As part of its ongoing search, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is asking for the public’s help to locate 17-year old’s Michelle Goetz and Damian Gonzalez who went missing from Rogers, Arkansas on Sept. 26, 2014. It is believed that the pair may traveling to southwest Iowa.

Michelle Goetz – Damian Gonzales – selfie

Michelle she has blonde hair that may have been dyed blond with black underneath. and green eyes. Michelle is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has a tribal tattoo in a triangular design on her neck and an anchor tattoo on her torso. Michelle may be wearing glasses.

Damian has brown hair and brown eyes. He is 6 feet tall and weighs 225 pounds. Damian has a cross tattooed on his right shoulder. The pair is traveling in a white pick-up truck with Arkansas license plate.

The public is urged to call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) with any information concerning the disappearance or current whereabouts of Michelle and Damian. Calls may be made anonymously.

Michelle Goetz – Damian Gonzales

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating manure released from a cattle feedlot about 10 miles west of Guthrie Center to a tributary to David’s Creek last week.

Owner of the 14,000-head-capacity beef feedlot, Matt Van Meter, reported the manure release at 3:34 p.m. Oct. 2, about eight hours after discovering a break in an irrigation pipe. Van Meter estimates 200,000 gallons of liquids from a solids settling basin were released, but the amount is uncertain because he’s unsure when the pipe broke.

A DNR environmental specialist tested ammonia levels in the runoff and water quality in the stream Thursday night and Friday. Field tests showed ammonia levels of at least 10 parts per million in the runoff from the feedlot, which is high enough to cause a fish kill. However, it was raining Wednesday night, stream levels were high and field tests did not show elevated ammonia levels in the stream.

Friday, the DNR checked the stream for 10 miles below the feedlot and did not find any dead fish. The Van Meter feedlot has a national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit which allows facilities to discharge pollutants under certain conditions, such as heavy rainfall, if the permit conditions are followed.

The DNR is checking records and investigating the incident to determine if the facility was operating according to NPDES permit conditions. However, the DNR expects to take enforcement action on failing to report the manure release within six hours of discovery. DNR may take additional enforcement action depending upon results of the investigation and laboratory results from stream samples.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – New students with parents or grandparents who have degrees from the University of Iowa will automatically receive a $6,000 scholarship over four years when they enroll.
University President Sally Mason said Wednesday that she expects hundreds of first-year and transfer students will receive the Iowa Heritage Award next fall.

Mason told reporters that the scholarship is a piece of the school’s strategy to increase its enrollment by attracting more students from Iowa and beyond. Any student with a parent, stepparent, legal guardian or grandparent who received an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree from UI will be eligible.

Within that pool, up to 20 of the highest-achieving students will receive the President’s Heritage Award, which will award another $6,000 over four years. Mason said private donations will help pay the cost.

The Southwest Iowa Coalition (SWICO) will be hosting a Candidates’ forum in Atlantic on Oct. 16th. SWICO says candidates for state and federal office who may be representing Iowans in Adams, Adair, Audubon, Cass, east Pottawattamie, Fremont, Page, Mills, Montgomery, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties, have been invited to attend the forum.

The forum will be held at the Atlantic Golf and County Club (102 W. 29th St.). The event begins at 5-p.m. Oct. 16th with appetizers and social time, with the candidates speaking about his or her position on rural development policy issues, at 5:30-p.m.

The event will conclude with a question and answer session moderated by SWICO President Lee Weir. There is no charge to attend, but you are being asked to make your reservation by e-mailing swico@swico.org, or by calling 712-621-2032.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday (today) approved the hiring of a full-time assistant for the County Recorder’s office. Retiring Recorder Joyce Jensen said the decision on who to hire as an assistant to incoming Recorder Mary Ward not an easy one, due to the number of qualified applicants. Ward chose Marci Wallingford, who is currently employed at the 1st United Methodist Church in Atlantic, and has been the Pastor’s assistant for the past 7-years. She will begin her employment with the County on Oct. 20th, at a rate of 18-dollars per hour.

Jensen says salary discussions determined Wallingford will remain at the $18 per hour rate even if/when she is appointed as Deputy Recorder, through Fiscal Year 2015 budget. The percentage of salary will be reassessed when it comes to discussion on the FY 2016 budget. BOS2 :18 Q:”..still the Recorder.” Together, Ward and Wallingford will determine the need for a part-time assistant to Wallingford. Jensen said she would make herself available to fill-in as needed as an assistant, at no charge to the County.

In other business, Cass County Engineer Charles Marker reported he and Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Roger Herring have determined an eight-foot by eight-foot pad on the southeast corner of the courthouse would be the best option for installation of two bicycle hitching posts. Last week, Herring had proposed locating the posts in the same area, but was instructed to consult with Marker as to the best location and options for mounting the bike posts.

Cass County Conservation Director Micah Lee reported to the Board on his department’s quarterly activities. Lee said they were very busy during the period. He says the new driveway on the south entrance to Cold Springs State Park near Lewis has been heavily used by campers and nature seekers.

He says when they went out for bids on gates to the park, they looked at a couple of different types, but in the end decided it would be cheaper to build a 3 bar, galvanized swinging gate that will be installed soon, prior to the entrance being closed for the Winter. Weirich Welding was given the job of constructing the gates.

Lee says the department is also in the process of renovating its office.  The project should be complete by the end of this month. Among other projects, Micah said they mowed along the T-Bone Trail after receiving a complaint about tall weed growth following the recent, heavy rains. And at the Pellett Memorial Woods, they’ve been conducting general maintenance, including moving of trees from the trail that have died and fallen onto the trail.

An investigation into a series of checks written on a closed account, has resulted in the arrest of a Lenox man. Authorities say 36-year old Jeremy Harris was charged with three counts of Theft in the 5th degree.  Harris was subsequently sent a summons to appear in court by the Magistrates office.

While the Iowa influenza season typically starts in November and peaks in January or later, it can begin any time. According to the Shelby County County Public Health Department, the County has recently diagnosed its first case of influenza for this season.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Shelby County Public Health Department at Myrtue Medical Center urge everyone to get their annual flu vaccination as soon as possible. Calla Poldberg, Nurse Practitioner and Director of Public Health, says “Since it takes up to two weeks after vaccination for the body to have the full protection from the flu virus, being vaccinated now means you’ll be protected before the flu starts spreading.”

Poldberg says everyone over 6 months of age should receive the flu vaccine. While the flu shot and the nasal spray vaccine both protect against the flu, there is evidence the nasal spray vaccine works better than a regular flu shot especially in younger children. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) now recommends the nasal spray vaccine for all healthy children ages 2 through 8 years, when it is available. The FluMist (nasal spray) vaccine can be given to all healthy persons ages 2 through 49.

Persons at higher risk for complications of the flu need to be vaccinated, especially:
• Pregnant women
• Children, particularly those younger than 2 years of age
• Adults age 65 and older
• People who have certain medical conditions like asthma, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, and lung diseases

To schedule your appointment for the flu vaccine, call Myrtue Medical Center at 712-755-5130 or Shelby County Public Health at 712-755-4422. For more information on the kinds of flu vaccine available this year, visit www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm.

An Atlantic woman was cited for Failure to provide proof of Insurance and Failure to Yield, following a collision Tuesday afternoon at 6th and Walnut Streets. The accident happened at around 2:40-p.m.

According to police, a vehicle driven by Heather Arbuckle, of Atlantic, was traveling east on 6th street and stopped at the stop sign with Walnut. A vehicle driven by Linda Foegen, of Atlantic, was traveling south and approaching the intersection. Officials say Arbuckle failed to yield to the Foegen vehicle when she entered the intersection to make a left turn.

Arbuckle’s car was struck on the left front side. Damage from the accident amounted to $3,700. There were no injuries reported.

The Atlantic Police Department reports six people have been arrested on various charges. On Tuesday, 25-year old Joshua Dyer, and 28-year old Angela Tedford, both of Atlantic, were arrested for Child Endangerment. Both were cited for the offense and released.

On Monday, 22-year old Jonathan Traver, of Atlantic, was arrested for Theft in the 3rd degree. On Saturday, 37-year old Rose Peters, of Atlantic, was arrested for Violating a No Contact Order. And on Friday, 31-year old Damon Clark, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Polk County warrant for Theft in the 4th degree. That same day, 29-year old Delaney Pace, of Atlantic, was arrested for Simple Assault.

All four individuals were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department reports the arrest on Tuesday of an Audubon man on drug charges. 38-year old Darin David Jensen was charged with three felony counts of Possession of Controlled Substances/Methamphetamine, with the intent to deliver.

The charges are the result of an investigation into Jensen allegedly selling meth on three separate occasions. The investigation was conducted by the Audubon County Sheriff’s office. A search of Jensen’s home resulted in the recovery of additional drugs and drug paraphernalia. Jensen was brought to the Audubon County Jail and later posted a security bond before being released. He’s scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 16th.

The incident remains under investigation.