Voters in the Audubon Community School District, Tuesday, approved the renewal of a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL), for another 10-years. Unofficial results from the Audubon County Auditor’s Office show there were 159 Yes and 4 No votes. 163 registered voters out of a possible 2,523 cast their ballots, Tuesday (a turnout of 6.46-percent).

The levy will fall into-place beginning with the 2019-20 budget year, and will not to exceed Sixty seven cents ($.67) per One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of the assessed valuation of the taxable property within the school district, commencing with the levy for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.

The levy, which was unchanged from the past years, will be used for any number of purposes, including, but not limited to: the purchase and improvement of grounds; the construction of schoolhouses or buildings and opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings; the purchase, lease or lease-purchase of equipment or technology exceeding $500 in value per purchase, lease or lease purchase transaction; repairing, remodeling, reconstructing, improving, or expanding schoolhouses or buildings and additions to existing schoolhouses; and the purchase of transportation equipment for transporting students and the repair of such transportation equipment if the cost of repair exceeds $2,500.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer today (Wednesday), released a report on arrests taking place since August 8th. Most recently, on Tuesday, 32-year old Jessy Richard Card, of Audubon, was arrested on an active felony parole warrant out of Wisconsin.  Card was transported to the Audubon County Jail where he is waiting for extradition to Wisconsin.  The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest. On Sept. 4th, 30-year old Jessica Lynn Pedrin, of Audubon, turned herself in on an Audubon Police Department warrant for Theft – 4^th degree and Theft – 5^th degree.  Pedrin was later released on promise to appear by the magistrate and is awaiting trial.

Two arrests occurred on August 24th. 43-year old Jeremy Charles Snyder, of Audubon, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Causing Injury.  Snyder was transported to the Audubon County Jail where he was held until sentencing on Aug. 27th on another charge.  The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest. And, 46-year old Verlyn Duane Richardson, of Audubon, was arrested for Assault Causing Injury and transported to the Audubon County Jail.  Richardson was later released on promise to appear by the magistrate and is awaiting trial.

On Aug. 16th, 27-year old Scott Nathaniel Belew, of Audubon, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension and Interference with Official Acts.  Belew was transported to the Audubon County Jail where he later pled guilty to both charges. And, on Aug. 8th, 32-year old Skielynn Stephens, of Audubon, was arrested on an active Carroll County Warrant.  Stephens was then released to the custody of Carroll County Law Enforcement.

Officials with the Creston Police Department report 40-year old Brandie Whitney, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center Tuesday morning, on a Union County Warrant for 5 counts of Compulsory Education Violation/3rd or subsequent offense. Whitney was being held in the Adams County jail on a $5000 bond.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A former University of Nebraska football player is scheduled to go on trial next week on charges that he cashed fraudulent checks at casinos in western Iowa. Pottawattamie County court records say 45-year-old Reggie Baul has pleaded not guilty to one count of theft, 15 counts of forgery and one of ongoing criminal conduct. He’s accused of cashing the checks from April into July at the Ameristar and Horseshoe casinos in Council Bluffs. His trial is set to start Tuesday.

Baul joined the Husker football team as a receiver in 1993 and played through two national championship seasons. Baul has served jail time in Nebraska for drug and other crimes since.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on separate charges, of two women from Creston. Authorities say 59-year old Kathy Beemer was arrested on a felony charge of Forgery, and Theft in the Third Degree (an Aggravated Misdemeanor). Beemer was being held at the Taylor County Jail on $5,000 bond. And, 41-year old Crystal Huddleston was arrested on an active Taylor County Warrant for Violating the Terms of Probation. Huddleston was being held at the Taylor County Jail, pending an appearance before the Magistrate.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines woman is accused of binding her children by the hands or feet to keep them under control. Polk County court records say 38-year-old Jessica Henderson is charged with child endangerment. Her next court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 22.
School officials contacted police last month about a photograph taken in March that shows the children tied up on the floor. Authorities haven’t said who took the photograph. Police Sgt. Paul Parizek says the children aged 9, 5 and 4 years were taken to a hospital but had suffered no significant injuries.
Henderson told Des Moines station KCCI that a friend of hers bound the children when she was in another room.

Voters in the Treynor and Council Bluffs Community School Districts approved separate Bond issue referendums during special elections held Tuesday.  Patrons of the Council Bluffs School District just barely approved a $37 million dollar bond issue for renovations at two middle schools. Unofficial results from the Pottawattamie County Auditor’s Office indicate the bond issue for projects at Kirn and Wilson Middle Schools received 1,283 yes votes–or 60.98%–to 828 no votes–or 39.04%. A 60% supermajority was necessary in order for the bond issue to pass.

The Treynor School District Bond issue garnered more favorable results.  Unofficial show the $11.5-million bond issue for a long list of projects, was approved by a vote of 480-to-113, or 81.9-percent, which was well above the 60% approval required. Among the proposed improvements for the Treynor School District, is additional classrooms at the high school for increased enrollment, a new fine arts complex at the high school–including a new auditorium plus new vocal and band areas–renovation of the existing auditorium into a new wrestling area–including locker rooms and storage, renovation of the district’s weight room, and updated sprinkler and HVAC systems.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 32-year old Joseph Robert Nunn, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 10:40-p.m. Tuesday. Nunn was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,000. Deputies were assisted by the Montgomery County K-9 Unit.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County said Tuesday, that four people had been arrested recently, and one breaking/entering/theft was reported. Taken into custody last Sunday, was: 52-year old Brett Duane George, of Creston, for OWI/2nd offense, and 48-year old Dana Lynn Hudson, of Afton, for Simple Assault. Hudson was issued a citation to appear in court and released. George was later released on a $2,000 bond.

Last Saturday, 37-year old Megan Marie Brown, of Lorimor, was arrested in Union County on a warrant for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order. She was later released on a $300 bond. And, 30-year old Casey Lee Tucker, of Lorimor, was arrested for Simple Assault. Tucker was issued a citation to appear in court, and released.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, an Urbandale man reported on Sept. 7th, that his property in Thayer had been broken into, and a trail camera was stolen. The incident happened sometime over the past couple of weeks. The loss was estimated at $200.