(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department says a woman from Creston reported on Saturday, vandalism had occurred at Rainbow Park (601 S. Park St.). At the scene, a blow-up “Nutcracker” was punctured, and strings of lights were damaged. The loss was estimated at $42. And, on Sunday, a man from Afton reported to Creston Police, that his storage unit in the 900 block of S. Walnut Street had been broken into. Multiple items were taken. A dollar value of the loss was not available.

Late Saturday night, Creston Police arrested 18-year old Miracle Ann Freeman, of Creston, on an Assault charge. She was released from the scene with a citation. Also arrested Saturday night, was 23-year-old Kole Andrew Lovely, of Creston, for Harassment in the 2nd Degree. His bond at the Union County Jail was set at $1,000.

Late Friday morning, Creston Police arrested 31-year-old Brooke Marie Carter, of Creston. She was taken into custody at the Union County Courthouse, on a Union County warrant for Driving While Barred. Carter was later released on a $2,000 cash or surety bond. A few hours earlier, 39-year-old Charles Edward Keeton, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on two outside agency warrants. His cash bond was set at $25,300.

(Atlantic, Iowa) The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to meet 9-a.m. Tuesday (11/23) in their Boardroom at the Cass County Courthouse, in Atlantic. On their agenda, is an annual report and request for funding, from West Central Community Action (WCCA). Following an update from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken, the Board will act on approving a Resolution to award a contract for a Bridge Replacement Project (L-280-73-15), and they expect to hear a report from the Director of CADCO (Cass-Atlantic Development Corporation), along with a request for a tax abatement.

The Board will discuss the establishment of an abatement plan for property improvements to certain classes of property in the non-incorporated portion of Cass County.  In other business, the Supervisors will act on allowing or disallowing certain family farm credits, and to approve agricultural Land credits, in accordance with the Code of Iowa. They will also discuss and/or take action on, the allowance rate and list of those eligible for reimbursement, with regard to the use of personal cell phones for County business.

Their final order of business is to discuss and/or take action on the use of American Rescue Plan (Covid Relief) funding.

(Radio Iowa) – The number of people who are predicted to be traveling this week is up 13-percent from last year and it’s almost back to pre-pandemic levels, according to a Triple-A survey. Meredith Mitts, spokeswoman for the auto club in Iowa, says almost one-in-five people across the region will be taking a journey over the Thanksgiving holiday and most of them will be traveling by car. “Road trips are the favored way to travel. It is the most easily accessible whether it’s a pandemic year or not,” Mitts says. “You have control over where you go and how to get there, what time you’re leaving and then you don’t have to deal with the hassle of a rental car or catching rides. We did see a dramatic increase in airfares as well. That’s almost back up to normal.”

Compared to last Thanksgiving, gasoline prices in Iowa are up a dollar-20 a gallon, but Mitts says it’s due to much more than just supply-and-demand. “Last year we had no one traveling. Everyone was staying home and doing their best to protect family and friends,” Mitts says. “This year, we are seeing increased confidence in the vaccine. It is readily accessible. People haven’t been seeing their family and friends for a year, and for some people two years, so there is a lot of factors going into the gas prices.”

The higher gas prices are -not- expected to deter most drivers from hitting the holiday road. Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, is predicted to be one of the busiest travel days of the year, followed closely by Sunday, so motorists should prepare accordingly. “Just make sure you are planning extra time in your schedule for unexpected delays or traffic stops,” Mitts says. “You never know what’s going to happen to the vehicles around you or what the weather’s going to be like. Leave yourself plenty of time, that way you don’t have to speed and rush and you can take your time and be calm as you’re driving.”

The national average for gasoline is three-41 a gallon, while in Iowa, the average is three-17. A year ago, the statewide average was a dollar-98, the lowest since 2013.

(Radio Iowa) – There are a lot of ways to cook a turkey and but the director of the Iowa Culinary Institute at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) says every method has one goal. Chef John Andres says that’s to keep the meat moist. “You are always kind of in a battle between getting the outside of your turkey nice and caramelized and roasted — and at the same time, you want to retain moisture in the meat. And you’re literally cooking it from the outside inward, not overcooking the outside while getting the inside to a safe internal temperature,” he says.

Andres started cooking at country clubs where they may’ve had as many as 80 birds going at once. He says regardless of how many you cook — two things figure in for continued success. “Careful timing and taking good notes from year to year, I guess from a professional chef’s perspective,” Andres says. There’s one thing he likes to do at the start. “A lot of the advice you’ll hear for home cooks is to make sure you brine your bird,” Andres says. “And I think even if you purchase a bird that has already been brined, it doesn’t hurt to do your own brine on top of that. Because usually, it’s a small percentage of salt solution that they have already used. But that is something to keep an eye on that kind of affects the meat and might show something different in the meat as you cook your bird.”

Most people cook their bird the traditional way — but there is one trendy technique that’s hot right now. “You hear a lot about Sous Vide, and that’s kind of a fun technique where you seal up the meat up in a bag — the French translation from Sous Vide would be under vacuum,” according to Andres. “And you can infuse different flavors –whether it is herbs, garlic, things like that, butter in the bag with your meat. And then you cook it slowly.” Another technique is called Roulade. “Cut the breast meat off the turkey. In fact, if you do it carefully, you can even keep the skin on it. And then you can open that up a bit and maybe pound that meat down so you’ve got a nice even thickness, and you can stuff it with really anything,” he explains.

He says the stuffing you wrap the meat around can include some of the traditional stuffing, or apples and other fruits, and even your favorite vegetable. Andres says he likes the traditional sides to go with his Thanksgiving turkey. But, he has a fresh take on the old standby green bean casserole and makes it without canned mushroom soup. “I’ll make a mushroom soup, a cream of mushroom soup myself with extra mushrooms. Really caramelize those mushrooms and concentrate the mushroom flavor, add some thickened cream sauce to that and then blanch some fresh green beans, or fresh French cut green beans to mix all together.”

He says to add caramelized fresh onion on top. Andres says there are a lot of different recipes available online. “I tell people to be careful when you are looking out on the internet — because there is some junk out there too,” But if you find some good videos that show the process, that show the outcome — really your goal then as a home cook is to just the seasoning as you go…and as long as it is not too far off the wall, you’ll end up with a good product.”

Andres says now that he is teaching he enjoys being home to make his own Thanksgiving dinner for his family instead of having to be away and cooking for others.

Police in Red Oak report two women were arrested on separate charges, Sunday night. A little before 7-p.m., Red Oak Police conducted a traffic stop at W. 4th and Coolbaugh Streets, on a vehicle with a registration violation. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the driver, 31-year-old Meredith Morgan Mayberry, of Sidney, had a suspended license through the State of Iowa. Mayberry was taken into custody for Driving Under Suspension. She was also cited for the Registration Violation. Bond at the Montgomery Countyt Jail was set at $495.25.

And, at around 9-p.m., 37-year-old Chandra Christine Baggett, of Red Oak, was arrested in the 200 block of E. Maple Street, in Red Oak, on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond.