The General Election takes place tomorrow (Tuesday). Here in Cass County, there are local and State races to watch. Locally, Republican Mark T. O’Brian faces a challenge from fellow Republican Pat McCurdy in the race to fill the District 2 seat on the Cass County Board of Supervisors. Both men are from Atlantic. In District 3, Republican John Hartkopf is being challenged by Dana Halder, who is running as Nominated By Petition (NBP). Hartkopf defeated Halder in a close run-off for June Primary, when Halder ran as a Republican. And, while the other main County offices are uncontested, there are six candidates running for five seats on the Agricultural Extension Council, including Chad Becker, David York, Kristi Plagman, Todd Weppler, Brad Pellett and Jeb Peck.

In the State arena, Republican Ray “Bubba” Sorensen, of Greenfield, faces a challenge from Democrat Warren Varley in the race to succeed Clel Baudler as State Representative in District 20. In District 11, incumbent Republican Tom Shipley is being challenged by Democrat Sara Ramsey. Incumbent Tom Moore is being challenged by Democrat Denise O’Brien, for House District 21, and incumbent Republican 3rd District U-S Congressman David Young is being challenged by Democrat Cindy Axne, Libertarian Bryan Jack Holder, Green Party candidate Paul Knupp, Legalize Medical Marijuana candidate Mark Elworth, Jr., and Joe Grandanette.

With the help of Radio Iowa, we’ll also be watching closely the race for Iowa Governor, Auditor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer and Secretary of Agriculture. Straight-ticket voting has been eliminated.  Each position on ballot must be individually voted. Identification (ID) must be provided prior to voting. The polls will be open in Cass County from 7-a.m. until 9-p.m.

THE VOTING CENTERS FOR THIS ELECTION WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:

1 Atlantic 1st Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zion Lutheran Church (811 Oak St)

2 Atlantic 2nd Ward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Atlantic Public Library (507 Poplar)

3 Atlantic 3rd Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th)

4 Atlantic 4th Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . United Church of Christ (1607 Hazel)

5 Atlantic 5th Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heritage House (1200 Brookridge Circle)

6 Bear Grove, Cass Twp/Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lewis Public Library (412 W Main St, Lewis)

7 Benton, Franklin Twp/Wiota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wiota City Hall (311 Center St)

8 Brighton, Grove, Pymosa, Washington Twp/Marne . . . . Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th)

9 Edna, Victoria Twp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Massena Public Library (122 Main St, Massena)

10 Grant, Lincoln Twp /Anita. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anita Community Center (805 Main St)

11 Noble, Pleasant Twp/Griswold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Griswold Community Bldg. (601 2nd St)

12 Massena Twp/City of Massena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Massena Public Library (122 Main St, Massena)

13 Union Twp/City of Cumberland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cumberland Community Bldg. (200 W 2nd)

Red Oak Police report the arrest of a woman Sunday afternoon, for Fraudulent Use of a license and no insurance. 43-year old Tracey Elizabeth Farlin, whose city of residence was not listed, was also cited for speeding. She was taken into custody at around 4:35-p.m. Sunday, and held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

A traffic stop in Adams County just before 1-a.m. today (Monday), resulted in two people from Union County being arrested on drug charges. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the driver of the vehicle, Shane White, of Creston, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving Under Suspension and Operating a vehicle without a required interlock device. A passenger, Tashina Martwick, also of Creston, was arrested for Possession of Paraphernalia.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa couple face charges after police say they left their 9-month-old baby home alone for hours to go to a bar. Television station KCCI reports that police arrested 22-year-old Bryan Austin McCrea Bozarth and 20-year-old Ashley Lee Routh King on Friday. Each has been charged with child endangerment, and King also faces an underage drinking charge.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A lawsuit has been filed seeking to represent hundreds of victims of a former Iowa youth basketball coach now facing 15 to 180 years in prison for sexually exploiting them. The lawsuit was filed Friday by law firm Grefe & Sidney and names as defendants former Iowa Barnstormers coach Greg Stephen, the Barnstormers organization and its supervising organization, the Amateur Athletic Union. Stephen pleaded guilty last month to sexual exploitation and child porn charges and is awaiting sentencing.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Iowa City are reminding residents to compost their fall pumpkins and leftover Halloween jack-o-lanterns instead of trashing them. To do this, residents are asked to put pumpkins with yard waste collection, which is composted. Residents who do not receive curbside services can take pumpkins at no cost to the City’s compost facility located at the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center.

Officials with Hy-Vee are warning people on social media about a survey scam. A post from Hy-Vee Corporate states “Please beware of a scam that has surfaced on social media. The post includes a fake “$80 off groceries” coupon at Hy-Vee stores. This is a scam and our stores are not able to honor this.” The company recommends “For the latest Hy-Vee deals, check out our weekly ad or monthly Mega ad, or download the Hy-Vee Deals app!”

Other companies such as Kohls have also been the subject of social media scams in recent months. If it looks too good to be true. It probably is.

If you see this on your social media page. DO NOT CLICK. It is a scam!

(IOWA CITY) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections report 65-year old Russell Kenneth Fidler died from natural causes a little after 12:30-a.m. Saturday. Fidler, who had been incarcerated for the crime of Sexual Abuse, 2nd Degree from Audubon County, was pronounced dead at the University of Iowa Hospitals, where he had been taken due to a medical emergency.

Fidler’s incarceration in prison began on February 4, 2004.  Fidler, originally from Villisca, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, without parole, following a jury conviction for the second-degree sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl with cognitive mental disabilities and attention deficit disorder,  in April, 2003, at a residence in Kimballton.

Police in Red Oak Saturday evening, arrested a woman wanted on a warrant out of Mills County. 29-year old Katie Rose Carnes, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 5:52-p.m. in the 800 block of N. 4th Street and brought to the Montgomery County Jail. Carnes’ bond was set at $5,000, in association with the warrant for Failure to Appear on a Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense, charge.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:30- a.m. CST

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa couple face charges after police say they left their 9-month-old baby home alone for hours to go to a bar. Television station KCCI reports that police arrested 22-year-old Bryan Austin McCrea Bozarth and 20-year-old Ashley Lee Routh King on Friday. Each has been charged with child endangerment, and King also faces an underage drinking charge.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A lawsuit has been filed seeking to represent hundreds of victims of a former Iowa youth basketball coach now facing 15 to 180 years in prison for sexually exploiting them. The lawsuit was filed Friday by law firm Grefe & Sidney and names as defendants former Iowa Barnstormers coach Greg Stephen, the Barnstormers organization and its supervising organization, the Amateur Athletic Union. Stephen pleaded guilty last month to sexual exploitation and child porn charges and is awaiting sentencing.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Iowa City are reminding residents to compost their fall pumpkins and leftover Halloween jack-o-lanterns instead of trashing them. To do this, residents are asked to put pumpkins with yard waste collection, which is composted. Residents who do not receive curbside services can take pumpkins at no cost to the City’s compost facility located at the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraskans and Iowans are being reminded to set their clocks back an hour before going to bed Saturday. Standard time returns this weekend at 2 a.m. Sunday. The change means most Americans will get an extra hour of rest, but those working overnight shifts might toil an hour longer. It also means some will forget to change their clocks, and show up early for church or other events on Sunday.

A group of about a dozen area carpenters surprised a woman from Grant, Saturday, by siding her home for free. Tanner Preston, from Griswold, said homeowner Becky Westover lost her 63-year old husband David in Dec., 2017, due to an illness.

Ric Hanson photo’s

Tanner, along with his brother Landon, run Preston Carpentry, in Griswold. They and others came to the rescue after being approached by Becky’s son.

He said her son, Jesse decided to raise money and explore other options for residing her home, in Grant. Jesse got ahold of Landon, who worked to raise funds and other donations. They were able to cover all the expenses except for a final $1,000, but in the end, that was also taken care of.

The dozen or so area carpenters and family members showed up Saturday while Becky was working at the Wal-Mart Store, in Atlantic. They worked through pouring, cold rain to give the home an exterior facelift.

Included among the crew was: Brian Turner, Tanner Preston, Landon Preston and his wife Megan (& children Averi and Mason Jefferson), with Preston Carpentry; Matt Leighton, with Matt Leighton Carpentry, in Griswold; Austin Lorenz; Ryan Weaver; Jeb Peck; Bob Peck; Cameron Thompson (& his little brother Christian Thompson); John Perdue and Matt Jones.

These 4 photos provided courtesy Megan Preston (Click on any image to enlarge)

In addition to all the volunteer time, labor and donated materials, the Tiger Mart in Griswold stopped-by at around 12:15-p.m. and served up free pizza for the crew. When she arrived home from work late Saturday evening, Becky Westover was in a bit of shock, but once that wore -off, and she learned everything was donated, Megan Preston said Becky was tearful, and gave everyone hugs.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa couple face charges after police say they left their 9-month-old baby home alone to go to a bar. Television station KCCI reports that police arrested 22-year-old Bryan Austin McCrea Bozarth and 20-year-old Ashley Lee Routh King on Friday. Police say officers were sent to the couple’s Urbandale home around midnight Thursday for a welfare check after someone reported the baby home alone. Officers say they found the baby in a crib, and no one else was home.

Police believe the baby was left alone about three hours. Police say both McCrea and King were drunk when officers questioned them. Each has been charged with child endangerment, and King also faces an underage drinking charge. The baby, who was unharmed, was placed with a family friend.