Cass County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle reports that the Party has opened its new Headquarters at 514 Chestnut Street in Atlantic. It will be open Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.. COVID 19 precautions are in place–masks must be worn and physical distancing will be enforced. “We want to do everything we can to limit the risks of contracting the corona virus,” Party Chair Sherry Toelle explained.

Inside the Headquarters are voter registration and absentee ballot request forms. “We are a one-stop shop, also having candidate information available. We are just now receiving some of the candidate campaign signs and are awaiting the Biden-Harris and Kelley signs. People can stop in and complete a form to receive yard/barn signs. We will also help voters if they require assistance to complete voter forms. Our office telephone number is 712-250-3005,” Toelle stated.

The group plans to have a grand-opening at its Headquarters in September. Details will be shared at a later date.

Toelle also wanted to thank all the area folks that supported their annual school supply drive. “On behalf of all the children, families, and schools in Cass County, I want to thank everyone who donated time, money, supplies, and food to our School Supply & Food Drive. We had a great turnout but would not have been able to do so without the cooperation of the communities, organizations, and businesses that allowed us to put drop-boxes in their buildings. And many thanks to my volunteers who transported items back and forth between the community and our Headquarters. ”

Pam Miller–Anita Food Pantry

Sandy Merritt & Cheri Chester, CAM South Elementary School Secretary

Steve Pelzer–Cumberland Share & Care

Sandy Merritt, Democratic Party volunteer & Griswold Elementary School Secretary

Three young men from Union County were arrested on drug charges following a traffic stop in Montgomery County on Thursday night. At 8:57 p.m. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies report observing a white Dodge Charger traveling east on Highway 34 at a high rate of speed. Deputies then conducted a traffic stop at the 30-mile marker and the car had three men inside and a strong smell of marijuana.

After further investigation Deputies seized 8.8 pounds of marijuana, 10.3 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms, multiple doses of THC wax and oil, and drug paraphernalia from the vehicle. The three males were identified as 20-year-old Adam Micheal Abel, 18-year-old Chandler Dean Parker, and 18-year-old Dylan Lynn Dowdell all from the Union County area.

All three men were charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Psilocybin Mushrooms (Class C Felony), Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana (Class D Felony), and Drug Tax Stamp Violation (Class D Felony). All three were taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $50,000 bond.

A rural Page County resident was arrested on multiple warrants on Thursday morning. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of 50-year-old John David Stone of rural Braddyville on three Page County warrants for Failure to Appear. The warrants are all for separate charges of Driving While Barred. Stone was arrested at a residence in Shambaugh and taken to the Page County Jail. Stone was held on $6,000 cash only bond pending future court proceedings.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak woman on Thursday for a theft charge. At 11:40 a.m. Officers arrested 29-year-old Cheyenne Meek of Red Oak at 106 Coolbaugh Street in Red Oak for Theft 5th Degree. The theft occurred in April at the Red Oak Healthcare Community in Red Oak, but recent evidence lead to the charges being filed. Meek was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and booked in on $300 cash bond.

By RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A judge says he will rule soon on a request from President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign to invalidate 50,000 requests for absentee ballots submitted by voters in Iowa’s second-largest county. Judge Ian Thornhill heard arguments on a request for a temporary injunction that would block Linn County Auditor Joel Miller from sending ballots to those voters. Instead, the voters would have to fill out new forms to request to vote absentee. At issue is Miller’s decision to send absentee ballot request forms to about 140,000 county voters in July that were pre-filled with their personal information, including their voter identification numbers. The Trump campaign contends that was improper.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to encourage social distancing, so voters in Iowa are being asked to consider voting absentee by mail for the 2020 General Election on November 3, 2020. The Secretary of State, as he did for the Primary Election, has or shortly will be mailing absentee ballot request forms for the November 3, 2020 General Election.

The mailing will go to each active registered voter in Iowa, and the forms are pre-addressed for return mailing to County Auditors.

The Cass County Auditor recommends that the voters of Cass County take advantage of the right to vote early by mail.
You may apply for an absentee ballot now, but ballots will not be mailed until on or after October 5. Absentee ballot request forms are also 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.

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 decided 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 PRECINCTS LISTING for CASS COUNTY, IOWA for GENERAL ELECTION on NOVEMBER 3, 2020
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

No one was injured during a single vehicle accident in Page County on Wednesday night. At 7:30 p.m. Page County Deputies were dispatched to the accident in the 1400 block of 140th Street, approximately 6 miles east of Essex.

After investigation it was determined that 33-year-old Michael Jason Mann of Dallas, IA was operating a 2014 Ford Focus eastbound on 140th Street. Mann was the only person in the vehicle when he swerved to miss a deer, then over-corrected and struck a bridge rail. The vehicle came to rest on the east side of the bridge. Mann was uninjured by his vehicle sustained $5,000 damage and the bridge sustained $12,000 damage.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Essex Fire and Rescue. No charges were issued at the scene.