U-S Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt announced Thursday that two Clarinda men, 33-year old Edward Eugene Gray, Jr., and 23-year old Levi Edward Gray, were sentenced Tuesday, for their participation in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Edward Gray, Jr. to a total of 20-years in prison. The sentence included 180 months on the conspiracy charge and 60 months for possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense. Levi Gray was sentenced to 2-years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute charge. Both were sentenced to a term of five years supervised release.

According to the written plea agreement, from approximately January of 2004 until November of 2010, the Grays were involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Southwest Iowa and Northwest Missouri areas with co-conspirators Orvis Lee Wagaman, of College Springs, Iowa; Edward Eugene Gray, Sr., of Coin, Iowa; and others. In addition,  Edward Eugene Gray, Jr. was aware that a co-conspirator carried a firearm while distributing methamphetamine with Gray, Jr., and the possession of the firearm was in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. Wagaman, and Edward Gray, Sr., have entered guilty pleas to the drug conspiracy and are scheduled for sentencing on March 27th, 2012.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office (MO), Buchanan County Drug Strike Force
(MO), NITRO Task Force (MO), Tri County Task Force (Adams, Ringgold, and Taylor Counties), Ringgold County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, Page County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, and the Ringgold and Taylor County Attorneys’ Offices. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman, Thursday, said the County has chosen to do a county-wide mailing of voter registration cards this year as we have had Election Precinct changes based on the 2010 census and we have also had several voting center changes since the 2000 census.

Sunderman requests that you do not return the card if all the information is correct and you would be checking the top box (the one to the left of the statement “I am the registered voter named on this card, and I still live at the address listed.”)   It is not required that you return the card.  The cost to return each card to the County Auditor is over one dollar (about $1.08).

Iowa Code Section 48A.28(3) states that certain information must be placed upon the second half of the postcard used to send the new voter registration form.  The Code states: “The card shall contain boxes for the recipient to check to indicate one of the following:
(1)  That the recipient is the registered voter named on the card, and is still a resident at the address listed.
(2)  That the recipient is the registered voter named on the card, but is no longer a resident of the address listed.
(3)  That the recipient is not the registered voter named on the card, and the registered voter named on the card is not a resident of the address listed.

The Cass County Auditor notes that if the recipient needs to mark the box before the statement for number (2) or number (3), the recipient should return the card to the Cass County Auditor. However, if box number (1) applies, then the recipient does not need to return the card.   They may take the voter registration card, trim it if they wish, and place the new registration card wherever they choose to keep identification cards and discard the second half of the postcard.

Two area school districts were among six districts from around the state selected to receive up to $38,000 in reimbursements, as a match for a new school bus, to replace the oldest buses still in regular use. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the East Union School District in Union County, and West Harrison School District in Harrison County, were among those receiving a new bus, and retrofit refunding. Each of the six districts will also receive full reimbursement for retrofits, to reduce diesel emissions on bus engines older than 2004 models in their fleets. A total of $280,359 will be awarded.

The funds were made possible by the Iowa DNR through the U-S Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Diesel Campaign. School Administrators of Iowa is handling administration of the grants on behalf of the DNR. The Bus Emissions Education Program (BEEP) assisted with grant publicity and other roles.

Additional information about the grants and BEEP is available at www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/AirQuality/BEEPSchoolbusEmissGrants.aspx.

The Atlantic Police Department reports 23-year old Kayla Ashburn was arrested Wednesday. Ashburn, of Atlantic, was taken into custody for unlawful possession of Prescription Drugs, and, for Driving While Revoked. Ashburn was booked into the Cass County Jail.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Sears says it will sell 11 stores in nine states including stores in Coralville and Council Bluffs.  The stores will be sold to mall operator General Growth Properties, which owns the malls in which the stores are located. The deals will close within the next two months.  Sears will continue to operate the stores into 2013. Final closing dates will be announced later this year.  The Coralville store is at the Coral Ridge Mall and the Council Bluffs store is in Mall of the Bluffs.
     Sears posted a fourth-quarter loss on Thursday. Its revenue fell 4 percent as demand in categories like appliances and consumer electronics fell. The store sales are part of a plan to raise cash to help offset poor performance.