A jury today (Tuesday) found a former Butler County police officer guilty of multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Mark Pitz reports.

No sentencing date has yet been set. Tobin still faces lawsuits from two sisters who claim he coerced them into sex on multiple occasions while he was on duty. They are also suing the Clarksville Police Department, Chief Barry Mackey, an unidentified City leader and the City of Clarksville. The sisters’ argue that some City officials knew or should’ve known what Tobin was doing and did nothing to stop it. Trials in those lawsuits are currently scheduled for February 10, 2025.

Fire departments in small towns across the state continue to have issues with finding enough volunteers to fill open spots. Parkersburg Fire Chief Russ Boersma says his department is authorized for 35 firefighters, and they only have 19.

Another challenge is the age of equipment and the cost to replace it. The chief says for example, they need to replace the oxygen tanks and masks they use when fighting fires.

There are about 850 fire departments in Iowa, and of those, 92 percent are volunteer departments.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday (Today), received an update from Cass/Guthrie County Environmental Health Executive Director Jotham Arber. He mentioned with the change in weather, they’re coming to the end of the time for septic system perc (percolation) tests.

He also let the Board know that Environmental Health can start paying to have people’s wells chlorinated.

He said there aren’t a lot of people who are certified in the department’s 4-county region to chlorinate wells, but he’s working on it.

A couple of people who had been doing those services, are retiring.

In addition to chlorination certification, there are also opportunities to get Radon testing certification. Something else homeowners should get tested if their residence is 100-years or more older, is testing of your pipes for lead.

Lead paint on the walls is another thing to watch out for, when you have young children in the home.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors met this (Tuesday) morning in the Courthouse basement meeting room, instead of in their Board Room.
The Board received a weekly report on Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities, from County Engineer Trent Wolken. He began with current bridge projects.

Wolken spoke also, about some box culvert projects and other projects that are underway.

Wolken said also they have one position open in the Anita Maintenance Shed, with interviews set to take place later this week.

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate has launched an awareness campaign to thank Iowa poll workers for their work in helping Iowa’s elections process run fairly and smoothly. Each election, more than 10,000 Iowans from every corner of the state step up to serve their communities as precinct election officials. The Iowa Secretary of State’s Office is partnering with County Auditors in every corner of the state to help tell stories about the role poll workers play in our elections process and the impact these individuals have in their communities every day.

Iowa is in the top three in the nation for election administration by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Election Data and Science Lab. Local election officials, including poll workers, play an essential role in keeping Iowa’s elections safe and secure. Poll workers check in voters, make sure they have the correct ballot, answer questions, and help ensure elections run smoothly in each precinct. They’re needed in all 99 counties for the November 7 City-School Election.

“Iowa’s elections are some of the safest and most secure in the country, thanks to Iowa’s process that includes paper ballots, offline and secure systems, pre-testing of equipment, and post-election audits in all 99 counties,” said Secretary Pate. “We also have a secret weapon: poll workers. We are thankful for the Iowans who have stepped up as poll workers and offered their time to serve their community and help their neighbors vote.”

Iowans who want to contribute to their community and Iowa’s elections can sign up to become a poll worker at Pollworker.Iowa.gov.

Voters who plan to participate in early voting can begin casting ballots for the 2023 City-School Election on Wednesday, October 18. This marks the start of the absentee voting period and the first day Iowans can vote in person at their County Auditor’s Office. October 18 is also the first day County Auditors can mail absentee ballots to voters who requested them. Absentee ballot request forms must be received by a voter’s local County Auditor’s Office no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 23. To request an absentee ballot or to find your polling site, visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Auditor/Election Commissioner Kathy Somers reminds all eligible voters in Cass County (IA), that the combined City & School Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 7th, with the polls open that day from 7-a.m. until 8-p.m.  Voters must vote in their precinct of residence (Shown below). Voting location has changed for some voters. If your are unsure of your voting precinct for this election, please contact the Cass County Auditor/Commissioner of Elections (Phone: 712-243-4570). You may also verify the voting location for your homeaddress at: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterreg/pollingplace/search.aspx. Precinct maps are available on the Cass County website www.casscountyiowa.us.

NOTE: This is a COUNTY-WIDE election. Every eligible voter in Cass County is eligible to vote. City residents will vote for both city and school candidates; and rural residents will vote for school candidates only.

THE VOTING CENTERS FOR THIS ELECTION WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:
Atlantic 1st Ward ………………………………………………………. Zion Lutheran Church (811 Oak St)
Atlantic 2nd Ward ………………………………………………………Atlantic Public Library (507 Poplar)
Atlantic 3rd Ward………………………………………………………. Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th)
Atlantic 4th Ward………………………………………………………. United Church of Christ (1607 Hazel)
Atlantic 5th Ward………………………………………………………. Heritage House (1200 Brookridge Circle)
City of Anita/ Grant, Lincoln Twp …………………………………………… Anita Community Center (805 Main St)
City of Cumberland/ Union Twp…………………………………..Cumberland Community Building (200 W 2nd)
City of Griswold/ Noble, Pleasant Twp…………………………..Griswold Community Building (601 2nd St)
City of Lewis/ Bear Grove, Cass Twp…………………………….Lewis Community Building (400 W Main St, Lewis)
City of Marne/ Brighton, Grove, Pymosa, Washington Twp. …Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th) City of Massena/ Westerly portion Massena Twp ……………… CAM Middle School (207 E 6th St, Massena)
Edna Twp/Victoria Twp/Easterly Portion Massena Twp ………..Massena Public Library (122 Main St, Massena)
City of Wiota/ Benton, Franklin Twp ………………………………………. Anita Community Center (805 Main St, Anita)

NOTICE: All polling places for this election are handicapped accessible. However, any voter who is physically unable to enter the polling place has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle. For further information, please contact the county auditor at the following telephone or e-mail address: Phone: 243-4570; Email: skarns@casscoia.us For TTY access, dial 711 + 712-243-4570.

Persons attempting to vote in the wrong precinct will be directed to the correct precinct. Persons must register in Cass County to be eligible to vote in Cass County. Persons who have changed their name and/or address within Cass Co. will be required to re-register at the polls before being permitted to vote. Pre-Registration for persons to vote in this City/School Election closes at 5:00 P.M. Friday, October 23, 2023. Same day registration and voting is permitted. Voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before they may receive and cast a ballot. For additional information about voter identification, visit https://sos.iowa.gov/voterid.

Absentee and special voter ballots will be counted at the Cass County Courthouse, 5 W 7th Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022. Voting equipment will be used at the election. Public test of election equipment will be October 23, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. in the courthouse and continue until completion of the required test. Voters can find sample ballots on the Cass County Elections website: https://www.casscountyia.gov/county-government/elections/primary-elections/.

The public is hereby notified that the post-election audit for the 2023 City/School Combined Election will take place on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 1:00pm in the Cass County Board of Supervisors Meeting Room. A listing of the candidates that will appear on the ballot are listed below. Please note that this is only one rotation and each precinct will have their corresponding ballot with their rotation posted as a sample ballot at the precinct.

(Radio Iowa) – Production at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant near Burlington has ramped up due to the war in Ukraine and the facility may be key in getting munitions to Israel as well. The plant manufactures artillery shells and production has recently doubled. According to The Des Moines Register, Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middleton is scheduled to get more than a billion dollars in upgrades over the next two years as the U-S military aims by 2025 to have 100-thousand artillery shells manufactured each month at the southeast Iowa plant and another in Pennsylvania. An Army spokesman told The Register more people will be hired to work at the plant as construction and production progress.

The facility opened in 1941 to make ammunition for World War II and closed in 1945 when the war ended. It reopened in 1950 to begin making ammunition for the Korean War. The massive Iowa Army Ammunition Plant campus cover more than 19-thousand acres. Nearly all the employees are civilians. An Army colonel is commander of the facility and about two dozen soldiers are assigned to the plant.

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School Board, Monday evening, received good news with regard to the District’s Certified (CER) and BEDS enrollment numbers. Superintendent Dave Henrichs told KJAN News the CER number came in at 460.73.

The District’s BEDS (Basic Educational Data Survey) number was also up, according to Henrichs.

In other business, the Griswold School Board discussed activating their Early Retirement Policies for both the Certified and Non-Certified staff.

The Board then moved to approve Veteran’s Day Expenses. Henrichs reminds parents also, that Griswold Middle School/High School Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held Tuesday, Oct. 24^th and Thursday, Oct. 26^th, from 4-until 8-p.m., both days. The conferences will be held in an open format, with teachers available in the High School Gym, throughout conference times.

Several community partners will be on-hand to share valuable local resources with families.

(Creston, Iowa) – A man from Union County was arrested Monday evening at 200 W. Howard Street, in Creston. Authorities report 21-year-old Cody Alan Lynn Robertson, of Creston, was arrested on a Driving While Revoked charge. Robertson was later released on a Promise to Appear (in Court).