A man wanted in connection with numerous burglaries and a previous narcotics investigation in Fremont County, was arrested early this (Monday) morning in Hamburg after a scuffle with Deputies. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports 48-year old John Tracy Miller, of Hamburg, was arrested after an altercation with Deputies who served a search and arrest warrant on Miller at his home located in the 1500 block of Washington Street.

Miller faces charges that include Delivery of Methamphetamine and Interference with Official Acts. He also has pending Burglary and Theft charges.  He was transported to the Fremont County Jail and held on a $50,000 cash bond.

John Tracy Miller

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday, released the identity of the man whose body was discovered by a group of hunters Dec. 11th beneath the Highway 2 Missouri River bridge, at the Waubonsie Access Wildlife Management Area.

Deputies and officials with the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner, in Ankeny, determined 39-year old Larry Eugene Burns II, of Lamar, Colorado, died from blunt force trauma associated with a fall, and hypothermia.  Toxicology reports will not be completed for approximately 6 weeks.

Deputies determined Burns was walking on the westbound shoulder of the Highway 2 bridge when the fall occurred.  Deputies determined Burns had last spoken to relatives around Nov. 22nd, 2016. The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.

Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to please contact the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The struggle to recruit attorneys to rural areas hasn’t let up despite several Plains states’ efforts. That’s particularly true in states such as Nebraska with vast stretches of sparsely populated land. But the state has launched a program that targets rural high schools students, hoping to persuade them to return to their rural roots to practice law.

The Rural Law Opportunities Program offers high-achieving high school students full-tuition undergraduate scholarships to three rural Nebraska colleges. Those who maintain a 3.5 GPA and get a minimum LSAT score are automatically accepted to the University of Nebraska College of Law. Program organizer Thomas Maul hopes the rate of return will be as high as the 60 percent reported by a similar program to get doctors into small towns.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on bitter cold weather in the Midwest. (all times local): 1:30 p.m….Record low temperatures have been recorded in cities across South Dakota, northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota, while a blizzard shut down Interstate 90 in parts of Montana.

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, says the city of Huron set a new low for Sunday’s date in that location of minus 31 degrees. Another record fell in Marshall, Minnesota, where it was 31 below zero. Spencer, Iowa’s negative 27 degrees was a record-breaker there.

Extreme cold is forecast for the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and New England. The weather service says the Gulf Coast region will have below normal temperatures for a few days. But a warming trend is expected to start early in the week in many spots as a quieter weather pattern begins with much less precipitation nationwide compared with recent days.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Dangerous cold conditions are lingering across Iowa and Nebraska, but forecasters predict that warmer temperatures will arrive this week. The National Weather Service has issued wind chill warnings and advisories across most of both states Sunday because of the cold.

The subzero temperatures are combining with wind to create wind chills of 20-below to 40-below zero across the two states. So forecasters are encouraging people to stay inside or minimize any exposure to the cold. But some relief is in the forecast. Temperatures are expected to warm into the 20s and 30s beginning Monday.

An investigation into the delivery of methamphetamine this (Sunday) morning in Hamburg, resulted in the arrest of three people. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports the investigation was handled by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department K9 unit. Taken into custody for Conspiracy and Delivery of Meth, was 66-year old Elton Robert, 30-year old James Miller, and 27-year old Stuart Miller, all of Hamburg. All three men were being held in the Fremont County Jail on $50,000 cash bond, each, with additional charges pending.

Several area school district Board of Education meetings are set to take place Monday evening and night.

First up, at 5-p.m., is the Audubon School Board meeting at the High School. During their session, the Board will act on: an SBRC (School Budget Review Committee) request for At Risk/Drop Out prevention; A Policy Review Committee recommendation; The first reading of a Board Policy regarding testing; An Early Retirement plan option; and, the approval of a City transfer of a baseball field. The Board will also award diplomas to Foreign Exchange Students.

The Griswold School Board meeting begins at 5:30-p.m., Monday at the Middle School/High School building, during which they will act on: Locker room and intercom repair;  The purchase of a van; a possible Conference change; various Board Policies; Special Education contracts and more. They will also discuss information from the Facilities Committee.

Members of the Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School Board will gather in the Elk Horn building Conference Room, beginning at 6-p.m., Monday, with a Work Session. During the work session, they will discuss, but take no action on, Building Alignment and Budget review. During their regular session, at 7-p.m., the Exira-EHK Board will discuss and possible act on approving: A Board Resolution in Support of “The Promise of Iowa” Public Education Campaign; The offering of Early Retirement; An At Risk/Dropout Prevention Application, and on approving Joe Rasmussen as Secondary Lawyer for Property and Local Issues. The Board will also hold discussion with regard to Negotations Team, Facility Assessment, and Bond Refinance Options.

The CAM School Board will meet beginning at 6:30-p.m. Monday, in the High School Media Center. Discussion and/or Action items on their agenda include: the presentation on Pre-Final Plans and Specifications for the Massena School addition; Approval of additional services from CTS amounting to $24,000, for soil borings at the Massena School Building; Discussion with regard to the Greenhouse Project; Early Retirement option; A trip to Washington, D-C and approval of Out-of-State Travel for after-prom, and other matters.

Members of the City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Board of Directors will hold their regular monthly meeting Monday evening, at City Hall, beginning at 5:15. During their session, the Board will receive updates from Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm, with regard to: The Sunnyside Pool Steering Committee; An Enhance Iowa grant application; the Schildberg Rec Area Campground, and Sunnyside Park Ice Rink.

Staashelm is also expected to report Sunnyside Park streets are closed for the season, and that Shelter House reservations for 2017 will be accepted beginning Jan. 1st, 2017.

Atlantic Public Library Director Natalie Struecker has announced the Library now offers Mango languages online language-learning system to its patrons. Mango is free for all Library patrons, and can be accessed anywhere there is an internet connection. Each lesson combines real life situations and audio from native speakers, with simple, clear instructions.

The courses are presented with an appreciation for cultural nuance and real-world application, by focusing on the four key elements of language learning: Vocabulary; Pronunciation; Grammar and Culture.

Mango offers access to 60 foreign language courses and 17 English courses, taught completely in the user’s native language. It also offers the opportunity to learn through foreign film, with “Mango Premiere,” and access to a variety of mini-courses, like Pirate, Medical Spanish and romance. Mango can be accessed at the Atlantic Public Library, remotely, or with apps for the iPhone, Android, Kindle and Nook devices.

To learn more about Mango, stop by the Library and ask a librarian for an introduction. Library card holders can access Mango through the library website at www.atlantic.lib.ia.us.  For more information, call 712-243-5466.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – President Barack Obama has signed into law a measure that will allow for a public-private partnership to build a $136 million veterans medical facility in Omaha. Nebraska Democratic Congressman Brad Ashford said the measure was signed Friday. Ashford pushed the bill through the House. U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, a Nebraska Republican, sponsored it in the Senate.

Under the measure, the Department of Veterans Affairs will provide $56 million to build 157,000 square feet of new medical space next to the current aging and outdated VA hospital in Omaha. Private donors will put up the remaining $80 million.
Ashford tells the Omaha World-Herald officials hope the facility will be completed in 2018.