The 2018 Guthrie County Fair begins Thursday (8/30) and continues through Monday, Sept. 3rd, in Guthrie Center. There is no admission to the fair, which features numerous events and activities during its run. Carnival rides are free. The grandstand is the site for: Mutton Busting and Rodeo, Friday at 6:30-p.m; music from the “Pork Tornadoes” Saturday, at 8-p.m., and Figure 8 racing Sunday, starting at 7-p.m.  In addition, there’ll be several livestock shows, with 4-H and FFA members showing-off their Horses, Swine, Rabbits, Sheep and Goats. The Beef Show is Sunday at 10-a.m.

The Guthrie County Fair Parade starts at 10-a.m. Saturday, and there’s all sorts of entertainment this weekend. There’s also a new, 100-foot addition to the pen barn added to the fairgrounds last year, which will enable many more cow and calf pens to be available. For more information on the Guthrie County Fair, go to https://www.guthriecountyfair.com/

WOODWARD, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa school district official was arrested Tuesday on theft charges for allegedly embezzling nearly $217,000 over the course of several years. 35-year old Melissa Lee Lantz, who resigned as the Woodward-Granger Community School District’s business manager shortly after being placed on administrative leave last August, was arrested on first-degree theft charges at the Dallas County Jail, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said in a statement. She later posted bond and was released.

The arrest follows a state audit that found more than $270,000 in improper and unsupported disbursements by the district over five years, including 101 checks that Lantz issued to herself on top of her authorized paychecks. Those additional checks, which weren’t approved by the school board, ranged from $315 to $6,500, according to the auditors, who forwarded their findings to the authorities.

District officials who were concerned about Lantz’s actions requested the audit.
Auditors said it was impossible to determine whether more payroll checks were improperly issued, because time sheets before June 15, 2013, were not available. It also wasn’t possible to determine whether all district collections were properly deposited, because sufficient records were not available, the report said.

In addition to the $217,000 in unauthorized checks, the audit found improper disbursements including nearly $12,000 in health and dental insurance premiums that were paid for people after they had stopped working for the district and $14 for excess mileage in a reimbursement check issued to Lantz.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested on drug charges Monday afternoon in the area of 221st Street and Highway 34. 24-year old Elizabeth Carrie Lynn Heinrich, of Council Bluffs was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Henirch, and a passenger in her vehicle, 25-year old Austin Charles Harmon, of Crescent, were also both charged with Possession of Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Interference with Official Acts. Heinrich’s bond was set at $4,600, while Harmon was being held on a $3,600 bond.

Monday evening, 33-year old Robyn Leigh Salmons, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Failure to Appear. Bond was set at $1,000. And, 25-year old Patrick Allen Eggerling, of Avoca, was arrested Monday night for Driving Under Suspension, with bond set at $300.

Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns, Tuesday, said another candidate has filed nomination papers for a non-partisan office. Richard Hoffman, an incumbent, filed his papers to run for the second position as Union Township Trustee. He joins fellow incumbent Daryl Schrier on the ballot in November.

There is still one open position to fill in Cass County, and that is a seat on the Soil and Water Conservation Board. Candidates have until 5-p.m. Wednesday to submit their completed nomination forms to the County Auditor’s Office.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 27-year-old Cody Keen Blystone of Red Oak on a valid Red Oak PD Warrant for Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card. Blystone was arrested at the Mills County Jail on Tuesday at 11:14am and transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he was held on $2,000 cash bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa is challenging city ordinances that prevent homeless people from asking for money in public places saying the local laws are unconstitutional. The ACLU of Iowa says it sent on Tuesday formal demand letters to Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and Grimes insisting that they repeal their bans on panhandling. ACLU of Iowa legal director Rita Bettis Austen says it’s part of a larger effort with other organizations to notify cities in 12 states that such ordinances are unconstitutional.

The ACLU says a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision set a new standard for protected speech resulting in more than 25 city anti-panhandling ordinances being declared unconstitutional. At least 31 cities repealed ordinances.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Family members say former Speaker of the Iowa House and former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Dale Cochran has died. Iowa Rep. John Forbes, Cochran’s son-in-law, says Cochran died Monday in West Des Moines. He was 89. Cochran, a Democrat, was elected to the Iowa House in 1964. He served as House speaker from 1975 to 1979.

He was first elected Iowa secretary of agriculture in 1986 and served three terms, retiring from the job in 1999. Born in Fort Dodge in 1928, Cochran farmed for more than 40 years while serving in elected positions.
He is survived by his wife, Jeannene, three daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The funeral is scheduled for Friday at Dunn’s Funeral Home in Des Moines, with burial in Fort Dodge.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports several arrests. On Sunday, 33-year old Melanie Marie Morris, of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1^st Offense. Morris was released later that day on her own recognizance.  On August 22nd, Cass County Deputies arrested 39-year old Craig Robert Olson, of Griswold, on a charge of Trespass. Olson was taken to the Cass County Jail and released on his own recognizance later that day.

On Aug. 17th, 35-year old Anthony James Batiste, of Omaha, was arrested in Cass County for OWI 1^st Offense. Batiste was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance. On Aug. 16th, 43-year old Deborah Gail York, and 44-year old Preston Allen Lindberg, both of Casey, were each arrested on a warrant out of Guthrie County. Their arrests took place following a traffic stop. York and Lindberg were taken to the Cass County Jail and transferred the following day to Guthrie County authorities. Also arrested Aug. 16th, was 60-year old William Perry McDaniel, of Council Bluffs. He was arrested for  OWI 1^st Offense, brought to the Cass County Jai,l and released later that day on $1000 bond.

And, on Aug. 15th, 23-year old River Dean Pecha-Nichols, of Griswold, was arrested by Cass County Deputies, on a charge of Theft 4^th Degree. Pecha-Nichols was taken to the Cass County Jail and released on his own recognizance the following day.

VINTON, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa couple who kept hundreds of animals in and outside their home have been given two years of probation for child endangerment. Benton County court records say 36-year-old Marshall Galkowski and 38-year-old Barbara Galkowski have pleaded guilty. They received deferred judgments, which mean their convictions can be removed from court records if they complete their probation terms.
Among the terms are limits on how many animals they can have in their Vinton home: fish, one dog, two cats and up to an additional six small animals inside the residence in a properly maintained cage.
In January officials found hundreds of animals in the Galkowskis’ house and garage, including rabbits, rats, mice, hedgehogs, turtles, birds, guinea pigs, gerbils and a ball python. Several carcasses also were found.

Sheriff’s officials in Shelby County, today (Tuesday), issued a long report on arrests. Most recently, on Aug. 21st, 53-year-old Ross Alan Roecker, of Manilla, was arrested on a charge of driving while revoked. He was also cited for no insurance and no seat belt.   Roecker was transported the Shelby County Jail where he was processed and posted a $1,000 cash bond.   A passenger in the same vehicle, identified as 49-year-old Jody Ann Rhodes, of Dunlap, was arrested for possession of controlled substance (meth) and also possession of drug paraphernalia.  Rhodes was released the following day on her own recognizance. That same day,41-year-old Mary Marie Reseter, of Woodbine, was arrested following a traffic stop on Highway 59.  Reseter was charged with possession of controlled substance (meth).  She was transported to the Shelby County jail and processed without incident.  Reseter was held under a $1,000 cash/surety bond after initial appearance.  She later posted bond and was released.

On Aug. 20th, Shelby County Deputies arrested 31-year-old Bradley Allen Hess, of Harlan, following complaints filed of a violation of no contact order.  Hess was transported the Shelby County Jail without incident and held without bond until appearance in front of the judge.  He was later released on a $1,000 cash/surety bond. On Aug. 18th, 18-year-old Preston Max Russell, of Kirkman, was charged with OWI 1^st offense, stemming from earlier investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.  Russell had initial appearance with magistrate the following morning and was released from custody.

On Aug. 14th, 24-year-old Dylan Michael Jager, of Elk Horn, was charged with Criminal Mischief 2^nd Degree (a Class D Felony), and Simple Assault. His arrested was the result of an investigation.  Jager was booked into the Shelby County Jail without incident, and later posted the $5300 surety bond before being released from custody.   As a result of the same investigation, 45-year-old Brian Kelly Jager, also of Elk Horn, was also arrested and charged with Simple Assault. He was released later that evening on a $300 bond. Also arrested Aug. 14th, was 33-year-old Aaron Robert McCutcheon, of Harlan. He was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant for original charges filed back in May.  Those charges include a Controlled Substance Violation and Possession of Controlled Substance.  In June 2018, McCutcheon had posted bond through the courts and was released from custody, bond was revoked at the request of the co-signer, placing McCutcheon back in Jail under a $25,000 cash/surety bond.

And, on Aug. 13th, the Iowa State Patrol arrested 48-year-old Karen Sue Schuemann on an outstanding warrant out of Shelby County for failure to serve 7 day jail sentence. Schuemann was transported to the Shelby County Jail for processing, where she obtained an additional charge of Possession of Contraband in a Controlled Facility.  She was held under $5,000-dollar bond after making an initial appearance with the magistrate.  A passenger in the vehicle was also arrested as a result of an outstanding warrant out of Shelby County.   31-year-old Joey Lee Ranney was taken into custody for charges of Stalking, 6 counts of no contact order violation, providing false information to a peace officer, as we as possession of controlled substance (methamphetamine).  Ranney was also transported to the Shelby County Jail where he is being held under a $50,000 cash/surety bond.