A collision in Monona County early this (Friday) morning east of Mapleton, has claimed the life of a Crawford County woman. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2007 Nissan Maxima driven by 26-year old Luis Perez Campos, of Denison, was traveling westbound on Monona County Road E-16, just west of Sumac Avenue, when the vehicle struck an eastbound 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup that was having mechanical problems and appears to have been partially in the westbound lane.

A passenger in the Campos car, 36-year old Rosa Garcia Villagomez, of Denison, who was wearing her seat belt, was transported to Mercy Hospital in Sioux City by Mapleton Rescue. She died from her injuries at the hospital. Campos, who was also wearing his seat belt, was also transported to Mercy by Mapleton Rescue.

The driver of the pickup, 46-year old Linda Baker, of Kiron, wasn’t hurt. The accident remains under investigation.

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former Sioux Center teacher has pleaded guilty to having sexual contact with at least six young boys. The Sioux City Journal reports that 37-year-old Curtis Van Dam pleaded guilty Friday to one count of second-degree sexual abuse, five counts of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of sexual exploitation by a school employee. Van Dam will be sentenced later. He could face up to 80 years in prison, but that will depend on whether a judge lets him serve some terms at the same time.

Van Dam was separately sentenced in September to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child after being charged in cases involving other victims. Until being fired, Van Dam taught at Sioux Center Christian School. He was implicated in dozens of incidents involving boys under age 12 or 13.

Rob & Sonya Clausen have been named the 2018″ Scrooges” for the City of Atlantic. The Clausen’s earned their title by collecting the largest amount of donations for the Atlantic Area Chamber’s 16th Annual Scrooge Contest, sponsored by Hockenberry Family and Atlantic News Telegraph. All contributions are donated to the Atlantic Food Pantry. The Clausen’s raised a total of 11,233 ½ points, surpassing any amount since the contest began in 2002. Total, all 5 contestants raised $14,853.82 and collected a total of 6,286 food items, making 2018 the most successful year yet.

Bailey Smith, Executive Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce said “This year, contestants raised a record-breaking amount of money and non-perishable food items. The Food Pantry benefits a lot of people in our community, so being able to have a contest like this that benefits so many individuals and families is great.”  The 2018 candidates included: Rob & Sonya Clausen, McDermott & Son Roofing; Deb Schuler, Smith Land Service; Mark Smith, Principal; Brad Willrich, Deter Motor Company and Brett Altman, Cass County Health System. Two non-perishable food items equal one point and every dollar collected equals a point. The contestants will all serve as Grand Marshal in the Lighted Parade tomorrow evening beginning at 6 PM.

The Atlantic Area Chamber would like to thank everyone who donated.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — An Indiana mayor who has been selected to speak at an Iowa political event alongside potential 2020 presidential candidates says he won’t reveal his political plans until the end of the year. The South Bend Tribune reports that liberal political group Progress Iowa announced Thursday that South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg will speak at its annual holiday party in Des Moines on Dec. 20.

Buttigieg said Thursday that he’ll decide by the end of the year if he’ll run for president in 2020. He says he’s in talks with several people in the community. Buttigieg must decide early next year whether to seek a third term as mayor. The filing period for Indiana candidates running in the 2019 municipal primary elections is Jan. 9 through Feb. 8.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports three arrests. On Thursday, 45-year old Raleann Irene Schnell, of Audubon, was arrested for Failure to Appear (In court). On Wednesday, 34-year old Richard Leonard Chickering, of Gray, was arrested by Audubon Police, on a warrant for Escape from custody. And, on Nov. 9th, 33-year old Sarah Marie Chitty, of Iowa City, was arrested for Failure to Appear. All three subjects were booked-into the Audubon County Jail.

(12-p.m. News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say charges are pending against a student who reported that a racist note was shoved under her dormitory room door at Drake University in Des Moines. University officials say two minority students reported earlier this month that racist notes were left under their dorm doors. The notes and robocalls with racist messages prompted a campus anti-racism rally Nov. 14 .

Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek said Friday the same two students reported Wednesday that a similar third note was left, but investigators determined it was not received in the manner that was reported. One of the students admitted to being responsible for the note. Parizek says charges are pending. He did not release her name. He also says the investigation into the first two notes is continuing to determine their authenticity.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies, last Sunday, arrested 19-year old Kaleb Allan Shannan, of Burlington, IA at the Clarinda Correctional Facility. Shannan was arrested on a warrant from Henderson County Illinois for felony Burglary. He was transported to the Page County Jail and held without bond for extradition to Illinois. Shannan was later transported to Illinois by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office.

Sunderman

Shannan

And, at around 11:15-p.m. Monday, the Page County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a Burglary and Assault at 911 School Street in College Springs. During the investigation it was determined that Tasheena Dean Marriott, a resident there, had been home during the time of the Burglary / Assault. Marriott suffered injuries from an Assault allegedly perpetrated by 20-year old Sheyann Lynn Sunderman, of Rural Clarinda. Sunderman and 23-year old Shelby Lynn Kinman, of Rural Clarinda, had gone to 911 School Street to speak with a male, Cole Johnson of rural Elmo, Mo, who was at the home, with Marriott.

Sunderman allegedly forced the door open. Both Sunderman and Kinman then entered the residence when Marriott appeared from her bedroom to see who was breaking into her residence. Sunderman then allegedly began assaulting Marriott. The Assault was ended when Johnson removed Sunderman and Kinman from the residence. Sunderman and Kinman then left the residence in a vehicle. Charges have been filed on Sunderman for Burglary in the 1^st Degree (class B felony) and Assault while participating in a Felony (class D Felony). Sunderman was arrested in Missouri and extradited to The Page County Sheriff’s Office where she is currently being held on $25,000.00 cash only bond.

The incident is still under investigation.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports charges have been filed in connection with a planned jail break at the Page County Jail. Palmer says during the first three weeks of November 2018, the Page County Sheriff’s Office and Page County Correction Officers conducted an investigation into information regarding a planned jail break at the Page County Jail. During the investigation, 40-year old Brandi Alice Proulx, of Lexington, KY and 20-year old Sarah Jeanette Croson, of Council Bluffs, were charged with Conspiracy (class D Felony). Details of the alleged planned jail break are not being released.

Croson

Proulx

Proulx’s charges prior to the addition of these were OWI 2^nd Offense and False information to Law Enforcement. Her bond was $2000.00. Her current bond is now $7,000 with $5,000 of that Cash only. Croson’s charges prior to the addition of the latest charges, were Failure to appear for plea and sentencing on original charges of 2 counts of Forgery. Her bond was $10,000. Her current bond is now $15,000, with $5000 cash only. Neither Croson nor Proulx were out of the controlled environment of the Page County Jail without being in restraints.

Friends of an Atlantic man who lost most of his possessions in a house fire last week, are asking anyone who has time Saturday afternoon, to help in moving what possessions remain, into storage. The fire at the Dean Barber residence occurred Nov. 20^th. His friends request six-or seven people show-up at Barber’s home, located at 1308 Birch Street, at around 1-p.m. Saturday. You will be helping to load and move boxes from the home into a storage unit. If you have some time to spare, call Dean Barber at 712-254-3208.

Ric Hanson/photos

GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) — Students at a private liberal arts college in central Iowa have voted overwhelmingly to expand a union for dining employees to include other student workers, but the college is asking a federal board to overturn the move. The Des Moines Register reports that the Tuesday vote would expand Grinnell College’s dining employees union to include more than 700 student workers across campus. The college has about 1,700 students.

Grinnell officials plan to ask the National Labor Relations Board to overturn the decision. The board’s decision could erode similar unionization efforts at other schools across the country.
A university spokeswoman says officials believe expanding the union would “undermine (the college’s) core educational mission and culture, impede learning and diminish educational opportunities for students.”