The Cass County Auditor’s Office today (Friday), updated the list of candidates who have filed nomination papers for the Nov. 5th City/School Elections. The list follows:

Atlantic City Council:

3rd Ward – Pat McCurdy (Appointed)

4th Ward – Linda Hartkopf (incumbent)

At Large (Vote for 1) – Grace Garrett; Dana Halder (Incumbent)

Anita City Council (vote for 2): Mark Harris; Kevin Littleton.

Anita City Mayor: Thomas R. Harris

Griswold City Council (vote for 3) – Carmen Sorensen.

The deadlines to file nomination papers is Sept. 19th.

(Radio Iowa) — Vice President Mike Pence’s wife, Karen, will be the special guest speaker at Governor Kim’ Reynolds annual fundraiser on September 21st. Reynolds calls her fundraiser the “Harvest Festival” and it will be held Saturday, September 21st. This is the third year for the event, which the Reynolds campaign bills as “family-friendly” with activities for kids — as well as the speaking program for adults.

Karen Pence

Karen Pence, the Second Lady of the U.S., is a teacher and artist. She’s been championing art therapy as an option for soldiers and veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress. As Reynolds and her fellow Republicans gather on the Iowa State Fairgrounds for the governor’s fundraiser — thousands of Democrats will be about seven miles away at a Des Moines park, listening to 18 Democratic presidential candidates speak at a Polk County Democratic Party fundraiser.

ATLANTIC- Officials with the Cass County Health System (CCHS) have announced that Dr. Nicholas Southard, began seeing patients in the CCHS Specialty Clinic September 3rd. CCHS CEO Brett Altman said Friday (today), “We are delighted to have Dr. Southard see patients in our Specialty Clinic. As part of our commitment to continue to provide more services locally, Dr. Southard will be able to provide his expertise in vascular medicine to our neighbors here in Cass County and beyond.”

Dr. Nicholas Southard.

Dr. Southard will provide care for patients regarding Peripheral Arterial Disease, Carotid Artery Disease, Aortic Aneurysms, Dialysis Access and Venous Disease. He graduated from the Des Moines University in 2013 and completed his residency at the Mercy Medical Center. Dr. Southard is board certified with the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery, General and Vascular Surgery. For information on how to schedule an appointment with Dr. Southard, patients may call 712-243-7590.

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County, Thursday, arrested a Clarinda man on a valid Adams County warrant. 62-year old David Wayne Robinette was arrested for Probation Violation. He was transported to the Page County Jail for holding without Bond, and later transferred to the Adams County Jail.

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The state of Maine is considering new physical fitness requirements for school bus drivers. Officials are considering the new standards along with other new safety requirements, including seat belts on all large school buses and clearer standards for annual driver physicals. The push for new standards is inspired by a December 2017 crash in Oakland, Iowa, that killed a 74-year-old driver and a 16-year-old student. An investigation found a lack of physical fitness testing contributed to the crash.

The Portland Press Herald reports Maine is among 44 states that don’t require physical performance tests for drivers. The National Transportation Safety Board has urged the states to do so in the wake of the Iowa crash.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County report a Des Moines woman, 21-year old Natalie Denee Eslinger, was arrested Thursday evening on two Union County warrants for violation of probation. Eslinger was picked up at the Polk County Jail and transported to the Adams County Jail, where she was being held for Union County without bond, until seen by a Judge.