DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police have identified the person whose remains were found last week in a homeless camp near downtown Des Moines. Police said Tuesday in a news release that the remains are those of 23-year-old Marshal Aaron Terrell Johnson, of Des Moines. Police say the identification was made through “an extensive forensic examination.”

Detectives are investigating Johnson’s death as a homicide. His remains were found Oct. 8 after police received a tip that led investigators to a wooded area behind an abandoned manufacturing plant. Police Sgt. Paul Parizek said at the time that the body had been “cleverly concealed.”

Police have not yet shared other details of how Johnson died and say the body was likely in the area for a few months.

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she is forming a working group chaired by the lieutenant governor to make recommendations for removing racial bias from the criminal justice system and to help offenders re-enter communities in a way that reduces repeat offenses. Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg is a former state public defender.

Reynolds, a Republican, also says she plans to continue to push for a constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for felons after they complete their sentences. The measure passed the House with bipartisan support in April but died after members of her own party in the Senate refused to push for it.

Reynolds says she will continue to make redemption and second changes a priority of her administration. She announced the formation of the working group at an annual NAACP meeting focused on criminal justice reform.

DES MOINES  – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) today (Tuesday) announced that $10 million in Workforce Housing tax credits (WHTC) are now available for qualified housing projects in the 10 Iowa counties under Presidential Disaster declaration. The funding is part of the Empower Rural Iowa Act, approved during the 2019 Iowa legislative session, and is designed to encourage housing rehabilitation and development in communities that have lost housing or can demonstrate a housing need as a result of a disaster.

To be eligible for the program, projects must be in counties that received a Presidential Disaster declaration on or after March 12, 2019 and where individuals are eligible for Individual Assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 10 counties meet the criteria mentioned.: Locally, they include:

Fremont; Harrison; Mills; Monona; Pottawattamie; Shelby and Woodbury.

Eligible projects include single-family or multi-family new construction or rehabilitation, as well as upper story housing development. The project must be completed within three years from the date it is awarded credits and include:

•  at least four single-family homes; or
• at least one multi-family building containing three or more units; or
• at least two upper story housing units.
• The project budget must include local matching funds in an amount equal to at least $1,000 per housing unit in the project. Local matching funds may include tax abatement, grants, reimbursements or other cash or cash equivalents.

Housing developers may receive tax credits of up to 20 percent of the investment related to the construction/ rehabilitation. The tax credit is based on the first $150,000 in new investment for each housing unit. The state tax credits are transferable and may be used for equity in the project. The maximum tax credit award for a project is $1 million. The actual amount of credits issued are based on final, documented project costs.

Applications are being accepted now via www.iowagrants.gov.  IEDA will accept and review applications on a first-come, first-serve basis until available tax credits are fully allocated. IEDA will issue the tax credits upon project completion.  For additional program parameters and information, please contact Nichole Hansen at nichole.hansen@iowaeda.com.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman, reports absentee voting is available for the November 5 CITY / SCHOOL ELECTION.  Voters may vote an absentee ballot in the Cass County Auditor’s office during regular business hours (8:00 A.M. thru 4:30 P.M.) now thru Monday, November 4, 2019.

Any eligible voter who so chooses may vote a ballot before November 5 (called ABSENTEE BALLOT).  The ballot may be applied for by mail or may be voted at the office of the County Auditor on any day the office is open up through November 4.

IF VOTING AT THE COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE: beginning now, the absentee voter may come to the CASS COUNTY COURTHOUSE during the regular office hours of 8 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday, up through the day before the election and cast a ballot.  In addition to regular office hours, the office of Cass County Auditor will be open until 5 P.M. on Friday, October 25; Friday, November 1; and Monday, November 4.

IF VOTING BY MAIL: A written request may be mailed or hand delivered to the County Auditor’s office.  (Absentee request forms are available at the auditor’s office and on the Secretary of State’s web site: sos.iowa.gov).  A ballot along with instructions on how to complete the ballot will be mailed to the requester.  For the ballot to be counted the completed ballot then must be returned either by personal carrier to the office of County Auditor before close of polls on November 5 or returned by mail postmarked no later than November 4.  Deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is 5 PM on Friday, October 25.  All BALLOTS ARE TO BE RETURNED whether they are voted or not voted.  A postage paid return envelope is provided with each absentee ballot mailed out.

VOTER REGISTRATION: In order to vote in Iowa a person must be registered in the person’s current county of residence, under the person’s current name, and at the person’s current address.  Registration forms are available at the county auditor’s office, many State of Iowa service offices and on the Secretary of State’s web site: sos.iowa.gov

The county election commissioner recommends that persons not currently registered or who have moved since last registering and are planning to vote in the November CITY / SCHOOL ELECTION, pre-register in the office of the County Auditor as soon as possible.  You may register or re-register and vote absentee on the same day.  Last day to pre-register in the office of the County Auditor is Friday, October 25, 2019.  Auditor’s office is open until 5:00 P.M. on October 25.

Reminder: You may also update your registration when you update your address for your driver’s license.  Since your Iowa driver’s license is often used as official identification, it is important that the data shown is accurate. Iowa law requires residents to notify the Department of Transportation within 30 days of an address change.  An easy method for changing your address is to visit an Iowa driver’s license station – in Cass County that station is in the Cass County Treasurer’s office, Courthouse, Atlantic, Iowa.

The address for the Cass County Auditor / Election Commissioner is: CASS COUNTY AUDITOR, COURTHOUSE, 5 W 7TH ST, ATLANTIC, IOWA 50022  (Phone:712-243-4570;   Email: auditor@casscoia.us)

*** GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT ELECTION DAY VOTING AT THE VOTING CENTERS:

1) Voter must be pre-registered in the county of the voter’s residence at least eleven days prior to CITY / SCHOOL election day.  Or voter may register on election day and vote after proving identity and residence.

2) Voter must vote at the voting center for the precinct in which the voter resides.

3) If a voter is registered in the county but has moved within the county (and/or changed name) since last registering, the potential voter must still go to the correct voting center {see ‘1)’ above} and may vote on election day.  HOWEVER, BEFORE CASTING A BALLOT:

A: Voter must re-register (at the voting center for the precinct in which the voter resides).

B: Voter must present proof of identity and residence:

The ID card must be valid; must display a color photograph of the potential voter; and the ID must have the signature of the prospective voter.

(If proof of ID cannot be furnished, voter may vote but must cast a ‘PROVISIONAL ballot’.  PROVISIONAL ballots will be reviewed on the 2nd day after the election.)

4) ID is required for any person voting at the polls on election day.

NOTE ON VOTING PROCEDURE ON NOVEMBER 5 and POLLS:

In Cass County all voters will mark and cast a paper ballot.  The voter will feed the marked ballot through an optical scan unit which will immediately tabulate the information.  In addition each precinct will have available a ballot marking device for use by those blind or those with other handicaps which cause them to be unable to directly mark a paper ballot without assistance.  This equipment will generate a ballot after the voter makes his selections.  The ballot marked by the equipment’s ‘printer’ will be fed through the optical scan unit in a manner similar to those ballots directly marked by a voter.  The handicapped voter may, in lieu of using this machine, request assistance from the poll workers or from a person of his/her own choice.

To comply with law all polling centers used for this election must be disabled accessible.  To provide disabled accessible polling centers and to help limit equipment and other election costs, the Cass County Board of Supervisors set the number of voting centers/polls at 13 by county ordinance.  For the 2019 CITY / SCHOOL election there will be 12 voting centers.

For the candidates and public measures to be voted on in your respective CITY and/or SCHOOL DISTRICT see the SCHOOL CANDIDATES and CITY CANDIDATES listing. NOTE: This is a COUNTY-WIDE election.  Every eligible voter in Cass County is eligible to vote in this election.  City residents will vote for both city and school candidates; and rural residents will vote for school candidates only.

THE VOTING CENTERS FOR THIS ELECTION WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:

Atlantic 1st Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Zion Lutheran Church (811 Oak St)

Atlantic 2nd Ward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Atlantic Public Library (507 Poplar)

Atlantic 3rd Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th)

Atlantic 4th Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  United Church of Christ (1607 Hazel)

Atlantic 5th Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Heritage House (1200 Brookridge Circle)

City of Anita/ Grant, Lincoln Twp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Anita Community Center (805 Main St)

City of Cumberland/ Union Twp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Cumberland Community Bldg. (200 W 2nd)

City of Griswold/ Noble, Pleasant Twp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    Griswold Community Bldg. (601 2nd St)

City of Lewis/ Bear Grove, Cass Twp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Lewis Public Library (412 W. Main St, Lewis)

City of Marne/ Brighton, Grove, Pymosa, Washington Twp. .      Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th)

City of Massena/ Massena, Edna and Victoria Twp  . . . . . . . .    Massena Public Library (122 Main St, Massena)

City of Wiota/ Benton, Franklin Twp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Wiota City Hall (311 Center St)

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports that at around 2:25-a.m. today (Tuesday), deputies were dispatched to the 100 block of Heesch Avenue in Treynor for a home invasion with shots being fired. The reporting party advised that four subjects had broken into the house. The also said two of the subjects had been shot, and that the reporting party started a fire to keep the other two away. When Deputies arrived less than 10-minutes later, they observed smoke coming from a garage attached to a residence. Deputies were able to open the overhead door and allow the caller to exit. The caller was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Authorities determined three family members were at the residence with the caller, when the 911 call was placed. Those family members said they did not hear or see anyone else in the house or garage. The investigation indicates that the caller had a mental health episode. After the fire was under control, nothing was located in the garage to support the caller’s statement that two subjects were shot. Currently, deputies are not looking for suspects. The incident is currently under investigation, but officials say there is no on-going threat to the public.

MARION, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say one person was hospitalized after a fire broke out in a Marion apartment. Firefighters dispatched to the building around 4:50 a.m. Tuesday found smoke coming from one unit. They managed to keep the flames to just that apartment. The name of the injured person hasn’t been released. The fire cause is being investigated.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation to see whether a man accused of trying to kill his wife in Dubuque was competent to enter a plea. The Telegraph Herald reports that Judge Monica Wittig on Monday ordered a competency evaluation on 52-year-old Clifford Smiley, an inmate at Anamosa State Penitentiary. The evaluation will be performed by an independent expert, to be paid by a defense fund for indigent people. Wittig had ordered a state-funded evaluation at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville, but prosecutors argued in opposition that the center’s charter doesn’t allow evaluations after criminal proceedings are complete.

In his request for the evaluation, Smiley says he was bipolar, off his medication and addicted to heroin when he entered an Alford plea to attempted murder. In an Alford plea, a person doesn’t admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence to convict. Prosecutors say Smiley stabbed his estranged wife in a Dubuque parking lot on April 1, 2018.

(Radio Iowa) — A new survey finds more than one in five women who are Iowa State University students say they have been the victims of sexual assault during their college career. The Association of American Universities surveyed students at 33 institutions across the country, including about 48-hundred at Iowa State University. It’s a follow-up to a 2015 survey and I-S-U’s results show about a one-and-a-half percent increase in the number of female, male and transgender students who say they have been sexually assaulted. Nearly 23 percent of women undergrads at I-S-U said they’d been assaulted. Iowa State University president Wendy Wintersteen says the survey results will help refine programs that move closer to the goal of preventing sexual assault and misconduct on the Ames campus.

Iowa State officials say they’re seeing an improvement in the number of bystanders who are willing to intervene, as three-quarters of those who said they had witnessed troubling behavior took some sort of action. The national survey found virtually no male victims and only 16-and-a-half percent of female victims of campus sexual assault reported it to campus or city authorities. In addition, the majority of incidents occurred on a campus or on property affiliated with one of the 33 universities, including fraternity houses and residence halls.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests took place over the past week. Last Friday afternoon, 36-year old Adam Lee Thompson, of Altoona, was arrested by Stuart Police, for Burglary in the 3rd Degree, and Possession of Burglary Tools. His arrest stems from an incident at a motel in Stuart, where a man was reported to have been trespassing. The hotel manager said also, the previous night, a storage room had been burglarized. He gave a description of the suspect to police. That same day, hotel staff cleaning rooms noticed one of the rooms was occupied, and not supposed to be. A man in the room matching the description of the burglary suspect, identified himself as Adam Thompson, and refused to leave. Later, hotel staff saw Thompson attempting to leave.

When questioned, he admitted he had not paid for the room, that he was homeless, and trying to stay out of the rain. After giving consent for the officer to search Thompson’s backpack, a small blue pry bar and two metal door locks were found. The locks matched the shape, size and packaging as locks stored in the burglarized storage room. Thompson admitted to breaking into the storage room the night before. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

On Oct. 10th, 58-year old Dennis Jay Wentland, of Altoona, was picked up by Adair County Deputies at the Polk County Jail, and transported to Greenfield, where he was held on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. Wentland was released the following day for time served. On Oct. 7th, Adair Police arrested 20-year old Drew Darin Steckelberg, of Adair. He was taken into custody on an Adair County warrant for a Controlled Substance Violation. Steckelberg was being held on a $25,000 cash or surety bond.

Also arrested Oct. 7th, was 25-year old Jagwinder Singh, of Clovis, CA. He was arrested by the Iowa State Patrol, following a traffic stop on I-80 in Adair County. Singh was arrested for Motor Carrier Safety Rules Violation(s) and Operating without the Required Authority. His bond was set at slightly more than $161.

A man from West Monroe, Louisiana was injured early Monday morning in rural Union County, when the 2003 Cadillac CTS he was driving, struck a cow on County Road P-27 (known as the “High and Dry Road”). The Union County Sheriff’s Office says 27-year old Donovan Wayne Bedingfield was transported by private vehicle to the Greater Regional Medical Center, for treatment of suspected minor/non-incapacitating injuries. The accident, which took place at around 1:12-a.m., Monday, resulted in $5,000 damage to the car, and the death of a cow owned by Walt Glynn, of Creston. The animal was valued at $2,000.

Bedingfield was cited for Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance – Accident related, and for having No Valid Driver’s License.