(Radio Iowa) – A recent Woodbury County case where a supervisor had to resign because he moved out of his district and then won reelection has started a discussion on the issue. The five supervisors each have to live in their own district — but voters in all five districts vote on every supervisor. Woodbury County resident Brian Miller says it is kind of like a reverse of the Electoral College situation on the national level.

“We’ve had county supervisors that run from a district and they don’t win the vote in that district –but they are elected as a supervisor because they’ve won countywide,” Miller says. “I’ve looked at some numbers and that’s happened at least three times if you go back to 2016 through now. And again, I don’t know if that’s a bad thing — it’s an awkward thing I guess is how I look at it.”

Fifteen other Iowa counties use the same option as Woodbury County, while the rest of the state uses the two other options that are available. County Auditor Pat Gill says there isn’t enough time to get a measure for a change in any county. He says you need petitions equal to 10 percent or more of the people who voted in the last general election to get it on the ballot. That would be 45-hundred-70 signatures in Woodbury County. Gill says they would have to be gathered June first and there would be a special election on the first Tuesday in August, with all three plans would be on the ballot.

A bill in the legislature to require counties with populations of more than 60-thosuand to use a plan where supervisors are elected only from voters in their district failed to meet a deadline to be considered. Thirty-three counties currently use that plan, while most counties elect supervisors on a majority vote of all those in the county.

A man from Page County was arrested Friday at his home, on warrants out of Cass and Mills Counties. Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports 40-year-old Phillip Jay McClish, of Clarinda, was arrested on the Mills County warrant for possession of a controlled substance 2nd offense, and a Cass County warrant for failure to appear on an original charge of Theft 4th. His total bond was set at $3,000.

Phillip Jay McClish

McClish was being held in the Page County Jail pending transportation to the counties with warrants.

Stuart Police have arrested an adult male for Harboring a runaway child. Authorities say 61-year old Dale Terrell, of Stuart, was also charged with Interference with Official Acts, and Violation of a No Contact Order. 20-year old Amanda Terrell was issued a summons to appear for Harboring a Runaway Child.

According to Police, on Monday, March 8th, a 13-year-old female was reported missing from her residence in Stuart. Officers were notified at approximately 10:12A.M. and began looking for her. At approximately 11:20 A.M. a Stuart Officer responded to the residence of Dale Terrell in the 400 block of N. Sherman St. Terrell was questioned but denied that the missing juvenile was present or had been present at the residence.

At approximately 8:30 P.M. Stuart Officers returned to Terrell’s residence in the 400 block of N. Sherman St. Officers contacted Dale Terrell at the front door and Terrell initially denied that the missing juvenile was present. After Officers presented evidence to the contrary, Terrell admitted that the juvenile was inside. Officers were able to locate the juvenile inside unharmed and returned her to her parents.

Authorities say this is an ongoing investigation, and additional charges may be filed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — More than 1 million doses of coronavirus vaccine have been administered in Iowa, even as residents who qualify struggle to make appointments for a shot. The Iowa Department of Public Health said Friday that Iowa has administered 1.03 million doses.

The milestone reflects significant increases in vaccine supplies but it’s unclear how the state will handle surging demand as more adults become eligible in the coming months. Iowa has no centralized system for people to secure a vaccine appointment.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the shooting death of another man last year. The Sioux City Journal reports 36-year-old Roderick Banks entered the written plea Friday in Woodbury County District Court. He’s been charged with the murder count and a count being a felon in possession of a firearm for the Nov. 1 shooting death of 33-year-old Solomon Blackbird near Park Place Apartments in Sioux City.

Prosecutors say Banks confronted Blackbird and Blackbird’s girlfriend outside the apartment complex and shot Blackbird once in the chest. Police believe the shooting was related to a drug deal. Investigators say they recovered a handgun believed to be the murder weapon.

Iowa City (AP) — As virus cases plummeted, Iowa quietly extended a $3.9 million contact tracing contract with a company owned by a major Republican Party donor and supporter of Gov. Kim Reynolds. The Iowa Department of Public Health hired MCI, an Iowa City telemarketing firm, in November to trace the contacts of Iowa residents infected with COVID-19 after a one-day emergency bidding process.

The two-month, $2.3 million contract came during an explosion of cases that filled up hospitals with patients and after counties had for months complained of a shortage of contact tracing workers. Four days before MCI’s contract was to expire on Jan. 31, Iowa’s state epidemiologist signed a three-month contract extension with MCI that is worth another $1.6 million.

Atlantic Park and Recreation Department Director Byrant Rasmussen, Friday, said Atlantic Parks and Recreation has opened up the roads through Sunnyside as of this (Friday) afternoon March 12, 2021. The roads had been closed for the season since Dec. 23, 2020.

(By Atlantic FFA reporter Aspen Niklasen) – On Saturday, March 6th, 2021, 30 members of the Atlantic FFA chapter competed in the District Career Development Events in Corning. The District FFA CDE is the second round of FFA speaking events with the top 2 individuals and teams advancing to State FFA Convention in April. During the District Business session Sophomore Dylan Comes was elected as the District treasurer for 2021-22. Comes will have several new responsibilities in his office. To earn his newly elected spot he had to give a speech and answered two questions earlier during the business session. Comes said “It was a very challenging and fun experience. I am really looking forward to all the new people I will meet, all the things I will learn, and places I will go for the next year.”

District Group: Close to Far
Jackson McLaren, Daniel Freund, Dylan Comes Bryan York, Claire Pellett

Dylan Comes SW District Treasurer

Cooper Jipsen 1st Place Ag Welding

Hannah Carlson and Logan Eilts were the chapter delegates for Atlantic FFA at convention. Delegates at the District Career Development Event help pick next year’s district officers. Dan Freund and Jackson McLaren competed in the FFA Chapter Website earning a silver getting 5th place. Jackson McLaren said, “The Chapter Website was a good learning experience for me to get more comfortable with technology. It was also interesting to learn more about our Chapter’s history. “ Cooper Jipsen competed in Ag Welding earning a Gold and placing 1st. The FFA Agricultural Welding CDE Contest tests students’ skills in agriculture welding.

Jipsen said “It was a really good time, and I got to meet a lot of new people. For the contest we had to do three stick welds and two wire welds.” Wyatt Redinbaugh competed in Torch Welding earning a Gold placing 3rd. The torch welding contest works to better improve students skills in torch welding. FFA member Dylan Comes competed in Extemporaneous Speaking earning a Silver placing 4th. In Extemporaneous Speaking students showcase their agricultural knowledge and ability to think on their feet in front of a panel of judges. Bryan York competed in Ag Sales and earned a Silver placing 4th. Students build a sales plan and demonstrate skills in customer relations for the Ag sales competition. “I was competing by trying to sell a product to a potential customer. In my case I was trying to sell vegetables.” said York.

Clarire Pellett competed in FFA Creed and earned a Silver placing 5th. In FFA Creed, FFA members recite the National FFA Creed to develop public speaking skills and self-confidence. “It was a great experience to work on my public speaking and to work on thinking on the spot.” said Pellett. Taylor McCreedy competed in Ag Broadcasting earned a Silver placing 6th. The Ag Broadcasting contest helps members learn to communicate effectively while advocating for agriculture. In the Farm Business Management Test Atlantic FFA had 10 members complete. Drey Newell, Cooper Jipsen, Hannah Carlson, Bryan York, Malena Woodward, Wyatt Redinbaugh, Caroline Pellett, Aspen Niklasen, Garrett Reynonlds, and Logan Eilts earned a Silver medal.

The members took a test that helped them learn business skills and apply economic principles to agricultural businesses, through a series of questions. In the FFA Freshman Greenhand Quiz, Atlantic FFA had 10 members compete. Claire Pellett, Callee Pellett, Tate Niklasen, Charles Klemmensen, Colton Becker, Chris Keegan earned Silver and Colton Rudy, Thomas Leonard, Roth Den Beste earned a Bronze medal. The purpose of the test is to show that members have an understanding of the history and purpose of FFA.

Finally, seven members of the Atlantic FFA earned the FFA Academic Achievement Award. To earn this award an FFA member must be a member for 3 years and maintain a 3.5 GPA while in high school. These years were awarded to Bethany Anderson, Craig Alan Becker, Hannah Carlson, Alyssa Derby, Gunner Kirchhoff, Taylor McCreedy, Drey Newell, Caroline Pellett and Garrett Reynolds. Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller said, “We had a pretty good day. I am proud of all our students that competed today and gave their best effort.”

One person was injured during a singe-vehicle accident early Friday morning, in Page County. The Sheriff’s Office was notified about the crash of a 2020 Honda Accord, at around 2:20-a.m. The accident took place on T Avenue, in the 2400 block, or about three-miles south of Clarinda. The investigation showed that 50-year old Matthew Steven McClarnon, of rural Braddyville,  was traveling southbound and failed to negotiate the curve in the road. His vehicle entered the east ditch. The vehicle then struck a field entrance and began to roll. The vehicle then struck a utility pole owned by MidAmerican Energy breaking the pole prior to coming to rest against a fence.

McClarnon was found at his residence a short time later and transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center for undisclosed injuries by the Clarinda Ambulance Service. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $25,000, and the utility pole sustained and estimated $500 damage. Charges are pending at this time. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Clarinda Ambulance Service and the Clarinda Fire Department.

Page County Sheriff’s Deputies, Thursday, arrested a man on a Page County warrant. 53-year-old Rodney Eugene Allely, of Shenandoah, was arrested at his residence on the warrant for Possession of a controlled substance. Allely was transported to the Page County Jail where he was being held on $1,000 bond, pending further court proceedings. Shenandoah Police assisted with the arrest.