A movie filmed in Elk Horn by a Danish film production crew will be shown tonight at the Elk Horn Town Hall, beginning at Seven o’clock. Elk Horn Mayor Stan Jens says the film, with English subtitles, runs the gamut of emotions, from sad to happy and funny, and is also very informational. He says the producers didn’t even know the Danish Villages of Elk Horn and Kimballton existed, until a chance encounter.

Jens said a Danish film maker was in a bar in Kansas City, and ran into a Nick Jensen, an EHK graduate. Jensen told him about Elk Horn, and it wasn’t long before a crew came to the area with their cameras and filmed a one-hour documentary.

Jens says 750,000 people saw the film in Denmark, and word spread quickly among family members in the County to those back here in the U-S.  Jens said the response to the film was incredible, and resulted in him and Jordan Hansen being flown to Denmark for the film’s premiere and a media blitz.

Jens said one of the things a popular talk show host in Denmark hopes the people of his country will get from the film, is that Danes need to be a little more laid back, in their approach to life. The host said also, that the people of the Danish Villages in Iowa are trying to hard to hold onto their Danish heritage, and that’s something the Danes in his county should endeavor to do as well, and not let the old world traditions slip away. He said they “Should try to keep it Danish in Denmark.”

Jens said the film has resulted in a new, open line of communication with Denmark, and may result in increased tourism in Elk Horn and Kimballton, and give a new spark to the annual TivoliFest Celebration, with volunteers coming from across the country and possibly abroad to help out with the event.

It may even result in romances forming between residents of both countries. Jens says there’s been talk of a dating service between Elk Horn and Denmark.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says his agency will begin monitoring the local fire danger potential, beginning this week. Twice weekly updates will be provided by the EMA staff in Shelby County, with data supplied by the National Weather Service forecast products, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), and close monitoring of local conditions. The updates will be provided to help residents in Shelby County to determine if it is safe to conduct outdoor burning.

Seivert says Shelby County sees an increase in fire activity every year in the spring and fall when residents start igniting burn piles, or prescribed fires on CRP land to meet land management objectives. Often time’s fires are ignited on days when weather conditions are less than favorable. When the burns are started they can cause escape fires which put lives, environment, and property in danger.

The Shelby County Emergency Services Association, in coordination with local Fire Chiefs are asking you to call the Shelby County Emergency Management Office at 712-755-2124 to report your controlled burning projects. When you call in you will simply be asked the size of your project, a number you can be reached at, start and stop times of the planned burn. The Shelby County Emergency Management Office will also ask that you provide the local fire chief with notification.

An electronic copy of the Fire Danger Rating Board can be found at www.shelbycountyema.com. The purpose of this system is to visually let the public know when the conditions are safest to carry out your burning projects. This system is not a permitting process, or authorization to burn, it just lets you know if conditions are favorable.

Shelby Counties cooperative system will allow the authorities to dispatch Emergency Resources immediately on report of smoke when the fire danger is determined to be HIGH or EXTREME. On HIGH days fire resources will be dispatched and make a decision on whether it is safe to continue the burning. If the Fire Chief or his designee think conditions are not safe they may extinguish the fire.

On EXTREME days all fires will be extinguished unless a permit or waiver has been signed by the Chief of the local fire department.

Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Monday) marked the start of National Manufacturing Week at their weekly news conference, highlighting the contributions made by manufacturers and their employees through a proclamation, and launching a tour of various facilities throughout Iowa. Among the facilities is: Agri-Drain, in Adair;  Bohlmann, Incorporated, in Denison; The Lisle Corporation, in Clarinda; Red Oak Manufacturing, in Red Oak; The Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and Quality Machine of Iowa, in Audubon (See below for the dates and times).

The Governor said “Though we appreciate the contributions of manufacturers each and every day, Manufacturing Week will give us a special opportunity to highlight and celebrate Iowa’s manufacturing sector.”

There are over 3,500 companies engaged in manufacturing in Iowa, employing over 211,000 Iowans with an average wage of more than $51,000. All told, the manufacturing sector contributes over $27.6 billion, or 18 percent, to Iowa’s Gross State Product.

Branstad/Reynolds tour dates & times:

Monday, Sept.30, 2013

11:15 a.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Agri-Drain at  1462 340th St. in Adair.

1:30 p.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Bohlmann, Inc.,  2302 Yellow Smoke Rd. in Denison.

Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013

8:30 a.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Lisle Corporation, 813 E Main St., Clarinda.

10:15 a.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Red Oak Manufacturing,   2400 N. Broadway, in Red Oak.

12:30 p.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Atlantic Bottling Company,   4 E. 2nd St.,  Atlantic.

2 p.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Quality Machine of Iowa, 1040 4th Ave., in Audubon.

Police in Clarinda are issuing a reminder to residents about special parking restrictions that will be in effect this Saturday, Oct. 5 for the 2013 annual Southwest Iowa Band Day Jamboree parade. No parking is allowed on the following streets in Clarinda, from 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 5th, 2013:

The 100 through 800 block of W. Main Street; The 100 block of E. Main Street; The100 block of N. 15th St.; The 100 block of E. Washington Street; The 100 block through 300 block of W. Washington Street; 24th Street (Cardinal Drive) from Garfield Street to State Street

Police Chief Keith Brothers says his department appreciates the cooperation of all citizens in removing their vehicles from the parade route. Vehicles that are not removed from the parade route by 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 5, 2013 will be towed at the expense of the vehicle’s registered owner(s).

Anyone having a question about the parking restrictions can contact the Clarinda Police Department at 712-542-2194.

Police in Lenox report the Adams County Sheriff’s Office received a report last Friday about a person allegedly making threatening phone calls and text messages. Following an investigation, deputies issued an arrest warrant for 27-year-old Ruth Leason Graham, of Lenox, after finding she allegedly sent the messages which stemmed from a family dispute.

Adams County Deputies and Lenox Police took Graham into custody at 601 South Walnut Street in Lenox at around 9:30-p.m. Friday, and charged her with Harassment. Graham was taken to the Adams County Jail and held on $300 bond.

Police in Atlantic report two arrests on Saturday. 25-year old Damion Selders, of Carson, was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and 22-year old Sean Chamberlin, of Atlantic, was arrested for  Burglary in the 3rd Degree.  Both men were taken to Cass County Jail where they were booked in and held.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Three people were arrested Sunday night, in Montgomery County. Sheriff’s officials say 43-year old Shelby Joann Olivares was arrested at around 11:40-p.m. on a charge of aggravated Domestic Abuse Assault. Olivares was taken into custody in the 100 block of East Maple Street in Red Oak, by Red Oak Police. She was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

Red Oak Police also arrested 33-year old Dontar Ternall Lewis, of Red Oak, Sunday. He was taken into custody at around 10:07-p.m. on an active warrant out of Page County for Harassment by Communication. Lewis was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and later turned over to deputies with the Page County Sheriff’s Department.

35-year old Jamie Ryan Straw, of Villisca, was arrested at around 9:35-p.m. Sunday, on charges of Domestic Assault, Interference with Official Acts (Resisting arrest), and Criminal Mischief in the 3rd degree (as the result of damage to a patrol car that amounted to $750).  Straw was arrested following a domestic altercation in Villisca, and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $3,300 bond.