The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest today (Wednesday) of 20-year old Jarret Christensen of Exira for OWI/1st offense. He was transported to Cass County Jail and booked in.

On August 19, 2013, 43-year old Paul Kramer of Granger, Iowa, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James E. Gritzner to 90 months in prison for wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Judge Gritzner also sentenced Kramer to five years of supervised release following incarceration.

From 2006 through 2009, Kramer knowingly used his mortgage company, Kramer Mortgage, and his real estate closing company, Iowa Closing and Escrow, to defraud multiple lenders out of over $1 million. Kramer executed the fraud, in part, in connection with a real estate development company, LDF. Kramer and the members of LDF, including Lane Anderson, orchestrated straw sales of thirteen properties to another LDF member, Shannon Flickinger. LDF was the true buyer but LDF could not qualify for financing for the purchase of the properties because the company already had too much debt. Flickinger was used as a straw buyer to obtain the financing to purchase the additional homes. At Kramer’s direction and with Kramer’s oversight, Kramer Mortgage submitted loan applications in which Flickinger was named as the buyer despite the fact that Kramer knew that LDF was the true buyer. With Kramer’s knowledge, Flickinger’s income was grossly inflated in the applications in order to qualify him for the loans. After Flickinger’s fraudulent loan applications were approved, the straw sales were closed at Kramer’s mortgage company with Kramer’s knowledge. Kramer closed the sales despite the fact that Flickinger paid no down payments for any of the properties, contrary to the documentation that was provided to the lenders.

Kramer defrauded one particular bank by intentionally concealing the sales of properties that had been pledged to the bank as collateral for a $4 million line of credit for Kramer. After the sales of multiple properties in which the proceeds were owed to the bank, Kramer kept the proceeds and used them to pay his own personal or business expenses. Kramer also pledged several properties to more than one bank, without the banks’ knowledge, to obtain additional loans. Kramer’s activities resulted in the primary bank suffering significant losses and also left many homeowners unable to sell or refinance their homes because they did not have clear title to their properties. Some homeowners were threatened with foreclosure due to Kramer’s activities.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced that Mike Naig has been hired as the new Deputy Secretary for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. He will start with the Department on September 4.

“Mike will be a tremendous asset to the Department and I’m glad he agreed to join our team,” Northey said. “His background and experience make him a natural fit for the Department.”

Naig previously served as Manager of State and Local Government Affairs for Monsanto. He has been active in the agribusiness industry for over 13 years, also having served in public policy roles for CropLife America based in Washington, DC; the Agribusiness Association of Iowa; and, the Iowa Biotechnology Association.

As Deputy Secretary, Naig will assist in management responsibilities for the Department focused on the areas of personnel and budget. He will also support the Department’s efforts to be accessible to Iowans by traveling regularly to represent the Department at meetings across the state.

“It is an honor to join Secretary Northey and the team at the Department. I look forward to supporting the important work of the Department to promote Iowa agriculture, serve Iowans and protect our natural resources,” said Naig.

Naig grew up on a farm near Cylinder in Northwest Iowa and is a graduate of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, with degrees in biology and political science. He and his wife Jaime have two boys.

w/ Marissa Hovde

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The Danish Immigrant Museum has announced its selection of a general contractor in its curatorial center project and intends to celebrate the milestone and groundbreaking on Monday, August 26 at 2:30 p.m. with a shovel ceremony and coffee and kringle reception for the public.

Last week, museum board members voted to proceed with the project and selected general contractor Meco-Henne Contracting out of Omaha, NE. Excavation work will begin as soon as possible, with the ultimate goal of the structure’s completion by the Danish Villages’ Tivoli Fest next Memorial Day weekend.

Support for the $3 million project ($2 million for the construction and $1 million for endowment investment) is coming from museum members and donors, two Omaha foundations including the Peter Kiewit Foundation, the State Historical Society of Iowa, and four major bequest gifts. The most significant bequest gift is from the estate of Richard Hellman, Atlantic native and son of Danish immigrants Peter and Karen Hellman.

Planning for the curatorial center was initiated in 2011 through a Conservation Assessment Program grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services and a gift from Bill and Berniece Grewcock of Omaha. The museum currently rents four off-site storage facilities to house artifacts. The new center will allow for the consolidation of those facilities and provide the benefits of greater security, climate control, and proximity for the museum’s collection.

In addition to compact artifact storage, the facility will include areas for artifact cataloging, photography, exhibit creation, and staff and intern office space. The 8,000 sq. ft. expansion will be located below ground on the west side of the present building, accessible by staff through the lower level of the museum.

The museum’s Curator of Collections and Registrar Angela Stanford commented, “This curatorial center will allow us the space to house, care for, and work with our collection as it continues to grow. It will afford us greater flexibility in the types – and sizes – of artifacts we acquire. We are thrilled about this expansion!”

Museum staff and interns have boxed up fragile artifacts including porcelain and glass to protect those items from building vibrations caused by heavy equipment that could potentially damage them. The museum will remain open for the duration of the project.

The Danish Immigrant Museum was founded in 1983 as a national center for the Danish-American community and to preserve the history of Danish immigration to America. Reminiscent of rural Danish architecture, the museum building was completed in 1994 and houses a collection of around 40,000 artifacts important to the interpretation of the Danish immigration story.

The museum’s collection is diverse and wide-ranging. There are family heirlooms brought from Denmark, examples of needlework, tools of early immigrant tradesmen and memorabilia from Danish-American clubs and organizations. Many of the items have been passed down through the generations in Danish families. In recent years the museum has focused on a more contemporary collection with the accession of artifacts from the late 20th century.

The museum is open daily just west of Elk Horn. More information about the museum can be found on their website, www.danishmuseum.org or by calling (712) 764-7001.

On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of Samantha Jo Abraham of Red Oak on a valid Montgomery County Warrant for probation violation. During the arrest Abraham attempted to flee from the deputy on foot but was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. Abraham was also charged with interference with official acts and is being held at the Montgomery County Jail on $7,500 bond.

After the arrest, Abraham was found to be in possession of a stolen bicycle from a previous incident investigated by the Red Oak Police Department. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Red Oak Police Department and took custody of the bicycle. The investigation is ongoing.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (AP) – A trooper has been convicted of speeding while transporting Governor Terry Branstad. Steven Lawrence opted not to challenge the $181.50 ticket in Hamilton County for driving 84 mph in a 65-mph zone on Highway 20 in April. The case had created controversy for Branstad.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The renovation of a downtown Des Moines building means about 100 low-income people will have to move and three businesses must relocate. The planned $16.5 million renovation of the Randolph Hotel promises to add new housing and business space in the city’s bustling Court Avenue district. But it also will create difficulty for the low-income people who live in the nine-story hotel built in 1911. Many rent by the week or the month. Developer Sherman Associates will present a relocation plan for residents.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Department of Public Safety says an inmate at the Woodbury County Jail has died by strangulation. Thirty-two-year-old Thomas Huisman was found unresponsive in his cell this weekend and couldn’t be revived. The death was classified as a suicide.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Republican Party of Iowa has set Sept. 4 as the date to nominate a candidate to fill a vacant Iowa House seat. Iowa House District 33’s seat is vacant due to Representative Kevin McCarthy’s resignation. Democrats earlier said they also will nominate their candidate that day.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday (Aug. 21^st), is expected to act on a couple of matters pertaining to the hunting of antlerless deer within the City limits. During their 5:30-p.m. session, the Council will act on approving a Resolution making minor modifications to ordinance Chapter 57/Urban Deer Control. The changes are designed to help create some additional incentives that officials hope will increase participation in the program. They’ll also act on approving a Resolution adding two provisions to hunting permits and fees.

The City’s Community Protection Committee has recommended a hunter must first take an antlerless deer, and once it has been verified by a member of the Atlantic Police Department or Natural Resources that it was taken within the City limits of Atlantic, the hunter will be authorized to take an any-sex deer (with or without antlers) within the City limits. The Committee has also recommended the Council approve the City reimbursing hunters for the cost of a tag for an antlerless deer, if verified the animal was taken within the City limits. Reimbursements would be limited to an amount that is no greater than the cost for an “In-State permit,” although out of state hunters are allowed to participate in the program. Hunters who qualified for the program last year do not need to qualify again this year,

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hold a public hearing on the Re-Codification of the City’s Code of Ordinances. City Administrator Doug Harris said the Code was re-codified over the past 18-months, and is the first time that’s been done in 10-years. The new Code incorporates State and Legislative changes, changes made as part of the Model Code recommended by the Iowa Municipal League, and those made by the City itself.

The Council will also discuss: Selling City-owned lots at 300 Cedar, 405 W. 4^th and 106 E. 9^th Streets; a report from a Personnel and Finance Committee with regard to a proposal to share in the purchase of the former Sitel building for use as a new City Hall and Emergency Communications Center, along with their recommendations with regard to the City Truck Parking Lot; and, the Council will consider a request from Nishna Hills Golf Club for the City to share in the cost of addressing water erosion concerns on their property.

The IKM-Manning School District certified the incorrect tax levy amount to 4 counties in the area. In a regular Shelby County Supervisors meeting this (Tuesday) morning, Shelby County Treasurer Carolyn Blum reported to the board the county was notified on August 12th, the school district realized they had certified the wrong amount for the tax levy. Blum said on the same day, August 12th, tax statements were sent to the residents of Shelby County and it was too late to stop them,

Blum1: “So anyone who has parcels in the IKM-Manning School District, their tax statements are incorrect. Marsha contacted the department of management and said they need to be correct. Since that date, we have been working with the software company and we are having to run all those tax statements.”

She told the Supervisors the total number of statements in the county is 3,357 which is about 1/5th of the county’s original statements. The error was by the IKM Manning School District as they certified the tax levy to the state. The levy affects 4 counties, Audubon, Carroll, Crawford and Shelby County. Blum said all the statements will be sent out to residents in the IKM-Manning school district by the end of this week or early next week if all goes well. The statement will include a letter explaining the issue with the tax payers. Blum told the supervisors the issue is there are different circumstances for some residents in the county,

Blum2: “There’s so many case specific situations that it effects. Some people have paid for the whole year. Some have their checks in hand. It affects those who have elderly credit, homestead. The fix is actually taking place on the 2nd half installment which is less and will alleviate the pain a little bit for everyone.”

She said the good news is the fix a little easier than expected,

Blum3: “Originally we thought we would have to do the whole tax process over again which in hind sight might have been easier. But the fix is in the process now so at least we can move forward and get it taken care of.”

If you are a resident in the IKM-Manning School District and have paid your taxes for the year or the 2nd installment, the county is looking at two options. One is giving you a refund check from this year’s taxes or adding credit for taxes next year. Blum said the error is taking “hours and hours and days and days to get it fixed” and money spent on copies of statements and postage to resend them out to the residents. The Supervisors discussed who should be responsible for the expenses and at that point Supervisor Schmitz said the school should be responsible as it was their error. The cost from the error was not known at this time. The Supervisors informed Blum to keep track on the expenses from the tax levy error but no action was officially taken.

(Joel McCall KNOD)

*Updated with incident details*

Law enforcement confirm this (Tuesday) morning that Rodney Eugene Long, a suspect in Sunday night’s shooting and pursuit is dead. No one else was seriously injured in the incident that resulted in Long’s death.

Law enforcement extends its thanks to the citizens in and around Taylor County for their vigilance during the day and a long search for the suspect.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety announced that Rodney Long was shot to death early Tuesday after breaking into the home of 71-year old Jerome Mauderly. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Mitch Mortveldt says Mauderly shot Long with a shotgun in the kitchen of the home he shares with his wife, Karen. Long broke into the home around 10:15-p.m. Monday.

Shortly after 2:00-a.m. Karen Mauderly called 911 to tell authorities her husband had shot Long.

Authorities had been searching for Long since Sunday night, when the fugitive shot and wounded a deputy.