The Audubon Chamber of Commerce and Audubon County Economic Development (ACED) groups held their joint banquet and recognition program, Saturday evening, in Audubon. During the event, which was held at the St. Patrick’s Parish Center, the gavel was passed from Chamber President Carrie Hansen to the former Vice-President, and current President Elect, Trish Nielsen, and, new directors were named for 2013. They include Dr. Tom Hansen, Tracey Armentrout, Shelby Jensen, and Val Chambers.

During the awards and recognition portion of the evening, the Citizen of the Year award went to Patricia “Pat” Curtis, who returned to Audubon after a long career of teaching, and has been a business owner in Audubon, since 1991. Curtis was lauded for her efforts at writing and co-writing lucrative grants for the City Park Stage, Albert the Bull, Trees Forever and many more projects. She’s been described by many, as the “Ambassador of Audubon.”

Audubon’s Junior Citizen of the Year award was presented to Andrew Hoffman, a Senior at the Audubon High School. Andrew was said to be an outstanding student and student leader, very active in his community, sports, and academic activities. In addition, the Audubon Community School District received the 2012 Community Appreciation Award, for being recognized as One of the Top Small Employers in Iowa, by the Des Moines Register.

The award recognition came after Workplace Dynamics conducted a survey of employees at various places of work in Iowa, where there were 35 employees or more. The results were published in the Sept. 23^rd, 2012 edition of the Register, with the Audubon Community Schools ranked 24^th in the small employers division (35-to 149 employees). The district was founded in 1900 and has 70 employees, with two new staffers hired last year.

The ACED also recognized numerous businesses in the County during the Saturday evening event.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Missouri River has received a special blessing from an Iowa church that hopes the ceremony will make the river holy and reduce flooding and drought.  The Sioux City Journal reports Father Lucas Rice led a group of congregants from St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Sioux City in the ceremony on Sunday.

In 2012, communities all along the river in Iowa and Nebraska experienced severe drought. The year before, flooding along the Missouri caused widespread damage.  Rice says he hopes the blessing will make the river healthy. The ceremony held at the foot of a boat ramp is also part of the Orthodox tradition of celebrating Jesus Christ’s baptism.  But Sunday’s ceremony marked the first time the Sioux City church that was formed in 1916 blessed the Missouri River.

(9-a.m. News)

There were Iowa connections to the weekend standoff in Aurora, Colorado, that claimed the lives of four people, including the gunman. One of the victims in the incident has been identified as Stacie Philbrook and an individual who escaped the shooting was Stephanie Philbrook Archuleta. They are the daughters of Greg Philbrook of Kamrar in Hamilton County.

Relatives say Philbrook Archuleta is okay after the ordeal that happened at about 3:00 Saturday morning. Aurora police have not yet released the name of the gunman. A SWAT team stormed the town home five hours later. As they entered the home, the team discovered the bodies of Stacie Philbrook and the three other individuals. The incident remains under investigation.

(Pat Powers/Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Department of Public Safety is asking for the public’s help in finding two Council Bluffs women. Nineteen-year-old Sakadee Donyen and 25-year-old Amra Dupanovic were reported to the agency as missing persons on Sunday. Authorities have not released any other details about the circumstances of their disappearance or if the two cases are even related. No photos of the women are immediately available. Donyen is described as a black woman five foot three inches tall, weighing 165 pounds. Dupanovic is described as a black woman five feet nine inches tall, weighing 190 pounds. Authorities advise anyone who might see either individual to not take any action, other than taking note of relevant information and immediately contacting the Iowa Department of Public Safety at 800-346-5507.

(Chuck Morris/Radio Iowa)

The Guthrie Center Police Department is asking for your help in catching the person or persons responsible for the theft and use of two vehicles and damage to nine other vehicles. The incidents occurred within the Guthrie Center city limits early Saturday morning. Two vehicles, which were taken and used without the owners’ consent, were later located. Officials say most of the property taken from the other vehicles was also later recovered. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information about the crimes should contact the Guthrie Center Police Department.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest Sunday, of 22-year-old James Corey Dolph. The Red Oak man was taken into custody on a warrant out of Montgomery County for a probation violation. Dolph also faces a charge of assault with the intent to injure, a peace officer. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $25,000 cash bond.

On Saturday, Red Oak Police arrested Tanya Michelle Danick. The 38-year old Red Oak woman was being held in the Montgomery County jail after being stopped just before midnight, Saturday, and taken into custody for driving while revoked and failure to provide proof of insurance. Her bond was set at $1,000.

And, the Red Oak P-D says three teens were cited for possession of alcohol under the legal age. The three were identified as 18-year-old Torri Huerta, of Griswold, 18-year-old Cody Benjamin Johnson, of Stanton, and Brent Edward Hanson, of Villisca.

All three were cited and released.