The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday) canvassed and certified the results of a recount vote requested for the District 3 Board of Supervisors seat, following the June 5^th Primary. The recount was conducted Monday by a group of three individuals, one each selected by candidates Dana Halder (Dale Gross) and John Hartkopf (David Ginther). The third (Chip Hansen) was chosen in-turn, by Gross and Ginther.

The results, as previously mentioned after the recount, showed 158 votes for Halder, 160 for Hartkopf, and 103 for Linda Templemen. Auditor Dale Sunderman explained the scenarios under how votes may change. He said if a machine rejects a cast ballot (Usually because a mark is too small or the wrong color ink is used), the voter is given the opportunity to re-mark the ballot and return it, but more likelyhood, he says they chose to leave it as is so the machine did not pick it up.

Sunderman said “On a hand count, as long as the marks are consistent for all marks on the ballot, that can be counted as a vote.” That, he says, is likely what happened that allowed Halder to receive one extra vote. Sunderman believes also, that Hartkopf’s loss of a vote could have been a result of an inconsistent mark.

He said if the marks are not consistent, or if someone marks an “X”, the machine doesn’t understand, and it’s hard to determine the voter’s intent when they cast their ballot during a hand count.

In other business, the Board of Supervisors passed on the first reading, an amendment to the Veterans Emergency Assistance Program ordinance, which provides assistance to Cass County military veterans who are unable to meet their basic needs because of an emergency situation. The changes reflect some wording and clarifications.

They also approved the appointment of Dr. Edna Becht as Deputy Cass County Medical Examiner with her term ending 12/31/18, and, a display of fireworks for an unincorporated area of Cass County.

A water main break early this (Wednesday) morning, in Audubon, has resulted in a precautionary BOIL WATER ADVISORY for any water that might otherwise be ingested through drinking, cooking and brushing teeth. Audubon City Clerk Joe Foran told KJAN News, the main fractured or broke under Tracy Street, near South Division Street. The incident happened at around 3-a.m. When the line broke, it lowered the level of water in the City’s water tower. When that occurs, a Boil Order or Advisory is issued as a precautionary measure, over concerns bacteria may enter the system.

The boil advisory will be in-place until the system is fixed. Once that happens, tests must be conducted to ensure the water is safe. Foran says the DNR will take two test samples, 16-hours apart. If those come back clean, the Boil advisory will be lifted. In the meantime, all water used for consumption should be boiled before use or you can choose to use bottled water. Showering and bathing is okay during a boil advisory but you need to be careful not to ingest water while doing so.

Check out the CDC’s Boil Water Advisory factsheet here: CDC-What-to-Do-During-a-Boil-Water-Advisory

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Two religion-based organizations have agreed to develop a $60 million senior living community in Dubuque that will preserve a historic building and allow about 150 Catholic sisters to remain at the location. The Telegraph Herald reports that the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Presbyterian Homes & Services announced plans Tuesday to work together to transform the Mount Carmel campus over five years.

The plan calls for preserving the motherhouse building, while other structures would be deconstructed to make room for new properties. Alan Stache is the chief financial officer for the Sisters of Charity. He says a corporate bond issuance will fund a majority of the project. Sisters of Charity President Teri Hadro says the plan needs approval from city and state officials.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man has been sentenced for participation in a phone call scam that victimized more than 250 elderly people across the country. Court records say 27-year-old Cody Richey, of Zwingle, Tuesday was given 57 months in federal prison and told to pay more than $26,000 in restitution. He’d pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids to wire fraud.

Prosecutors say the scheme consisted of phone calls to elderly people across the country, telling victims that relatives were jailed and that money should be wired to free them. Several other people involved in running the scam already have been sentenced.

POLK CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a toddler who died at a Des Moines hospital after being pulled from a central Iowa lake. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office identified her in a news release Wednesday as 2-year-old Celeste Sandoval-Ramos, who lived in Perry. She died Tuesday morning. The sheriff’s office says Celeste was with her family Saturday at Big Creek State Park, just north of Des Moines, when she was pulled from the lake just before 9 p.m. First responders performed CPR on her, and she was flown to the hospital. An investigation is continuing.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports the driver of a 1998 GMC pickup suffered suspected minor/non-incapacitating injuries during a single-vehicle accident at around 8:30-a.m., Monday. 15-year old Rachel Ann Boyer, of Kent, was traveling south on the High and Dry Road, when a deer ran out in front of her. Boyer, who was wearing her seat belt, swerved to miss the animal, and in the process lost control of the vehicle. The pickup rolled into the west ditch, and sustained $5,000 damage. The teen was transported by private vehicle to the hospital in Creston, to be checked-out.

And, Sheriff’s officials say a man from Afton, reported on Monday morning, that someone placed fraudulent charges on his checking account. The incident happened sometime last Saturday.

Officials with the City of Audubon have issued a Boil Water Advisory until further notice for the community. A water main break this morning has dropped water pressure levels resulting in the need for a Boil order to be put into place.

All water used for consumption should be boiled before use or you can choose to use bottled water. Showering and bathing is okay during a boil advisory but you need to be careful not to ingest water while doing so.

City of Audubon Officials will notify the public when the advisory has been lifted.

Check out the CDC’s Boil Water Advisory factsheet here: CDC-What-to-Do-During-a-Boil-Water-Advisory