Although Iowa’s beautiful fall has lingered longer than usual this year, camping season will come to a close very soon for most people, if it hasn’t already. State Park Bureau Chief Todd Coffelt, says don’t let the changing seasons limit your enjoyment of Iowa’s state parks, or the chance to stay overnight. According to Coffelt, “We have nine parks scattered around the state with beautiful, comfortable year-round cabins. Allowing couples and families, and even larger groups to enjoy our parks in what we sometimes refer to as the ‘off season.’”

A total of 35 year-round cabins are available to rent for two-day minimums for anywhere from $35 per day to $200 per day. Visitors will need to bring their own bedding and towels, and some cooking utensils. Amenities of each cabin may vary slightly. Depending on the type of cabin, they can sleep between two and ten people, and are located in the following parks:

· Backbone (Fayette County)

· Black Hawk (Sac County)

· Honey Creek (Appanoose County)

· Lake of Three Fires (Taylor County)

· Lake Wapello (Davis County)

· Pine Lake (Hardin County)

· Springbrook (Guthrie County)

· Union Grove (Tama County)

· Waubonsie (Fremont County)

“Fall and winter in our parks offers a completely different experience for a lot of people,” says Coffelt. “There is a quiet solitude that is very appealing and we invite folks to come out and experience it, whether they stay in one of the cabins or just drop in for a hike.”

For more details about each cabin and park, visit the Iowa state park reservation system at iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com or call 1-877-427-2757. Currently, reservations for the two family cabins at Union Grove State Park are made through the park manager by calling 641-473-2556. Honey Creek Resort State Park’s 28 one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury cottages may be reserved throughout the year. Details are available at www.honeycreekresort.com or by calling 877-677-3344.

A grant writing workshop is scheduled to be presented in Montgomery County November 18th for representatives of nonprofits, local government and schools. Grant Writing 101, a workshop sponsored by ISU Extension and Outreach – Montgomery County, will provide hands-on training in seeking and writing successful grant applications. The workshop will be presented from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday November 18th at Southwestern Community College, Room 111, 2300 N. 4th Street, Red Oak.

Cost of the workshop is $25, which includes a light supper that will be served at the start of the program. Registration is required by noon, November 17th; call the Montgomery County Extension office at 623-2592 to register.

Participants are asked to bring a laptop computer or iPad/tablet device, if possible, to use to search online for grants and other resources during the workshop. A limited number will be available for use.

The training will be presented by Jane Nolan Goeken, a Community and Economic Development program specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Goeken has more than 27 years of successful grant writing experience, including extensive work with a variety of federal, state, local and foundation grant programs. She has also served as a grant application reviewer and has helped set up grant award and review programs.

Goeken will assist workshop participants in exploring various public and private funding sources, and provide instruction and tips on planning projects and writing successful grant applications. For more information about the workshop, contact Jane Goeken at jngoeken@iastate.edu or 712/240-2504; or Stephanie Langner, Montgomery County Extension Program Coordinator, at 623-2592.

A former Lewis Central teacher was reprimanded after allowing her students extra time on a standardized test. According to the Daily NonPareil, the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners issued a final order at its most recent meeting requiring Marlys Frohwein to complete a 15-hour course on ethics for educations.

Frohwein had been a special education teacher for the Lewis Central Community School District for the past 23 years. She resigned effective June 16th, with the school board accepting her resignation as part of a special meeting held June 17th, according to meeting minutes.

According to the Board of Educational Examiners, a complaint was filed June 29 alleging Frohwein violated the state’s professional code of ethics. The board found probable cause Aug. 7 that Frohwein violated Iowa Administrative Code, and she entered into a settlement agreement with the state agency. In its decision, the Board said Frohwein “Admitted she provided students extra time to think through questions on their tests, an accommodation not provided in any of the students’ IEP.” IEPs are individualized education programs, which outlines students’ current level of performance, educational goals and special services or accommodations.

Lewis Central Superintendent Mark Schweer confirmed the finding but did not further comment on the case. He said the district does not suspect additional cheating took place. Frohwein received a written reprimand on her license, which was shared with a national database, but she maintained her credentials as an Iowa educator. She carries several special education and instructional endorsements, as well as a general middle school endorsement, athletic coach and physical education endorsements.

Police in Council Bluffs say three juveniles who went missing Tuesday night from a group home, returned to the facility this morning, at 8:20. Bluff Police Sgt. Chad Meyers said authorities thank the public and media for assistance in getting the word out and in looking for, 15-year old Leah Carpenter and 11-year old Malakai Cayton, of Council Bluffs, and 9-year old Cassandra Gomez-Watson, of Carroll.
The trio were last seen leaving Children’s Square in Council Bluffs heading west on Avenue D, at around 9:15-p.m., Tuesday. Children’s Square is a group home for children in need of mental, physical and social support.

The Audubon County Auditor’s Office says it will have to contact the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office to determine how a tied vote on a Public Measure will be resolved. Voters in Brayton voted 10-10 on the measure, which asked them to approve an increase in the levy not to exceed $1.50 per thousand dollars assessed property valuation, for the purpose of paying the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office for police protection, in lieu of the community having it’s own police force.

In Guthrie County, two public measures were on the ballot in Casey. Both were approved by majority vote. The first asked if the Mayor’s term should be for two-years instead of four, beginning in 2020. The Yes votes tallied 81. No votes amounted to 62. And, Casey voters were asked if the Library Board should be comprised of five members, with two being non-residents of the community. The answer was an overwhelming 120 Yes votes. 23 No votes were cast.

Area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Police in Creston arrested a Davis City man Tuesday afternoon, on a warrant out of Decatur County for Sex Offender Registry Violation/2nd or subsequent offense. 27-year old Joshua Thomas was brought to the Union County Jail and then released to the custody of Decatur County deputies.

And, early this (Wednesday) morning, 36-year old Lela Churchwell, of Creston, was arrested at her home on Disorderly Conduct and Public Intoxication, charges. Churchwell was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) – Voters have ousted two Knoxville council members who voted to remove a veterans memorial from a city park. Carolyn Formanek won roughly 15.3 percent of Tuesday’s votes and April Verwers won about 14.3 percent. Their opponents won more than 20 percent each. The Des Moines Register reports that Formanek and Verwers voted with the council majority on Monday to move the wooden silhouette of a soldier kneeling before a cross out of Young’s Park and onto private property. A new bronze memorial would be erected instead.

The plan was offered as a way to stave off any lawsuit by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which wants the cross removed. But the council action prompted calls from supporters of the silhouette to oust incumbents Formanek and Verwers.

Voters in Atlantic, Tuesday, overwhelming rejected a proposed bond issue which would have allowed the second floor of City Hall to be renovated into a multi-purpose facility. The $875,000 bond, which would have been paid for through the Local Option Sales Tax, was defeated by a vote of 517 (64.71%) to 282 (35.29%). A majority was required for the measure to pass. All of the incumbent councilpersons in Atlantic were re-elected, in most cases with few or no write-in votes to challenge them.

Elsewhere in Cass County: Voters in Anita re-elected Mayor Timothy Miller to a 4-year term. Miller garnered 160 votes. His challenger, Ben Daughenbaugh received 57 votes. Both incumbent councilmen in Anita, Jeff Bohnsack and Thomas R. Harris, were unchallenged and re-elected to their seats.

In Cumberland, Mayor Nancy Virginia Coughlin, was unopposed in her bid for re-election. She received 25 votes, with 5 write-in’s recorded. There were two seats open on the City Council in Cumberland. Sandra K. Eversole, who was re-elected, received 21 votes. Joining her is Scott W. Becker, who received 19 votes. Write-In candidates Mike Hill and Darrin Hardisty each received 10 votes. And, Catherine Landstreet-Howard squeaked out a one-vote win over Darrin Hardisty for a vacancy on the City Council. Landstreet-Howard had 8 votes, while Hardisty had 7.

In Griswold, Jeb Peck, a write-in, was elected Mayor. Peck received 106 votes. There were 29 other, scattered write-in votes. And, Incumbents Ryan Askeland and Lisa Cook were re-elected to the Griswold City Council. Askeland garnered 131 votes, Cook 112, and Carmen Sorensen 102. Public Measure C in Griswold, which calls for the Mayor’s term to be extended from two-years, to four, was approved by a vote of 86 to 57.

In Lewis, Jon Mosier was unopposed in his bid for Mayor and received 80 votes. Three people were elected to the City Council. The winners include incumbent Duane Scott Anderson, Kristy Bassett and Marvin Bradfield. Bradfield had the most votes, at 74. Anderson and Basset each received a little over 50 votes, while Nona Erickson had 50 votes, and Leroy Easter 29. Public Measure D in Lewis, calling for a levy of up to 27-cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation for the Public Library, failed by a vote of 48-to 41. (53.93% to 46.07%).

In Marne, Randy Baxter, who was unopposed, was re-elected Mayor. Incumbents Alan Cranston, Lori Holste and Angela Redler, were re-elected to the City Council, along with Kyle Frederiksen and Michael Jensen. And, Public Measure E, asking voters to approve a levy of up to $1.50/$1,000 valuation for additional monies directed to the Unified Law Enforcement District, was approved by a vote of 21-to 12. In Massena, Mayor Linda Reineke was re-elected Mayor, with no challengers. Micah Lee, Adam and Kevin McCunn, all incumbents, were re-elected to the City Council. None were opposed.

And finally, in Wiota, incumbent Ford Lillard was re-elected as Mayor, with no challengers. But in the city council race, incumbent Jon Schwarte was beaten out by Jim Fisher and Steven R. Havens for two seats on the Wiota City Council. Fischer and Havens each had 23 votes, while Schwarte had just 6.

Police in Red Oak arrested a Mills County woman early this (Wed.) morning, following a traffic stop near the intersection of Highways 34 and 48, in Red Oak. 32-year old Dawn Lorren Frink-McFarland, of Hastings, was taken into custody a few minutes after midnight. The woman was charged with OWI/1st offense, and cited for Open Container. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 cash bond.