(Atlantic) – With social distancing recommended and with full trust in the United States Postal System, Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman is encouraging all Cass County voters to take advantage of the right to vote early by mail for the 2020 General Election on November 3, 2020.

Several organizations have mailed official applications for an absentee ballot to Iowa voters and nearly 2,000 Cass County voters have already filed an application. Only one of those application forms needs to be sent to the County Auditor; all additional forms may be discarded or recycled. The first day the County Auditor may mail the actual ballot to the voter is October 5th. Last day to file an absentee ballot request form with the County Auditor and for him to mail you the ballot is October 24th.

The Auditor recommends requests be filed as soon as possible. If a voter still needs a request form, absentee ballot request forms are available on the website of the Iowa Secretary of State (https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/absenteeinfo.html); or you may contact the Cass County Auditor and have a form mailed or emailed to you. Phone: 712-243-4570 or Email: auditor@casscoia.us.

IN PERSON EARLY VOTING: Monday, October 5 is the first day absentee ballots may be voted at the county auditor’s office. The Cass County Auditor’s office has regular office hours of 8:00 A.M. thru 4:30 P.M., Monday thru Friday. The office will also be open for voting on Saturday, October 24 and Saturday, October 31. Last day to vote early in the auditor’s office is November 2.

VOTING IN VOTER’S VEHICLE: In accordance with Chapter 49.53 of the Iowa Code, any voter who is physically unable to enter the polling place, including the Cass County Auditor’s office, has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle.

REGISTRATION / IDENTIFICATION: All voters are required to be registered in Cass County in order to vote in Cass County. All voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before receiving and casting a ballot. Voters may register and vote on the same day. Persons registering and voting on the same day after October 24 will also be required to provide proof of residence.

The CDC also believes that people aged 65 years and older are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID- 19 and should stay home and avoid close contact. A majority of Iowa’s Precinct Election Officials (PEOs) are older than 65, and several PEOs, statewide, are declining to serve as PEOs for this General election. For this and other reasons, the majority of County Auditors in Iowa are combining precincts for the 2020 General Election.

The Cass County Auditor (Local Commissioner of Elections) has chosen to combine the regular 13 Cass County voting precincts into 9 combined precincts and has chosen voting locations which he believes will best serve the voters of Cass County.

Those combined precincts and voting locations are:

• COMBINED PRECINCT 1 (AT1 / MR) Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th) 1 Atlantic 1st Ward & 8 Brighton Township, Grove Township, Pymosa Township, Washington Township / City of Marne
• COMBINED PRECINCT 2 (AT2- 3) Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th) 2 Atlantic 2nd Ward & 3 Atlantic 3rd Ward;
• COMBINED PRECINCT 3 (AT4- 5) Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th – South Entrance) 4 Atlantic 4th Ward & 5 Atlantic 5th Ward
• COMBINED PRECINCT 4 (LW) Lewis Public Library (412 W Main St, Lewis) 6 Bear Grove Township, Cass Township / City of Lewis;
• COMBINED PRECINCT 5 (GS) Griswold Community Building (601 2nd St) 11 Noble Township, Pleasant Township / City of Griswold
• COMBINED PRECINCT 6 (ED / VI) Cumberland Community Building (200 W 2nd) 9 Edna Township, Victoria Township
• COMBINED PRECINCT 7 (AN / WI) Anita Community Center (805 Main St) 7 Benton Township, Franklin Township / City of Wiota; & 10 Grant Township, Lincoln Township / City of Anita
• COMBINED PRECINCT 8 (MS) Massena Public Library (122 Main St, Massena) 12 Massena Township / City of Massena
• COMBINED PRECINCT 9 (CU / UN) Cumberland Community Building (200 W 2nd) 13 Union Township / City of Cumberland.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports five arrests over the past week. Three of the arrests took place on Sept. 23rd:

• 41-year old Christopher Dean Harrison, of Greenfield, was arrested for Domestic Assault with Injury, after he allegedly grabbed his 43-year old girlfriend by her shoulder during an argument on August 17th, causing her collar bone to be broken. His arrest was the result of an investigation into the incident, and a visit from law enforcement and DHS personnel, who were looking into an alleged case of child abuse. Harrison was released from custody Sept. 24th on a $1,000 cash or surety bond (C/S Bond).
• 42-year old Jeffrey Lee Simpson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Winterset Sept. 23rd, on a warrant out of Johnson County, Kansas, for (Felony) Possession of Methamphetamine/1st offense, Possession of Marijuana and/or THC- 1st offense, and Possession of Drug paraphernalia. Simpson remains held without bond in the Adair County Jail, pending extradition to Kansas.
• and, 40-year old James Bernard Block, of Cumberland, was arrested Sept. 23rd, also in Winterset, for Driving While Barred. He was cited and released at the scene.

On Sept. 21st, 35-year old Christopher Coy Edwin Chaney, of Fontanelle, was arrested by Adair County Deputies, for Domestic Assault, after he allegedly struck a woman in the face during an argument, leaving a bruise under her right eye. Chaney was released the following day on a $1,000 C/S bond.

And, on Sept. 20th, 56-year old Aleatha Sharon Yarrington, of Bridgewater, was arrested for simple Assault in connection with an incident involving her guardian/juvenile grandson. She was released on her Own Recognizance the following afternoon.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was hurt during a single-vehicle accident Thursday, about six-miles northwest of Clarinda. Authorities say 31-year old Chasity Nichole Zaiger, of rural Essex, was driving a 2002 Jeep Liberty westbound on 190th Street near L Avenue, when the SUV went out of control and entered the south ditch. The vehicle then flipped end over end before coming to rest on its side. Zaiger managed to get out of the vehicle and call for help. She was transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center by Clarinda Ambulance service for examination and treatment of undisclosed injuries..

Authorities say her SUV sustained about $5,000 damage. Zaiger was cited for No valid driver’s license. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Clarinda Fire Department and the Clarinda Ambulance service.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has released information on an accident and a recent arrest. Officials say at around 2:47-a.m., Saturday, Deputies responded to a single-vehicle accident on I-80 in Cass County. A 2021 Freightliner driven by 24-year old Hassan Abdirahman Yahye, of St. Paul, MN, was westbound on I-80 in a construction zone, when the vehicle took evasive action to avoid a motorcycle and ended up in the median. The rig came to rest against the steel cable barrier. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $14,000; damage to the steel barrier is estimated at $1,000. No citations were issued.

And, on Friday, 53-year old Rex Dean McDermott, of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of Public Intoxication. McDermott was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $300 bond.

Officials with the City of Atlantic, today (Monday), issued a statement with regard to nuisance properties: “In an effort to continue cleaning up Atlantic and creating a safe, healthy community, the Atlantic Police Department will be working in conjunction with Atlantic Code Enforcement Officers, in locating and eradicating nuisances. These nuisances can include dilapidated buildings, compounding trash piles, unmowed grass, junk vehicles, improperly parked vehicles, and more.”

The City says “Officers may be seen in residential areas viewing “nuisances” [mentioned]. Over-parked vehicles, junk/broken down vehicles being stored in the yard, vehicles being stored on non-approved or not-hard surfaces, tall grass and piling trash, are examples of the nuisances that will be addressed by either Atlantic Police Officers of Code Enforcement Officers.”

The City encourages residents to “Please take a moment to survey your property and check for items that may be of concern. Officers investigating potential violations will give ample notice through abatement procedures of what the concern(s) is/are, how to resolve the issue(s) and how soon the problem area(s) must be resolved. Officials say “Officers may write municipal infraction citations if the owners continue to disregard the opportunities to fix and abatable issues.

Anyone with questions or concerns should contact the Atlantic Police Department at 712-243-3512.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge is refusing to block a Republican-backed Iowa law that makes it harder for county officials to process absentee ballot applications and more likely that incomplete requests won’t be fulfilled. In an opinion released Monday, Judge Lars Anderson rejects arguments by a Latino civil rights organization and a Democratic Party group that the law is an undue burden on the fundamental right to vote.

The ruling is another victory for Republicans who want to limit absentee voting, which begins next week in Iowa. Republicans have already invalidated tens of thousands of absentee ballot applications in three counties.

Des Moines, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division report 60-year old Dwight Jay Roberts, of Indianola, faces one count of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information, and one count of Theft 2nd Degree. Both are Class-D Felony offenses. The charges are the results of an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau that began in July, 2019.

According to criminal complaints filed by the Insurance Fraud Bureau, Roberts made false statements in connection with a disability insurance claim and received insurance benefits due to these false statements. On September 23, 2020, Roberts was charged and released with a promise to appear in court.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.