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CARRIE RENEE JENSEN, 93, of Audubon (svcs 7-16-11)

Obituaries

July 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

CARRIE RENEE JENSEN, 93, of Audubon, died Mon., July 11th, at the Friendship Home in Audubon. Funeral services for CARRIE JENSEN will be held 2:30-p.m. Sat., July 16th, at the Ebenezer Lutheran Church west of Audubon. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Visitation is open at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Ebenezer Lutheran Cemetery.

CARRIE RENEE JENSEN is survived by:

Her sister – Ruby (Harry) Rasmussen, of Audubon.

Other relatives, and friends.

Atlantic Board of Ed approves SRO agreement & k-9 search

News

July 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education, Tuesday night, approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the district’s School Resource Officer (SRO), Corey Larsen. Larsen is a K-9 Deputy with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and this upcoming school year will be his third as SRO.  The only change to his contract was with regard to language that recognizes the reorganized CAM Community School District. The prior agreement had indicated C & M and Anita were separate entities.

During his report to the board, Larsen asked for and received permission to conduct an unannounced search of students’ lockers and other school areas in the high school and Middle School with his K-9 partner Maylo, and one or two other K-9 units. Larsen requested the search because he says, there were some problems this past year with drugs in the high school. He says High School Principal Heather McKay has agreed to the search sometime within the first two-weeks of school.

McKay says the faculty has requested the district take a similar course of action over the past five- or six-years because of the proliferation of drugs and other, illegal activities. Larsen says while a search is conducted, the school is typically on a “lockdown” status. The kids will remain in their classrooms and their book bags left in the hallways during the search. The k-9 unit will search various parts of the school, including the teacher’s lounge, at the administration’s discretion. Larsen said the search can also include the bathrooms, because that’s where a lot of the drug dealing takes place.  A search of vehicles in the parking lot would be conducted separately, and on a different day.

McKay says an attorney she’s spoken with has suggested the district practice a “lockdown” situation, regardless of the scenario, because it familiarizes both the students and faculty on how they should react, and what to expect.  Deputy Larsen says the search typically takes about an hour. McKay says the last time a full search was conducted by a k-9 unit was about 12-years ago, during the 1999-2000 school year.

Larsen says there is a protocol that is followed, if contraband is found by the dogs. He says school officials will search the students’ book bag and the student, not the K-9 officer. That’s because of a Supreme Court decision.  If someone is found to have drugs or other contraband in their possession or on their person, a citation may be issued to the student, or, they may be placed under arrest. The contraband will be seized, and the parents notified.

The student and their belongings will be brought into the Principal’s Office and searched by school officials. That too, is because of an incident in the Harlan Community School District, whereby a Reserve Officer assisted with the search of a student. The judge threw the case out, because that officer was involved in the search.

Larsen reported to the board also, that he will continue to work on  student truancy issues. He says he’s visited two-or three-homes this past year multiple times, because a student missed school.  He says for the upcoming school year, if he has to visit a home more than twice, the parents and student will go to court, rather than receive a citiation for each offense. He says also an anonymous tip line he instituted when he first became the SRO, has resulted in 20 Minor in Possession citations. Larsen says students simply call or text their tip to either himself, or Sheriff Darby McLaren. They typically provide  the names of the persons involved in parties, and information on adults involved, or who may be drinking and driving.

Council Bluffs waives some permit fees

News

July 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFF, Iowa (AP) — Council Bluffs is giving some potential flood victims a break on some permit and inspection fees.

To help ease cleanup costs, the City Council on Monday waived the fees for the re-installation of service-related equipment. According to The Daily Nonpareil, residents are removing furnaces, air conditions, water heaters and other equipment for fear of water damage from flooding on the Missouri River.

Under normal circumstances, if a resident removes and replaces any of those items, there’s a permit fee to cover the cost of a city inspector who determines if the replacement was installed to city code.

Under the change, a permit and an inspection are still needed, but the city is waiving the fee until further notice.

HOMECOMING CEREMONIES SCHEDULED FOR IOWA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD UNITS

News

July 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Community homecoming ceremonies for three Iowa Army National Guard units mobilized as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, will be held on Thursday, July 14 in Cedar Rapids, Boone, and Johnston. Local officials and Iowa National Guard leadership will participate and the public and media are welcome and encouraged to attend these homecoming ceremonies.

Here are the units and details:

Cedar Rapids-11:30 a.m., Prairie Point Middle School gym, 401 76th Ave. SW

Company C, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard (approximately 50 Soldiers)

Johnston-12:30 p.m., Johnston High School gym, 6501 NW 62nd Ave.

Company B, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard (approximately 50 Soldiers)

Boone-1 p.m., Boone High School gym, 500 7th St.

Selected Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard (approximately 85 Soldiers). Additional Soldiers from this company will return later in July-date and time to be determined.

These units are part of the approximately 2,900 members of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division deployed to Afghanistan. These Iowa Soldiers reported to their mobilization station at Camp Shelby, Miss. in Aug. 2010 for additional training and preparation before departing for the Afghanistan theater of operations.

The units arrived in Afghanistan in November 2010, where the Soldiers provided full-spectrum operations in a combat theater, including lethal and non-lethal capabilities, support to Afghan National Army and Police units, and assistance to humanitarian relief initiative.

(Press Release/IANG)

Draining Prairie Rose Lake Next Step for restoration

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Praire Rose lake

HARLAN – The process of draining Prairie Rose Lake ahead of the $3 million restoration project will begin early next week.  Once the water control gate is opened, the water level will fall about three feet per week, until the lake is completely drained sometime after Labor Day.  Boat ramps will likely not be usable after August 1.

Bryan Hayes, fisheries biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for Prairie Rose Lake, said the next two years of the project include modifying the spillway to prevent carp from entering the lake, fixing the gate valve, placing riprap along shore to prevent shoreline erosion, and installing fish habitat and fishing jetties.

“The project has been going on since 2008 but most of the work has done behind the scenes,” Hayes said.  “Beginning next week, the progress will be much more visible.”

“Our goal is to minimize the time that the lake is down, so the plan calls for mechanical dredging while the lake is down then switch to hydraulic dredging in future years. We will hopefully be putting water in early next summer,” he said.  “One important piece of the puzzle is to put more storage capacity in the wetland east of the highway so it will function as a sediment and nutrient trap, as intended.”

The DNR is partnering with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Shelby County Soil and Water District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service on the watershed portion of the project.  David Brand serves as the Prairie Rose water quality project coordinator.  The renovation plan is based on a 2008 lake study and recommendations from Iowa State University.

“We have worked with landowners in the watershed to install 40 miles of terraces, install grassed waterways, and to better manage nutrients on the land,” Hayes said.  “We purchased a containment site last year where the dredge material will be deposited, hopefully beginning in late fall.”

The lake protection features installed in the watershed should extend the benefits of the in lake work far into the future. “Our goal is to improve the water quality that will get Prairie Rose off the impaired waters list and have a sustainable, healthy lake system,” Hayes said.

Prairie Rose Lake is in one of Iowa’s more popular state parks of the same name. The lake has an annual economic impact of $3.37 million and the campground hosts more than 21,000 camper nights per year. The campground and other park facilities will remain open during the project.

“I know it’s no fun to give up fishing your favorite lake but it is necessary to get the lake on the right track.  We have a number of examples at nearby parks, of what benefits anglers and park visitors will see after the work is done.  Lake Anita and Viking Lake are both experiencing excellent fishing and improved water quality since the projects were completed,” Hayes said.

“We are excited to get this project to the next step, now we will need some cooperation from Mother Nature to keep us on schedule,” he said.

The lake will refill in 2012 and be stocked with largemouth bass, bluegills, crappies and channel catfish. Hayes said they are collecting adult bass from Prairie Rose this week that they will hold until next summer to encourage reproduction early on.  He said they will also stock larger fingerling bass and catfish to jump start the fishery.

(DNR Press Release)

Work begins on flood-mitigation project south of Blencoe on I-29

News

July 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa – July 12, 2011 – The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) is reporting that work will be starting Wednesday, July 13, on a flood-mitigation project located south of Blencoe on Interstate 29.
 
The southbound lanes of I-29 will be closed because the roadway is being elevated approximately 1 foot to prevent flood waters from inundating the highway.
 
I-29 southbound will be closed between exit 95 (Harrison County Road F-20) and exit 105 (Monona County Road E-60). The I-29 southbound ramp at the Blencoe interchange will also be closed.
 
The project is expected to be completed by July 22.

Corps to trim key Missouri River dam releases

News

July 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will reduce water releases from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota, a sign that major Missouri River flooding could be nearing an end. The corps’ Omaha District construction chief, Robert Michaels, says the corps will decrease the water volume gradually from its current 160,000 cubic feet per second.

The corps plans to drop the flow to 155,000 cubic feet per second on July 31 and cut it to 150,000 cubic feet per second on Aug. 1st. Michaels said Tuesday that the corps will trim the releases slowly to keep the water flow stable and prevent further erosion of flooded farmland and roadways.

Missouri-based flood expert David Rogers says lowering the levels gradually is crucial to lessening the risk of levee failure.

Runway blow up in Corning

News

July 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A pavement blow-up on the runway at the Corning Airport has forced the closure of the facility to air traffic until further notice. According to reports, Corning Mayor Guy Brace told the Corning City Council Monday, that hot temperatures caused the pavement blow-up, similar to what motorists may encounter on the highways during the summer months.

Brace says an engineer will inspect the damage tomorrow (Wednesday). No timetable was set on repairing the runway.

Backyard and Beyond 07-12-2011

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

July 12th, 2011 by admin

Lavon speaks with Lora Schwendinger, Cass County Naturalist, about some upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

Play

Preview of Cass & Adair Co. BOS meetings…

News

July 12th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are scheduled to meet Wednesday morning, here in Atlantic. On the agenda is: approving the employment of a jailer and establishing the amount of loan and/or bonds for the northwest sewer and water line extension project.

The meeting begins at 9-a.m.

In Greenfield, the Adair County Board of Supervisors will hear a semi-annual report from County Treasurer Brenda Wallace, and annual report from Veteran’s Affairs Administrator Donna Bittner. They’ll also discuss with Sheriff Brad Newton a Personnel Policy, and, a construction permit application by Deb Bauer and Larry Victora.

The session will conclude with discussion pertaining to a construction permit for a large hog confinement operation, matrix scoring for the application, and a recommendation to the DNR on whether the permit should be approved.

Their meeting begins at 9-a.m.