The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest on Friday of a couple on a child endangerment with no injury charge.  34-year-old Edgar Ralph Wilkins Jr. and 33-year-old Wendi Ann Wilkins were arrested at 8:14pm on Friday (2/24) at a residence on East Hammond Street in Red Oak.  The couple were being held on $2,000 bond each and no further details are available at this time.

Officials with the Iowa National Guard say they will host a rededication ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 3rd, commemorating the completed renovation of the Shenandoah Readiness Center, at 601 Ferguson Road, in Shenandoah. Guard Public Affairs Officer, Colonel Greg Hapgood, says Iowa National Guard leadership and representatives from federal, state, and local governments will participate in the ceremony. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the rededication ceremony.

Originally constructed in 1956, the Shenandoah project includes a complete renovation of the existing facility (approximately 16,556 square feet), and the addition of approximately 2,760 square feet to the facility. The existing facility received upgraded finishes, energy-efficient heating-ventilation-air conditioning systems, lighting, and windows. All parking areas were paved and exterior landscape and drainage were improved. New entrances were also constructed to the south and west.

The $2.3 million project also includes a renovated Recruiter office, Family Support office, a new Iowa Communications Network classroom and a newly-remodeled kitchen. The restrooms were upgraded and remodeled in an earlier project completed in 2007.

The Shenandoah Readiness Center is home to Company B, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard. Approximately 50 Soldiers are based at the Shenandoah Readiness Center.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Spring is right around the corner and to prove it, the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund recently donated $100 to the Atlantic Nursing and Rehab for the annual Easter Egg Hunt that is going to be held on Saturday, April 7th.

(photo courtesy Melanie Petty w/the Trevor Frederickson Foundation)

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The American Red Cross chapter that serves southwest Iowa is hosting what’s called a Mass Care Boot Camp starting next week for those interested in volunteering. Chapter spokeswoman Alyson Roach says the free event is a great way for those who were considering getting involved to learn about the program. Roach says, “It’s a chance for new volunteers to get to know the Red Cross and think of what they might fit into in the organization.” Roach says those who attend the boot camp will see what options are available to volunteers. How a person serves depends on their availability and lifestyle. Roach says some volunteers are able to travel and go to disaster sites for several weeks at a time, like last year’s tornado in Joplin, Missouri.

“We have volunteers who respond periodically to big disasters in other states,” she says. “Other volunteers respond weekly to house fires.” Roach says those attending the boot camp will be able to see what positions are available. She notes, volunteers are not assigned to certain areas but select how they want to help.

She says, “What a volunteer is available to do and what they want to train for is entirely up to that individual.” The goal of the free boot camp is to boost the number of local volunteers after last year’s busy storm season and Missouri River flood. The classes run February 27th through March 4th. Classes will be held in Omaha and in Council Bluffs. Learn more at “redcrossomaha.org”. 

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)

U-S Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt announced Thursday that two Clarinda men, 33-year old Edward Eugene Gray, Jr., and 23-year old Levi Edward Gray, were sentenced Tuesday, for their participation in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Edward Gray, Jr. to a total of 20-years in prison. The sentence included 180 months on the conspiracy charge and 60 months for possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense. Levi Gray was sentenced to 2-years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute charge. Both were sentenced to a term of five years supervised release.

According to the written plea agreement, from approximately January of 2004 until November of 2010, the Grays were involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Southwest Iowa and Northwest Missouri areas with co-conspirators Orvis Lee Wagaman, of College Springs, Iowa; Edward Eugene Gray, Sr., of Coin, Iowa; and others. In addition,  Edward Eugene Gray, Jr. was aware that a co-conspirator carried a firearm while distributing methamphetamine with Gray, Jr., and the possession of the firearm was in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. Wagaman, and Edward Gray, Sr., have entered guilty pleas to the drug conspiracy and are scheduled for sentencing on March 27th, 2012.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office (MO), Buchanan County Drug Strike Force
(MO), NITRO Task Force (MO), Tri County Task Force (Adams, Ringgold, and Taylor Counties), Ringgold County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, Page County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, and the Ringgold and Taylor County Attorneys’ Offices. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman, Thursday, said the County has chosen to do a county-wide mailing of voter registration cards this year as we have had Election Precinct changes based on the 2010 census and we have also had several voting center changes since the 2000 census.

Sunderman requests that you do not return the card if all the information is correct and you would be checking the top box (the one to the left of the statement “I am the registered voter named on this card, and I still live at the address listed.”)   It is not required that you return the card.  The cost to return each card to the County Auditor is over one dollar (about $1.08).

Iowa Code Section 48A.28(3) states that certain information must be placed upon the second half of the postcard used to send the new voter registration form.  The Code states: “The card shall contain boxes for the recipient to check to indicate one of the following:
(1)  That the recipient is the registered voter named on the card, and is still a resident at the address listed.
(2)  That the recipient is the registered voter named on the card, but is no longer a resident of the address listed.
(3)  That the recipient is not the registered voter named on the card, and the registered voter named on the card is not a resident of the address listed.

The Cass County Auditor notes that if the recipient needs to mark the box before the statement for number (2) or number (3), the recipient should return the card to the Cass County Auditor. However, if box number (1) applies, then the recipient does not need to return the card.   They may take the voter registration card, trim it if they wish, and place the new registration card wherever they choose to keep identification cards and discard the second half of the postcard.