The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests. On Sunday (April 17th), 20-year old Sarah Jo Porter, of Cumberland, was arrested on charges of Illegal Possession of Prescription Medication/2^nd Offense, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Driving While Revoked. Porter was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released later that day on $1,000 bond. Also arrested Sunday, was 24-year old Christi Lynn Carpenter, of Omaha. Carpenter was taken into custody on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Theft 5^th Degree. She was released later that day on $300 bond.

Last Friday, deputies in Cass County arrested 62-year old Scott Terrill Remington, of Greenfield, on a felony OWI 3^rd or Subsequent Offense, charge. Remington was also cited for Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident, Reckless Driving, Improper Use of Lanes, Following too Closely, and two counts of Open Container. Remington was taken to the Cass County Jail and released Saturday on $5,000 bond.

And, last Thursday, 27-year old Andrew Gaston Nickum, whose last known address was listed as Cumberland, was arrested in Cass County on a felony charge of OWI 3^rd or Subsequent Offense. Nickum was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released Friday on $5,000 bond.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission heard requests for hardship payments at their meeting last week for those who say they are being impacted by the transition of greyhound racing from two tracks to one.  Racing and Gaming administrator, Brian Ohorilko, says they commission originally had six requests for hardship payments.

He says one person withdrew their claim, so they reviewed five claims and each one was a little bit different. Three of the five claims were approved, and two were denied. Ohorilko says once they approved a claim, they then had to decide a dollar amount.

The maximum claim allowed is 100-thousand dollars. The commission approved a claim for 50-thousand dollars for Doctor George Darnell, a 30-thousand-dollar claim for trainer Lori Fortune, and a 100-thousand dollar claim for Eric Pelto. The commissioners denied a claim for Kennel Supply, L-L-C, and one from trainer Jeana Wilhite.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Glenwood arrested a man Saturday, on assault and child endangerment charges. 33-year-old Timothy White, of Glenwood, was being held in the Mills County Jail on $4,000 bond. And, officers with the Glenwood P-D arrested 32-year-old Nathan Evans, of Glenwood, Sunday, for driving while revoked. He was held on $1,000 bond.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports one arrest over the past week. 26-year old Colleen Nicole Denton, of Greenfield, was arrested April 10th for Serious Domestic Abuse Assault. She was released later that same day on $1,000 bond. According to charging documents, Denton and 31-year old Cole John Daughenbaugh, also of Greenfield, were in an argument, when she allegedly struck Daughenbaugh several times in the face, causing injury.

Both parties allegedly assaulted each other, but neither claimed responsibility for their actions, according to the documents. As we reported last week, Daughenbaugh was also arrested in connection with the incident. He too was charged with Serious Domestic Assault, and later released.

In other news from the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, 19-year old Clinton James Henry Hansen, of Atlantic, and 26-year old Shelli Dawn Moffitt, of Osceola, were cited last week for Driving Under Suspension. Both were released from the scene of their citations. Sheriff Jeff Vandewater said he and his deputies conducted more traffic stops than ever before last week, at least since he began keeping records over the past couple of years.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following a collision Saturday afternoon, north of Essex. Officials say 20-year old Harley Collier, of Omaha, was traveling north on Avenue D at around 2:35-p.m., about two-miles north of Essex, near the intersection with 130th Street, when she ran into the rear of a trailer hauling a boat. The trailer was being pulled by a 2012 Ford F-150 pickup.

The driver of the pickup was identified as 64-year old Michael Dean Hecker, of Silver City. Authorities say due to the dust from Hecker’s vehicle Collier was unable to see his vehicle and trailer.  Damage to the outboard engine on the boat was estimated at $1500.

Collier was cited for Failure to maintain control and Failure to prove security against liability.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Public Information Board is scheduled to decide whether to take action against a county hospital for not releasing the names of its volunteers. Denison resident Richard Knowles has been seeking the volunteer driver records from Crawford County Memorial Hospital so he can learn whether any of the people have criminal histories.

The Des Moines Register reports the hospital and its foundation say the information shouldn’t be considered a public record because the volunteer workers are not paid. Iowa’s open record law mandates the release of the name and compensation of government employees.

The information board deputy director has recommended the board find “probable cause” in the case. If the board agrees in its vote Thursday, the next step could be a hearing before an administrative law judge.

The Griswold School District’s Board of Education will hold a special meeting Tuesday evening (April 19th) with regard to a possible superintendent sharing agreement and discussion pertaining to a superintendent vacancy in the Griswold District. During the 6:30-p.m. meeting in the Central Office at the High School/Middle School building, the Board will meet with Dr. Greg Cruickshank, Superintendent of the South Page & Sidney School Districts.

The public is invited to provide input and ask questions about a possible sharing arrangement between the Griswold, South Page and Sidney Districts.

Today (Monday) is the deadline to file federal income tax returns, but you still have another two weeks to file your Iowa income taxes. Iowa Department of Revenue spokesperson, Victoria Daniels, advises you to file electronically. “That is best thing you can do for yourself. Number one, if you are going to get a refund, you will get it much quicker,” Daniels says. “Number two, a lot of the software programs, they actually do the calculations for you. And so you are less likely to have mistakes.”

Filing electronically also saves the state money. While it take less than one dollar for the Department of Revenue to process an e-filing, Daniels says it takes more than two dollars to process a paper return. Unlike the federal government, Iowa doesn’t allow people to ask for additional time to file their taxes. “If you don’t file on time and you don’t pay on time, then you’re going to be hit with a 10 percent penalty. And then also, if there is an amount due, that will earn interest at five percent a year,” Daniels says.

But, as long as you pay 90 percent of want you owe the state by May 2nd, you won’t suffer an additional penalty. Daniels says more than 90 percent of Iowans will get their tax refunds within two weeks of filing electronically.

(Radio Iowa)

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – City Council members on Monday are scheduled to consider a proposal to penalize property owners an extra 25 percent on unpaid city fees for removing snow from sidewalks. The Sioux City Journal reports that the penalties would be levied on the unpaid fees added to the parcels’ property taxes.

City code requires owners to clear sidewalks within 12 hours after snow or ice has stopped falling. Noncompliance can result in a civil citation. If a sidewalk isn’t cleared after a 24-hour shovel notice is posted, a city contractor clears the sidewalk and the city bills the property owner for those costs.