Officials with the Griswold Schools have announced the district is participating in the statewide Iowa Pride Challenge. The Challenge promotes schools to participate in a community service project of their choosing. The schools that participate are eligible for statewide recognition and grants. Griswold’s service project for the challenge is Caps for Kids.

Caps for Kid’s is a non-profit organization whose goal is to provide children diagnosed with cancer and who are receiving chemotherapy, a signed cap by a celebrity of their choice. Griswold Schools will be playing in an Iowa Pride Game on Friday, November 22nd against Fremont Mills. Students will also give a dollar on Friday to be allowed to wear a hat at school. That money will go to Caps For Kids. Money will also be given at the game for spectators that wear a hat.

Griswold Schools will also be taking part in a Change War the week before the game. The Change War will be a competition between all classes of the high school, middle school, and the elementary to see who can raise the most change. All proceeds from the Change War and money collected during the game to wear a hat will go to Brooklynne’s family.

Brooklynne is a first grader who is battling kidney cancer and currently going through chemotherapy. Also, after every three pointer made, the cheerleaders will be accepting free will donations for Brooklynne. The basketball girls invite everyone to attend the game Friday November 22nd, at 6 p.m.  The cost to attend the game is $1 if you wear a hat, otherwise you’ll pay the regular admission prices of $5 for adults and $3 for students.

w/ Ric Hanson

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A new CEO has been elected to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. During a brief, special session this (Wednesday) morning, the CCMH Board of Trustees unanimously selected Todd Hudspeth to succeed retiring CEO Pat Markham, whose 29-year career ends January 17th. Hudspeth, who brings more than 15-years of experience as a CEO in critical access hospitals, will take over as CEO at CCMH, on January 20th.

Todd Hudspeth, MBA, FACHE

CCMH Board Chair Ned Brown said the Board is “Confident (Hudspeth’s) expertise and leadership are just what (is needed) to guide (the) health system through the many challenges facing the healthcare industry today, and in the years to come. Hudspeth was selected from more than 100 applicants for the position, which Brown says reflects on “The positive reputation of the CCHS workforce and facilities.”

Hudspeth was most recently the President and CEO of Jamestown Regional Medical Center, a 25-bed regional hospital in Jamestown, ND. Prior to serving there, he was CEO at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake. He’s also served as CEO at the Guthrie County Hospital in Guthrie Center. His other experiences include positions at the Storz Cancer Institute at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha, and at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Hudspeth graduated from ISU in 1989 with a BS in Industrial Engineering. He also received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska. He is board certified in healthcare management, and in 2007, became a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Todd Hudspeth and his soon to be wife Jessica, along with two of her five sons will relocate to Atlantic, with Jessica and her boys moving here at the end of the school year. The boys will be in the sixth and fourth grades next fall.

w/ Ric Hanson

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There were few surprises in locally contested races during Tuesday’s City Elections in the KJAN listening area. In Atlantic, where the voter turnout amounted to a little more than 5-percent of the registered voters, there were no contested races. There was however one write-in for the Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors. Erin McFadden was elected to the Board, along with announced candidate Charlene Beane. McFadden received 57 votes.

In Anita, where two candidates had filed to run for 3 seats on the City Council, there were four write-in candidates. Incumbent Dennis Zimmerman was re-elected to the Council, along with Mark Harris, and write-in Wade Jessen. In Cumberland, Incumbent Mayor Nancy Virginia Coughlin was re-elected after receiving 21 votes. Write-in Kim Bagshaw received just two votes, Tuesday. And, two incumbents, Gary Cooper and Douglas C. Neiner, were re-elected to the Cumberland City Council, along with a write-in, Mike Martin, who received 15 votes.

In Griswold, Incumbent Jared Wyman was re-elected to the City Council, along with Barry Moore. Voters in Lewis re-elected incumbents Matt Klein and Marilyn Mundorf, who were unopposed. In Marne, Randy Baxter was re-elected as Mayor, with Barb Fischer having received two votes. Elected to the City Council in Marne, were incumbents Alan Cranston, Randy Henningsen and Angela Redler. Joining them is Randy L. Fischer and Lori Holste. Voters in Massena elected Jackson Bissell and Doug Venteicher to the City Council, where there were four people running for two open seats.

In Wiota, incumbent Mayor J. Ford Lillard was re-elected, with 25 votes. Write-in candidate Jeff Schaaf received just two votes. Incumbents Kathryn Havens and Deanna Spry were re-elected to the Wiota City Council, where there were three seats open. Joining them will be Jeff Lillard, who received 16 votes. Lillard narrowly defeated write-in Steven Hayes, who had 15 votes. Lamar Spies received 14.

Voters in the City of Adair elected John M. Larson as their Mayor by a slim margin, Tuesday. Larsen received 152 votes. Challenger Dennis Weigel received 145 votes. In Bridgewater, where no candidate had filed for Mayor, a write-in, Steve Frese was elected, after receiving 17 votes. Two other write-in candidates, Dean Griffith and Marlo Smith, were elected to the City Council in Bridgewater, and Merrill Bower, another write-in, was elected to fill a vacancy seat on the Council.

In Fontanelle, where no one had filed to run for Mayor, Nathan Jensen, a write-in, received 13 votes, while Scott Homan, another write-in candidate, received 9. Elected to the City Council in Fontanelle, was Ron Reed and Jim Warrior. In the City of Greenfield, Robert Guikema and write-in Willard Olesen, were elected to the Park Board.

In Adams County, a write-in candidate, Dwight Sunderman, was elected Mayor in Carbon over two other men. In Corning, Courtney Turnis was elected Mayor over three other candidates. In Nodaway incumbents Hartford Cooper, Christine Dunn, Becky Poen, Gary Poen and Christine Wiechman were re-elected to fill 5 open seats on the City Council.

In Audubon County, Jason Hocker, Teresa Murray and Thomas R. Nielsen were elected to the City Council in Audubon. In Gray, write-in candidate Bryan Olsen was elected Mayor, while Brandon Bruch and Joan Cramer were elected to the City Coucil At-Large seats. Voters in Exira elected Dwight Jessen and Jeff Jensen to At Large seats on the City Council, and Robert Sorensen, who will fill a vacancy At-Large position on the Council.

In Guthrie County, Jamie Galivan, Deanna Gibson and Ruth Riley were elected to the City Council in Bagley, while Gary Allen Long, Ben Sease and Tom Wardyn were elected to the Council in Bayard. In Casey, Marilyn Harden and Robbi Sneller were elected to the City Council. Voters in Guthrie Center chose Randy Nickel and Dennis Patrick for 2 open seats on the City Council, and in Menlo, Larry Jacobsen and Briane Wolfe were elected to serve on the City Council.

In Pottawattamie County, voters in Carson elected Donnie Hendricks, Adam Houser and Timothy Todd to the City Council. In Macedonia, Eileen Adickes was elected Mayor and Susan Goos, along with Gary Wax, were elected to the City Council. In Neola, Scott Brooks was elected Mayor. And in Walnut, Dennis Hullinger, Robert Kreeger and Sue Shepherd were elected to the City Council.

Other area election results are available under the News tab at kjan.com.

Police in Red Oak say a woman from Missouri Valley was arrested Tuesday on fraud and drug charges, following an investigation into bad checks written at two Red Oak businesses. 48-year old Delise Renee Steadman was arrested at the United Farmers Mercantile in Red Oak, after officers responded to a call about a woman writing checks on a closed account at the Mercantile.

Officials say Steadman allegedly wrote six checks at the United Farmers Mercantile and five checks at the Cubby’s Store in Red Oak. The checks amounted to a little more than $660. 

Steadman was taken into custody on 11 counts of Fraudulent Practices in the 3^rd Degree. While the woman was being searched, officers discovered a pipe used to consume illegal controlled substances. Steadman was subsequently charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports three people were arrested Tuesday night on drug charges, following the execution of a narcotics search warrant at a residence in Red Oak. 30-year old Stephen Adams, of Red Oak, was arrested on three counts of Delivery of Marijuana, and Possession with the Intent to Deliver (76.2-grams). His bond was set at $5,000.

47-year old Michelle Adams, of Red Oak, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $300. And, 53-year old Donald Charles, of Des Moines, was arrested on a warrant for Delivery of Methamphetamine and Possession with the Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine. His bond was set at $205,000.

The trio were arrested at around 8-p.m. Tuesday.

Voters in Taylor County, Tuesday approved a $3.8-million dollar bond issue for the construction of a new Law Enforcement Center. The facility will house a jail designed to hold prisoners for 20-years at a substantial cost savings to what is currently being paid to board them locally and in other counties. The bond also allows for the construction of new Sheriff’s Offices. The current jail in Bedford is more than 100-years old. The measure needed 61-percent approval to pass. Unofficial results show it was approved by 931 (or 61.21%) of voters. 590 voted against the bond issue. 

The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, approved the issuance of $1.2 million in general obligation bonds for improvements in the courthouse and adjacent areas. According to the Daily NonPareil, the unanimous vote paves the way for the county’s Buildings and Grounds Department to seek bids for the sale of the bonds to help fund safety and security measures.

Proposed projects include the installation of fire sprinklers in the ceilings on the first and second floors, as well as the basement. A new air conditioning system will be installed at the same time as work is being done on the ceilings and new lights are installed. That project will cost about $510,000.

The building’s four elevators need replacements of some of the control mechanisms. Expected cost there is $400,000. And,  to improve security, electronic card access will replace keys for 31 doors throughout the building, as well as a nearby building used for storing election materials. The card access project is expected to cost $86,000.

Two other projects involving the paving of four county parking lots in the area,  and renovation of the courthouse restrooms to make them complaint with standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act, will add about $230,000 to the price tag. The bond funds will be paid back from the county’s debt services levy. The bonds are to be paid back over a five- to seven-year period.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa City voters say a three-year-old city ordinance that requires 19- and 20-year-olds to leave bars by 10 p.m. should remain in effect. Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected an effort to repeal the ordinance by a vote of 66 percent to 34 percent. The City Council adopted the ordinance in 2010. It makes exemptions for bars featuring entertainment such as live music and businesses that bring in most of their money from food.

CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Three candidates who faced intense criticism by the conservative group Americans for Prosperity have been elected in Coralville. Among them is Mayor Pro Tem John Lundell, a university researcher who defends the city’s role in ambitious developments. Americans for Prosperity, backed by the billionaire Koch brothers, had tried to turn Coralville’s election into a referendum on government spending and borrowing by focusing on Coralville’s $280 million debt.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa (AP) — Jurors in the trial of an Iowa man accused of killing his pregnant wife have listened to audio and seen video of the former jail guard talking about the woman’s death. Seth Techel is charged with murder in the May 2012 death of Lisa Techel. The Ottumwa Courier reports that in the recordings played Tuesday, Seth Techel says he was in the shower when he heard a gunshot. He says he found Lisa Techel lying on the bed, and he ran outside to look for a shooter.

PRAIRIEBURG, Iowa (AP) — Linn County authorities are seeking the public’s help after several animals were intentionally poisoned in the Linn County city of Prairieburg. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says pieces of meat laced with poison were placed between Oct. 23 and Oct. 24 in several spots near East Main Street in the city of less than 200 people. Several animals became sick and two of them died.