The Clarinda Police Department reports two incidents occurred during the past week.

On Monday shortly before 4AM, management at Clarinda West Apartments reported an incident of vandalism to the apartment complex located at 940 S. 27^th Street. Various items of graffiti had been drawn on the walls and doors throughout various parts of the building. Damage is estimated at $3,000.00. The incident remains under investigation.

On Wednesday at about 11:50 p.m. officers arrested 33-year-old Justin Allen Williams of Clarinda for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, second offense. Williams was arrested at the intersection of West Garfield Street and Cardinal Drive. Williams was transported to the Page County Jail in lieu of $2,000.00 bail pending an initial appearance before the Page County Magistrate Court.

An Atlantic company has been selected as a one of Iowa’s Top Workplaces.

CASS Incorporated was rated number eight in the category of Small Employers (35 – 149 employees).

The Top Workplaces are determined based solely on employee feedback. The survey is conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP, a leading research firm on organizational health and employee engagement.

CASS Incorporated is an Atlantic based provider of community support services for people with disabilities.  The organization just celebrated its 35^th anniversary.  It employs 90 people who serve and support 150 individuals living in their own homes, working in the community, and learning life and work skills at CASS’s work center.

CASS’s CEO, Glenda Farrier says “This is quite an honor for us, an affirmation from our staff that we are doing many things right.  Last year we were selected as one of Iowa’s Top Workplaces too, so to achieve this recognition for the second time is simply thrilling.”

The Clarinda Police Department would like to remind the citizens of Clarinda that no parking is allowed on the following streets from 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 29, 2012 for the annual Band Day Jamboree Parade.

The 100 through 800 block of W. Main Street

The 100 block of E. Main Street

The 100 block of N. 15^th St.

The 100 block of E. Washington Street

The 100 block through 300 block of W. Washington Street

24^th Street (Cardinal Drive) from Garfield Street to State Street

The police 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, September 29, 2012 will be towed at the expense of the vehicle’s registered owner(s).

If a citizen has any questions concerning this, please contact the Clarinda Police Department at 712-542-2194.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – More than 11,000 Iowans who lost a home to foreclosure from 2008 through 2011 are getting letters in the mail indicating they may be eligible for money from a settlement with banks.

Attorney General Tom Miller says those eligible borrowed money for mortgages serviced by Ally/GMAC, Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo. They agreed to a $25 billion national mortgage foreclosure settlement with the federal government and state attorneys general.

The settlement, which took effect in April, earmarked about $1.5 billion in payments for two million borrowers nationwide who lost their homes to foreclosure during that period and had their loan serviced by one of the settling servicers.

Miller says the exact payment will depend upon the total number of borrowers who decide to participate.

A Mexican citizen was sentenced in US District Court in Iowa on Friday.

Christian Riveros-Mendoza, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States Senior District Judge Ronald E. Longstaff also ordered Riveros-Mendoza to serve a two-year term of supervised release following incarceration.

On February 2, 2012, Riveros-Mendoza entered a guilty plea based on his distributing two ounces of methamphetamine to an uncover law enforcement officer in September of 2011. Riveros-Mendoza was arrested at the time of the sale and a search produced additional methamphetamine packaged for resale.

The investigation was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task

Force, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – First lady Michelle Obama will return to Iowa to speak with supporters at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Obama will focus her speech Friday on promoting voter registration and will tie her message to the second day of early voting in Iowa.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) – City officials in Urbandale say they have discussed plans for a $150 million casino and hotel complex in the Des Moines suburb, but some doubt the project will be built. Urbandale City Manager A.J. Johnson and community development director Paul Dekker met with representatives of Fair Grounds, LLC.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – More than 11,000 Iowans who lost a home to foreclosure from 2008 through 2011 are getting letters in the mail indicating they may be eligible for money from a settlement with banks. Attorney General Tom Miller says those eligible borrowed money for mortgages serviced by Ally/GMAC, Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Officials are crediting an improved economy for an increase in people flying out of The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids. Some 40,239 people boarded planes at the airport in August. The figure was about 15 percent higher than in August 2011.

Shelby County Emergency Manager Bob Seivert says today (Monday), that the Fire Danger level will remain in the “HIGH” category until further notice. Seivert cites wind conditions and low relative humidity.  The Fire Danger rating in Shelby County is based on input from local fire chiefs and the Emergency Manager, and weather factors.

No open burning will be allowed while Shelby County has a high fire danger.

The next update from Shelby County regarding fire danger is scheduled for Thursay.

A break in has been reported at the Iowa Pioneer Music Museum in Anita.  Bob Everhart, curator of the museum, says among the items that were stolen were two unauthenticated Johnny Cash harmonicas.

Everhart says the break-in likely occurred sometime within the past week or two.  He says the break in was discovered Friday night during intermission of a show at the Oak Tree Opry. Everhart says the thieves broke into a hidden window in the back of the building.

Everhart says he doesn’t understand the motivation behind the theft of the two Johnny Cash harmonicas.  He says since they have not been authenticated, the harmonicas really don’t have much value.

Besides the losses from the stolen items, the museum will also need to repair the hidden window the thieves used to break into the building.  He says since the museum doesn’t make any money, a benefit has been scheduled to help pay for the $500-$600 repairs.  That benefit will be held on October 12 at 7 PM at the Oak Tree Opry.

So far police do not have any leads on the thefts.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a single vehicle accident Saturday led the arrest of a Cumberland man.

Sometime on Saturday, 22-year-old Justin Dale Hardisty of Cumberland was driving a 1996 Jeep Cherokee south on 730^th Street when he lost control and went into the east ditch.

Hardisty was subsequently arrested for driving under suspension. He was released from the Cass County Jail the following day after pleading guilty to the charge of Driving Under Suspension.

Damage to the Jeep was estimated at $1,500.

Also on Saturday, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest 33-year-old Jon Allen Hansen Atlantic on a charge of simple domestic abuse assault.  Hansen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on his own recognizance.

Iowa farmers are taking advantage of good weather by harvesting corn and soybeans and moving it to grain elevators or on-farm storage. The U-S-D-A’s weekly crop progress report this afternoon (Monday) is expected to show Iowa’s fall harvest well ahead of average for late September. Brent Larson, who farms in the Fort Dodge area, says dry weather is speeding the harvest but it’s also contributing to grain losses.

Larson says there is some corn down because of strong winds, plus, there just hasn’t been enough moisture so some of the corn is so dry that it shatters when it hits the corn head of the combine. Larson farms about 400 acres of corn and soybeans. He says the dry weather has allowed him to finish harvesting most of his crops already.

“The corn’s nice and dry for the most part and so are the beans,” he says. “The yields have been all across the board. It really depends on soil type. The heavier soils are yielding well and almost up to a normal, average crop, and the lighter soils are really quite poor.” Larson says it’s a concern for next year, too, because farmers may be planting in dry soil.

There doesn’t seem to be any reserve moisture, Larson says, “and if we go into next spring like this, with no more extra moisture, it’s gonna be nip and tuck to get next year going well.” Some weather analysts believe the long-running drought will finally break in October, while other forecasters fear it may last into spring.