Police in Red Oak report the arrest of a local man on a sexual abuse charge. 19-year-old Zachery Daulton Brower, of Red Oak, was taken into custody Saturday at a residence on E. Coolbaugh Street, in Red Oak. Brower was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center where he was charged with 3rd degree sexual abuse. His bond was set at $10,000.

A trio of area school district Boards of Education will hold their regular, separate meetings Monday evening. The CAM School Board will gather at 5:30-p.m. in the High School Media Center in Anita. Discussion and/or action items on their agenda include: Setting the times & dates for public hearings on an Early Start Date for the 2014-2015 School Year and 2014-2015 Budget; Drivers Ed contract and fees; and approval of the Washington, D-C trip for 2015. The CAM School Board will enter into a closed session for negotiations, prior to adjourning for the evening.

Members of the Griswold School Board will gather in the Central Office Board Room at the Middle School/High School building, beginning at 5:45-p.m., Monday. Under New Business, the Board will act on Auditor and Chemical Application bids, as well as the School Calendar and Early Start waiver. They’ll also act on approving the second reading of 903 series Board Policies and receive an update on various district construction/renovation projects.

And the Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board will meet at 7-pm in the Family and Consumer Science Room at the High School in Elk Horn. During their session, the Board will act on staff contracts, with regard to Junior High Track. They’ll also discuss the results of the Feb. 4th Revenue Purpose Statement vote, and the 2014-2015 School Calendar (180 days worth of education vs. 1,080 hours).  The Board will then enter into a closed session for negotiations, prior to adjournment.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Dept. Board of Directors will meet Monday evening at the Senior Citizen Center on Walnut Street, next to the City Hall/Police Dept. Building. The Board is slated to: discuss the Senior Activities Area and receive a rough draft of the layout; Receive a letter from Cass County Community Health Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Karla Akers, with regard to the City Council’s decision on Jan. 22nd vote down the 1st reading of an ordinance for a Tobacco Free policy for Sunnyside Park; and discuss recommendation for the 2014 Summer Recreation Program, after hearing a report about last year’s programs. They’ll also discuss the Nishna Valley YMCA management fee.

In other business, the Atlantic Parks and Rec Board will discuss a Sunnyside Park Tree Replacement Plan, which has drawn interest from the public as far as helping replanting efforts with memorials and other gifts and labor, and, they’ll discuss Spring and Summer Capital Improvement Projects, including renovation and refurbishing of the Camblin and Kiddie Korral at Sunnyside Park, the Senior Activity Area, and more.

The meeting at the Atlantic Senior Citizen Center begins at 5:15-p.m., Monday.

Officials with the Iowa Lottery say a Massena woman was the latest, big instant-scratch game winner in Cass County, during calendar year 2013. Kristen Karstens won $50,000 in the “Super Crossword” scratch-off game with a ticket purchased at 21st Century Coop C-Store, in Massena.

Iowa Lottery players won a total of $200.8 million in prizes in fiscal year 2013, the latest complete year for which the lottery has records. However, there are a significant number of prizes that expire each year without being claimed. The lottery reminds its players to double-check their tickets. In fiscal year 2013, more than $1.3 million in lotto prizes expired in Iowa without being claimed.

Prize money left unclaimed after redemption deadlines goes into the lottery’s prize pools for future games, so it will be used to pay prizes, just not those particular prizes that have expired. On the lottery’s website at www.ialotterycom, there is a current list of unclaimed lotto prizes of $10,000 or more.

Prizes in instant-scratch and pull-tab games must be claimed within 90 days of the end of the game. Scratch-game prizes can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery retailer where the games are sold, while prizes in pull-tab games must be claimed at the location where the tickets were purchased. Players also may visit an Iowa Lottery retailer or go to one of the lottery’s offices in Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Storm Lake, Mason City or Cedar Rapids to claim prizes.

Winning lotto numbers may be checked by visiting the lottery website or calling the winning numbers hotline at (515) 323-4633. They may also be checked by visiting a lottery retail outlet or calling the lottery at (515) 725-7900 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery officials say there was no jackpot winner in Saturday’s Powerball drawing, adding the current estimated jackpot has jumped to $400 million or $227.8 million in cash value. Powerball said the next drawing will be Wednesday, Feb. 19. It added in a statement that the previous estimated jackpot total was an annuitized $330.8 million, or $188.4 million as a cash option.

Powerball is played in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The odds of matching all six numbers in the game are 1 in about 175 million, according to statistics of the nonprofit Multi-State Lottery Association whose members offer one or more of the association’s games.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a number of arrests over the weekend.

On Friday (2/14) at approximately 11:20pm deputies conducted a traffic stop on a 1996 Mercury Villager for a broken taillight near the intersection of 190th street and 355th Avenue in Fremont County.  The driver, 34-year-old Craig Duane Ellis of Council Bluffs was found to have a warrant for his arrest for Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Prohibited Person and Possession of a Controlled Substance out of Nebraska.

Ellis was placed under arrest and a search of the vehicle produced a loaded firearm as well as several controlled substances.  Ellis was arrested on numerous charges and is being held on $131,548.00 cash only bond and his Nebraska warrants.  A passenger in the vehicle, 50-year-old Kelli Rachelle Gould of Shenandoah was also placed under arrests on numerous charges including possession of Methamphetamine and Marijuana.  Gould is being held on $125,300 cash only bond and more charges are pending in the case.

On Saturday (2/15) Sheriff’s deputies were called to County Line Bar in Shenandoah for a report of a fight in progress.  Upon arrival 26-year-old Charles Franklin Liles of Shenandoah was arrested for Public Intoxication and was later released on $300 bond.

Also on Saturday (2/15) Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a domestic disturbance at 402 Clay Street in Sidney at approximately 1:13am.  Sheriff’s officials along with Sidney Police responded to the scene.  36-year-old Melvin Benny Jurey of Sidney was arrested for Felony Assault and Domestic Abuse Assault and later received a Contempt of Court charge.  Jurey is being held on no bond.

Finally on Saturday (2/15) Fremont County Sheriff’s Officials received a report of a hit and run accident at 1406 Main Street in Hamburg that had occurred sometime in the evening hours Friday (2/14) or early morning Saturday.  An investigation was made of the scene and Sheriff’s Officials later made contact with the driver of the vehicle that left the scene 21-year-old Dalton Haler of Hamburg.  The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Villisca man early Sunday (2/16) morning on a public intoxication charge.  Officers arrested 34-year-old Dean Richard Orr of Villisca following an incident in the 400 block of S 3rd Avenue in Villisca.  Orr was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

w/ Chris Parks

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LOVILA HANSEN, 84, of Audubon died Friday, Feb. 14th at the Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids.  Following cremation, there will be a celebration of life memorial service at a later date for LOVILA HANSEN.  Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Officials with the Monsanto Fund have announced Mrs. Stephanie Witzman of Cass County, has been selected as a winner in America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Seed Company. Stephanie Witzman selected Atlantic High School Journalism Department to receive the $2,500 donation in Cass County. A representative of the seed company, the AHS Journalism Department, and Mrs. Witzman will participate in a ceremonial check presentation ceremony next Wednesday, Feb. 19th, at the High School, beginning at 5-PM.

America’s Farmers Grow Communities works directly with farmers to support nonprofit organizations doing important work in rural communities. The program encourages farmers to enter to win $2,500, which is then directed to the farmer’s nonprofit of choice. Launched nationally in 2011, the program has grown to include 1,289 eligible counties in 39 states. America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, is part of the America’s Farmers initiative, which highlights the important contributions farmers make every day to our society.

For a complete list of Grow Communities winners and more program information, visit growcommunities.com.