Cass County Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall reminds property owners in Cass County, that it’s time for your first-half tax payments on real estate and mobile homes. You can go online to pay your taxes at www.iowatreasurers.org, mail your payment, or stop by the Treasurer’s Office at the courthouse in Atlantic.

The deadline for payments without penalty is Wednesday September 30, 2015. Payments with a postmark will be accepted without penalty.

The Office of Iowa Republican. Senator Joni Ernst’s says representatives from the Senator’s office will be available to meet with the public this week during several stops in area counties. Her staffers will serve as a resource in dealing with the federal government. Senator Ernst herself will not be available during the traveling office visits. Her office staff can help you with problems or questions about eligibility involving issues like Social Security, Medicare, veterans benefits or military affairs, passports, immigration issues, and other federal programs.

Today (Tuesday, September 1st), Ernst’s Office Stops include:

Union County, 9:00 am – 10:00 am; LEC Conference Room – Union County Courthouse in Creston.

Audubon County, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm; Audubon Public Library in Audubon.

Ringgold County, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm at the  City Hall Council Chambers in Mt. Ayr.

Shelby County, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm; at the Harlan Public Library in Harlan.

Harrison County, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm; Missouri Valley Public Library in Mo. Valley.

Wednesday, September 2nd:

Adams County, 9:30 am – 10:30 am at the Corning Public Library, in Corning.

Montgomery County, 11:15 am – 12:15 pm at the ISU Extension Office in Red Oak.

Cass County, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm at the Atlantic Public Library in Atlantic.

Pottawattamie County, 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm at the Avoca Public Library in Avoca.

Thursday, September 3rd:

Taylor County, 9:00 am – 10:00 am at the Bedford Public Library in Bedford.

Page County, 10:45 am – 11:45 am in the Large Meeting Room at the Clarinda Public Library, in Clarinda.

Fremont County, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at the Hamburg City Hall in Hamburg.

Mills County, 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm at the Glenwood Senior Center in Glenwood.

Riverdale, IL – A three-month manhunt for a shooting suspect from Des Moines has ended with the fugitive’s arrest in Riverdale, IL. A team of law enforcement officers led by U.S. Marshals arrested 29-year old James Matthew Butler, Jr., around 2:40 p.m. Thursday. Butler was wanted by the Des Moines Police Department on three counts of attempted murder in connection with the May 27th shooting of a 33-year old woman and a 36-year old man.

Butler is also accused of shooting at a third individual who was not injured. At the time of the alleged shooting, Butler was on federal pre-trial release. He was awaiting trial in the Southern District of Iowa on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Butler on May 28th.

James Butler, Jr.

On Thursday, acting on information from Polk County Crime Stoppers and the U.S. Marshals Southern Iowa Fugitive Task Force in Des Moines, U.S. Marshals in the Northern District of Illinois – assisted by their task force – observed a man matching Butler’s description in a vehicle with several other individuals in Riverdale.

As the vehicle neared the area of 140th and School St., Deputies conducted a felony traffic stop of the vehicle. The man believed to be Butler attempted to give Deputies a false identity. Deputies were able to confirm Butler’s identity and arrested him without incident. Butler is being held at the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago where he is awaiting extradition back to the Southern District of Iowa.

BOSTON (AP) — Two Iowa men accused of making online threats against competitors at a Pokemon event are due in a Boston courtroom this (Tuesday) morning, for a dangerousness hearing. Eighteen-year-old Kevin Norton, of Ames, and 27-year-old James Stumbo, of Boone, are scheduled to appear in Boston Municipal Court.

The men were arrested Aug. 22 after they allegedly made threatening statements in an online Pokemon forum and on other social media before driving to Boston for the World Pokemon Championships. Police said they found a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR-15 rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in their car. They were stopped as they tried to register for the championships at the Hynes Convention Center.

Players from more than 30 countries competed at the three-day, invitation-only event for a share of more than $500,000 in scholarship awards.

A Cass County woman pled guilty Monday in Cass County District Court, to an amended charge of Theft in the 3rd Degree, in connection with incidents of theft that began in Sept. of 2014, from the Atlantic Hy-Vee store. 23-year old Tiffany Lillard, of Cumberland, was originally charged in Mid-July, with the more serious felony crime of 2nd Degree Theft, for taking in excess of $9,800 by diverting Hy-Vee store funds to gift cards for her own use.

Tiffany Lillard (Booking photo)

Lillard waived her rights Monday (8/31) and agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge, which is an aggravated misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment not to exceed two years, as well as a fine ranging between $625 and $6,250. Her sentencing date has not yet been set.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office said Monday, two people were arrested over the past few days. Early Monday morning (Aug. 31st), 21-year old Brandon Michael Clemmons, of Emerson, was arrested for OWI 1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000. And, late Friday morning, 36-year old Lonnie Darnell Stubblefield, of Omaha, was arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance and Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,300.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports four, recent arrests. On Sunday, deputies arrested 26-year old Tiffany Dawn Christoffersen, of Valley, NE, on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Criminal Mischief 4th Degree. Christoffersen was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released the following day on $1,000 bond. Also arrested Sunday, was 32-year old Trent Matthew Suhr, of Walnut, who was taken into custody on two District Court warrants for Probation Violation. Suhr was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

Last Saturday, Cass County deputies arrested 33-year old Justin Paul Parker, of Adair,  on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Parker was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond. And on Thursday, 36-year old Heather Marie Christensen, of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of Driving While Revoked (Serious). Christensen was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released the following day on $1000 bond.

A teenager was injured during a single-vehicle accident Sunday afternoon, in Cass County. The Sheriff’s Department reports 16-year old Kane Melvin Cooley, of Anita, suffered multiple injuries and was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by private vehicle, and later flown by LifeNet to the Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha.

Officials say deputies responded to the crash on Eastland Road three-quarters of a mile east of Anita, at around 4:15-p.m., Sunday. An investigation determined a 2003 Dodge Dakota driven by Cooley, was westbound on Eastland Road when the teen lost control. The pickup entered the north ditch, rolled over and came to rest on its top.

Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $10,000. The accident remains under investigation.

An ATV crash that claimed the life of a child is under investigation in western Iowa. The accident happened Sunday, just before 8 p.m. Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call about a four-wheeler accident in rural Crawford County. Ten-year-old Devon Auen of rural Denison was transported to Crawford County Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The accident is being investigated by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol.

(Radio Iowa)

A woman from Glenwood was arrested Saturday on a Mills County warrant for unlawful possession of prescription drugs. The Glenwood P-D says 22-year old Shelby Conn was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $2,000 cash-only bond.