(Clarinda, Iowa) – Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports that once again, the Page County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting its “Operation Blessing” program. Palmer says they will be taking requests from November 22, 2023 through December 20,2023, so as to hopefully ensure that requests for gifts can be filled without running into a shortage of items to purchase.

The Page County Reserve Program started Operation Blessing in the mid 1980’s to ensure that every child in the rural areas of Page County had the opportunity to receive a gift at Christmas. It has continued every year since for 40 years. In these times, the program is adapting. Gifts will be delivered just prior to Christmas Eve. The Page County Sheriff’s Office Operation Blessing program will cover children who reside in the communities of Shambaugh, Braddyville, College Springs, Yorktown, Coin, Blanchard, and Northboro as well as the rural areas, of Page County.

Ages of children covered by this program are Birth years through fourteen (14) years of age and must be a resident of the above-mentioned communities or rural Page County. The requests must come from a parent or guardian of the child and can be called into the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193, or reported in person by the parent or guardian at the Page County Sheriff’s Office located at 323 N 15th Street in Clarinda, IA.  Again requests will be taken from November 22, 2023, through Saturday December 20, 2023. Each child will be given a first and second choice. It is suggested that a toy and clothing be requested.

Anyone wishing to donate money to the Page County Sheriff’s Office Operation Blessing program can either stop by the Page County Sheriff’s Office or mail the monetary donation to the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 323 North 15th Clarinda, Iowa, 51632. Monetary donations are taken year-round at the Office.

Sheriff Palmer says “I would once again like to thank everyone for their donations and support of the program throughout the years, for without monetary donations, this program would not be able to continue. I wish to also thank our staff at the Sheriff’s Office / Jail for their assistance in everything they do with this program. They go above and beyond with the call taking, shopping, wrapping and organization of this program. They along with the organizations, businesses, and individuals who donate make this program a success every year. THANK YOU!!!

May everyone have a joy filled and safe Holiday season.”

(Radio Iowa) – A new trial date is set for the man accused of killing an Algona Police Officer back in September. Forty-three-year-old Kyle Lou Ricke, of Algona, is facing a charge of first-degree murder following the shooting death of Officer Kevin Cram in the early evening hours of September 13th. Following a court hearing on Friday, Judge Nancy Whittenburg has now scheduled the trial to begin on May 14, 2024. When Ricke submitted a written plea of not guilty back in October, he requested a speedy trial, and at that time Whittenburg set a trial date of December 12th.

Court records show that Ricke’s legal counsel submitted a motion to waive that speedy trial request and asked for a continuance on October 16th. Friday’s court hearing was conducted electronically, with Assistant Attorney General Scott Brown representing the State, while Ricke appeared with his attorneys of record, Matthew Pittenger, Dianne Wallway and Barbara Westphal.

A final pretrial conference has been scheduled for April 16th. A determination of whether that hearing will be held electronically or in person will be made at a later date. Ricke remains in custody on a two-million dollar cash only bond.

(Radio Iowa) –  Over the decades, hundreds of thousands of Iowa children have grown up watching puppet shows performed by a small troupe from eastern Iowa called the Eulenspiegel (OIL-in-shpee-gul) Puppet Theatre, based in West Liberty. Monica Leo co-founded the group nearly 50 years ago because she loved the hobby, having no idea it would grow into a business with extreme longevity that would also be so widely adored.

Photo by the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre

Since 1974, Eulenspiegel has toured in 31 states and four countries around the world, as well as in hundreds of Iowa communities, in addition to thousands of performances at its theatre in West Liberty. Leo, who’s 79, doesn’t plan to retire, saying, “I have no intention of quitting because there’s nothing I’d rather do.”

(Omaha, NE.) –  Police in Omaha report a 17-year-old from western Iowa who was shot late Friday night in Omaha, has died from his injuries. Authorities say Mauricio Chavez, of Council Bluffs, was shot Friday at around 11:15 p.m., in the area of 42nd and H streets. Officers were called to the Sippin Sirens bar and found Chavez with a gunshot wound. The teen was transported by ambulance to Nebraska Medicine with life-saving measures in progress, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

A suspect and motive in the case were unknown as of the latest report. Anyone with information is asked to call OPD’s homicide unit at 402-444-5656 or Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP.

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The Exira-Elk Horn/Kimballton School District Board of Education will meet 6-p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21st, in the Elk Horn building Conference Room. The retiring Board will hold their final meeting, with the ushering in of the New Board, follow.

The Agenda for both sessions can be found HERE. What follows is a portion of the posted agenda):

Action Items
A. Policy Adoption – Second/Final Reading: 503.08 – Discipline of Students Who Make Threats of Violence or Cause Incidents of Violence
B. Acceptance of Abstract of Election

Adjournment of Annual Meeting

Call to Order – Organizational Meeting (administered by Board Secretary)
Oath of Officers to new Board Members

Action Items
A. Election of Board President – Nominations need not be seconded; Oath given by Board Secretary
B. Election of Board Vice President – Nominations need not be seconded; Oath given by Board Secretary
C. Establish Regular Meeting Date, Time, and Location
D. Name Official Publication (Newspaper of General Circulation)
E. Designation of Legal Counsel
F. Establish Banking Institutions & Limits
G. School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) Members
H. Request for Modified Supplemental Amount for Open Enrollment Out for $135,211.92
I. Achievement Center Letter of Understanding with Atlantic CSD
J. Superintendent Sharing with Audubon CSD pending contract approval
K. Early Graduation Requests
K. Riley Gross
Desiree Lopez
Jakob Showers
Mariah Traver
L. Modified Graduation Request
M. Construction Management Contract with Boyd Jones
N. Memorandum of Understanding for Teacher/Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Program with William Penn University
O. Snow Removal Bids
P. Policy Adoption – First Reading: i. 503.08R(1) – Student Threats of Violence and Incidents of Violence Regulation
Q. Policy Review – First Reading
i. 401.01 – Equal Employment Opportunity
ii. 503.01 – Student Conduct
iii. 503.01R(1) – Student Suspension
iv. 503.02 – Expulsion
v. 605.03R(1) – Reconsideration of Instructional and Library Materials Regulation
R. Personnel Resignations, Hires, & Transfers
Hires:
1. Nikki Bricker – Associate
2. Kevin Brown – Head Boys Track
3. Paige Halbur – Assistant Girls Basketball
4. Diana Hill-Borger – Associate
5. Nolan Himmelberg – Assistant Boys Basketball
6. Trent Megchelsen – JH Boys Basketball
7. Cassidy Nerland – Assistant Girls Track
8. Doug Newton – JH Boys Track
9. Tom Petersen – Head Girls Basketball, Boys Golf
10. Derek Reischauer – JH Girls Basketball
11. Megan Wilkerson – JH Girls Track

S. Adjournment of Organizational Meeting

THE BOARD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA IF IT WOULD BETTER ACCOMMODATE VISITORS AT A BOARD MEETING.

Next Meeting:  December 19, 2023 – 6:00 pm – Exira-EHK Conference Room, Elk Horn

(Radio Iowa) – Three casinos and a sports book have been fined five-thousand dollars by state regulators for downloading the updated self-ban gambling list one day late. Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood was involved, and general manager Sharon Hasselhoff explained what happened to the Racing and Gaming Commission. ” For the self exclusion process, we have one property in charge of the download, process and that property is Grand Falls. Unfortunately, my team missed the download by less than one day, I had a new director come into her role. And when she went on vacation, she did not designate somebody to do that download,” Hasselhoff says. The late download led to the Rhythm City Casino in Davenport, the Riverside Casino, and Elite Hospitality sports book also being fined.

Hasselhoff says there were no cards or mailings sent out to people on the banned list due to the mistake. Hasselhoff says they have taken action to be sure all lists are downloaded within seven days as required by state regulations. “Measures have been added so this doesn’t happen again, from additional folks in the security team being added to that download process, as well as the team, including myself on email notifications. So I’m aware of when those downloads are occurring, so we never get close to that seven day deadline again,” she says.

The five-thousand dollar penalty is the lowest given for such violations. Racing and Gaming Commissioners said during their meeting last week it was a situation where they had no choice but to fine all the entities. The Racing and Gaming Administrator says there are some things in the works that would help ensure that the self ban information is downloaded on time.

(Radio Iowa) – The defense will begin its case today (Monday) after the prosecution rested its case earlier than expected in the trial of the wife of a Woodbury County supervisor accused of 52 counts of voter fraud. Kim Phuong (Fong) Taylor, the wife of Woodbury County Supervisor Jeremy Taylor, allegedly filled out or helped fill out absentee ballots for numerous Vietnamese residents in the Sioux City area and either signed them or had them signed by other people who were not authorized to cast the ballot.

Prosecutors heard testimony from more local Vietnamese residents about that Thursday and then rested their case against Taylor without calling other county officials to testify as had been expected.

(Radio Iowa) – Former President Donald Trump is promising to go on offense as his rivals say they’re aiming for a surprise finish in the January 15th Iowa Caucuses. “We won’t do like in the NFL, go prevent defense,” Trump said. “We have to keep going, right?” The most recent Des Moines Register Iowa Poll found Trump with a 27 point lead on his closest competitors.

“This is so important because you are first in the nation. Make sure that I, we win by a lot because you know if we win by a lot, I think all these characters cancel out. That’s going to be the end of them,” Trump said. “…We’ve got to beat the Democrats. We’ve got to stop this nonsense.” During a speech in Fort Dodge on Saturday, Trump touched on a wide range of issues, including his support of ethanol and the 28 BILLION dollars in trade disruption payments to farm operations in 2018 and 2019.

“Every sane person without what they call ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ — you know what that is? It’s a great honor. I had a disease named after me, Trump Derangement Syndrome — wants to get back to how great we had it under the Trump Administration,” Trump said. Three candidates — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy — kicked off the weekend by sitting at a table together. The event was hosted by The Family Leader, an Iowa based Christian organization, and all three candidates linked their support of abortion restrictions to their own personal experiences.

DeSantis and Ramaswamy shared that their wives had both miscarried their first pregnancies. DeSantis and his wife are now the parents of three children under the age of seven. “Life has a long and winding road.,” DeSantis said. “Keep the faith, but it also told me: you know what, this is special. I’ve got to fight for these kids and I’ve got to fight for all these kids.” Ramaswamy told the crowd his wife thought she was having a second miscarriage that actually turned out to be their first-born child.

“When you bring life into this world, you protect all life — born and unborn,” Ramaswamy said. “…God taught us that in a different way than we had planned.” Haley told the crowd she’s pro-life because her husband is adopted and she had difficulty becoming pregnant. “I think anybody who’s appreciated that gift of life, you don’t take it lightly because you know it’s a blessing,” Haley said. The forum was billed as an adult conversation focused on explaining their views rather than attacking a Republican rival, but event moderate Bob Vander Plaats, The Family Leader’s president and C-E-O, asked each candidate to respond to critics — including Trump’s criticism of Haley.

“The tone at the top matters because it dictates what happens afterwards,” Haley said. Ramaswamy — when asked to respond to being called “Vivek the Fake” — suggested there’s a time and a place for everything. “I’m not going to criticize our last Republican predecessor for necessarily bringing a fight at a moment when a fight was required,” Ramaswamy said. “And I think there’s still an element where fight is required now.” And DeSantis responded to Trump’s complaint that he’s disloyal and should have waited to run for president in 2028.

“We’re a republic. It’s not about waiting your turn,” DeSantis said, to cheers and applause. “You have a right as a citizen to put your name out there and to fight for the country that you believe in.” Governor Kim Reynolds, who endorsed DeSantis a week ago, also campaigned with DeSantis this weekend.

Red Oak, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation, Sunday night, said that at approximately 3:32-p.m. Sunday, November 19, 2023, a Red Oak police officer made contact with a male subject outside a residence located at 310 Broad Ave in Red Oak, Iowa.  The officer was investigating the driver for operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license.  After a physical struggle with the officer, the subject was able to get away and made entry to his vehicle.  In doing so, the subject, in a reckless manner, allegedly drove towards the officer.

The officer fired his weapon striking the subject causing a serious, but non-life-threatening injury. The subject was taken by ambulance to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska for medical treatment for his injury.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) was requested to investigate the officer involved shooting.  This is an on-going investigation.  No further details are being released at this time.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – A person crossing a street Sunday evening in Council Bluffs, was struck and killed by a vehicle. Authorities say at approximately 6:26-p.m., the Council Bluffs Police Department and Council Bluffs Fire Department responded to a car versus pedestrian collision at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Highway and Twin City Dr. A pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene of the collision.

A preliminary investigation determined two pedestrians were crossing Veterans Memorial Highway at the intersection with Twin City Dr. The pedestrians were walking from the Chapel Ridge Apartments north, across the intersection. One of the pedestrians was struck by a westbound vehicle. At this time, authorities say intoxication and speed are not believed to be factors.

The names of the driver and the deceased pedestrian were not immediately released. The incident is still under investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit.