Representatives with the U-S Postal service will be in Cumberland next week to discuss the possible closure of the community’s Post Office. The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled for 6-p.m. Mon., Nov. 14th, It will be held in the Cumberland Community Building.  Residents of the community have been signing petitions voicing their objection to the possible closing. The petitions can be found at the Cumberland Telephone Office, 21st Century Co-op, the Cumberland City Hall, and Cumberland Library. In addition, a questionnaire has been mailed to residents of the community. Organizers of the petition are encouraging those who have received the mailing to fill it out and return it as soon as possible. They also encourage you to send letters to Representatives Steve King and Leonard Boswell, along with Senators Grassley and Harkin.

There are nearly 270 small Post Offices around the State which could be on the chopping block. Officials say the Postal Service lost $8.5 billion in its most recent fiscal year, the largest net loss in its history. It began a push in January to close 2,000 post offices nationwide (out of 32,000) in order to save money by any means possible. In July, the USPS announced that it was reviewing the use of 3,700 of its 32,000 offices nationwide, for possible closure.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports five people were arrested over the past week. On Friday, 32-year old Shonna Shondell Rakes, of Riverside, was arrested for 5th degree theft. Last Thursday, 32-year old Vernon Lee Humphrey, of Omaha, was arrested for Trespassing, and on a U-S Marshall’s warrant. Also arrested Thursday, was 29-year old Aurora Jeanne Campbell, of Council Bluffs, on a charge of Trespassing, and, 38-year old George Anthony Ferrell, of Council Bluffs, who was arrested for Trespassing and 5th degree theft.

On Wednesday, 36-year old Tracie Lou Payne, of Rockport, MO., was arrested on charges of Child Endangerment,  4th degree Criminal Mischief and Reckless Driving.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Adair County Sheriff’s office reports a Stuart man was arrested Friday on multiple drug charges, following the execution of search warrants at two separate residences in Adair County. Officials say 35-year old Thomas Lee Caldwell, of Stuart, was charged with: Manufacturing methamphetamine; Possession of Lithium as a precursor; Possession of anhydrous ammonia as a precursor; Possession of pseudoephedrine as a precursor; Manufacturing marijuana; Possession of Meth & Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Caldwell was taken into custody, but escaped Saturday afternoon. Officials say at around 12:45-p.m., Adair County’s three inmates were allowed out of their cell to shower and exercise. While in a chain link, fenced-in exercise area attached to the south side of the jail, Caldwell climbed the fence and was somehow able to make his way through the 12-foot high “ceiling” portion of the fence. He fled the area on foot before stealing a 1992 Chevy pickup parked in the 200-block of East Iowa Street, in Greenfield.

Caldwell was captured about 75-minutes later near his residence in the 1800 block of Sheldon Avenue in Adair County. The pickup was recovered near his residence, in a wooded area. Caldwell was being held in the Adair County Jail on $125,000 bond for the drug charges, and on Escape from Custody and Theft of a Motor vehicle charges.  The investigation into his drug activities continues, and additional arrests are expected.

Saturday’s escape from the 108-year old jail in Greenfield was the second in six-years. During the afternoon of January 25th, 2005, 31-year old Nick LeRoy Briner escaped an outside exercise area at the jail. Briner freed himself by wrenching loose part of a chain-link fence and separated the wire at the bottom of fence. He stole two pickup trucks and was eventually arrested in Missouri.

His escape prompted the county to seek voter approval for a new jail and Public Safety Center to replace the facility currently in existence.  A 2.8-million dollar bond referendum was approved by voters in Adair County in May 2010. When complete, the new jail will house the Sheriff’s and Greenfield Police Department offices, and a new E-9-1-1 dispatch center. The facility is expected to open in January 2012.

Voters in the listening area will be heading to their polling places to cast ballots in the General election, Tuesday, November 8th. In most areas, the polls open at Noon and close at 8-p.m. However, in Cass County, the polls will open at different times, depending on where you live. Atlantic polling centers for Wards 1, 4 and 5 will open at Noon and close at 8-p.m., but the polling centers for Atlantic Ward 2/Grove 2 Township and Ward 3, will open at 7-a.m. and close at 9-p.m., because a Special County Election for Supervisor District 2 is being conducted at those two voting centers, along with the regular City election. All other precincts in the County will open at Noon and close at 8-p.m. A list of the polling places in Cass County is available on our website at www.kjan.com. Click on the “Daily Diary” page and scroll down.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman says there is no candidate for the 4-year Mayoral term in Anita, and three persons running for two, four-year seats on the City Council. They include Jeff Bohnsack, Thomas Harris and Angel Lea McCollough. In Cumberland, Nancy Virginia Couglin is the lone candidate for Mayor, and Sandra Armstrong is a candidate for one of two seats on the City Council. There is no candidate for the other seat.

In Griswold, Victoria Jones is in the running for Mayor, and there are just two candidates for three open seats on the City Council. That includes Lisa Cook and Larry Mundorf. The residents of Griswold will also vote on whether or not to approve the establishment of a Capital Improvements Reserve Fund, which would mean the levying of taxes of up to 67.5-cents per thousand dollars of taxable valuation per year, for a maximum of 20-years, beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2013. The levy would be used to fund flood mitigation efforts, procedures and strategies in the City of Griswold.

In Lewis, Don Cohrs is running for Mayor. Three people, including incumbent Duane Scott Anderson, Sarah Cohrs, and Bethany Nichols, are running for the three, four-year seats on the City Council. In Marne, incumbent Mayor Randy Baxter is running unopposed for re-election, while six people are running for five open seats on the Council. They include incumbents James Hoffman, Lanny Kite, Dennis Preister and Angela Redler, along with challengers Alan Cranston and Randy Henningsen. In Massena, no candidate has filed to run for Mayor, and three persons have filed for the three seats on the Council, including incumbent Linda Reineke, and newcomers Adam McCunn, along with Gloria Waters. In Wiota, Kathryn Havens is the lone candidate for Mayor, while Erik Johnson, Jon Schwarte, Ray Zellmer and incumbent Lamar Spies are in the running for two seats on the City Council.

In Atlantic, there are two seats open on the City Council because Kern Miller and Pat Simmons opted not to run for re-election. Ashley K. Hayes is unopposed for the 3rd Ward Council seat, and Chris Jimmerson in unopposed for the 1st Ward seat. Atlantic 4th Ward Councilperson Linda Hartkopf and At Large Councilman Dana Halder, are both running for re-election, and are also unopposed. Two women are running for seats on the City’s Parks and Recreation Board. Incumbent Mary Strong seeks re-election, while Jolene Smith looks to fill a seat being vacated by Board Chair Nancy Frederickson.

Five candidates will appear on the ballot for the Cass County District 2 Board of Supervisors seat – which was created by the death of Supervisor Chuck Kinen. The names include Gaylord Schelling, Don Lappe, Pat McCurdy, Jeff Richter, and Kathy Somers.

There are some hotly-contested races in this year’s General election. In Adair County: Three people are in the running to become Mayor in Fontanelle, including Lynn E. Eddy, R. Scott Homan, and Gregory S. Jackson. And, 9 people hope to fill three At Large seats on the city council. In Adair, Danny J. Claussen, Kelby Harris and Dennis J. Weigel are running for Mayor, four candidates are running for three At Large seats on the council, and three people are running for two vacancy seats on the council.

In Adams County: Corning incumbent Mayor Guy Brace faces a challenge from Judith Butcher and Janet E. Scheilz-Wood. There are no contested races in Carbon, where one city council position will be filled by a write-in vote. One council position will also be filled by write-in in Nodaway, and the Mayor’s job in Prescott will have to be filled by a write-in vote. Two write-in candidates will fill to At-Large positions on the council in Prescott, as well.

In Montgomery County: five candidates are in the running for the title of Mayor in Red Oak, where Ted Schoonover has opted not to run for re-election. And, three candidates are vying to become Mayor in Villisca. Voters in Red Oak’s three wards and Coburg will cast their ballots at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds’ Gold building.

In Shelby County: There is a three-way race for Mayor in Harlan, where Gary Christiansen has decided against running for re-election after serving in that position since January, 2000. There are also two persons in the race to fill the 4th Ward city council seat being vacated by Rhonda Brown, a 10-year member of the Harlan City Council. In Defiance, 2 incumbents and two challengers are running for city council. In Shelby, seven people are running for three seats on the city council. In Tennant, four people, including two incumbents, are also running for three open seats on the council.

In Guthrie County: three candidates are hoping to become Mayor in Guthrie Center, including incumbent Dennis Kunkle. There are also four people, including two incumbents running for three seats on the city council. In Adair, three candidates are vying to become Mayor. Five people are in the running for three At-Large seats on the city council, with three other candidates squaring-off for two vacancy positions on the council. In Bagley, five people are on the ballot for three council seats. Two are hoping to fill a vacancy term, while other three hope to fill two, four-year council positions. In Jamaica, four persons are on the ballot for two seats on the city council, and incumbent Mayor Hal Meinecke is being challenged by Jayanna Corbin. In Stuart, there are three candidates on the ballot for two council seats, including two incumbents. And, in Yale, there are four persons vying for two seats on the city council, including two incumbents.

There are no contested races in Audubon County.  In Pottawattamie County:  James Maassen is running unopposed for Mayor in Avoca, with incumbent Scott Pigsley not seeking another term. Incumbent Fred Miller and newcomers Marcella Deschamp, Jeff Gubbels, Sandy Petersen and Deanna Scroggie are vying for two City Council seats.

William Heitert and Eric Weuve face off for mayor in Carson, the winner replacing Lyndon Taylor, who’s not running. Five candidates — Richelle Alff, Victor Ayers, Troy Graves, Callie Kallsen and Clifford Pracht — will battle for two council seats.

The Hancock mayoral race features three candidates: incumbent Wayne Bivens and newcomers Jeff Gress and John Hayes. Newcomers Darwin Brockman and Herb Handel join incumbents Cyndi Guyer and James Kock in a race for three council seats.

Underwood Mayor Dennis Bardsley faces newcomer Robert Achenbach, while incumbents Robert Dose and Todd Erwin, along with newcomer Rhonda Johnson, are candidates for three council seats.

Richard Armstrong and O. Dean Olson are candidates for mayor in Minden. Patrick McFadden and Kevin Zimmerman are running unopposed for two council seats. John Wellman is running unopposed to fill the seat vacated by Brian Lund, who resigned.

Macedonia Mayor Terry Pullen runs unopposed, while Mitchell Easton, Terry Franks, Daniel Lajko, Bradley Swope and Donald Tye are candidates for three council seats.

Incumbent Lon Ring faces Jason Zaborowski for Neola mayor, while incumbents John Herbert Brich, Joe Munch and Aaron Wellman, as well as newcomer Pete Sorenson vie for three council seats.

In Oakland, Betsy Moniz is the only candidate for two available council seats. Debbie Rollins and Joe Wede are not seeking re-election.

Walnut Mayor Gene Larsen is running unopposed. Newcomer Marye Bierbaum and incumbent Kathleen Humann are running unopposed for two council seats. Tony Zimmerman is not seeking re-election.

In Treynor, Bryce Poland is running unopposed to replace Mayor Charles Killion, who isn’t running. Incumbent Allen Hadfield is the only candidate on the ballot for two council seats.

Republican Congressman Steve King says the weekend debate he moderated between Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain was a bit like a prize fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frasier.  “I expected that and it unfolded that way,” King says. “Newt — he’s got all the policy, all the moves — floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee. He didn’t really sting anybody. He was very congenial though and I thought…’That’s real good Newt, but you’d better watch out for Herman’s right hook,’ and it was kind of how it went.” The 90-minute forum was held in Houston, Texas, and King says it wasn’t a confrontation between the two men, but a discussion in which the two men aggressively laid out their ideas. 

“Newt used up more airtime than Herman did,” King says. “But when Herman used his airtime, he landed good blows.” King let Cain ask the last question of the night. “He asked Newt what he’d like his first directive to be if he were vice president,” King says, laughing. Gingrich joked that he would not go hunting, a reference to the 2006 accident when then-Vice President Dick Cheney shot a hunting companion in the face. Cain has indicated Gingrich would be one of his top choices for a running mate. Saturday night’s event was a fundraiser for the Texas Patriots Political Action Committee.

(Radio Iowa)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Deer are in the spotlight – or headlights – in Iowa. The state has already recorded the highest rate of vehicle-deer collisions for November. Joe Wilkinson of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says there are three main reasons. It’s the rutting season. The harvest is almost done and deer have lost a primary hiding spot in corn fields. Daylight hours are growing shorter, which means dawn and dusk, when deer are most active, closely coincide when people are heading to and from work. The deer road kill count in Iowa in 2010 was about 10,000. Wilkinson says nearly a fourth of the dead deer along rural highways and interstates were counted in November. The rest was counted over the 11 other months.

In an update to a story we first posted on kjan.com this morning, two people have been arrested after a high-speed chase that ended in a Pottawattamie County corn field. The Iowa State Patrol says the pursuit began this (Sunday) morning on Interstate 29 near Glenwood, when the pair drove off without paying for gas. Speeds topped 100 miles an hour. The suspects, a man and a woman, crashed the pickup a corn field near 272nd and Juniper Streets, between McClelland and Underwood.  Authorities used k-9 units and an airplane to conduct a search of the area. The suspects were found hiding in a ravine, and surrendered without incident at 10:17-a.m..  

The patrol says the vehicle they were in had been stolen from South Carolina, where it was involved in a police chase on Tuesday. The unidentified suspects were booked into the county jail on charges and numerous outstanding warrants spanning several states.