Sheriff’s officials in Adams County report a man and woman from Creston were arrested on drug charges late Tuesday morning (5/22). Authorities say at around 11:45-a.m., the Adams County K9 Unit conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Highway 34 and Tulip Avenue. During the stop, K9 “Baxo” was deployed and indicated on the vehicle.

A probable cause search was conducted and a pipe used to smoke methamphetamine was located.

William Ridley

Michelle Peterson

The two occupants of the vehicle denied ownership of the pipe. The driver, William Ridley of Creston, was placed under arrest for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving under Suspension, and Providing False Identification Information. The passenger, Michelle Peterson, also of Creston, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Ridley and Peterson each have outstanding warrants for their arrest in other jurisdictions.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday (May 22nd) released a lengthy report on numerous arrests that were not drug-related. Three arrests took place Sunday: 32-year old David Andrew Bowen, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI 1^st Offense. Bowen was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance; 40-year old Robert Michael Howie, Jr., of University Park, IA, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts (Simple). He pled guilty later that day and was released; and, 60-year old Kent Allen Harrison, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday on charges of Assault on a Law Officer, Criminal Mischief 5^th Degree, and Trespassing 1^st Degree. Harrison was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.

On May 17th, 20-year old Wyatt Jo Bloomfield, of Eskridge, KS, was arrested in Cass County on a charge of OWI 1^st Offense.  Bloomfield was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released the following day on $1,000 bond. The next day (May 18th), 26-year old Jade Michael Nicholson, of Atlantic, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Nicholson was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

On May 13th, 32-year old Antonietta Patrizzia Lloyd, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI 1^st Offense. And on May 12th, 34-year old Ryan John Platts, of Urbandale, was also arrested for OWI/1st offense. Lloyd and Platts were taken to the Cass County Jail and later released on their own recognizance.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports eight people were arrested on separate drug charges recently. On Monday (May 21st), as the result of a traffic stop, Cass County Deputies arrested 21-year old Jay Robert Blank and 19-year old Jayce Allen Neis, both of Cedar Rapids. They were each taken into custody on charges of Drug Tax Stamp Violation (D Felony) and Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana (D Felony).

K9 Officer Mufasa with his haul of 13 lbs of marijuana from the Sheriff’s Office traffic stop on May 20, 2018.

Thirteen pounds of marijuana was seized in the traffic stop. Both parties were taken to the Cass County Jail. Neis and Blank were released the following day on $10,000 bond each.

That same day, as the result of a search warrant, Cass County Deputies arrested 28-year old David Gregory Fredericksen and 24-year old Catherine Josephine Charles, both of Atlantic, each on charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Meth (C Felony); Possession of Marijuana 1^st Offense (Serious) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple). Both were taken to the Cass County Jail where they remain held on $50,000 bond each.

On May 19th, 42-year old Aaron Seth Cardinale, of Bellevue, NE, was arrested in Cass County on charges of Drug Tax Stamp Violation (D Felony) and Possession of Alprazolam 2^nd Offense (Aggravated). Cardinale was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $7,000 bond. That same day, 27-year old Mark Allen Fredericksen, of Atlantic, was arrested on charges of OWI 1^st Offense (Serious); Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple) and Driving Under Suspension (Simple). Fredericksen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $1,600 bond.

On May 16th, as the result of a search warrant, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 42-year old Samantha Sue Clark, of Atlantic, on charges of Burglary 3^rd degree (D Felony); Drug Tax Stamp Violation (D Felony); Possession Controlled Substance (4 counts) (Serious); Unlawful Possession of Prescription Medication (6 counts) (Serious); Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple); and Theft 5^th Degree. Also arrested was 30-year old Amber Catherine Stephens, of Atlantic, on charges of Unlawful Possession of Prescription Medication (Serious) and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Serious). Both parties were taken to the Cass County Jail. Clark remains held on $21,000 bond; Stephens remains held on $2,000 bond.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold a Special Meeting 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in the Middle School Media Center. During their session, the Board will act on approving 2018-19 Administrator Contracts, Other contracts (Central Office, Technology, Directors), and Coaches/Sponsors Continuing Contracts. In other business, the Board will act on a 2018-19 Copier/Printer lease, HVAC unit replacement, and the disposal of a Suburban. Following the close of regular business, the Board will enter into a closed session to conduct the Superintendent’s annual evaluation.

We contracts, Superintendent Steve Barber is expected to recommend Administrative Contracts for 2018-19 receive a zero-percent increase to the total compensation amount received in 2017-18 that would not includes the increase in IPERS contribution due to a rate increase starting July 1st, 2018. The IPERS increase amounts to $2,075.

Barber will also recommend approval of a 1.71% total package increase (Including IPERS and FICA) for Central Office Staff, Technology Staff and all Directors, including the Business Manager. The amount ($12,842) represents the figure settled with the Employees Association.

And finally, Steve Barber will recommend the Board approve the list of continuing contracts for existing coaches and sponsors, for a total increase of $1,833. The generator for the extra-curricular contracts was increased to $43,500 during negotiations. Changes to the Collective Bargaining rules state that the contracts are no longer continuing.

Contract recommendations are as follows:

1. 1. 1. Terry Hinzmann, HS Summer School Teacher
      2. Jedd Sherman, HS Summer School Teacher
      3. Karen Vogl, HS Summer School Teacher
      4. Mallory Kirchhoff, HS Summer School Para
      5. Sue Petersen, HS Voc Rehab Para
      6. Rob Hansen, Volunteer Baseball Coach
      7. Bryce Casey, 7th Grade Football Coach
      8. Pat Wiederien, Co HS Student Council Sponsor
      9. Taylor Williams, Co HS Student Council Sponsor
      10. Emily Mitchell, Volunteer Softball Coach
      11. Montana Applegate, WA Extended School Year Teacher
      12. Angela Behrens, 5-hr Summer Lunch Position
      13. Lori Namanny, 5-hr Summer Lunch Position

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A spokesman for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ campaign says it plans to return a $250 contribution from a state official whom she later fired over sexual harassment allegations.

A campaign finance disclosure filed Monday shows that then-Iowa Finance Authority Director Dave Jamison and his wife made the donation to Reynolds on March 1.
Asked about the donation Tuesday, campaign spokesman Pat Garrett said in an email, “we plan to return it.”

Reynolds fired Jamison on March 24, saying she had received “credible allegations of sexual harassment” from two female subordinates a day earlier. The governor’s office has released a detailed complaint from one of the women, who alleged that Jamison made constant sexual remarks in the workplace. Investigations are underway.

Reynolds and Jamison had long been acquaintances going back to their work as county treasurers starting in the 1990s. Jamison hasn’t spoken publicly about the allegations.

CALUMET, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa woman accused of stealing more than $30,000 while working at a trucking company has been given probation. Court records say 33-year-old Jamie Riedemann, of Calumet, was sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution to Calumet Carriers. Riedemann also was given a deferred judgment, which means that her conviction can be removed from court records if she successfully completes the terms of her probation.

Prosecutors say Riedemann turned in fraudulent time cards and used company credit cards for personal purchases while working as business office manager for Calumet Carriers between January 2014 and August 2016.

Iowa farmers spent a lot of time pulling planters last week. With at least four days of good planting weather across the state, the U-S-D-A says 86 percent of the corn has now been planted. That compares to 65 percent last week. Lots of beans were planted too — with 58 percent of the expected ten million acres of soybeans now in the ground. That compares to the 33 percent planted last week. Northwest and north-central Iowa did a lot of catching up this past week — with 70 percent of the corn now planted — compared to 25 percent last week. Those areas still have less than one third of their projected soybeans planted.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Cass County Health System (CCHS) in Atlantic, say if you have an upcoming appointment with CCHS, you should be aware that you will receive an automated phone call reminder, unless you chose to receive appointment reminders via text message or email. All appointment reminder methods – automated phone call, text, and email – include easy to follow instructions to confirm the appointment. There has been some concern expressed that these calls may be a scam, however, officials at CCHS verified that the automated phone calls for patients to confirm their appointments are indeed legitimate.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The abrupt downfall of Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix became a cash windfall for the Republican Party of Iowa. The party accepted a $522,000 contribution from Dix’s campaign on March 26, two weeks after the Shell Rock farmer quit the Legislature. Dix resigned after the Iowa Starting Line published video of the married lawmaker kissing a lobbyist in a Des Moines bar. Republican leaders said they were disappointed in Dix’s behavior.

Dix had previously faced criticism after the state paid a $1.75 million settlement to former Senate GOP communications director Kirsten Anderson, who was fired after complaining about sexual harassment.
Anderson said Tuesday that Dix should have considered giving the money to the general fund to offset the settlement costs, which is allowed by state law.

Party spokesman Jesse Dougherty defended the move, saying “the money was raised to help elect and defend a Republican majority this fall.”

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, who have had a relatively light agenda for the past several sessions, are expected to act during their meeting Wednesday morning in Atlantic, on the appointment or re-appointment, of a Veterans Affairs Commissioner. Other business during their 8:30-a.m. meeting, includes action on a Resolution setting the date for a Public Hearing on a proposal to incur Non-Current Debt in an amount not to exceed $350,000, “for the purpose of paying the costs of certain urban renewal projects in the 2017 Cass County Agribusiness Urban Renewal Area,” which consists of using Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to pay the costs of constructing grey water management improvements and undertaking capital projects, for the construction of roads, bridges and culverts – pertaining to the Elite Octane Ethanol plant.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors meeting takes place in their boardroom on the second floor of the courthouse, in Atlantic.