Do you help take care of an older family member or friend? If so, you are not alone. Over 65 million family caregivers in America provide a vast array of emotional, financial, nursing, social, homemaking and other services on a daily or on an intermittent basis.  Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational series designed to provide tools you need to take care of yourself. If you take good care of yourself, you will be better prepared to take good care of your loved one. As a participant you will learn how to: reduce stress, improve self-confidence, better communicate your feelings, balance your life, increase ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources.

Iowa State University Extension is sponsoring Powerful Tools for Caregivers in Guthrie County starting on January 14th. This program has been tested and evaluated through a grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging. Classes consist of six, 2 ½ hour sessions held once a week. Staff from the Audubon & Guthrie County Extension offices, Tonya Vetter, and Mary Ebert, will be conducting each class. Interactive lessons, discussions and brainstorming help you take the “tools” you choose and put them into action for your life.

Sessions are scheduled every Wednesday for six weeks and begin on January 14th. Classes will be held at the Guthrie County Extension & Outreach Office from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided. There is a $10 fee for the program. Scholarships are available, & the application can be obtained by contacting one of the two class facilitators. For more information or to register, contact the Guthrie County Extension & Outreach Office at (641) 747-2276.

(Press Release)

An Atlantic woman suffered possible, unknown injuries during an accident Monday afternoon. Atlantic Police report vehicles driven by Tammy Wyman, of Atlantic, and Nathaniel Johnson, of Griswold, were both northbound on Olive Street approaching 5th, when Wyman slowed to make a left turn onto 5th Street.

Johnson was unable to stop his vehicle in time due to the slick street conditions. His vehicle hit the Wyman vehicle in the rear, causing a total of $5,800 damage. The accident happened at around 12:10-p.m.

Wyman reported some pain following the crash, but refused transport to the hospital. There were no citations issued.

The final meeting of the Cass County Board of Supervisors scheduled for 2014 will take place Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. During their 8:30-a.m. session, the Board will hear from Kipp Harris, with regard to the County’s current Workers Compensation and Liability Insurance. They’ll also receive a presentation and/or report from Jill Christophersen, with the Audubon County Dept. of Human Services/Case Management.

Other, regular reports are expected as well, from the County Engineer and Mental Health/General Assistance, departments.

The Audubon Police Department today (Tuesday) released a list of persons who were recently arrested. Officer Matt Starmer reports 29-year old Heath Austin Kroll,  of Kiron, was arrested for Domestic Abuse – 2nd offense. 21-year old Joseph Andrew Reisberg, of Audubon, was arrested for Supplying Alcohol to Minors.

48-year old Timothy Duane Smith, of Audubon, was arrested in Audubon for Driving With a Suspended License. 31-year old Donovan Eugene Harris,  of Boone, was arrested on charges of Domestic Abuse, Harassment, Obstructing Emergency Communications, Going Armed with Intent and Child Endangerment.

34-year old Claude Anthony Cheatem,  of Audubon, was taken into custody on a Harassment charge. 28-year old Jared Dewayne Joyce, and 27-year old Kassie Michelle Joyce, both of Audubon, was arrested recently, for Trespassing.

No other information was provided about the arrests.

Area & State news, with Ric Hanson.

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Police in Red Oak this (Tuesday) morning, arrested a local man wanted on a U-S Marshals Service warrant. 38-year old Aaron Theodore Johnson, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 6:15-a.m. at his home, south of Red Oak. Johnson was wanted for indictment on a charge of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The charge stems from an incident that happened Nov. 3rd.

He was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held without bond, pending extradition by the U-S Marshals Service.

(Updated 10-a.m.)

A business in downtown Atlantic was damaged by vandalism overnight. According to Police Chief Steve Green, at around 9:50-p.m., someone heard glass breaking in the 400 block of Chestnut Street, somewhere south of the NAPA store. The person who notified police said they saw a short male suspect wearing a black coat, pants and stocking cap, run north in the 400 block of Chestnut and turn east on 4th Street.

When officers went to investigate, they found the front, 8-foot by 8-foot plate glass window at Aunt B’s (408 Chestnut), had been broken. The front glass door of the business was also smashed. Inside the store, where the window was broken, was a piece of black asphalt, measuring 5-by 7-inches in diameter. A picture inside a glass frame was also broken inside the store after it was hit by the piece of asphalt. Officers were unable to locate a suspect. Damage from the incident amounted to about $1,500.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Atlantic Police Dept. at 243-3512.

Three men from Madison County were arrested this (Tuesday) morning on drug charges, at the Union County Law Enforcement Centerl. The Creston Police Dept. says 19-year old’s Kenneth William Killen and Zachary Trenton Holder, and 18-year old Jordan Dean Smith, all of Winterset, were arrested at around 4:50-a.m., for Possession of a Controlled Substance. All three men were being held in the Union County Jail on $1,000 bond, each.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state commission that oversees voting is holding a public hearing on a new rule that would start online voter registration in Iowa. The Iowa Voter Registration Commission is seeking a new rule to allow anyone with a driver’s license or photo ID issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation to log onto a website and register to vote. It’s a process used in 17 other states. Commissioner Charlie Smithson says it will benefit 94 percent of the population of Iowa with minimal cost.

Voter rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa believe excluding those without a license or photo ID isn’t fair and will push for changes at the hearing set for 10 a.m. today (Tuesday), in Des Moines.