(Radio Iowa) – The City of Spencer has cut off power to a trailer park near the Clay County Fairgrounds after weeks of wrangling over conditions in the park. City officials initially gave residents of the 26 trailers at the Spencer Trailer Court until July 5th to vacate the property due to concerns about the electric grid, sewer service and safety issues, like boarded up egress doors and windows.

Spencer Trailer Court owner Bill Caskey and his attorney met with city officials and came up with a compromise and the city extended the deadline until today (July 12th). They agreed electric service would meet code in all occupied trailers by noon yesterday (Monday) or the city would proceed with plans to turn off the power today (Tuesday). Last week, Spencer Mayor Steve Bomgaars said social service organizations in Clay County had made significant progress in helping residents of the trailer park find alternate housing.

The City of Spencer ended electric service to the trailer park at 10 a.m. this (Tuesday) morning according to the Trailer Court’s owner.

(Radio Iowa) – State officials have signed off on a seven-and-a-half million dollar payment to settle a medical malpractice claim against the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Attorneys for 47-year-old Christopher Dolan of Davenport say he suffered severe impairments following treatment of a bleeding brain tumor. Dolan’s right arm and leg are paralyzed. His speech and other bodily functions are compromised and he requires 24 hour care.

The State Appeal Board agreed the state will pay Dolan and his wife two-and-a-half million. The remaining five million dollars will be covered by a medical and surgical group with over a thousand doctors called University of Iowa Physicians.

(Atlantic,Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, received a request for funding from the County’s share of ARPA monies, for the Cumberland Youth Program. Debra Brown said a fitness program that began in 2018, quickly expanded to establishing a facility where youth and adults could exercise and get together with peers. That’s the Cumberland Fitness Center, which is run by volunteers and is available at no cost to users. They were gifted the building which they had paid rent for, last week.

Brown said the would like to purchase a Nu-Way recumbent cross-trainer-type piece of exercise equipment, which works the arms and legs. They typically retail anywhere from $2,500 to as much as $6,000 or more, depending on the style of the machine and accessories. The machine the Fitness Center would like, is about $4,900. The Board didn’t make a commitment of ARPA Funds, since the second-half payment to the County has not-yet been received yet. The Board suggested the City of Cumberland be on-board first, in the form of an official request for funds and other processes. Brown said they hope to the piece of equipment in-place by September.

The Supervisors passed a motion to allow up to $40,000, for the repair of the Hitchcock House roof. The Reverend George B. Hitchcock House was restored, and tours began in 1992. The House was used as part of the Underground Railroad for fugitive slaves looking to make their way to freedom in the mid-19th Century. Hitchcock House Board Member Mark Clark said the cedar shingle roof was last replaced nearly 40-years ago, and it is showing its age.

Hitchcock House Board Chair Sharon Guffey-Lewis said they had received three bids for the project, with the lowest “Estimated bid” of $27,700 coming from Rigid Edge. The term “estimated bid” was used by the contractors who submitted them, because they can’t predict what the cost will be to purchase shingles, when it comes time to order them. In voting to approve the “up to” cost of the project, the Supervisors noted the significance of the Hitchcock House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In other business, the Cass County Board of Supervisors approved Stacie Linfor as a new, Treasurer’s Office employee. Last week, they approved the position’s wage. Linfor currently works for KJAN as Traffic Director/Receptionist & Sales Professional. The Board also, after lengthy discussion with Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall, which was sometimes heated, voted to approve a wage increase to 75% of the top office pay, for three hourly employees, and their status as Deputies.

Stacie Mueller, Deputy County Treasurer, wanted to clarify that even though it’s been publicized the Office is “Temporarily closed to the Public for Staff Training,” the Treasurer’s Office is capable of helping people if they walk-in or call, but Mueller and Marshall both recommended the public utilize online and/or other Counties for certain services, including Driver’s Licensing and Registration renewals.

The Cass County website says: “If you need to pay property Taxes, Please call 712-243-5503 and someone can assist you.*24 hr services for Driver’s License renewals can be made online at www.iowadot.gov*Property Taxes and Motor Vehicle Renewals: The best way is by mail or online www.iowatreasurers.org* A Bill of Sale is required for all Motor Vehicles purchases. We will process your payments as they come in. Please provide a telephone number in the event we need to contact you. Please use the yellow drop box outside – envelopes are in the side box.”

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports 27-year-old Zachary Digilo, of Glenwood, was arrested Monday on a Cuming County, NE warrant, for Failure to Appear. No bond was set.

Atlantic, IA — A reminder for Cass County residents and others who utilize the services of Cass Health, in Atlantic: Thursday, July 14th will be a busy day at Cass Health as crews begin work on the Emergency Department entrance, Emergency Drive, and AMC Rapid Care. Emergency Drive will be closed through early fall for replacement and repairs. Cass Health Plant Operations Director Lee Wyman says “The driveway up to the building is in rough shape, and we’ve been doing what we can to patch it and keep it in service. During the last two years of construction, it has really suffered from construction traffic and heavy equipment. Now that we’re nearing the end of the project, it’s time to close it so that we can completely replace the drive.”

Emergency traffic will be routed around the building instead, and patients will be directed to enter through the Rehab Services entrance due to construction beginning at the Emergency Department entrance. Cass Health Chief Financial Officer Abbey Stangl says “We want to assure everyone that our Emergency Department is open and will remain open throughout this phase of construction. Our team has spent a lot of time ensuring that access to care remains our top priority, and while these changes are inconvenient, we know that they are necessary in the long run.” 

At the same time, AMC Rapid Care will be relocating to Atlantic Medical Center while the current clinic space is being remodeled to accommodate additional exam rooms. As of July 14, all AMC Rapid Care patients should park in Lot A and use the Main Entrance during this phase of construction, which is expected to last through early 2023. Due to the move, AMC Rapid Care will be closed that morning until noon.

(Radio Iowa) – A few Republicans in the U-S Senate complain they were “misled” by several now-Supreme Court justices about abortion during confirmation hearings, but Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley isn’t among them. Grassley says the nominees were “absolutely” honest with him when they appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee. “They never know what they’re going to hear,” Grassley says. “You don’t know what’s going to come down the road. You have to give the best answers to questions you can and that’s what they gave.”

Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska say the high court’s recent ruling on Roe versus Wade was inconsistent with precedent. Collins says Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh had said in their testimony how they’d support the nation’s long-standing precedents. Grassley has a different view on affirming views that have stood for decades. “We’re just lucky that precedents can be overturned,” Grassley says. “We’d still have segregated schools in the United States if we didn’t have Brown overturn Plessy 50 years before that.”

Grassley says he has no complaint about the three newest appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying they’re doing exactly what they should be doing, making decisions based on facts and the law. “And that’s what they did in the case of Roe,” Grassley says. “They made a decision based on the fact that the decision made 50 years ago was the wrong decision because there’s nothing in the Constitution about abortion.”

Grassley says the high court’s ruling to refer any decisions on abortion back to the states is the correct one, so those decisions can be made by elected officials and not by appointed justices.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports 59-year-old James Chandler Sash, of Creston, was arrested Monday, at his residence. Sash was taken into custody on a Union County Warrant for Failure to Appear, on an original charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance Methamphetamine/1st Offense, a Serious Misdemeanor. Sash was transported to the Union County Jail where he is being held on no bond till seen by a Judge.

And, on July 7th, an Afton man reported to Creston Police that someone had entered the cab of his Peterbilt semi-tractor, while the rig was parked at the hoop building on East Adams St., by the Under Pass. The victim stated numerous items were moved around, and it appeared that someone had slept in the bunk of the truck. Missing from the vehicle, were two, brand new Sony 5×9 car speakers still in the box, worth an estimated loss $80.