(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests from the past week. Sheriff Jeff Vandewater says 51-year-old Jo Louise Shaw, of Fontanelle, was arrested Jan. 23rd, at 3rd and Scott Streets, in Fontanelle, for Driving While License Denied or Revoked/OWI-related. Shaw was cited and released at the scene.

On the 24th, 53-year-old Glenn Lee Rochholz, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 12:20-a.m. for: Felony Possession of Controlled Substance (PCS)/3rd or subsequent offense; Drug Tax Stamp Violations; OWI/1st offense; and Felony charges of PCS 3rd or subsequent offense/methylphenidate hydrocholide (HCL) [Ritalin]; PCS 3rd or subsequent offense/marijuana. Rochholz was released on a Recognizance Bond later that same day.

On the 26th, 41-year-old Douglas Kelton Reeves, of Greenfield & Des Moines, was arrested by Stuart Police in Stuart, for Theft in the 5th Degree (for taking a recliner in an apparent property dispute), Burglary in the 2nd Degree (for entering an occupied home) and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree (for damaging a bicycle). He was released later that same day on a $10,600 cash or surety bond.

And, 48-year-old Jay Ryan Ladd, of Greenfield, was arrested Jan. 26th, on an Adair County warrant for Domestic Assault/Injury or Mental Illness – 1st offense. He was released the following day on a $1,000 cash or surety bond (w/10% acceptable).

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The February 5th legislative coffee featuring Iowa Senator Tom Shipley and Iowa Representative Tom Moore, will take place via Zoom this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The event is being hosted again this year by the Progressive Rural Iowa Development Enterprise, (P.R.I.D.E.) economic development organization. To register use the following registration page link: https://ghorizons.ac-page.com/pride

When you register, you will be sent the Zoom link within minutes. To protect the integrity of the meeting, all participants must register via the Zoom link. There is room for 100 attendees. This is a powerful tool to share thoughts with legislators and be involved in our Iowa democracy. There are lots of issues in discussion at the Capitol and our voices, positions, and experiences are important to our legislators making decisions.

The second coffee will take place Saturday, March 5 at 9:30 a.m., hosted by P.R.I.D.E. Vice-President, Clarke Gerlock, at the Cumberland Fire Station for an in-person gathering.

The final coffee will take place Saturday, April 2 at 9:30 a.m. at a location TBD. Save the date!

The Progressive Rural Iowa Development Enterprise is an economic and community development nonprofit whose purpose is community growth and engagement through education.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Monday morning, approved a Class-C Beer Permit for the rural Griswold Dollar General Store, and they passed a Resolution with regard to economic development, using the Valley Business Park fund. Board Chair Steve Baier explains the purpose of the VBP account….

Baier said, in a nutshell…

In other business, the Supervisors moved to appoint four persons to the Condemnation in Eminent Domain Commission.

(Krista Young, Melissa Ihnen, Mary Anstey, & Scott Leighton)

And, Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken made his weekly report to the Board, which covered ongoing maintenance activties and staff education.

(Radio Iowa) – A legislator who’s worked to pass state laws to crack down on the sexual exploitation of students by school employees is proposing more protections. Educators are “mandatory reporters” that are to let law enforcement know when they suspect an adult in a school is abusing a student, but Representative Megan Jones of Sioux Rapids says if a student is over the age of 12, reporting of such cases is discretionary — meaning it’s not required.) “That just mind-boggling, I think, to a lot of people because if this student has experienced sexual abuse, sexual exploitation in a school district one would only assume their age is irrelevant,” Jones says. “This is inappropriate behavior.”

Jones says state law should require educators to report suspected sexual exploitation of students of any age, including all of the students in high school. “I mean, it’s a black eye on the school district when you have to make these reports, but at the same time I think one problem we have is this ‘dance of the lemons,’ where a teacher or school employee becomes disassociated with a school district and then they just go on to a different school district and then we have the same problems happening again, so let’s clean this up,” Jones says. “Let’s get rid of the lemons and move on.”

Jones says two House committees have been working on legislation to address the issue.

(Radio Iowa) – Des Moines police say a brother and sister are now jailed in a fatal shooting from last summer. Twenty-year-old Jasmin Bautista and her 18-year-old brother, Jonathan, are charged in the murder of 43-year-old Javier Wilson-Moncada. His body was found along the banks of the Des Moines River back in August. Police are still seeking a third unidentified suspect. The siblings were identified as persons of interest in the case in September, but were picked up by West Des Moines police over the weekend during a traffic stop.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Monsignor Kane Knights of Columbus Council have earned a prestigious award. The organization received its 6th consecutive Star Council Achievement Award. Only 5% of all 242 Knights of Columbus councils in Iowa earned this award for the past year.

District Deputy, Dan Fowler, left, presented the Star Council award to Grand Knight, Gary Richter, right. (Photo submitted)

Leader say “Congratulations to all Knights of Columbus members that made this award possible!”