w/ Ric Hanson

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Sheriff’s deputies responding to a report of a stranded motorist in Fremont County early this (Thursday) morning, ended-up arresting two people on drug charges. According to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, 21-year-old Sierra Adkins, of Clarinda, was arrested at around 2:50-a.m. about five-miles east of Riverton, for drug-related public intoxication. 

Upon further investigation, deputies located in the vehicle, about three grams of methamphetamine, baggies, a scale and numerous other items of drug paraphernalia. They also arrested 39-year-old Heath McClarnon, of Clarinda, for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver/methamphetamine, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

McClarnon was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $50,000 bond, while Adkins’ bond was set at $300. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail.

Representatives of the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund have announced the Fund is now classified by the IRS as a public charity, making contributions to the Fund deductible. Melanie Petty, Fund Representative, says they “Incorporated as an Iowa non-profit in 2011, and have been working toward IRS 501(c)(3) designation since that time.” Petty says “It was a lot of paperwork,” but they were fortunate to work with a local attorney whose attention to detail made the process go smoothly.
 
The goal of the Fund is to give back to the community Trevor loved by supporting the projects and organizations that best represent his interests.

Picture: Melanie Petty, Jared Fulk, Noah Welter, and Laena Frederickson. Not present for picture: Liz Guttenfelder.

Recently, the Fund awarded three $750 scholarships to Atlantic High School seniors Liz Guttenfelder, Jared Fulk, and Noah Welter during Class Night. While typically two annual scholarships are awarded at the high school level, a third was added this year as representatives said they simply couldn’t narrow down the applicants any further.
 
In addition to the scholarships, each recipient’s charity of choice will be gifted $200 on their behalf in hopes of encouraging the students to continue to support the things that are meaningful to them. This year’s charities are: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chosen by Guttenfelder, Remembering Our Fallen chosen by Fulk, and The Michael Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation chosen by Welter.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund hosts the annual T-Fred Memorial Golf Tournament and Silent Auction as their only fundraiser. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, August 10, at Nishna Hills Golf Club inAtlantic.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate adjourned the 2013 legislative session late last night, but the House is set to return today for more votes. Lawmakers seemed to be moving to conclusion yesterday after reaching deals to cut property taxes, revise education policy and provide health care for low-income residents.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has approved a deal to accept federal funding to provide health care coverage to low-income residents. The deal was included in the $1.7 billion state Health and Human Services budget, which includes funding for the departments of Public Health and Human Services. Senate lawmakers voted 26-24 in favor of the budget last night. The health agreement would cover an estimated 150,000 Iowans.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has approved a compromise plan to cut commercial property taxes in the state. The plan was approved in a 43-6 vote yesterday. The deal limits the amount that residential property assessments can grow. It also includes small income tax credits and raises the state earned income tax credit for low-income workers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As the state Legislature was nearing approval of significant changes to Iowa’s public school system, the Iowa Department of Education director accepted a job as superintendent of a Colorado school district. Eagle County School District in Colorado announced yesterday that Iowa Education Department Director Jason Glass accepted the job. He starts July 1st.

DESOTO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 911 dispatcher used a cellphone signal to find a crash victim in central Iowa. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office says a man’s car went off a roadway Wednesday afternoon in DeSoto. The vehicle went into a ditch and hit a tree head-on. Television station KCCI-TV reports the man called 911 and told a dispatcher that he could see trees but he didn’t know where he was. So the dispatcher used the man’s cellphone signal to try to find the wreck.

Based on the general results, authorities headed toward the area and checked ditches before locating the man. The man has not been identified. His condition is not available.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature has approved a bill that calls for nearly $6 billion in spending on a variety of programs and initiatives over the next two fiscal years. Lawmakers in both the House and Senate passed the bill Wednesday. It will next move to Gov. Terry Branstad. The bill spends $2.9 billion each fiscal year with $2.6 billion annually of that on basic school funding.

Other items include $29 million to help counties adapt to a regionalized mental health care system. It also establishes a new tax credit for farmers who donate excess produce to food banks. Along with budget items, the so-called standings legislation includes new policy items like more comprehensive background checks for school employees. Another provision requires hospitals to perform congenital heart disease screenings on newborns.

The Cass County Master Gardener’s group is inviting local gardeners to “Hop on the Bus” June 20th, for a tour of area businesses that grow and produce from their flowers, vineyards, and nurseries, a wide variety of products. Loess Hills Lavender Farm is the first stop on a bus trip to the Missouri Valley area. The trip is scheduled for June 20, 8 AM to 5:45 PM. It is sponsored by the Cass County Master Gardeners but is open to everyone. Numerous people have expressed their interest in visiting the lavender gardens and they should be at their peak in bloom. Lavender is used to make many healthful products and lavender cookies are on the snack list. Participants will be able to purchase live lavender to plant at home, dried lavender and other products.

A visit to Sawmill Hollow will include tasting samples of wine, jelly, barbeque sauce and many other gourmet aronia berry foods. Aronia berries are promoted as providing more health benefits than blueberries. They are native to this area and Sawmill Hollow was the first aronia farm in the United States. Lunch will be served here.

Other stops include nurseries. One sells homemade pies, jams and jellies made from their orchard produce. They also provide garden bedding plants. Another nursery will demonstrate landscape planning starting with layouts on the computer. A variety of plants are available in their greenhouse.  The final stop is at the Harrison County Historical Village and Iowa Welcome Center showing Iowa life, prairie and a celebration of the Lincoln Highway. Fresh locally grown produce will be available at the Farmers Market.

LaVon Eblen, President of Cass County Master Gardeners, encourages you to get your registrations made now to save your spot on the bus. The cost is $47.00 which includes transportation, entrance fees and a meal and snack. Contact LaVon for a registration form or find a copy on the Cass County Extension website, at www.exension.iastate.edu/cass. The form and payment are due by May 31st.

Two southwest Iowa women were injured during a head-on crash Wednesday afternoon, in Page County. The Iowa State Patrol says 86-year old Martha Bordner, of Clarinda, and 78-year old Nola Bloomfield, of Yorktown, were trapped in their vehicles and freed by mechanical means before being transported by Clarinda Rescue to the Clarinda Regional Hospital. The women were later flown to nearby trauma centers for treatment. Officials say Bordner’s 1999 Oldsmobile 88 was traveling west on Highway 2 at around 3:30-p.m., when for reasons unknown, it crossed the center line and struck Bloomfield’s 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. Both women were wearing their seat belts. The accident remains under investigation.

The Harlan Police Department reports the arrest on May 16th of two Walnut residents. Twenty-nine year old Gabriel Brown and 22-year old Rachel Long were arrested on active Shelby County warrants, and taken to the Shelby County Jail, where Brown was served with his warrant for Interference with Official Acts, Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, and Prohibited Acts penalties. Long’s warrant was for joint criminal conduct.

On Monday, May 20th the Harlan P-D took 41-year old Jeffrey Ross of Portsmouth into custody when officers were called to a disturbance at the Big House bar. Following the investigation, Ross was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail and was charged with Assault Causing Bodily Injury, for allegedly striking Brent Knauss of Panama. Ross was also charged with Public Intoxication and Disorderly Conduct.

On that same day, 25-year old Jackie Thielen of Harlan was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant for violation of an order for compulsory education. She was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

On Tuesday, May 21st Officers were called to the Durant Street Country Store where clerks had observed a possible theft of liquor. Officers later located 32-year old Mariah Thuringer of Council Bluffs and 30-year old Jesse Davis, who were both arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail. Thuringer was charged with Theft/5th degree and she and Davis were both charged with public intoxication.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Nearly a dozen more children at a Sioux City elementary school have called in sick due to symptoms from norovirus. The Sioux City Journal reports officials at Bryant Elementary School say 11 children said they would be out Wednesday.  The Siouxland District Health Department announced Tuesday that lab results confirmed an outbreak of norovirus was to blame for an illness that’s sickened dozens of students over several days.
 
Norovirus is a common food-borne pathogen with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea.   The last day of school is Thursday.