The Harlan Community School District Board of Educators welcomed a new member to its board. In a meeting Monday, Angie Monson was sworn in as the new member taking over for Tammy Schwartz who had moved out of the district. Monson will represent district 4, which is up for re-election on September 10th along with three other seats on the Harlan Community School Board. Monson does plan on running on the ballot. In fact, aside from District 2, all other candidates are running unopposed. Included on the ballot on Tuesday, September 10th is the Revenue Purpose Statement. The School District is not making any changes to the revenue statement but only to renew it. Voters can get an absentee ballot from the Shelby County Auditor’s Office from now until Friday, September 6th. Towards the end of the meeting, Athletic Director Mitch Osborn gave a report on a new policy from the district charging adults and students to get into certain Middle School activities at Merrill Field. Osborn told the board nine of the twelve Hawkeye 10 Conference Schools are charging to get into Middle School sporting events. Osborn said this is something the district didn’t want to do,

Osborn1: “We have held off and held off and never wanted to. We are looking at football and track with one gate it makes it easy. We are looking at three dollars for adults and two dollars for students. If you have an activity student pass, you get in free. Another incentive, if you are a member of the booster club, show them your pass and you get in free also.”

The Harlan Community activity ticket for students is $25 and a booster club pass for a husband and wife is $50. The district will not charge admittance to the Middle school volleyball, basketball or wrestling events as Osborn said it will be much more difficult when using two gyms and needing more help taking tickets. He said the idea of charging for middle school events was not something he wanted to do,

Osborn2: “I’ve been against. I’ve had people tell me we need to. I put the pencil to the paper and last year we spent around $5,580 for officials at middle school events. That comes out of the high school gate receipts. We think by having 4 home 8th grade football games, 3 home 7th grade football games and 4 home track meets and by those events you will cover most of your officiating for the year.”

No action was necessary by the Harlan Community School Board and the middle school admittance fees will begin this year.

(Joel McCall KNOD)

During the late night of August 17th, Page County Deputies were dispatched to 2914 180th Street in Clarinda for a burglary that had occurred sometime in the previous two days. Deputies processed the scene.

During the investigation, fingerprints were recovered and turned over to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) for analysis. Deputies were informed that on Friday, August 16th, Sara Lawrence, a resident of the home, had discovered missing items from the porch but did not contact Police. Late night on the 17th, Lawrence said she became nervous about the stolen items, so she secured the residence, put the firearms in a gun cabinet and stayed with relatives.

When Lawrence and the other resident, William Humphrey, returned to the residence they noticed that a handgun, clothes, ammunition and other items were missing. They then notified Law Enforcement at approximately 9:45-p.m.

Deputies searched for anyone that might still be in the area but no person was found. The gun was entered as stolen nationwide through the Clarinda Police Dispatch at 7:00-a.m. on August 18th.

The Harlan Police Department has released incident and arrest reports for the past week. On August 13th, Phillip Matzen of Council Bluffs reported the theft of his 1994 Mercury Marquis from 2001 6th Street. The vehicle was later located and returned to Matzen. This case remains under investigation.

On August 15th, 27-year old Steven Riley was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance (enhanced due to prior convictions), possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to wear a seat belt. All charges were in regards to a traffic stop on July 26th, 2012 and were filed with the clerk of court.

On August 16th, Officers were called to an altercation in the 400 block of Market in which an individual had a weapon. As a result of the investigation, 41-year old Anthony Thraen of Harlan was charged with assault. 41-year old Robert Kirk Loudy of Rogersville, TN, was charged with carrying weapons. Both subjects were transported to the Shelby County Jail.

On August 17th, Harlan Officers were called to a disturbance at the Shelby County Speedway. 22-year old Michael Erickson of Exira, 24-year old Tyler Schwager of Council Bluffs and 23-year old Zachary Schwager of Council Bluffs were all arrested and taken to the Shelby County Jail where they were charged with disorderly conduct.

w/ Marissa Hovde

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Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 T. instant minced onion
• 8 oz pkg. cream cheese (soft)
• 1/4 c. chopped green pepper
• 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 8 oz noodles or spaghetti
• 1 c. cottage cheese
• 1/4 c. dairy sour cream
• 1/3 c. diced onion
• parsley flakes (optional)

Directions:

Pan-fry beef in large skillet and cook until pink color disappears. Pour off drippings. Add salt, onion and tomato sauce. Cook about 1 minute and remove from heat. Cook noodles according to directions and drain. Mix together cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, green pepper and green onion. Add cooked noodles and stir to blend. Pour into greased 3 quart casserole and top with meat mixture. Sprinkle parsley flakes over top if desired. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until bubbly. Makes about 8 servings.

Providing day-care for the children of job-seeking veterans is the focus of the new “Warrior Care” program sponsored by the Atlantic chapter of Operation Barnabas.

In partnership with Zion Lutheran “Kids Come First” and the Ann Wickman Child Development Center, Warrior Care provides licensed day-care assistance for the children of reservists, National Guardsmen and recently discharged active-duty troops to support them in their job-search activities.

The program provides funding for military members’ children to attend a licensed day-care facility while they are seeking employment, said Rich Kanning, commander of the local Operation Barnabas chapter.

More information about the program can be obtained by contacting Rich Kanning, commander of the local Operation Barnabas chapter, at 243-6825, and the Cass County Veterans Office at 243-6662.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

(Information in the following story is from: Globe Gazette, http://www.globegazette.com/)

NORTHWOOD, Iowa (AP) – An arraignment date is set for next month for a Northwood man charged in the death of a 30-year-old woman. The Globe Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1eY6AvE ) the arraignment will be Sept. 3 in Worth County District Court for 39-year-old Tyrone Washington. He’s charged with first-degree murder in the death of Justina Marie Smith.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s unemployment rate rose to 4.8 percent in July as total employment in the state dropped for the first time this year. Iowa Workforce Development reports that unemployment was up from 4.6 percent in June. Despite the increase, Iowa’s rate is far less than national rate for July of 7.4 percent.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – More than 1 million visitors attended the Iowa State Fair during its 11-day run that ended Sunday, but the number was a little smaller than last year. The fair reports that 1,047,246 people attended the event this year. That’s nearly 50,000 under last year’s attendance.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The troubled Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant continues to inch closer to restarting, but federal regulators say significant work remains to be done at the Nebraska plant. Later this month, the Omaha Public Power District will meet with Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials to explain the plan for continuing to improve Fort Calhoun – if the nuclear plant about 20 miles north of Omaha is allowed to restart.

Atlantic police report that Friday, August 16th, 28 year old Sean Bloomfield of Atlantic was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after he turned him in to local authorities.  He was booked at the Cass County jail.

Atlantic police also arrested 30 year old Jesse Swanson of Atlantic on Saturday, August 17th.  He was charged with first degree burglary and assault with injury.  He was booked at the Cass County jail.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office arrested 20 year old Reece Joseph Blohm of Audubon at about 3:30 Saturday morning after a traffic stop on Highway 71 near 150th Street.  Blohm was charged with operating while intoxicated and possession of alcohol.  He was released after appearing before a magistrate.

Montgomery County sheriff’s deputies are looking for a trailer and a mower after an early Monday morning theft.  Authorities say the theft occurred between 4:00 am and 5:00 am Monday when two white males wearing baseball caps and knee length shorts drove a dark-colored minivan with a bumper style trailer hitch to Dickel Duit at 2227 Highway 48.  They stole a black 2001 Midi Shoreliner trailer with a drop down gate and no license plates.  Then they loaded a 2009 yellow and white Cub Cadet LTX 1042 rider mower onto the trailer.  They drove south on Highway 48.  Anyone with information should contact Montgomery County Crime Stoppers at 800-432-1001.

Police in Council Bluffs report that a 16 year old boy is in stable condition in an Omaha hospital after a traffic stop.  Captain Scott Milner reported in a news release that a motorcycle officer stopped the car Sunday night at about 6:45 in the area of North 31st and Avenue K.  The officer spoke to the driver and walked back to his bike when the driver got out of the car and began to walk away.  The officer approached the boy and told him to return to his vehicle and to put his hands behind his back.  When he refused both commands, the officer his taser, striking the teen in the upper torso.  He was handcuffed and taken into custody.  The driver was taken to the hospital a short time later after suffering an undetermined medical condition.    Due to the boys age, police say no other information will be released to the public.