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.

August 20, 2021 at 11;45am Sheriff’s received a report of a 2 vehicle accident on Hwy 34 at the west side of the Nishnabotna river bridge construction site at the signal light. A 2020 Ford panel van driven by Jimmie Henry Kalkas of Red Oak was stopped at the red light when a 2008 Mack box truck driven by Jerry William Wagaman of Emerson, Ia failed to stop before hitting the rear of the Ford van. Damage to the Mack truck was listed at $6000 and $6500 damage to the Ford van. There were no injuries and the sheriff is investigating the accident.

On August 20, 2021, Montgomery County Sheriff’s made 3 arrests:

Tiffany Lea Palmer, 48, of Red Oak was arrested on a Red Oak police warrant for Harassment 3rd Degree
Bond was set at $300

Floyd Raymond Henry II, 49, of Red Oak was arrested on a Red Oak police warrant for Driving While Revoked
Bond was set at $1000

Adam James Tesmer, 45, of Red Oak was arrested on a charge of Driving While Barred
Bond was set at $1000