Police in Red Oak arrested a Pottawattamie County man early Wednesday afternoon. 26-year old Jason Rolfe Ahrens was taken into custody on a Montgomery County warrant for Failure To Appear in court on a Possession of a Controlled Substance charge. Ahrens was transported to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, and held on $5,000 bond.

As part of its ongoing search, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is asking for the public’s help to locate 17-year old’s Michelle Goetz and Damian Gonzalez who went missing from Rogers, Arkansas on Sept. 26, 2014. It is believed that the pair may traveling to southwest Iowa.

Michelle Goetz – Damian Gonzales – selfie

Michelle she has blonde hair that may have been dyed blond with black underneath. and green eyes. Michelle is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has a tribal tattoo in a triangular design on her neck and an anchor tattoo on her torso. Michelle may be wearing glasses.

Damian has brown hair and brown eyes. He is 6 feet tall and weighs 225 pounds. Damian has a cross tattooed on his right shoulder. The pair is traveling in a white pick-up truck with Arkansas license plate.

The public is urged to call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) with any information concerning the disappearance or current whereabouts of Michelle and Damian. Calls may be made anonymously.

Michelle Goetz – Damian Gonzales

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – New students with parents or grandparents who have degrees from the University of Iowa will automatically receive a $6,000 scholarship over four years when they enroll.
University President Sally Mason said Wednesday that she expects hundreds of first-year and transfer students will receive the Iowa Heritage Award next fall.

Mason told reporters that the scholarship is a piece of the school’s strategy to increase its enrollment by attracting more students from Iowa and beyond. Any student with a parent, stepparent, legal guardian or grandparent who received an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree from UI will be eligible.

Within that pool, up to 20 of the highest-achieving students will receive the President’s Heritage Award, which will award another $6,000 over four years. Mason said private donations will help pay the cost.

The Southwest Iowa Coalition (SWICO) will be hosting a Candidates’ forum in Atlantic on Oct. 16th. SWICO says candidates for state and federal office who may be representing Iowans in Adams, Adair, Audubon, Cass, east Pottawattamie, Fremont, Page, Mills, Montgomery, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties, have been invited to attend the forum.

The forum will be held at the Atlantic Golf and County Club (102 W. 29th St.). The event begins at 5-p.m. Oct. 16th with appetizers and social time, with the candidates speaking about his or her position on rural development policy issues, at 5:30-p.m.

The event will conclude with a question and answer session moderated by SWICO President Lee Weir. There is no charge to attend, but you are being asked to make your reservation by e-mailing swico@swico.org, or by calling 712-621-2032.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday (today) approved the hiring of a full-time assistant for the County Recorder’s office. Retiring Recorder Joyce Jensen said the decision on who to hire as an assistant to incoming Recorder Mary Ward not an easy one, due to the number of qualified applicants. Ward chose Marci Wallingford, who is currently employed at the 1st United Methodist Church in Atlantic, and has been the Pastor’s assistant for the past 7-years. She will begin her employment with the County on Oct. 20th, at a rate of 18-dollars per hour.

Jensen says salary discussions determined Wallingford will remain at the $18 per hour rate even if/when she is appointed as Deputy Recorder, through Fiscal Year 2015 budget. The percentage of salary will be reassessed when it comes to discussion on the FY 2016 budget. BOS2 :18 Q:”..still the Recorder.” Together, Ward and Wallingford will determine the need for a part-time assistant to Wallingford. Jensen said she would make herself available to fill-in as needed as an assistant, at no charge to the County.

In other business, Cass County Engineer Charles Marker reported he and Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Roger Herring have determined an eight-foot by eight-foot pad on the southeast corner of the courthouse would be the best option for installation of two bicycle hitching posts. Last week, Herring had proposed locating the posts in the same area, but was instructed to consult with Marker as to the best location and options for mounting the bike posts.

Cass County Conservation Director Micah Lee reported to the Board on his department’s quarterly activities. Lee said they were very busy during the period. He says the new driveway on the south entrance to Cold Springs State Park near Lewis has been heavily used by campers and nature seekers.

He says when they went out for bids on gates to the park, they looked at a couple of different types, but in the end decided it would be cheaper to build a 3 bar, galvanized swinging gate that will be installed soon, prior to the entrance being closed for the Winter. Weirich Welding was given the job of constructing the gates.

Lee says the department is also in the process of renovating its office.  The project should be complete by the end of this month. Among other projects, Micah said they mowed along the T-Bone Trail after receiving a complaint about tall weed growth following the recent, heavy rains. And at the Pellett Memorial Woods, they’ve been conducting general maintenance, including moving of trees from the trail that have died and fallen onto the trail.