There are a few races to watch in Guthrie County during Tuesday’s City Elections. In Bagley, there are five seats open on the City Council, and only four candidates: Deanna Gibson, Jennifer Ingles, Ruth Riley and Jon Shaffer. The fourth will be a Write-In. And, Emily Chapman-Olesen is unopposed in her bid for Mayor. In Bayard, five candidates are running for three seats on the City Council: Tonya Halterman, Kimberly Jorgensen, Christine Kesselring, LeeRoy Wagner, and Tom Warden. Two men are running for Mayor in Bayard: Gary Allen Long, and Brandon Taylor.

In Casey, two Council seats are open, and there are two candidates: Robb Sneller and Stacy Wagner. In Guthrie Center, Dennis Kunkle is running for Mayor. There are three Council seats openings, two of which are for four-year terms, one is to fill a Vacancy for two-years. The Auditor’s Office reports four people have filed to run for election: Chuck Cleveland, Carolyn Masters, Randy Nickel, and Brian Stringer. All four are eligible to the the two-year vacancy. Voters will need to Write-In on the ballot, their third choice for City Council in Guthrie Center.

In Jamaica, LaDonna Kennedy is running for Mayor. Two candidates: Karen Onken and Randall Perkins, are running for three open seats on the Jamaica City Council. A Write-in will fill the third seat. In Menlo, Michael Clarke and David Jacobsen are running for Mayor. Paul Jones and Dorothy Korradi are running for two open Council seats.

In Panora, five people are running for three City Council seats: Tony Barber, Thomas John Flanary, Brian Dorsett, Stan Landon, and Curtis Nepstad Thornberry.  And, in Yale, there are four candidates for three City Council seats: John Chase, Mindy L. Fear, Richard Kipp, and Tim Walker.

Voters will head to the polls for the City Elections in Pottawattamie County, Tuesday. The candidates in each respective City are as follows:

Avoca:

Park Commissioner – Nicholas Hope

Mayor – Aaron C. Long

City Council – William Dea, Derek Knop, Steven Kerr, David McCain

Carson:

Mayor – Timothy Neal Todd

City Council – Tate Brandon, Adam Houser, Donnie Hendricks

Crescent:

City Council – Robert E. Anderson, Elvis Jacobsen

Hancock:

Mayor – Harold Hoffman

City Council – Jayme Fowler, Steve Guyer

City Council (Vacancy) – Jason Best, Donald Ehlers

Macedonia:

Mayor – Gary L. Wax

City Council – Susan Goos, Joshua Keast

McClelland:

Mayor – Mitchell A. Kay

City Council – Dani Baxter, Michael P. Conrad, David Logan, Susan Stenlund, Dan Williams

Minden:

City Council – Jerry Murley, Thomas Schneckloth, Tracy Wohlhuter

Neola:

Mayor – Dawn Marie Goodsell, Lon Ring

City Council – Robb Lockey, Nichole Schneckloth, Edwin Aric Thomsen, Ty Ungrad, Jason Zaborowski

Oakland:

Mayor – Brant Miller

City Council – Pat Newberg, Doug Reed, Debbie Rollins, Joseph Wede

Treynor:

Mayor – Thomas G. Lewis

City Council – Joe Fisher, David Waymire

Underwood:

Mayor – Dennis C. Bardsley

City Council – Zeferina S. Aguilar, Jim Pingel, Julius W. Tiarks, Gary J. Wahle

Walnut:

Mayor – Gene Larsen

City Council – Linda Booth, Kim Canada, Jason Erickson, Michael Gettler, Dennis Hullinger, Dan Shirley

Shelby County Emergency Management officials report the Fire Danger level in the County will remain MODERATE this week, at least through Thursday morning, when the next report comes out. Operations Director Jason Wickizer says winds are expected to remain below 12-MPH, and precipitation is in the forecast for the next 24 hours. Relative humidity’s will drop into the middle 30’s which could cause control issues with the 12 MPH wind, however long term humidity’s are forecast to be over 50%.  Persons planning a controlled burn of brush, fields or other field/ditch type material, should notify their local Fire Chief.

Voters in Montgomery County will head to the polls tomorrow (Tuesday), from 7-a.m. until 8-p.m. Here are the candidates and the positions they are running for:

City of Red Oak:

Mayor – Incumbent William Billings, Jr.

Ward 2 – Incumbent Bill Haufle.

At Large – Tony Wernicke.

City of Elliott: The Mayor’s seat and 3 At Large Council seats are open….no one has filed, so those will be filled by Write-In vote.

City of Stanton: (elect 3 At Large)

Incumbents Eric Paulson, Sheryl Porter and Daniel Allen are running, along with Jessica Sundberg.

City of Coburg: Mayor Cal Myers is unopposed for re-election. NO CANDIDATES filed for 2 At Large City Council seats.

City of Grant:

Mayor – No candidate filed. (Write-in);

City Council At Large (elect 5)

All incumbents have filed – Lyn Sliger, Jeffrey Brown, Michael Bradley Amos, Steve Williams, and Nancy Taylor.

City of Villisca:

Mayor – Incumbent Marilyn Halda;

City Council At Large (elect 1) – Write-In

City Council – To Fill a Vacancy -Incumbent Helen Lowe.

Voters in Villisca will also decide (Public Measure A), if the Villisca Public Library Board of Trustees members should be changed to four resident, and one non-resident member, to be appointed by the Mayor (with approval of the Council), to serve a term of three-years, effective July 1, 2018.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A music teacher in Cedar Falls is in the running for a Grammy. Michelle Droe, who teaches at Lincoln Elementary School, is a semifinalist to receive the 2018 Music Educator Award from the Recording Academy and the Grammy Museum. Droe is among 25 music teachers from across 17 states identified as semifinalists. She was nominated last spring by a Cedar Falls family. Droe was eventually asked to submit a video of herself teaching and explaining how she’s overcome obstacles in her career. “I think I even recorded kids on the last day of school to make that happen,” Droe said, laughing. “So, that was kind of interesting. I just found out a couple of weeks ago that I’m among the 25 semifinalists. It’s pretty exciting.”

The Music Education Award recognizes educators from kindergarten through the college level who have made major contributions to the music education field. Droe says after many years, it’s still a fun job. “I love my job and I work hard at it, so it feels good to have your hard work recognized,” Droe said. “I kind of like to have the focus be more on my kids, so it’s a little uncomfortable in a way. But, I’m really appreciative and excited at the same time.”

Michelle Droe

Droe says 10 finalists for the award will be revealed sometime in December and the ultimate winner will attend the 60th Grammy Awards show in New York on January 28.

(Radio Iowa)

The final listening session for the Leopold Center at Iowa State University is set for next week in northeast Iowa. Center director Mark Rasmussen says a task force put together the listening sessions to chart the future after the Legislature voted to shut down the center, but then Governor Terry Branstad vetoed the portion of the bill that cut the center. Rasmussen says there’s been a lot of input in the sessions. “It’s ranged all across the board in terms of people’s comments, “Rasmussen says, “of course some people want to still critique the past actions and make some comments about that.”

But Rasmussen says the goal now is to see how they can move forward with the cut of its major source of funding. They’ve supplied those at the listening sessions with some questions. He says they are asking what people think the projects and priorities should be and any ideas on funding sources for the future. The center has financed hundreds of ag research projects aimed at reducing soil and farm chemical runoff in its 30 years. Rasmussen says one thing he has learned thus far is that people care about the center. “I’ve been humbled by the amount of support that the center has had during these past six months of these trying circumstances,” Rasmussen says. “It started with all the people who called the governor’s office and encouraging him to not sign this bill in its entirety…and since then we’ve had people show up and give their two cents worth on where the center should go.”

Rasmussen says the task force will use all the information and suggestions it is hearing to come up with recommendations. “Some of the task force members are already starting to summarize and write down things that they’ve heard. And the task force will be preparing a report that goes to the Leopold Advisory Board, plus to me as director of the center, plus to the College of Ag dean,” according to Rasmussen.

The final listening session is scheduled for November 15th on the campus of Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar. It begins at 5:30.

(Radio Iowa)

The Creston Police Department says a resident living in the 400 block of New York Avenue, reported Saturday morning, that sometime between Nov.. 1st and 3rd, someone had vandalized a building belonging to him at 200 Russell St. Several Windows were broken out with bricks and a doorknob was damaged. Estimated damage of $250.  And, late Sunday morning , a woman reported that sometime between the hours of 9-p.m Saturday and 9-a.m., Sunday, someone had broke into her vehicle that was parked at 512 W. Montgomery. Inside, they stole cash, debit/credit cards and a LG Tablet. The loss was estimated at $215.

The Creston Police Department has been busy making arrests. At around 10:40-p.m. Friday, 22-year old Jeremiah Crago, of Afton, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center (LEC) in Creston, on charges of Public Intoxication, Assault on an Officer without injury, and Interference with Official Acts. Crago was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,600 bond.

Just after 1-p.m. Saturday, Creston Police arrested 22-year old Kami Hilton, of Des Moines. She was arrested at the LEC on a Union County Warrant for Failure to Appear on the original charge of Theft 4th. Hilton was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on a $1,000 bond. At around 1:30-a.m. Saturday, 35-year old David Richman, of Creston, was arrested for Public Intoxication/3rd or subsequent offense. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond. At around 8:15-p.m. Saturday, 22-year old Dakota Rosch, of Creston, was arrested on an Adair County Warrant for Violation of Probation. Rosch was released to the custody of Adair County Deputies.

Taken into custody at around 9:15 pm Saturday, in Creston, was 43-year old James McFail, of Creston, who was arrested on a Union County Warrant for Violation of Parole. He is being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting bond hearing.  At around 1:20-a.m. Saturday, 18-year old Deaven Reese, and 19-year old Ian Burns, both of Creston, were arrested for Possession of Paraphernalia. They were later released from the Union County Jail on a Promise to Appear in Court.

And, just before 12:30-a.m. Sunday, 44-year old Justin Means, of Lorimor, was arrested in Creston for OWI 1st offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd Offense. Means was released from the Union County Jail on a $3,000 bond.

Voters in Audubon County have two contested races to follow, Tuesday.

In Brayton, incumbent Mayor Cally Christensen faces a challenge from Neil C. Poldberg. The two incumbent City Councilpersons, David L. Hansen, and Greg Gust, are unopposed to fill two open seats on the Council.

In the City of Gray, there are two seats on the City Council, and three candidates. They include incumbent Joan Cramer, Roy John Bolick, and Jared Olson. Incumbent Mayor William Cramer is running unopposed for the top seat. Samuel Wendt is also unopposed in his bid to fill a single, Vacancy term on the Grey City Council. That term will expire in 2019.

In the City of Audubon, incumbents Brad Hemmingsen and Jason Hocker, along with Nick Weihs, are running for three open seats on the City Council.

In Exira, Mayor Mike Huegrich in unopposed, while incumbent Dwight Jessen and Courtney Peppers are running for two open seats on the City Council, and appointed incumbent Melissa Paulsen, along with Clark M. Borkowski, are running unchallenged to fill two Vacancy seats on the Exira City Council. Those terms will expire in 2019.

Voters in the City of Kimballton have one choice for Mayor on the ballot. That name is Millette L. Shores. And there are two persons running for three seats on the City Council: Incumbent Tony Petersen and Chelsee Jacobsen. The third seat will be filled by Write-in vote.