School Board Elections will take place on November 2, 2021. Nomination papers for offices to be filled in 2021 can be filed (with the school board secretary) August 23, 2021 through September 16, 2021.  All offices are four year terms.  In Cass County, Iowa the following offices will appear on the ballots for the respective school districts on November 2, 2021:

Atlantic Community School District

Two At Large local directors

Nominated and elected at large (Minimum of 50 signatures for nomination)

Incumbents: Kristy Pellett                  Atlantic IA; Joshua McLaren                  Atlantic IA

                     CAM Community School District

One At Large local director

Nominated and elected at large (Minimum of 21 signatures for nomination)

Incumbent: Nick Kauffman                Adair IA

One North District local director

Must live in individual district; nominated and elected at large (Minimum of 21 signatures for nomination)

Incumbent: Chuck Kinzie                 Anita IA

One South District local director

Must live in individual district; nominated and elected at large (Minimum of 21 signatures for nomination)

Incumbent: Gary Dinkla                  Massena IA

                   Griswold Community School District

One District 3 local director

Must live in district; nominated and elected by district (Minimum of 10 signatures for nomination)

Incumbent: Scott Peterson                  Griswold

One District 4 local director

Must live in district; nominated and elected by district (Minimum of 10 signatures for nomination)

Incumbent: Donald K. Smith                 Griswold

Two At Large local directors

Nominated and elected at large (Minimum of 24 signatures for nomination)

Incumbent: Aaron Houser                    Griswold; Robert D. Peterson              Griswold

Election information, including the candidate nomination form, is available online at the Iowa Secretary of State’s website, from the local school board secretary’s offices and from the county auditor’s office. Check with your local school board secretary for local school board director district boundaries.

City Elections and School Board Elections are held on the same day: November 2, 2021.  For the majority of voters, the voting site will be the site used for the “General Election”.  There will be separate ballot styles for the city and rural voters since only city voters cast a ballot for city offices.  [As changed in 2019: The City of Marne will vote at the Cass County Community Building in Atlantic.]

NOTE: This year nomination papers for elected city office positions must be filed with the county auditor rather than with the city clerk. Nomination papers may be filed with the county auditor from August 23, 2021 thru September 16, 2021.

Becoming a candidate for elective city office:

Nominations – Nomination petitions for a city office must be filed with the County Auditor not more than 71 nor less than 47 days prior to the regular election. (In 2021, the first day to file papers is August 23. The last day to file papers is September 16.)  The process for filing nomination petitions is as follows:

• Obtain an original nomination petition and candidate’s guide from the city clerk, county auditor or online from the Iowa Secretary of State ( www.sos.iowa.gov ).
• Obtain the nomination signatures of the required number of eligible electors of the city or ward, as the case may be.
• The minimum number of signatures required is 10 for all positions except those positions in Atlantic.
• Atlantic votes under the Runoff provision and the minimum signature requirement on nomination petitions is determined by number of persons who voted for a specific position/office in the last city election in which that position was on the ballot: Mayor 22 signatures; Council At Large 21 signatures; Council Ward 2 and Ward 5 10 signatures; and Park and Recreation 21 signatures.  A person may sign nomination petitions for more than one candidate for the same office/position.
• Attach a notarized affidavit acknowledging the candidate’s eligibility.
• File the petition with the County Auditor prior to 5 p.m. on September 16, 2021. Each candidate who successfully files a completed nomination petition is assured a place on the ballot.

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In Cass County, Iowa the following offices will appear on the ballots for the respective cities on November 2, 2021:

Anita

Three at Large Council seats (4 year terms)

Incumbents: appointee Simon Jensen, Ben Daughenbaugh and Tim Wheelock

Mayor (remainder 4 year term ending 2023)

Incumbent: appointee John Knutson

One at Large Council seat (remainder 4 year term ending 2023)

Incumbent: appointee Mark Harris

Atlantic

MAYOR (4 year term)

Incumbent: David Jones (Is not running for re-election)

Council Ward 2 (4 year term)

Incumbent: Kathy Somers

Council Ward 5 (4 year term)

Incumbent: Richard Casady

Council At Large (4 year term)

Incumbent: Gerald Brink

One Atlantic Parks & Recreation Board (4 year term – term begins November 16)

Incumbent: Stuart Dusenberry

Cumberland

Mayor (2 year term)

Incumbent: Nancy Virginia Coughlin

Three At Large Council (4 year term)

Incumbents: Darrin Hardisty, Michael Martin and Mike Hill

Griswold

Mayor (4 year term)

Incumbent: Brad Rhine

Two At Large Council (4 year term)

Incumbents: Julianne Adams and Carol Preston

Lewis

Two At Large Council (4 year term)

Incumbents: appointee Mary Neece and Ryan Archibald

One at Large Council seat (remainder 4 year term ending 2023)

Incumbent: appointee Teresa Comer

Marne

Two At Large Council (4 year term)

Incumbents: Angela Redler and Aaron Williams

Massena

Mayor (2 year term)

Incumbent: Phil Przychodzin

Two At Large Council (4 year term)

Incumbents: Jackson Bissell and Douglas Venteicher

Wiota

Mayor (2 year term)

Incumbent: Ford Lillard

Three At Large Council (4 year term)

Incumbents: Jeff Lillard, Charles Bechtold and Lamar Spies

Montgomery County Auditor Stephanie Burke, last week, sent out a list of offices that will be on the ballot for the November 2, 2021 City/School elections. Nomination papers for school offices to be filled in 2021 must be filed with the school board secretary beginning August 23, 2021 with last day to file being September 16, 2021. As of the latest report, none of the incumbents (listed below) had filed papers for re-election. Subsequent posts will update that information, as it becomes available.

SCHOOL BOARD Elections

All Offices are 4-year terms Unless Stated Differently
Red Oak School Director at Large:
(Vote for 3)
Director At Large (Inc Bret Blackman)
Director At Large (Inc Kathy Walker)
Director At Large (Inc Roger Carlson)
Stanton School Director at Large:
(Vote for 3)
Director At Large (Inc Amy Tibben)
Director At Large (Inc Brian Bates)
Director At Large (Inc Travis Taylor)
Villisca School Director at Large:
(Vote for 2)
Director At Large (Inc Leland Shipley)
Director At Large (Inc Terry Dalton)
SWCC Director District #1 – Portions of Adair & Union Counties:
(Vote for 1)
Director At Large (Inc Jane Ernst) – 4yr Term
SWCC Director District #3 – Portions of Clark & Wayne Counties:
(Vote for 1)
Director At Large (Inc Jerry Smith)
SWCC Director District #5 – Portions Montgomery of County:
(Vote for 1)
Director At Large (Inc Kevin Britten)
SWCC Director District #6 – Portions of Clark, Ringgold & Union Counties:
(Vote for 1)
Director At Large (Inc Zach Gunsolley)

CITY OFFICE Elections

• Mayor – 2 year terms (Except Stanton & Coburg Mayor is 4-year term)
• Council Member – 4 year terms (Except Grant Council is 2-year terms)

Red Oak City Offices
Mayor (Inc William Billings) (2yr term)
Council Member Ward #2 (Inc Bill Haufle) (4yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Terry Koppa) (4yr term)
Elliott City Offices
Mayor (Inc Michael Carson) (2yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Jacque Howell) (4yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Todd Silk) (4yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Leta Rush) (4yr term)
Grant City Offices
Mayor (Inc Lyn Sliger) (2yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Sheila Wilcoxson) (2yr term) Council Member At Large (Inc Jeff Brown) (2yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Steve Williams) (2yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Nancy Taylor) (2yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Emerson Hill) (2yr term)
Villisca City Offices
Mayor (Inc Marilyn Halda) (2yr term):
Council Member At Large (Inc. Duane Casey) (4yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc. Curtis Gaunt) (4yr term)
Stanton City Offices
Council Member At Large (Inc Sheryl Porter) (4yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Eric Paulson) (4yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Chris Stephens) (4yr term)
Coburg City Offices
Mayor (Inc William Hardy) (4yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Amy Eggleston) (4yr term)
Council Member At Large (Inc Tammi Redd) (4yr term)

DAVENPORT, IOWA – A northwest Iowa man was sentenced Thursday to 46 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a drug user on two occasions. Colton Eugene Cope, age 25, of Laurens, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term as well as pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

According to court documents, Cope was federally charged with drug user in possession of a firearm after officers stopped a vehicle he was driving related to a shots fired call in Davenport. Cope was found in possession of numerous firearms, ammunition, and methamphetamine. Cope admitted to using methamphetamine and possessing the firearms and ammunition. Cope further admitted to allowing Davion Gary, a felon, to possess one of his firearms. Officers located shell casings at an apartment complex in Davenport. The shell casings at the scene were consistent with being fired from one of Cope’s guns.

When Cope was arrested, he was again found in possession of firearms, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia – which led to Cope being federally charged in the Northern District of Iowa for unlawful possession of a firearm as a drug user.

Acting United States Attorneys Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa and Sean R. Berry of the Northern District of Iowa made the announcement. These cases were investigated by the Davenport Police Department, Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office. This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhood, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa State Patrol says too many Iowa drivers are not stopping for school buses picking up and dropping off kids. A collection of videos from the Iowa State patrol shows the problem. Cameras inside school buses record driver after driver running the stop signs that pop out on stopped school buses. Busy school bus drivers often read the license plate out loud, so it’s recorded on camera. That helps the state patrol catch the violators. In 2018, central Iowa troopers recorded just one violation. that grew to 18 violations in 2019. And then citations exploded to 106 in 2020.

The state patrol says all drivers must stop for the school bus stop sign. School districts and parents can even call for a patrol car to follow a bus on a problematic route to better enforce the law. The fines for passing a stopped school bus start at $345. Violators can also lose their driver’s licenses, unless they take driver’s training courses.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Starting Monday, the Powerball lottery will be adding a third drawing each week. Powerball administrators hope the new Monday drawing will lead to larger prizes and increased sales.Powerball is also adding a new feature called Double Play. It costs $1 extra and gives players a second chance to match their Powerball number in a second drawing with a top cash prize of $10 million. Double Play tickets are eligible to win both prizes.

A traffic stop this (Sunday) morning, in Red Oak, resulted in the arrest of a man from Red Oak. Authorities say 33-year-old Lucas James Bogart was taken into custody at around 2:40-a.m. in the 600 block of N. 6th Street, for OWI/1st offense. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

LINN COUNTY, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement Bureau, reports they continue to seek the public’s assistance with any tips or information related to a tubing incident on Cedar River at Mohawk Park on August 15, 2021.

The incident happened around 2:00pm, when a personal watercraft operated by Richard Burns, 38, of Cedar Rapids, was towing an inflatable tube with a passenger, Isaac Blazek, 41, of Cedar Rapids, when the tube hit a pontoon parked on shore. Blazek suffered serious injuries but continues to be in stable condition at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

The investigation into this incident continues. Anyone with any information related to this incident is urged to call DNR Conservation Officer Travis Graves at (319) 350-2863.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Authorities in Iowa, Saturday, said that on Friday, August 20, officers with the Iowa Department of Corrections’ 4th Judicial District’s High-Risk Unit were searching for Kelsey Hanna and Brandon Hines pursuant to parole warrants.

Shortly after 1:00 p.m., officers with the High-Risk Unit observed Hines and Hanna leaving a house and entering a black Ford SUV near 27th Street and Avenue G in Council Bluffs. The officers attempted to stop Hines and Hanna from leaving the area.

As the officers with the High-Risk Unit approached the black SUV, the driver (Hines) put the car in reverse and backed into a secondary officer’s vehicle. Hines then put the black SUV in drive and drove towards and struck one of the officers. One officer fired his service weapon striking Hines.

Hines fled, but was apprehended a short time later by the Nebraska State Patrol in Omaha. Hines was transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries. Hanna was arrested without incident.

This is an active and on-going criminal investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Per 4th Judicial District policy, the officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave.