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Today is Veterans Day where Americans honor our Veterans for helping to keep us free.

Some events scheduled for today include: The Griswold Community School District Veteran’s Day Program which will be held at 7:00 pm in the school auditorium.  The guest speaker is World War II Navy Veteran Clarence Pfundheller if Greenfield who will share his experience of being on the USS Maryland when Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  Fellowship time will follow the presentation in the cafeteria with a dessert bar.  The program is open to the public.

This past weekend, several activities took place including a breakfast in Harlan and Brayton. This morning, the Harlan Community Middle School will present their annual Veteran’s Day program inside the Harlan Community High School Gym. Bob Cook, American Legion Post 150 Commander, says the events and day mean a lot to Veterans everywhere. “People in southwest Iowa do a magnificent job. Speaking of all Veterans, we really do appreciate that. The sense of patriotism and those who served is extremely positive. The day means a lot and the events touch all our hearts.”

Veterans can start filing in to the gym at 9am with a pre-show at 9:30 and the program at 10-a.m. The theme this year is “With Them We Stand” and a reception will follow. Harlan Community isn’t the only one with a Veteran’s program as Tri-Center School District and Boyer Valley also have a tribute to the Veterans today. This evening, Veterans can get a soup supper at the Shelby Community Building. A choice of chicken noodle or vegetable beef soup with a salad, dessert and beverage will be served from 5 to 7:30pm with carry outs available. Veterans can eat free and proceeds from the event go to the Shelby County American Legion.

Cook says the Harlan Community School has another event on Tuesday evening to finish the local Veterans activities.  “From 6 to 7 at the high school cafeteria a sort of a new thing where the Legion provides cookies and coffee to serve those who are participating in the sing-a-long. And that is magnificent; they all are by the way. The 4^th grade music class will sing to the Veterans that evening. I tell you what the guys are escorted in and you get to see one another. The numbers are incredibly high for an area this size. I don’t think I have ever been moved that much to see that.”

(Ric Hanson-KJAN/Joel McCall-KNOD)

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A 28-year-old man sought in an Omaha assault case has been arrested after a two-state chase.  Omaha police say Allen Williams was spotted late Saturday night in a pickup that soon halted after officers deployed stop strips that flattened the truck tires. But police say Williams then threatened a woman at a gas station nearby, stole her car and then took off on a chase that crossed the Missouri River into Iowa and then back into Nebraska.

Police say Williams was arrested after the vehicle he was driving plowed through some backyards in western Omaha. Police say an officer fired his gun but didn’t hit anyone.  Williams faces robbery, drug, assault and other charges. He’s previously served prison time.

A chase in Montgomery County early this (Monday) morning that began with a traffic stop, ended with the suspect vehicle getting away, and Sheriff’s vehicle going up in flames. No injuries were reported. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Red Oak Police attempted to stop a vehicle at around 1:03-a.m., but the car took off. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy’s Buttercase and Anderson engaged in the pursuit just southeast of Red Oak.

As the suspect vehicle continued westbound from J Avenue on 215th Street and was able to maneuver around a deputy’s vehicle that had approached eastbound on 215th from Hickory. Officials say Deputy Buttercase was behind the offender and continued past Deputy Anderson’s patrol vehicle, attempting to maintain a visual on the suspect’s vehicle. During the chase, Buttercase attempted to slow down as he approached a the t-intersection after topping a hill, but his patrol car skidded past the turn and went into the west ditch off Hickory. The car sustained minimal damage at the time. The deputy secured his cruiser and was picked up by another officer as they continued to pursue the suspect.

The chase was called-off after authorities lost sight of the vehicle. When deputies returned to the ditched patrol vehicle, they found it to be fully engulfed in flames. Red Oak Fire was called and extinguished the fire. The 2011 Dodge Charger owned by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and its contents, were a total loss.

An investigation into the offender’s identity continues.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will meet tonight at the High School during a regularly scheduled session in the Media Center. During the 7:30-p.m. meeting, the Board will hear Special Presentations from the Student Council, Ag Instructor/FFA Advisor Eric Miller – with regard to the National FFA Convention, and Jerry Purdy with Design Alliance Engineers – with regard to the Middle School renovation project.

The Board will also act on approving: Volunteer Coaches positions; Resignations and the receipt of gifts, grants and bequests. Other action items include approval of an increase in substitute nurse pay, the District Affirmative Action Plan, an additional Para-Educator for the K-8 Link Center, and a bid for Middle School weight equipment.

The Board will also discuss, but take no action on the District’s 5-year Capital Needs Plan, and Long-term Board goals.

Annual farm income tax preparation is a real challenge with changing tax codes and regulations. To help farmers through this process, the Iowa Farm Bureau is hosting a farm income tax webinar this Friday, November 15th, at 1:00 p.m.

Event speakers will draw on their experiences to provide useful, timely information for participants. Speakers include Roger McEowen, Director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation (CALT) at Iowa State University, and Charles Brown, President of AgriFinancial Services, LLC. The event will be available live, online to anyone wishing to attend. The webinar will also be recorded and available exclusively to Farm Bureau members online, along with webinar handouts.

Farmers can access the webinar from their home or farm office by going to www.iowafarmbureau.com, finding the webinar banner and entering the forum as a guest on the day of the event. Local sites are also being organized where farmers will gather to view the event together. In Southwest Iowa, the Cass County Extension Office in Atlantic and the Adair County Extension Office in Greenfield are the two local viewing sites. Other locations are set up around the state, and interested farmers are encouraged to visit the Farm Bureau website for an updated list of local viewing sites. No pre-registration is required for online or local viewing sites.

Newborns are being outfitted with purple hats at hospitals around the state this month. The campaign is part of a national effort to help parents cope with crying babies. Alyssa Hague is an assistant nurse manager at Mercy Medical Center’s Birthplace in Cedar Rapids. “For every baby that’s born, they’re getting a purple knitted hat to try and raise awareness about the ‘period of purple crying’ and reduce the risk of Shaken Baby Syndrome,” Hague says.

Research shows that frustration with a crying infant is the number one trigger for the shaking and abuse of infants. Hague says it’s import for parents and caregivers to realize that a certain amount of crying during the first few weeks and months of life is normal. “It can be frustrating, but they’re not doing anything wrong and their baby isn’t doing anything wrong,” Hague says. Coping with a crying baby can be difficult, so Hague suggests calling on another family member or a neighbor to watch the child if frustration levels are running high.

“If that’s not an option, because you’re alone with your child, then put them in their crib because that’s a safe place,” Hague says. “It’s okay to leave them for 10 minutes, reset your clock a little bit, get yourself in a better frame of mind and go back your baby.” Volunteer knitters and crocheters have donated thousands of purple caps for the campaign. More information about the Period of PURPLE Crying program is available online at: PURPLEcrying.info.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa Korean War veterans (or one representative per family of a Korean War veteran) are invited to receive a free hardbound copy of “Korea Reborn: A Grateful Nation Honors War Veterans for 60 Years of Growth,” a commemorative gift produced in cooperation with the Republic of Korea and the United States. Published in 2013 by Remember My Service Productions and funded by an alliance of South Korean public and private organizations, this 162-page book honors and remembers those U.S. servicemembers who bravely served during the Korean War. Distribution is limited to 5,000 books, first-come, first-served, one per Iowa Korean War veteran or their family.

Books will be available starting today (Monday) Veterans Day, November 11, at the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum, 7105 NW 70th Ave., Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa. Museum hours on Veterans Day are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. After Veterans Day, books can also be obtained from the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs-contact them at 515-727-3440 to coordinate pick up.

The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum is located on Camp Dodge, 7105 NW 70th Avenue, Johnston, Iowa. Admission is free. Museum hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please use the NW 70th Ave. entrance, which is open 24-hours a day. Photo identification is required for adults to gain admittance to Camp Dodge (a driver’s license is acceptable).

The men and women in Iowa who have served in the military are being honored on this Veterans Day, but making sure vets in the state have the support they need is happening every week of the year. Many veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq are finding the move back into civilian life can present barriers, but there is help and it’s year-round, not just on Veterans Day. One hurdle is finding employment, so local employers are being encouraged to hire former soldiers, says retired colonel and Executive Director of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs Robert King.

King says “They’re experienced. They’re dedicated. They come with leadership that’s been provided by the military. They’re tested, they’re proven. They’ve got job skills in a lot of different areas. They understand teamwork, and they bring with them a family that gets involved in the community. You just can’t ask for more.

King says in Iowa, the gap in unemployment rates between veterans and the general population has now almost fully been closed. Nationally, the unemployment rate for the youngest vets, between ages 18 and 24, is still at about 20-percent. Another issue for some returning soldiers is mental health, and King says there are various options for help for those dealing with anxiety, depression or P-T-S-D.

King says he “Would just encourage service members that have returned and have issues to seek help. There are a number of places in the community where they can get assistance, and I just encourage them to reach out sooner than later.” There are nearly 240-thousand veterans who currently call Iowa home.

(Iowa News Service)