Genelle Deist, Chair of the Audubon County Community Foundation, is pleased to announce that the Foundation received an estate gift of $5,000 from Milo & Dolores Clemmensen this summer. Those funds will be used to support two projects: the “Albert the Bull” project received $3,000 for maintenance, while the Friendship Home received $2,000 for renovations. Milo & Dolores Clemmensen were lifelong Audubon residents. Dolores passed away in 2013 at age 83 and Milo passed away in January 2017 at age 89. They participated in many aspects of community life: Chamber of Commerce, Audubon County Treasurer’s Office, Audubon Fire Department, Audubon State Bank, Audubon Golf & Country Club, and countless social clubs and community betterment causes. Their children asked the Audubon County Community Foundation to assist in a Fall distribution of their estate gift to the community that was interwoven in their parents’ lives.

The nonprofit organizations submitted applications to the Audubon County Community Foundation by the September 1st deadline, and were awarded their Milo & Dolores Clemmensen grants along with the other grantees by the ACCF Board. Audubon County agency representatives received their checks on October 26th.

Board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are: Chair, Genelle Deist of Audubon; Vice Chair, Joel Hoegh of rural Brayton; Secretary/Treasurer, Barbara Johnson of Audubon; Shelley Burr of Audubon; Steven B. Hansen of rural Audubon; Daryl Olsen of Audubon; and Joseph T. Rasmussen of Exira. For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact any of the Board Members, or call Dennis Nissen, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on a multi-vehicle, multi-state pursuit and arrests that took place, Sunday. Authorities said deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a call of several Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Camaros driving at high rates of speed southbound on Interstate 29 near Highway 34. Deputies made contact with three Dodge Chargers stopped at the southbound off ramp of Interstate 29 at exit 20. The vehicles fled the scene.

Deputies began pursuing a blue 2017 Dodge Charger southbound on Interstate 29 from exit 20. The vehicle crashed at the intersection of Highway 2 and Interstate 29, and continued westbound on Highway 2 reaching speeds of over 127 MPH. The vehicle entered Otoe County, Nebraska, and then continued on Highway 75, northbound into Cass County, Nebraska. Deputies lost sight of the vehicle near Murray, Nebraska. Deputies were advised that the vehicle had wrecked at a residence south of Murry Road on Highway 75. A Fremont County K9 was deployed and a male was taken into custody by Nebraska authorities.

The male, identified as 18-year old Antonio Ddwaye Massey,of Kansas City, Kansas was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center with minor injuries connected to the vehicle accident by Murray Rescue. Massey was arrested by the Omaha Police Department on a warrant out of Fremont County in connection to the pursuit.

Deputies also made contact with an Orange 2018 Dodge Charger Daytona in Hamburg, Iowa. They began pursuing the vehicle southbound into Missouri and back into Iowa. Deputies and Iowa State Troopers chased the vehicle northbound on 250th Ave from 310th Street. The vehicle wrecked in the 2900 block of 250th Ave.  Three juveniles from Kansas City, Kansas were arrested at the scene. The vehicle valued at over $41,000.00 was totaled in the accident. Two juveniles were treated and released at local hospitals with possible injures.

Iowa State Troopers also pursued a black Camaro and a Black Charger towards Missouri on Interstate 29. The vehicles continued into Missouri. Other recovered vehicles included a white Dodge Charger that was recovered by Mills County deputies after it was abandoned at Exit 10 of Interstate 29. Deputies and Troopers also recovered an abandoned and wrecked Black Dodge Charger that was abandoned at exit 1. All vehicles recovered were reported stolen from a car dealership in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Iowa deputies arrested: 18-year old Antonio Ddwayne Massey, of Kansas City, Kansas for Theft 1st Degree with other charges pending; A 17-year-old male from Kansas City, Kansas for Theft 1st Degree and Felony Eluding; A 16-year-old female from Kansas City, Kansas for Theft 1st and Felony Eluding; A 15-year-old passenger was released without charges. Several other charges are pending

Deputies with the Fremont and Mills County K9 units assisted Missouri authorities in pursuing several vehicles, including a stolen Missouri State Patrol vehicle in Atchison and Holt Counties. Both agencies deployed K9’s as well as Missouri authorities. Several suspects were arrested. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office in Iowa. The Otoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Plattsmouth Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, and Murray Fire and Rescue assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today (Monday) announced the first flu-related death of the 2017-2018 influenza season, was an elderly (81 years of age and older) Central Iowa man, who died in October. Influenza activity in Iowa has been low so far this season, but IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, says this death is an indication that flu can be a serious illness. “This death is an unfortunate reminder the flu virus does have the potential to cause severe illness and death, especially in the very young, very old or those who have underlying health conditions.”

The CDC recommends that essentially everyone over 6 months of age should receive the flu vaccine. Now is a good time to be vaccinated, before the holiday season begins. It takes up to two weeks after vaccination for the body to achieve full benefit against the flu virus. The flu is a respiratory illness caused by viruses. The flu comes on suddenly and symptoms may include fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches. Illness typically lasts two to seven days, and often puts healthy people in bed for days. The ‘stomach bug’ which causes diarrhea and vomiting is not caused by the influenza virus, but usually by norovirus; thus, the flu vaccine will not protect you against this illness.

To learn more about influenza in Iowa, visit http://idph.iowa.gov/influenza. Contact your health care provider or local health department to find out where the vaccine is available in your community or use the Flu Vaccine Finder at https://vaccinefinder.org.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department have released the identities of two people involved in a fatal crash over the weekend. The driver of the vehicle, 33-year old Josiah Volentine, of Omaha, died at the scene. His passenger, 32-year old Kristopher Harrold, of Council Bluffs, was critically injured and transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The accident happened just before 7-p.m. Saturday on Interstate 29, near the 54 mile marker.

Officials say the vehicle driven by Volentine left the road, hit two light poles and a sign before rolling over at least once. Speed and/or alcohol were believed to be factors in the crash, which remains under investigation.

All seven Democratic candidates running in the third congressional district who hope to face Republican Congressman David Young in 2018 gathered this weekend at a forum in Clarinda. Candidate Pete D’Alessandro, of Des Moines, managed Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. D’Allessandro says it’s time to amend the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, to extend broadband access to rural America. “Only about half the people in America even have internet that is considered adequate,” D’Alessandro says. “…It is a New Deal approach to a New Deal type of problem. Who knows better than rural America how that kind of approach can actually make a different and actually work?”

Candidate Theresa Greenfield, of Des Moines, is president of a family-owned real estate firm. She says rural America must be included when federal investments are made in infrastructure, the “green economy” and education. “Working families, they want to make more money,” Greenfield says. “They want a well-paying job for a job well done and we can help with that by investing in education — better skills, better jobs to get their American dream.” Candidate Austin Frerick, of Winterset, is a former U.S. Treasury Department economist. Frerick says it’s time to end monopolies. “I think economic concentration is the issue of our time,” Frerick says. “…The Koch brothers are modern-day ‘robber barons’. I love saying that ’cause everyone’s heads knod because it makes sense. We are living in a second guilded age.”

‘Candidate Eddie Mauro, of Des Moines, is a former teacher and coach who founded an insurance company. Mauro says Democrats need to pick a candidate who appeals to rural voters in the southwest Iowa district with ideas for boosting the bottom line for current and new farmers. “Hearing a lot of great stories and great ideas tonight,” Mauro says, “but none of that makes a difference if we don’t have the right kind of candidate with the right kind of message to beat David Young, who’s been very difficult to beat the last two times out.”

Candidates Cindy Axne; Paul Knupp, Junior; and Heather Ryan also spoke at the Saturday evening forum in Clarinda. Four of the seven Democrats who are running for governor also appeared at the event. The forum was sponsored by Democrats in five southwest Iowa counties.

(Radio Iowa)

Halloween is one of the most exciting times of year for kids. It’s also one of the busiest times for the Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center. Registered nurse and poison center educator Joan McVoy says they got about 300 calls last Halloween regarding glow sticks. While it’s a great idea to use the bright-colored sticks to help your child stay visible in the dark, they might appear to be something tasty to kids of a certain age. “It’s very tempting for the little ones to put it in their mouth. It’s soft plastic and they like chewing on it,” McVoy says. “What happens is, their teeth go right through the plastic and all of the sudden, the parents are freaking out because their child has a mouth full of glowing chemicals.”

She says a call to the poison control center will save you a trip to the E-R. The number is 800-222-1222. McVoy says parents need to remember a few common sense and safety rules to prevent possible problems later. For starters, make sure the little goblins have full tummies before they go trick-or-treating — to serve a dual purpose. “Go ahead and serve the kids food before you go out,” she says. “Feed them dinner before they go out so they’re not dipping into their treat bag until they get home and you get a chance to go through everything.”

Parents need to look over the loot for anything questionable and be especially watchful for things like baggies of cookies or popcorn balls. “Unless you know the families very well, I wouldn’t let the little ones eat any homemade treats from people you’re not familiar with,” McVoy says. “If the packaging looks different or looks like it’s been tampered with, go ahead and throw it away.”

The Sioux City-based hotline is open every day around the clock and the service is free.

(Radio Iowa)

The drivers of vehicles that collided this morning in Creston complained of pain, but were not transported to the hospital. The Creston Police Department reports a 1999 Buick LeSabre driven by 35-year old Madison Marie Steward, of Creston, was traveling west in the right hand lane of Highway 34 at the intersection with Sumner Street. A 2005 Jeep Liberty driven by 35-year old John Kenton Reasoner, also of Creston, was traveling east in the left lane of Highway 34. Both drivers got the green light and began moving into the intersection. Steward told Police she looked down for a minute to put her beverage in a cup holder, and when she looked up, the SUV was about to hit her Buick.

Reasoner told Police he thought he had the green turn arrow, and began to turn left across the intersection. A witness whose vehicle was also traveling west on Highway 34, told authorities they saw the Jeep approaching and stopped so that their vehicles did not collide. Reasoner was unable to stop in time to avoid a collision with the Buick. He was cited for Failure to Yield Upon Left Turn. Damage from the collision, which happened a little after 7-a.m., amounted to $7,000.