Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman has released information with regard to the June 7th Primary Election in Cass County. Sunderman says the first day for Democratic and Republican candidates for county offices to file nomination papers in the office of the county auditor is Monday, March 7th, 2016. Last day to file is Wednesday, March 30, 2016.

Nomination papers may be circulated prior to first date for filing as well as during the filing period. Nomination papers and candidate information are available at the office of the county auditor and from the secretary of state: http://www.sos.iowa.gov.

The county positions to appear on the Cass County ballot for the 2016 PRIMARY ELECTION are: Auditor; Sheriff; District 1 Supervisor; District 4 Supervisor and District 5 Supervisor.  Currently, the following individuals hold the aforementioned positions: Auditor (incumbent: Dale Sunderman, Republican); Sheriff (incumbent: Darby McLaren, Republican); District 1 Supervisor (incumbent: Duane McFadden, Republican); District 4 Supervisor (incumbent: Charles Rieken, Republican); District 5 Supervisor (incumbent: Frank Waters, Republican)

For additional information, contact the Cass County Auditor by mail, or by calling 712-243-4570. Email: auditor@casscoia.us

Atlantic resident Wendy Richter announced Friday afternoon that she will be seeking the position of Cass County Auditor. The primary election for this position will be held June 7th, 2016. Richter graduated from Atlantic High School, and received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts Degree in Political Science from Iowa State University. She has been the Executive Director of Family Crisis Support Network for 20 years.

In a press release, Richter said that the timing is right for her to begin her political career.

Wendy Richter, candidate for Cass County Auditor

She added “As much as I’ve enjoyed the position with Family Crisis, the reorganization of victim services across the state has changed the service delivery for victims of crime. It’s sad for those impacted and needing assistance, but fortunately Family Crisis has been able to continue by providing help to Cass County residents.”

Richter went on to say “Everything I’ve accomplished over the last two decades has prepared me to make this move and run for this position.” In addition to being the administrator for Family Crisis Support Network, Richter has served on numerous committees, state-wide and locally. Those include serving as a Board member of the 4th Judicial District Domestic Violence Council, and being responsible for organizing councils in the southwest Iowa Counties of Adair, Audubon, Montgomery, Page and Shelby.

She has served as treasurer for the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, secretary for the Atlantic Rotary Club, and is a member of the ATHENA Networking Team, the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council, and the Iowa Crisis Response Team. She has lobbied at both the state and federal levels regarding many issues. Wendy Richter is married to Tom Cappel, II; they have 2 children, ReAnn & Trey.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said Friday night, it was investigating reports of land application of process wastewater potentially entering a stream after receiving numerous telephone calls from concerned citizens. A contractor was land applying wastewater from Essentia, a processing facility in Harlan (Shelby County) under its chapter 200 license, which is issued by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. However, the DNR received reports that the processed wastewater was entering the West Nishnabotna River after it was applied.

DNR staff collected samples on Friday to determine if any of wastewater reached the river. Prior to DNR staff leaving the site, the contractor installed an earthen berm to prevent any further discharge. The investigation is ongoing. The DNR will consider appropriate enforcement action, if necessary. Jessica Montana, supervisor of the DNR’s Environmental Services field office in Atlantic, said “We really want to thank the people who took time to call us and alert us to this situation. The quicker we can get on the scene of a situation like this, the better chance we have of getting the accurate data we need to properly assess the potential impact, but more importantly, the quicker we can work with the responsible party to get material contained.”

Montana said it is important to avoid land application of wastewater and manure when conditions are not favorable like when the ground is saturated because it can result in the material being carried to surface water through runoff.

Travel on Interstate 80 in western Iowa is becoming hazardous this evening. Already two rollover accidents have been reported, one near Shelby at the 34 mile marker eastbound off ramp, the other in Cass County at the 71-mile marker of I-80 westbound. Wiota 1st Responders and Anita Rescue, along with Medivac ambulance were called to the scene at around 6:10-p.m.

Other vehicles have gone off into the median along I-80. No reports of injuries as of 6:18-p.m.

Roads in pink are completely covered in snow, ice or slush. Roads in blue are partially covered.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Monday of a Lewis man on a Felony assault charge. 21-year old Philip Reed Thompson, Jr., of Lewis, was taken into custody on a charge of Domestic Abuse 3rd or Subsequent Offense (a Class-D Felony). Thompson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.

On Thursday, deputies in Cass County arrested 30-year old Shaun Allen Williams, of Fremont, NE, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Williams was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000.

URBANDALE, IOWA (January 8, 2016) – The Iowa Egg Council is happy to announce the “Incredibly Good Eggs” Recipe Contest. The contest starts on January 11, 2016, and provides Iowa residents with the opportunity to showcase their culinary skills with the versatile egg! We are looking for recipes that rejuvenate traditional recipes and think about eggs in entirely new ways. From appetizer recipes to dessert recipes – we want them all!

There will be two divisions for participants: Adults 19 and up and students grades 6-12. The participants may enter only one recipe. Recipes can include, but not limited to, dips, spreads, drinks, breakfast foods, entrees, side dishes or desserts. All recipes must be originals and must contain at least four eggs. The recipe may include four whole eggs, yolks, or whites and there is no limit to the amount of ingredients in the recipe. Recipes will be judged on: use of eggs, taste, originality, and presentation.

Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 participants in each division. The first place winner will receive $500, the second place winner will receive $350 and the third place winner will receive $200.

To enter the recipe contest, visit www.iowaegg.org for a downloadable entry form and a complete list of rules, or call 1-877-IOWAEGG for mailed contest information. All entries must be received by 5 PM, March 11, 2016. The winners will be announced in May – National Egg Month! Good luck!

(Press Release)

BLENCOE, Iowa (AP) – The Blencoe Post Office is back in business at a new location across a street. It reopened Wednesday after being closed in April 2014 because of problems with the old building’s foundation. The Monona County town of around 220 people lost local delivery for 20 months.

Residents could pick up their mail at temporary boxes in Blencoe or travel 16 miles to the Moorhead Post Office to get their mail, buy stamps, send packages or avail themselves of other postal services. The Sioux City Journal reports that rural delivery continued as usual.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The record Powerball jackpot just got bigger, climbing to $800 million as sales soared in the days leading up to the drawing. Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery, says officials with the Multi-State Lottery Association on Friday raised the estimated jackpot for Saturday night’s drawing from $700 million because of strong sales.

Grief says Powerball sales on Thursday were double the previous record for that day and that it’s possible the estimated jackpot could rise again before the drawing. A winner would have the option of being paid $800 million through annual payments over 29 years or opting for $496 million in cash.

Powerball is played in 44 states as well as the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Three juveniles from Creston High School are now charged in connection with threats of a school shooting earlier this week. The threats, made during an online group chat Monday night, mentioned a gun being brought to the school. On Wednesday, the Creston Police Department was notified of the threats by the high school. When officers arrived at the school, the school had already identified the individuals involved and isolated them from the other students.

Officers met with the students and their parents. After completing the investigation, 17-year-old Dustin Williams, 16-year-old Chance Brown and 17-year-old Nicolas Chase were each charged with first-degree harassment. These individuals were released to their parents and the case has been referred to juvenile authorities.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa’s largest school district is holding a job fair for teachers tomorrow (Saturday) that will easily be one of the state’s biggest educator employment events. Anne Sullivan, human resources director for the Des Moines Public Schools, says the district plans to hire at least 200 teachers for next school year. “It’s probably the largest job fair that’s facilitated by any individual school district, that’s for sure,” Sullivan says. “Each of the colleges and universities do one as well. We expect to have 700 to 800 teachers to come and visit. We have 500 that are pre-registered and we usually have about a hundred, maybe more, that will come and just do a walk-in.”

About three-quarters of the applicants are typically right out of college, while Sullivan says the rest are more experienced and are interested in a career move.  “Des Moines Public Schools is pretty large employer, we have about 3,000 teachers,” Sullivan says. “Even with a small turnover, we’re looking at hiring on average about 200 teachers every year, sometimes more, sometimes less. We have people that will retire. We have openings for typical attrition, people who are moving, that kind of thing.”

The district offers a full-family insurance plan to every employee, something Sullivan says is rare, with a base salary for starting teachers around 45-thousand dollars. She says prospective teachers won’t have to be lugging along a briefcase to the event tomorrow. “The great thing is, they don’t have to bring anything because we’re completely paperless,” Sullivan says. “They apply online so we have all of their materials ahead of time, resume, transcripts, and those kinds of things. If they don’t have those, they can still come and do a walk-in interview and upload those things a little bit later.”

Sullivan says they’re always on the lookout for teachers with special education experience as well as those versed in English Language Learning. Des Moines has more than six-thousand E-L-L students speaking nearly 100 languages and dialects. Des Moines has 60 schools and more than 32-thousand students, adding between 100 and 400 students every year. The district’s graduation rate has grown nine-percent in the past five years. The Educator Career Fair is planned for Saturday at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Interviews begin at 8 A-M for pre-registered applicants.

(Radio Iowa)