The planned burn-down of a vacant elementary school in Exira this weekend has been postponed due to forecast windy and dry conditions. Exira-EHK Superintendent Dean Schnoes said Friday that Sunday’s event will take place on May 4th, instead.

The former Exira Elementary building has sat empty for three years. The building was to have been set on fire and burned to the ground, instead of using a demolition team. The burn also will allow Exira firefighters an excellent training opportunity. The decision is expected to save the district 50-to 60-thousand dollars.

The May 4th controlled burn will cost about $7,000, plus a fee to an agency that will oversee the operation. Multiple fire departments and emergency personnel will be on hand for the event.

Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation report two arrests have been made in what is now being ruled a homicide that took place in Taylor County.The Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny has determined 56-year old Steven C. Malson, of Bedford, died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Cindy Malson

Zach Malson

Taken into custody Thursday night in connection with his death, was Malson’s wife, 47 year-old Cindy L. Malson and the couples’ son, 24 year-old Zachary Malson. Both were charged with 1st Degree Murder and were being held in the Taylor County Jail awaiting their initial appearances.

Steven Malson’s body was found at a residence in Bedford, on April 23rd.

A U-S District Court Judge in Council Bluffs has sentenced a Mills County woman to prison for her role in methamphetamine distribution in southwest Iowa. 38-year old Heather Jean Reekers, of Glenwood, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge Robert Pratt to 60 months in prison, and five years of supervised release, following the period of imprisonment, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

On January 3rd, 2014, Reekers pled guilty to the charge, which resulted from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration into the distribution of methamphetamine from the Southwestern United States into Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa. Reekers’ co-defendant, Jose Raul Guevara, was sentenced previously by Senior Judge Robert Pratt to ten years in prison.

The investigation was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Glenwood, Iowa, Police Department, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports 49-year old Franklin D. Schmidt, of Atlantic, was sentenced today (Friday) to 10-years in prison on a drug conviction. Schmidt was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge Robert Pratt for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Judge Pratt also ordered Schmidt to serve five years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment.

On April 26th, 2013, Schmidt obtained methamphetamine from his South Omaha source and was stopped by law enforcement before he could distribute it in and around Cass County, Iowa. The investigation revealed that Schmidt was also responsible for distribution of marijuana along with methamphetamine.

On December 5th, 2013, Schmidt pled guilty to the charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which resulted from an investigation by law enforcement into the transportation and distribution of methamphetamine from South Omaha, Nebraska to Cass County, Iowa.

The investigation was conducted by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Atlantic, Iowa, Police Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

A driver’s vision obscured by a frost-covered window is partially to blame for an accident Friday morning in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, 39-year old Lisa Jenkins, of Red Oak, was pulling out of a driveway at the Oak Creek Apartments and turning left onto east Summit Street.  Jenkins told police she had a hard time seeing due to frost on the driver’s side window of her 1999 Oldsmobile.

As she pulled out onto the road, her car was hit by a 2006 Ford F-350 pickup. The driver of the pickup, 57-year old Ryan Platt, of Emerson, tried to hit his brakes, but stepped on the gas pedal instead. Platt swerved but was unable to avoid the collision, which caused $5,600 damage. No injuries were reported.

Jenkins was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway.

The Danish Windmill’s Welcome Center in Elk Horn is just one of eight area attractions that will serve as stops planned for a specially wrapped motorcoach that will travel nearly 2,100 miles promoting more than 60 tourism destinations in 33 counties and 46 communities across the state in an “Epic Iowa Road Trip.”

The effort, a partnership among the Central Iowa Tourism Region, Eastern Iowa Tourism Association, Western Iowa Tourism Region and the Iowa Tourism Office, is meant to showcase and recognize Iowa’s travel destinations. The Epic Iowa Road Trip will take place May 2nd- through the 10th. Iowa Tourism Office Manager Shawna Lode says “Travel is big business in Iowa, as traveler spending here exceeds $7 billion annually. This trip will highlight Iowa’s thousands of tourism destinations and the people who manage them. Along the way, we want to inspire people to choose Iowa as a vacation destination.”

The tourism bus will be in Manning, Hamlin, Elk Horn, Avoca and Council Bluffs on Friday, May 9th, and in Council Bluffs, Beebeetown, Missouri Valley, at the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, and two locations in Sioux City, on Saturday, May 10th. Stops those two days include, but are not limited to, the German Hausbarn, Darrell’s Place, the Danish Windmill, Farmall-Land in Avoca. (For the list of places and times, go to http://www.traveliowa.com/epiciowaroadtrip.

Shirley Phillips, Western Iowa Tourism Executive Director says the road trip makes for a great venue to showcase the diverse range of tourism options in Iowa, and is a way to say “Thank you,” to members of the tourism industry for their hard work.

The Iowa Tourism Office will share frequent accounts of the Epic Iowa Road Trip on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, its blog, Pinterest, Google+, Flickr. Videos will be posted to the Iowa Tourism Office’s YouTube channel. Iowans are encouraged to share their own Epic Iowa Road Trip pictures by using the hashtag #EpicIowaRoadTrip on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Tourism in Iowa generates more than $7.6 billion in expenditures, employs 64,400 people statewide and generates $328 million in state taxes. The Iowa Tourism Office is part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. For more information about Iowa tourism, visit www.traveliowa.com, call 800.345.IOWA or stop at any Iowa Welcome Center.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a College Springs man was arrested early this (Friday) morning, for Violation of a No Contact Order.

Kevin Allen Long

Sheriff Lyle Palmer says the communications center received a call regarding 38-year old Kevin Allen Long, who was asleep in the residence at 411 Galesburg Avenue, in College Springs. Long lives at 504 Grove Street, in College Springs, and has a valid protection order against in place between himself and the resident at the Galesburg address.

Long was placed under arrest and brought to the Page County Jail, where he was being held without bond, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

Members of the CAM and Nodaway Valley School District’s Boards of Education will hold a joint meeting Monday evening, in Fontanelle. The special meeting takes place at 7-p.m. in the Nodaway Valley Middle School Media Center. During the session the two Boards will hold discussion with regard to the sharing of a superintendent.

They will then enter into a closed session for negotiations before adjournment.