(Radio Iowa) – Lutheran Services in Iowa opened its new refugee resettlement office in Sioux City this week. In the past month, the organization resettled 14 Afghan refugees in the area, but they expect up to 150 refugees from many different countries. Kate Hagen, the resettlement coordinator, says she’s excited to see more refugees in Sioux City.

“I could only imagine how it feels to come to a new country, let alone a new city, where you don’t really know anyone,” Hagen says, “and so just being that familiar face, that friendly face for them to help them feel safe and welcomed here.” Hagen says local residents can help by donating home-goods or volunteering their time. Finding long-term housing remains an obstacle in the area, but she’s optimistic they can find a home for every arrival. Hagen says they expect a diverse set of refugees in March, new arrivals she says will enrich the community.

“I was sitting here and just thinking of all the places that make the Siouxland area, you think of all these different stores, and what it would be like if we didn’t have refugees or immigrants,” Hagen says. “There’s just so much that would not be here because of that.” Hagen says she hopes the Sioux City location can soon offer a wide range of services, like cultural orientation classes.

(Radio Iowa) [update] – Members of the Iowa Senate are typically elected to four year terms, but due to the once-a-decade redistricting process — some winning state senate candidates this November will be elected to two year terms.
General Elections are held every two years and half of the 50 seats in the Iowa Senate are always on the General Election ballot.

In 2022, candidates in the 25 districts labeled with odd numbers will be seeking four-year terms. Secretary of State Paul Pate has announced another NINE state senate races in even-numbered districts will be on the ballot, too, and the winners will serve just two years. This is because redistricting redraws the boundaries and renumbers senate districts and the terms for SOME incumbents don’t match the rotating election schedule for odd and even numbered districts.

Members of the Iowa House serve two-year terms, so all 100 House races are on the ballot every two years.

“It’s going to be a very interesting election year in Iowa, and my office will work with all 99 county auditors to ensure voters have the tools and knowledge they need to cast their ballots,” Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said. “I encourage every eligible Iowan to register to vote and participate.”

State senators who did not plan to serve in their current district beyond 2022 were required to submit a notice of resignation to the Iowa Secretary of State by January 16. Those who submitted notices were:

Senator Craig Williams, Carroll

Senator Craig Johnson, Independence

Senator Ken Rozenboom, Oskaloosa

Senator Tim Goodwin, Burlington

Along with 34 State Senate seats, all 100 Iowa House seats, all four of Iowa’s U.S. House seats, one of Iowa’s U.S. Senate seats, and all six statewide offices will be on the ballot in 2022. The candidate filing period for Iowa’s federal and state candidates begins Monday, February 28.

For information about dates and deadlines for voting in Iowa’s June primary and November general election, visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov.

You can view maps of all 50 Iowa Senate districts at this link.

You can view maps of all 100 Iowa House districts at this link.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – In an update to our prior report, the Cass County Auditor’s Office, Friday, said that the Secretary of State’s Office “Has given advice that anyone running for office of supervisor in the Primary Election in Plan III counties should get 100 signatures.  This is  a significant raise from how many signatures we originally calculated.” (See the latest information in the 2022 Primary Election box below)

A reminder also, that the first date to file is March 7^th with the last day being March 25^th. Nomination papers may be circulated prior to first date for filing as well as during the filing period. Nomination papers and candidate information are available at the office of the county auditor and from the secretary of state: www.sos.iowa.gov

The county positions to appear on the Cass County ballot for the 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION are:

• Attorney (incumbent: Vanessa Strazdas, Republican)
• Recorder (incumbent: Mary Ward, Republican)
• Treasurer (incumbent: Tracey Marshall, Republican)
• District 2 Supervisor (incumbent: Mark O’Brien, Republican)
• District 3 Supervisor (incumbent: John Hartkopf, Republican)

Nomination papers may be circulated now. Nomination petitions and other election forms (including a Candidate’s Guide to the General Election) are available at the office of the County Auditor, and also from the Iowa Secretary of State (sos.iowa.gov) via the internet.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: The Cass County Auditor, Courthouse 5 W 7th St, Atlantic, IA 50022
Phone: 712-243-4570 and Fax: 712-243-4572. Email: auditor@casscoia.us

GENERAL ELECTION (Tuesday, November 8, 2022) INFORMATION:

The filing periods for the November 8, 2022, General Election are:

• U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative and State Office: February 28 – March 18, 2022 (5:00 p.m.)
• County Office: March 7 – March 25, 2022 (5:00 p.m.)
• Ag Extension, Soil & Water Conservation District, Hospital Trustee: Anytime up until August 31, 2022

List of current position holders for non-partisan offices that will appear on General Election Ballot:

Agricultural Extension Council: David York; Bradley J Pellett; Kristi Plagman; Chad Becker and Todd Weppler.

Soil & Water Conservation District: John J Hansen (Grove Township) and Greg Zellmer (Pymosa Township)

Hospital Board of Trustees: Jody Lorence; Julie Pollock; and Michael Klocke; Roger Herring.

Edna Township; Kevin Stender-Trustee; Patrick Erickson-Trustee; Travis Erickson-Clerk:

Union Township: Richard Hoffman-Trustee; Daryl Schrier-Trustee; Cheryl Christensen-Clerk.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by Michelle Anderson, Director of the Atlantic Public Library, on Thursday, February 24th, to learn about the new resources that have been made available through different grant programs.

The library has applied and received a few different grants in the last year that has allowed all six libraries in Cass County to receive new resources for all ages. With the help of an ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant and Public Library Collaborative Grant, the library was able to purchase 6 unique tablets along with a self-serving kiosk. The tablets have three different types of user profiles which is chosen based on the user’s needs. The tablets can be used anywhere in the library, and once they are returned to the kiosk, they begin charging and all information is erased from the device. The tablets allow users to access an endless number of resources including mental health resources, which was identified as a top need in the Health Needs Assessment that was completed in 2021 by Healthy Cass County.

In addition to the tablets, the grant also allowed all six Cass County Libraries to purchase 8 children books, 13 teen books, 14 adult books, 4 documentaries, 2 faith-based book kits, card games, a children’s yoga kit, and meditation chimes. The remainder of the grant funding has allowed the addition of programs such as suicide prevention trainings, therapy FAQ sessions, author presentation, and faith-based book discussion groups.

The library has been added as a Dolly Parton Imagination Library in the last year, which allows children under the age of 5 to sign up to receive one free book a month in the mail. The Dolly Parton program covers the overhead cost of ordering and selecting the books, and the remainder of the cost is covered by individual or business sponsors. Currently, the Cass County Program has 235 children registered and the cost to the library is about $25 per child per year. Sponsors are continually needed to fund the program. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about sponsoring, please reach out to Michelle, Atlantic Library Director.

Atlantic Public Library is located at 507 Poplar Street. For more information about programs and resources, contact 712-243-5466 or visit http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us/

(Radio Iowa) – Both of Iowa’s U.S. Senators serve on the committee that will hold the confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden’s Supreme Court nominee. Senator Chuck Grassley is the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. In a written statement, Grassley congratulated Judge Jackson on her nomination and he said it is critical that all nominees to the nation’s highest court receive a most thorough and rigorous vetting in the committee.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst, a member of the Judiciary Committee since 2019, said justices must be impartial and must not bend to the political winds of the moment. Both Ernst and Grassley said they are committed to a fair and respectful review of Judge Jackson’s qualifications.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court rules a former massage therapist who was convicted of third-degree sexual abuse of a client should get a new trial because of improper use of evidence. The client filed a complaint against Kevin Thoren in 2019 after she says he inappropriately touched her chest and between her legs during a massage session. Thoren denied touching her — and presented evidence that some clients experience phantom touching with the technique he used.

The Supreme Court ruled said the testimony of five other clients who claimed Thoren abused them prejudiced the jury. It also says allowing testimony that Thoren gave up his license to the Board of Massage Therapy after the investigation of a complaint could have created prejudice by making the jury believe it was an official, state-sanctioned finding under the law — when in reality it was the result of a settlement.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Get ready to welcome spring, by attending the Cass County Master Gardeners’ 2022 Spring Garden Seminar, in Atlantic. The event is set to take place Saturday, March 19th.  The 2022 Spring Garden Seminar features a theme of “Gardening from the Ground Up” and is a half day seminar designed to provide information and inspiration to gardeners of all skill levels. After a break in 2021, organizers say they are excited to be bringing the seminar back to the Cass County Community center this year.

The event beings with registration and a light continental breakfast at 8:30 AM. The first session beings at 9 AM, and will feature Diana Benzing and Dean Sparr, West Pottawattamie County Master Gardeners, discussing “Vegetable Gardening: Making the Most of What you Have” – a session that is sure to be useful to new and experienced gardeners alike. The second session will feature a panel of local and regional experts discussing Cover Crops for the Home Gardener. Attendees will learn all about methods, challenges, benefits and suggested varieties of cover crops for use in home garden spaces.

Following the guest speakers, the seminar wraps up with 60 minutes of “lightning learning sessions” where attendees will have the opportunity to rotate between short presentations on topics including flower arranging, container gardens, tool care, and air plants.

Spring Garden Seminar 2022- “Gardening from the Ground Up” will be held at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. Registration and a light continental breakfast begins at 8:30AM on Saturday, March 19.  The program begins at 9AM and will conclude by 12:30PM. Attendees are encouraged to spend the afternoon lunching and exploring in the Atlantic area; suggestions and coupons will be provided to all who register!

Cost for the seminar, including continental breakfast, materials and refreshments is $20. Master Gardeners are encouraging attendees to register early as space is limited. Early registration deadline is March 15. After this date, a limited number of walk-in spaces will be available at $25/attendee. A full schedule and registration form are available at the Cass County Extension office, or online at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.  Previous Garden Seminar, attendees with a current address on record will also receive a brochure with registration form in the mail. Questions can be directed to Kate Olson at 712-243-1132, or by email at keolson@iastate.edu.

Mark your calendars, get registered, and plan to join the Cass County Master Gardeners for the 2022 Spring Garden Seminar, “Gardening from the Ground Up!” on Saturday, March 19th!

(Clarinda) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday), released information about a collision that happened on Sunday, Feb. 20th. The accident happened at the intersection of Cherokee Ridge and Highway 2, or about 1.5-miles west of Clarinda. An investigation determined 16-year-old Connor Aron Owens, of Clarinda, was driving a 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser owned by Dons Auto, eastbound on Highway 2.

A 2020 Mercedes van driven by 29-year-old Chrystle Ann Wichman, of Clarinda, owned by the United States Postal Service, was waiting to turn north into Cherokee Ridge from Highway 2, when the Chrysler hit the rear of the van. Deputies cited Owens for following too closely. No injuries were reported.

A man from eastern Iowa was arrested today (Friday), in Page County. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies arrested 39-year-old Justin James Boose, of Waterloo, on a Page County Warrant for Violation of a No Contact / Protective Order – Contempt and Providing False Information. He was arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office. Boose was unable to post a $1,000 cash-only bond, and was being held in the Page County Jail pending further court proceedings.

Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller today (Friday), announced the final approval of the $26 billion opioid agreement with the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors – Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen – and Johnson & Johnson. Following successful state sign-on and subdivision sign-on periods, the defendants will start releasing funds to a national administrator on April 2, 2022. Money will start flowing to state and local governments in the second quarter of 2022.

In a press release, Miller said “The opioid crisis never should have happened. While we can’t change the past, we can look toward a future where those responsible for this tragic situation are held accountable. That is what this settlement does. The funds from this agreement will go a long way toward addressing Iowa’s opioid crisis and provide help to those who need it.”

The agreement marks the culmination of three years of negotiations to resolve more than 4,000 claims of state and local governments across the country. It is the second largest multistate agreement in U.S. history, second only to the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. Fifty-two states and territories have signed on to the agreement as well as thousands of local governments across the country.

In Iowa, all 99 counties, as well as 43 cities have signed onto the agreement. As a result, Iowa will receive its full share of the settlement. Over the course of 18 years, the state expects to receive $174 million, which will be split evenly between the state and local governments to abate the opioid crisis in Iowa.

The AG’s office is working with partners —including the Iowa Department of Public Health, Department of Human Services, and University of Iowa Health Care— to determine use of the settlement funds.