The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports three people were arrested Wednesday morning (today), all within a span of about 30-minutes. 22-year old Justin Caleb Sunderman, of Red Oak, was arrested for Failure to Appear on a Red Oak City Parking violation. Bond was set at $300.

85-year old Lois M. Nelson, of Red Oak, was arrested for Assault, in connection with an incident which allegedly occurred at the Red Oak Post Office. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy Todd Dollen said employees at the U.S. Post Office in Red Oak accused Nelson of shoplifting. As an employee tried to recover the undisclosed item, Nelson allegedly hit the victim in the shoulder and spit on his face. She was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and later posted a $300 bond.

And, 47-year old Mark Douglas Berggren, of Red Oak, was arrested for Failure to Appear on an original violation of a No Contact Order. His bond was set at $4,000.

(12-p.m. News)

A Cass County resident is suing the City of Atlantic for sexual discrimination, in violation of the Iowa Civil Rights Act. According to documents filed Monday in Cass County District Court, Laurine Price, of Atlantic filed suit Feb. 25th, alleging the City’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors refused to hire her for the Parks and Rec Director’s position, or Assistant Director’s position. She has requested a jury trial.

Price claims she was denied an interview three separate times, when the Parks and Rec Director’s job became open in May 2008 and in 2010. She says she was also denied an interview in the fall of 2014, when the Department made it known they would soon be looking for an Assistant Director. In each instance, a man was hired for the job.

In her lawsuit, Price says a Parks Board member told her “The Board questioned whether a woman would be capable of handling the physical requirements of the Director Position.” Price says in two instances, the Board hired a man with less experience than she has. According to a fact sheet included in the lawsuit, Price has a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreational Therapy and at the time of her first application, nine-years of experience in the field of recreations, which made her “Well-qualified for the Director position.”

Court documents say when the Board began taking applications for the Assistant Parks and Rec Department Director, she reviewed the job posting and job description and determined she was qualified for the position. After sending the required materials (Cover letter, three letters of recommendation and resume) to Director Roger Herring, Price said Herring responded on Dec. 5th, 2014, with a job description that included additional requirements not originally posted on the Iowa Parks and Recreation website on Nov. 28th.

Specifically, the new job description required applicants to dead lift 70 pounds, have a valid Iowa Driver’s license and be able to operate power tools, requirements which Price acknowledged in an e-mail back to Herring, that she could meet. The lawsuit says Herring worked with the Parks Board to screen candidates, and again passed her over for an interview. Ultimately, the Board hired Seth Stasshelm, who, according to the suit, says has “less relevant work experience,” than Price.

The lawsuit seeks a judgment that will “Fully and fairly compensate her for her injuries [mental and emotional distress, anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, lost enjoyment of life, medical expenses, lost wages, benefits, future earnings” and other aspects of employment]. It also seeks reimbursement for relevant legal fees and court costs.

Atlantic Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring was not immediately available for comment on the matter.

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County arrested a Clarinda man Tuesday night, for Interference with Official Acts. 55-year old Shane Richard Roder was taken into custody as the result of being served a Protection Order at a residence in Clarinda. Roder was being held in the Page County Jail.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), reviewed the County Compensation Board’s recommendations for salary increases for elected officials (Attorney, Auditor, Recorder, Treasurer, Sheriff and Board of Supervisors), but voted unanimously to adopt a Resolution cutting the amount of proposed increases in half. The increases will amount instead to: $1,500 for the Attorney, Auditor, Recorder and Treasurer; $2,500 for the Sheriff, and $600 for the Supervisors.

The Board also approved the Fiscal Year 2016-17 County Budget, which amounts to $18.35-million, or an increase of $2.15-million. The tax asking for the upcoming Fiscal Year is $5.32 per $1,000 valuation Countywide (a decrease of about 2-cents per thousand dollars from the last fiscal year) and $9.76 for the unincorporated areas that receive gas and electric utility service (a decrease of nearly 3.5-cents per thousand from last year). The Supervisors also approved the Cass County Secondary Roads Department Budget amounting to $5.63-million, and the purchase of two rolling  dump truck chassis with Allison transmissions. The low bid from Freightliner (with trade-ins) amounted to $149,754.

In other business, the Supervisors approved the appointment of two County Medical Examiner Investigators to assist Dr. Elaine Berry. The investigators, Allison Bruckner and Darci Young, both Registered Nurses at the Cass County Hospital, are in the process of being fully trained for the job, and will be paid $200 per call, effective immediately, an increase of $100 from last year. Their terms expire in two-years. Auditor Dale Sunderman pointed out M.E. Investigator fees in other counties can amount to as much as $500 per hour.

And, the Board acted on approving a Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council request to proclaim April as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in Cass County, which entails the placing of a sign and blue/silver pinwheels, in the flower garden areas on the south side of the Cass County Courthouse.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad has signed a bill into law that will keep most juvenile delinquency records confidential in Iowa. Branstad signed the legislation Wednesday at the Iowa Capitol, following overwhelming support in the Republican-majority House and the Democratic-controlled Senate. It also has the support of several advocacy groups. The measure is part of Branstad’s efforts to address criminal justice reform in Iowa.

The law will keep juvenile court records confidential unless otherwise ordered by a judge. The local NAACP says it will help youth who may struggle in the future to find work or educational opportunities because an old court record is disclosed. The law will apply to juvenile court proceedings that are pending or arise after July 1, when the measure goes into effect.