Cass County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle reports a presentation on IPERS (The Iowa Public Employee Retirement System) was made Tuesday, by Mike Fitzgerald, Iowa’s State Treasurer. He spoke to about 90 people at the Atlantic High School Auditorium.  IPERS is a defined benefit program to which the current GOP Legislature has attempted to make significant changes, wanting to change it to a defined contribution plan or a 401K.  It is unclear as to Governor Reynold’s plans for IPERS as she has made several ambivalent statements over the past year regarding the pension plan. Because of these proposed changes, public employees expressed justifiable concerns about their retirement security. Fitzgerald told the crowd “IPERS is a $31 billion retirement plan designed to provide secure, lifetime pension benefits for Iowans who choose careers in public service.”

It is estimated by the IPERS Board that about 80% of the retiree benefits being paid out remain in the local community. In Cass County (2017 figures supplied by IPERS), there were 755 benefit households; the annual cumulative benefits provided to those households totaled $11,277,422, for an average of $14,937 per retiree. Mr. Fitzgerald serves as the trustee and custodian of the IPERS program through which one in ten Iowans is a current or potential beneficiary.

Saying public employees must be vigilant about their investment, Fitzgerald stressed the need for concerned public employees to contact their legislators and legislative candidates as well as the Governor and Gubernatorial candidates to express their opinions about IPERS, especially if they want to save IPERS from possible changes. There were numerous questions regarding the solvency of the retirement program and whether the current system or the others being considered was the better choice.  Fitzgerald assured the attendees of the current program’s solvency.

More information about IPERS can be found at its website https://www/ipers.org/

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 40-year old Myron Lee Brandon, of Pacific Junction, was arrested Tuesday night. Brandon was taken into custody on a Shelby County warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $10,000.  And, Taylor Villhauer, of Corning, was cited Tuesday in Mills County, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Waterloo school district officials say a threat on social media has forced them to cancel school Wednesday at the district’s three high schools. The officials said in messages sent to parents that they learned Tuesday evening of the threat that referenced West and Expo high schools. They say they worked through the night with police to investigate the posting. No arrests have been reported.

Officials say classes also were canceled at East High, even though it wasn’t mentioned. The three schools’ staff members were told not to go to work. Classes were not canceled at the district’s elementary and middle schools. The officials also say they intend to resume classes Thursday at all three high schools.

Police in Creston report the arrest Tuesday morning, of 34-year old Jaime Torres, of Creston. Torres was taken into custody on a warrant for Theft in the 2nd Degree. He was being held on a $5,000 bond in the Union County Jail. And, a Creston resident reported to police Tuesday afternoon, that sometime during the overnight hours Monday into Tuesday, someone entered his vehicle that was parked in the 200 block of S. Lincoln Street. An electronic larynx (a speech assistance device) and Samsung cell phone were stolen. The loss was estimated at $825.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Black Hawk County supervisors have approved a deal to sell the county’s nursing and mental health care center that has struggled financially in recent years. The board voted 4-1 Tuesday to sell Country View to Pritok Capital, which is based in Skokie, Illinois. The closing is scheduled to occur on or before Dec. 31. The $4 million sale price is below the $5.6 million Pritok initially offered. The contract doesn’t require Pritok to retain the 190-member staff .

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Red Oak Tuesday evening in a review of an Iowa Court of Appeals decision that reversed a murder conviction in northwest Iowa. An Emmet County jury found Lee Samuel Christiansen of Estherville guilty of second-degree murder in the 2016 shooting death of Thomas Bortvit. Bortvit had been seeing a woman Christiansen had dated and his defense argued he should be found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Christiansen appealed the verdict alleging jurors found him guilty of a more serious charge because of a Facebook post threatening a riot if he wasn’t found guilty of first-degree murder. Assistant Attorney General Tyler Buller asked the Supreme Court justices to vacate the appeals court’s ruling that the jury was prejudice — arguing it was based on innuendo — and not the fact finding used in the district court’s decision.

“What we have in this case is something that’s happened in every Iowa courtroom going back 150 years,” Buller said. “Every time there is a small town, high profile prosecution, there are rumors, there’s innuendo, and there’s gossip. This case is nothing more than that, with the added twist of 21st Century technology.” Iowa City Attorney Leon Spies represented Christiansen, and argued social media tainted the jury’s ruling. “Mr. Christiansen had the right to have a trial decided by 12 impartial jurors–not 11, not 10,” Spies said. “The other aspect of this case, besides the misconduct issue, is the bias issue. And, the bias issue is the one, I think, that gives pause to any comfort being found in Mr. Christiansen being found guilty of only second-degree murder.”

Justice Edward Mansfield questioned whether the alleged Facebook post had any impact in the jury’s murder conviction. “What we’re talking about is a Facebook post of a rumor of a riot,” Mansfield said, “and then somebody talked about that post to a juror, and it’s not even clear if that was discussed prior to the murder verdict having been reached.” Chief Justice Mark Cady says the justices will continue to deliberate on the case, and file a ruling within “a couple of months.”

(Radio Iowa) — A report from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has cleared a Creston police officer in a fatal shooting. Sergeant Jared Auten will not face any criminal charges. The incident which happened back in mid August involved several officers responding to a person in McKinley park with a weapon. The person later identified as Christopher Cameron did not respond to officers commands as he remained in a position of concealing an item in his right hand. Cameron eventually after several attempts by officers to get him to show his hands advanced on Sergeant Auten. It was found that Auten acted appropriately and within the scope of his lawful duty as a peace officer in a life threatening situation.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A woman has been accused of stealing prescription drugs turned in to the Mason City Police Department. Cerro Gordo County court records say 43-year-old Melinda Severs, of Dumont, is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of prescription drugs. The records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for her. Severs’ next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 26.

Authorities say Severs was working as an administrative assistant for the department when she took the medications. The department building is a collection site for unused and unwanted medicines.
Police Chief Jeff Brinkley says Severs no longer works for his department.