After a comprehensive search that started in the spring of 2015, the board of directors and staff of the Museum of Danish America are announcing the selection of Rasmus Thøgersen as its new executive director.

Thøgersen (pronounced too-er-sen) is from Hellerup, the suburb north of Copenhagen in Denmark. He is presently the director of the Morton-James Public Library in Nebraska City, Nebraska, and completed his bachelor’s degree from The Royal School of Library and Information Science at the University of Copenhagen. He holds a joint master’s degree from the Universities of Oslo, Parma an­d Tallinn.

Thøgersen will begin his work at the museum on December 1, ahead of the planned retirement of current director Dr. John Mark Nielsen, who has led the museum in the position since 2003. The pair will work together over a two-month period of transition.

In his application package Thøgersen noted, “Beyond my qualifications, I represent the very narrative being told by the museum. Originally a librarian from Denmark, an undergraduate study abroad experience in the U.S. spurred me toward international opportunities – in Belgium, Norway, Estonia, Italy, Switzerland, and New Zealand.  In 2014 I followed my wife back to her native Nebraska. (Jennifer is on the faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.) Over the next year, I acquired my green card, becoming the director of the Morton-James Public Library. I consider myself a Danish-American achiever and take a great deal of pride in that identity.”

Thøgersen’s role will include both strategic and operational components, from day-to-day administrative responsibilities to the development of strategic plans that advance the museum’s position as the national museum for Danish-American heritage and culture. He will also assure continued compliance with legal, financial, accounting and ethical requirements, including the standards and practices set forth by the American Alliance of Museums, with whom the museum is currently in the process of becoming accredited.

Nielsen remarked, “Since this past March, I have met with Rasmus a number of times, and he has an engaging personality.  He brings experiences and skill sets that complement an already strong staff – a staff that also shares my excitement.”

More about the Museum of Danish America can be found at danishmuseum.org. Welcome messages can be posted to the museum’s Facebook page: facebook.com/danishmuseum.

Coming up in the month of October the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the County Engineer and the Iowa State Patrol will work to make our roads safer as part of the High 5 Rural Traffic Safety Project.

The project is funded by the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau and uses traffic data to target areas of the state with a high crash rate and low seat belt usage.  The goal is to increase seat belt use and decrease crashes by improving roadways and changing driver behavior.

Drivers need to take driving seriously.  Buckle up, pay attention to the road, and slow down.  Be part of the solution by being a safe driver.

cass-co-hi-5-poster

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports that their office is currently investigating a couple of recent incidents of theft in the area.

On September 20th the Page County Sheriff’s Office started an investigation for a burglary that occurred at 2971 270^th Street in Page County on the east side of Clarinda.  The burglary occurred sometime between 7:30 PM on September 19th and 6:30 AM September 20, 2016.  The property owner Terry New reported several guns stolen from the residence along with other items missing or damaged.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office has been actively investigating this incident along with others.  Several of the items New reported have been recovered including guns.

This incident continues to be investigated.  Information will be released when more is available.

Also on September 23, 2016 at approximately 6:40 PM, The Page County Sheriff’s Office received a report from Jeffrey David Mulkins of Clarinda of theft from a building in the 2900 block of 265^th Street, East of Shambaugh.  During the investigation Deputies determined that a black Hull utility trailer with ramp, a white Texaco Sign, a Stihl weed eater, and a Stihl leaf blower were stolen from a building on the property.  This incident remains under investigation.  Anyone with information about this theft is asked to call the Page County Sheriff’s Office @ 712-542-5193 or their local Law Enforcement agency.

Audubon County Emergency Management is warning residents and emergency personnel of an upcoming road closure to replace a bridge with a culvert.  The 3000 block of 350th Street will be closed beginning on Monday, October 3rd and will continue to be closed for approximately two weeks, weather permitting.

Crews will be working to replace the the bridge near the middle of the mile on 350th Street between Thrush Avenue and Union Avenue (Akron Road in Cass County), south of Audubon Township section 36.

It is requested that emergency personnel plan alternate routes for emergency response to nearby residents as the work is completed.

If you have any questions, please call the Audubon County Engineer at 712-563-4286.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office and Glenwood Police Department both released information on recent arrests Tuesday.

On Friday, September 23rd Mill County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 46-year-old Lazarus Kirmi Kirigia of Corning for OWI 2^nd offense. The arrest was made at 1:34pm and Kirigia was taken to the Mills County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.

Also on Friday Deputies arrested 60-year-old Curtis Gene Moree of Shenandoah for Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Driving Under Suspension. The arrest was made at 10:03pm and bond was set at $1,600.

On Sunday Mill County Deputies arrested 78-year-old Ronald Walter Klinker of Hastings for Driving While License Barred at 11:22am. He was taken into custody and held on $2,000 bond.

Also Sunday the Mills County Sheriff’s Office arrested 50-year-old Guadalupe Altuzar-Cabrera of Omaha, NE for OWI 1^st Offense. The arrest was made on Highway 34 at 5:44pm. Bond was set at $1,000.

On Monday, September 26th Mill County Sheriff’s Officials arrested 43-year-old Dwayne Darrel Rollins of Atlantic on a Warrant for Failure to Appear regarding Child Support. He was arrested at the Courthouse at 12:52pm and held on $1,000 bond.

Also on Monday Glenwood Police arrested 56-year-old Carl Carlson of Shenandoah for Theft 5^th Degree. Bond was set at $300 cash or surety.

An Omaha man was apprehended after a chase through Montgomery and Mills Counties early Tuesday morning.  50-year-old Steven Kurt Battle was arrested on charges of Eluding, Possession of a Controlled Substance Methamphetamine, Possession of Controlled Substance Marijuana OWI Drugged 1st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He is being held at the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 cash bond.

The ordeal began when Red Oak Police were called to the Kum and Go store on Broadway Street in Red Oak for a reported suspicious person.  When officers arrived they found a tan 2005 Mercury Mountaineer with Nebraska plates running in the parking lot with a male subject passed out in the driver’s seat.  As officers attempted to wake up the man, whom was later determined to be Battle, they observed illegal narcotics inside the vehicle.  When Battle became alert he placed the vehicle into gear and sped away.

A pursuit then began on Broadway Street north to Highway 34 with the vehicle then heading west on 34.  The vehicle reached speeds between 80-100mph and continued to the Glenwood area where Glenwood Police were able to successfully deploy stop sticks that punctured the front tires of the Mountaineer.  The vehicle continued west to near Hillman Road in Mills County and came to a stop. Battle was then arrested without further incident.  Red Oak Police are working with the Omaha Police Department as the vehicle is possibly stolen out of the Omaha area.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, and Glenwood Police assisted the Red Oak PD during the incident.