The Cass County Auditor’s Office has released information on the various Public Measures that will be on some of the ballots during the Nov. 5th City/School elections:

City of Lewis:

Shall the City of Lewis, Iowa be authorized to amend Section 5-1-2 of the City of Lewis 2018 Code of Ordinances changing the composition of the Lewis Library Board of Trustees as follows from: “Five (5) voting members shall be from the Community At-Large, and one (1) non-voting member shall be the Librarian” And changing to: “Five (5) member Board of Trustees with Four (4) Bona Fide Citizens and Residents of the City and One (1) Non-Resident?”

AHSTW School:

Shall the Board of Directors of the AHSTW Community School District, in the Counties of Cass, Harrison, Pottawattamie, and Shelby, State of Iowa, for the purpose of purchasing and improving grounds; constructing schoolhouses or buildings and opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings; purchasing of buildings; purchase, lease or lease-purchase of technology and equipment; paying debts contracted for the erection or construction of schoolhouses or buildings, not including interest on bonds; procuring or acquisition of libraries; repairing, remodeling, reconstructing, improving, or expanding the schoolhouses or buildings and additions to existing schoolhouses; expenditures for energy conservation; renting facilities under Iowa Code Chapter 28E; purchasing transportation equipment for transporting students; lease purchase option agreements for school buildings or equipment; purchasing equipment authorized by law; or for any purpose or purposes now or hereafter authorized by law, be authorized for a period of ten (10) years, to levy annually, a voter-approved physical plant and equipment property tax not to exceed One Dollar ($1.00) per One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of the assessed valuation of the taxable property within the school district commencing with the levy for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, or each year thereafter? 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a Pottawattamie County man was sentenced to prison, Thursday, on drug charges. 31-year old Travis Wright Scott was sentenced to a total of 160 months (13.3-years), for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Carrying a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime. Wright was also sentenced to 100 months of imprisonment on the drug charge and 60 months of imprisonment for the gun charge. The sentences will run consecutively.

Following Scott’s prison term, he will serve five years of supervised release. In 2018, detectives with the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force conducted controlled buys of narcotics with Scott. Following the issuance of an arrest warrant, when Scott was located, he possessed a small amount of methamphetamine, a digital scale, serialized money from the controlled buys, and a loaded Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm handgun that was reported stolen. Scott pleaded guilty to these charges in April 2019.

The case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board, Friday (today) approved awards for three legacy companies, which will assist in the creation of 150 jobs and result in more than $145 million in new capital investment for the state. These projects are located in Eddyville, Dubuque and Lime Springs. The board also approved innovation funding in support of five startups located in Washington, Ames, Red Oak and Des Moines. 

Locally, a Startup Award went to JBI Distributors, based in Red Oak. The company services the poultry industry in the areas of biosecurity, animal welfare and innovation. The company has created specific applicators (farm technology) to better apply disinfectants in barns and facilities to curtail issues associated with bacteria and virus outbreaks, such as salmonella. JBI was awarded a $100,000 loan from the Demonstration Fund, primarily for key personnel and equipment.

Award recommendations for these funds are made by the Technology Commercialization Committee to the IEDA Board for approval. For information on the other awards, click here: https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/newsDetail/6679

The Montgomery County Auditor’s Office, Friday, released the names of persons who will appear on the Nov. 5th School Election ballots, and Public Measure for the Villisca Community School District. The list is available by clicking on this file: Montgomery County School Board Candidates[52294]

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County reports 34-year old Gary Board, of Creston, was arrested this (Friday) morning. The man was taken into custody on an Adams County warrant, and on a charge of Theft in the 2nd Degree. The Theft charge was the result of a report made August 31st, when Board alleged stole about $8,815 from the Casey’s General Store, in Corning.

Creston Police and the Union County Sheriff’s Office assisted in conducting the investigation.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The chairman of an Iowa government insurance program is defending its long practice of holding public meetings at resorts in Michigan and Florida and private clubs in Iowa. Jody Smith, board chairman of the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool since 1992, addressed the board’s meeting practices and spending in a letter to its roughly 800 local government members.

Smith claimed the board doesn’t travel to Michigan for meetings every year. Records show the board has met in Michigan in 9 of the last 11 Augusts and is planning to do so next year. Instead of Michigan, the board went to Lake Okoboji resorts for its August 2010 and 2016 meetings. Smith said the meetings are in Michigan so that employees of York Risk Services, the pool administrator, can “work in-person with the board.” Its Farmington Hills office is often three hours or farther from the resorts where the board meets in places like Mackinac Island.

Smith says its Iowa meetings are always open to the public even when held at suburban Des Moines clubs that require membership. He says the Florida meetings coincide with an annual reinsurance conference.

The Combined City/School Election will be Tuesday, November 5, 2019 in Adair County. The Adair County Auditor’s Office has released the names of those candidates who will appear on the ballots. They include:

Adair City City Council – elect 3: Jeremy Marvin Gettler; Perry Lee Leeper.

Mayor – elect 1 John M Larsen

Bridgewater City City Council – elect 3: Debra J Tindle; Kristen Walker Haley Williams

Mayor – elect 1 Roberta Carpenter

Fontanelle City City Council – elect 3: James Campbell; Marlene Davis; Dixie D Dukes; John Huddleson
Mayor – elect 1: Ryan Cooper; Mary Sturdy-Martin

Greenfield City City Council – elect 2: Holly Dullard; Rod McMorran; Joshua Nelson

Greenfield Parks Board – elect 1: William A Raasch

Mayor – elect 1: Jimmie A Schultz; Ron Smith

Orient City City Council – elect 2: Josh Madison; Gary R Metzger

Orient City Council (To Fill Vacancy) – elect 1: Clarissa Pashek

Mayor – elect 1 No Candidate Filed

Stuart City City Council – elect 2: Michael Kalbach; Kristina A Renslow

Adair Casey School School Board – elect 2: Randy Carney; Dallas Dinkla

Nodaway Valley School School Board (District 2) – elect 2: Rebecca McCann; Susan Stevens

Orient Macksburg School School Board (District 2) – elect 1: No Candidate Filed

School Board (District 3) – elect 1: Eldon Ray

School Board (District 4) – elect 1: Jana Scott

The Combined City/School Election will be Tuesday, November 5, 2019. Voter pre-registration deadline is 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 25, 2019. Pre-registered voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before receiving and casting a regular ballot. Voters who are not pre-registered – such as voters registering to vote on election day – and voters changing precincts must also provide proof of residence. A voter who is unable to provide an approved form of identification (or prove residence if required) 1) may have the voter’s identity/residence attested to by another registered voter in the precinct, 2) prove identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents, or 3) cast a provisional ballot and provide proof of identity/residence at the county auditor’s office by 12:00 p.m. (noon), November 12, 2019. Election Day Registrant attesters must provide an approved form of identification. For additional information about providing proof of identity and/or residence visit: https://sos.iowa.gov/voterid or phone (641) 743-2546. Voters may request an absentee ballot from the Auditor’s Office. Voters may vote in the office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, beginning October 7, 2019 or they may request a ballot be mailed to them. The deadline to request an absentee ballot be mailed is 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 25, 2019. The last day to vote absentee in the Auditor’s Office is Monday, November 4, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Polls will open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day November 5, 2019.

Breda, IA (September 19, 2019) – Western Iowa Networks (WIN) will be hosting their first ever Cybersecurity Conference on Tuesday, October 8th 2019at the Carrollton Centre in Carroll, Iowa. The conference will begin with registration from 9-9:30am with the conference beginning at 9:40am and ending at 3pm. There is no cost for the conference and lunch and snacks will be provided. Business owners and IT professionals can register for free at registration at westianet.com.

The focus of the conference is to educate small business owners as well as IT professionals on cybersecurity and the harm that hackers are putting on small businesses, especially in rural areas. The conference will not only focus on how to mitigate the risks of a cyber attack but also how to properly recover from an attack as well. Wes Treadway, WIN Marketing Manager, said “The statistics of small businesses being attacked with ransomware, to me, was alarming. I think many small business owners, especially in rural areas, think that they are safe because of where they are located but in reality, those are the types of businesses hackers are targeting these days. An attack such as this can be devastating to a small business, so our aim is to help educate these folks so they can make sure they are protecting their information, as well as their customer’s information.”

The day will begin with opening remarks from WIN CEO Jeff Roiland. That will be followed by a presentation from Brandon Knutson from Vantage Point Solutions. Brandon is a Data Network Specialist and will talk about the new and unique ways hackers are stealing data. Chris Danielson, Vice President/Risk Advisor from Unitel Insurance will present on the insurance aspects of a cybersecurity breach. That will be followed by a free lunch.

Once we return from lunch WIN Director of Operations, Chris Neiland will lead a panel discussion with Troy Cook, COO of Midwest Data Center, Kevin Rihner, CIO from Availa Bank and Michael Hindman, VP & CIO of Birkshire Hathaway Energy. The day will then end up with Kenneth Schmutz, Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI. Kenneth will discuss current cases that are being worked by the FBI’s Cyber Task Force as well as ways businesses and individuals can better protect themselves.

The conference will be held in partnership with Midwest Data of Iowa, which is owned by five member companies including WIN, Midwest Data Center, Farmer’s Telephone Company, Griswold Communications and Farmers Mutual Telephone Company.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s unemployment rate remained at 2.5% in August. Iowa Workforce Development reported Friday that the rate didn’t change from the previous month as the number of unemployed people and the number of residents with jobs both increased. Iowa is tied for the nation’s third-lowest unemployment rate, behind Vermont and North Dakota. Iowa’s rate ties with the rate in New Hampshire. The national unemployment rate for August was 3.7%.