From November 23rd through December 20^th 2018, the Page County Sheriff’s Office is taking gift requests for Operation Blessing.  The Page County Sheriff’s Office program will cover children in the communities of Shambaugh, Braddyville, College Springs, Yorktown, Coin, Blanchard, Northboro, and Hepburn as well as the rural areas, of Page County. Ages of children covered by this program are Birth to 15 years of age.

The requests must come from a parent or guardian of the child and can be called into the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193, or reported in person by the parent or guardian at the Page County Sheriff’s Office located at 323 N 15^th Street in Clarinda, IA. Each child will be given a first and second choice.  It is suggested that a toy and clothing be requested.

Operation Blessing was started in the mid 1980s by the Page County Reserve Deputies to ensure that every child in the rural areas of Page County has the opportunity to receive a gift at Christmas. It has continued every year since for over 30 years. This year the Sheriff’s Office and Reserve program will continue this tradition of ensuring that children in Page County receive a gift for Christmas.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Page County Sheriff’s Office Operation Blessing program can either stop by the Page County Sheriff’s Office or mail the monetary donation to the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 323 North 15th Clarinda, Iowa, 51632.  Monetary donations are taken year round at the Office.

The Sheriff’s Office will again this year be delivering the gifts to the children.  This will take place on December 21st, 22nd, & or 23^rd.   The date depends on staffing, call load, and of course weather. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says he “Would like to thank everyone for their donations and support of the program throughout the years, for without monetary donations, this program would not be able to continue.” He also thanked his staff at the Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in everything they do with the program. Palmer says “They go above and beyond with the call taking, shopping, wrapping and organization of this program.  They along with the organizations, businesses, and individuals who donate make this program a success every year.  THANK YOU!!!”

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope and Chief Deputy Steve Owen announced Friday, that The Fremont County Public Health Team provided the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with three more AED’s (Automated External Defibrillators) that will be placed in Deputy vehicles.

The Fremont County Public Health Team had previously purchased 5 AEDs for the Sheriff’s Office, and saw how great of an asset the AEDs are for public safety. Aistrope said “We will now be able to equip all of our patrol deputies with AEDs and already have one mounted in our new facility.”

The Fremont County Public Health Team works on grants for public health and safety with the State of Iowa Emergency Preparedness group.

Pictured: left to right
Cheif Deputy Steve Owen, Cynthia Hankins, K9 Deputy Zac Buttercase, Jamie Behrends, Brianna Barnett, Jessica Betts, Katie Livingston, and Sheriff Kevin Aistrope.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board today (Friday) awarded direct financial assistance and tax benefits to two companies for job creation and expansion projects. These awards will assist in the creation of 144 jobs and will result in $36 million in new capital investment for the communities of Atlantic and Nevada.

Elkhart Plastics of Iowa, Inc., a subsidiary of Elkhart Plastics, Inc., (formerly Plastics Professionals) was given tax breaks via the High Quality Jobs program (HQJ) to support a $1-million dollar expansion of the Elkhart Plastics plant in Atlantic. Company officials say 100 more people will be employed in Atlantic after the project is completed. The 100 jobs are incented at a qualifying hourly wage of $15.95. Elkhart Plastics makes custom coolers, water tank liners and other equipment for R-Vs and boats.

Officials have also awarded state tax breaks to a European company that plans to open a biofuels plant at the site of a closed ethanol production facility near Nevada. VERBIO is based in Germany. The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board has approved state tax benefits in support of the company’s plan to produce what’s called “renewable” natural gas. It will happen at the former Pioneer DuPont’s cellulosic ethanol facility near Nevada. VERBIO has been making “biogas” since the summer of 2010 in Europe. The process involves fermenting corn stalks to ultimately produce methane. State officials say it will be the company’s first facility in North America and VERBIO plans to spend 35 million dollars on the project.

The board also recommended grant funding for 14 innovative small businesses in Iowa and approved a Strategic Infrastructure Grant Iowa State University (ISU)/Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS).

View the complete list here: iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/UserDocs/news/SmBizInnovTechTrans.pdf.

Police in Clarinda, early this (Friday) afternoon, arrested a man in connection with an incident of arson. At around 12:45-p.m., officers arrested 37-year old Andrew Jackson Paez, of Clarinda, on a warrant of arrest issued by the District Court of Iowa, Page County, for arson in the second degree, a class “C” felony.

Paez was arrested without incident at 317 W. Clark Street. He was booked into the jail and released from custody after posting bail in the amount of $10,000. Paez is suspected of setting a fire on Sunday, November 11th to 317 W. Clark Street where Paez was living. The home sustained considerable fire and smoke damage.

The investigation into the fire was conducted by the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office Bureau of Arson and Explosives, the Clarinda Fire Department and the Clarinda Police Department. Reports concerning the incident have been submitted to the office of Page County Attorney Carl M. Sonksen for review regarding the filing of formal charges.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Supreme Court Justice Daryl Hecht, who has been receiving treatment for skin cancer, has announced he will resign from the high court. The court made the announcement in a news release Friday. Hecht’s resignation is effective Dec. 13.

Hecht resumed hearing cases for the latest term that began Sept. 4 after being absent several months as he sought treatment in Sioux City and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. But he was unable to sit for oral arguments held Nov. 13-14 due to side effects of the treatment.

Hecht says after discussing the matter with his family, he determined it was essential for him to commit all of his energy to his health. Hecht was appointed to the court in 2006.

At least two phone scams are making the rounds in KJAN listening area. The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce reports someone claiming to be from Atlantic Municipal Utilities is calling businesses in town and saying the business is past due for September and October. They want you to make the payment over the phone or threaten that you’ll be disconnected. This is a scam. AMU has been contacted, and is aware of the issue. If you have any question about your bill, call AMU directly.

And, the Clarinda Police Department said they received numerous calls today (Friday), from local residents as well as residents from numerous other states. Chief Keith Brothers says the Clarinda Police Department business number 712-542-2194 is being “ghosted” as part of a scam, where the caller identifies himself as a member of the Clarinda Police Department and that they have a grandson, granddaughter, nephew, niece, etc. under arrest and bail money is needed. THIS IS A SCAM! DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY! HANG UP IMMEDIATELY!  The Clarinda Police Department does not conduct business this way.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is giving up the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee, paving the way for Sen. Lindsey Graham to take over. Grassley says he plans to become chairman of the Senate Finance Committee next year. To do that, he’ll have to give up the gavel of the Judiciary Committee, which he has held since 2015.

Graham is next in line to become Judiciary chairman. If he takes the post, the South Carolina Republican would oversee the process of judicial confirmations, a top priority for Republicans and for President Donald Trump. Graham has become a close Trump ally and was a vocal supporter of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.

Grassley says he’ll seek to provide more tax relief as Finance Committee chairman.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled falls at work caused by medical conditions can’t automatically be ruled out for workers compensation claims. Thirty-eight-year-old Jason Bluml was injured when he had a seizure and fell onto the tile floor while working as the shift manager of the Long John Silver’s in Council Bluffs in 2012. Court records showed Bluml had not been taking anti-seizure medications and had issues with alcohol abuse. A Workforce Compensation Commissioner ruled the fall was idiopathic — or caused by a medical condition — and Bluml was not due compensation for the injuries.

The Iowa Supreme Court ruling says it has been two decades since the issue has been addressed. It reversed the commissioner — saying there is no blanket rule for such workplace falls, so long as the employees proves that a condition their employment increased the risk of injury. Justice Thomas Waterman disagreed with the majority opinion. He says it is undisputed that Bluml’s seizure was unrelated to his working conditions and was fortuitous that he has a seizure at work rather than outside on a hard sidewalk.

Waterman says the commissioner may still find the floor did not contribute to the injuries — but says it could result in a costly payout that would eviscerate that section of the law and make the employer a general health insurer.