early Tuesday morning on drug charges, following a traffic stop on Highway 71 near Exira. 40-year old Scott Lee Kounovsky & 42-year old William Ray Blackerby, both of Omaha, NE., were taken into custody at around 1:45-a.m., Tuesday.

Kounovsky was charged with Possesson of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possessing Contraband in a Correction Facility. Blackerby was charged with Possession of Meth/2nd offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Both men were being held in the Audubon County Jail on $5,000 bond each.

And, a Webster County man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on drug charges, following a traffic stop which occurred November 1st, in Hamlin. 32-year old Christopher Lee Gordon, of Ft. Dodge, had been wanted on outstanding warrants.  Following an investigation after the traffic stop, Gordon was also charged with Conspiracy to Deliver Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was being held in the Audubon County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Officials in Cass County, IA, announced Wednesday, that the county has implemented the use of Pictometry(r) Intelligent Images in county assessment, GIS and public safety offices. Pictometry imagery is high resolution aerial oblique imagery that is geo-referenced to enable the accurate measurement of structures and land features directly on imagery. With Pictometry’s patented aerial oblique imagery users can see the fronts and sides of locations from multiple perspectives and can measure area, distance, height, elevation, bearing, pitch and more – directly on imagery.

“Pictometry imagery is used by more than one third of the counties in the U.S. because it is an approved and accurate way to do field calculations and dispatch the appropriate first response resources when they are needed most,” said Duane McFadden, County Supervisor. “With Pictometry, counties can re-coup cost of investment within a year and can actually generate county income through significant improvements to work processes and fair and equitable assessment practices.

As of November 1, 2011 Pictometry(r) Online is now available to Cass County entities for one year on a free trial basis. There are 200 seats available with each seat entitled to five users for a total of 1000 users. In addition to being able to view Cass County properties, you will also have access to Montgomery, Pottawattamie and Shelby properties.

For more information please contact Tracey J. Marshall, Cass County Treasurer at tmarshall@casscoia.us, or Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management mkennon@casscoia.us, or Mary Anstey, Deputy Cass County Assessor manesty@casscoia.us