Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers says with a good chance of a significant snowfall occurring in Clarinda on Saturday and Sunday, now is the time to remind the citizens of the community about the emergency snow ordinance. The Clarinda Snow Ordinance says: No person shall park any motor vehicle or other apparatus upon any street of the city that will obstruct the removal of snow when there has been an accumulation of two (2) inches or more. Any vehicle left parked on any street in violation of this ordinance may be impounded, and the registered owner of the vehicle will be subject to a $15.00 parking fine, and payment of all applicable towing and storage fees in order for the vehicle to be released.

A traffic stop in Harlan last Saturday (March 16th), led to the arrest of two people on drug charges. According to the Harlan Police Department, 29-year old Michael Gifford and 30-year old Heather Beatty, both of Harlan, each face Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, charges. Gifford also faces a charge of Prohibited Acts, and he was cited for Driving While Suspended, along with Driving on the wrong side of a two-way street. The owner of the vehicle, 32-year old Wayne Vohs, of Harlan, was cited for permitting an unauthorized person to drive.

Harlan Police report also, the arrest on Monday, of 22-year old Kurt Tucker. The Harlan man was arrested for Driving While Suspended, following a traffic stop. He was subsequently cited and released. And, on March 15th, 21-year old Brandon Barnum, of Shelby, was arrested on an OWI charge, following a traffic stop. Barnum was also cited for Careless Driving.

There’ll be a new man in charge of the Logan-Magnolia Community School District, effective July 1^st. The Omaha World-Herald reports that’s when Thomas Ridder takes over the Superintendent’s job, from retiring Superintendent Jim Hammerich.

Ridder, who has served as a school administrator in Howells, NE, will also become Lo-Ma’s pre-kindergarten through 4th grade principal, in addition to handling his duties as Superintendent.

The Logan-Magnolia School Board of Education approved Ridder’s one-year contract during a meeting held last week.

Trial in the case of a western Iowa man charged with murdering his mother and kidnapping another woman, has been delayed until June. According to the Omaha World-Herald, 21-year old Kirk Levin‘s attorney asked for the delay, so he could complete depositions. The trial, which was set to have begun April 10th, will now take place June 3rd.

Levin faces 1st-degree murder and 3rd degree kidnapping charges. Prosecutors say he stabbed his mother Marilyn Schmitt to death, at her home near Early, in rural Sac County, on January 3rd. He later allegedly kidnapped 21-year old Jessica Vega from her Storm Lake home, tied her up and put her in the trunk of his car. The woman escaped when Levin’s vehicle went into a ditch.

Levin had been released from prison a few days prior to the events, after serving time for burglary.

The Audubon Police Department reports the arrest March 14^th of a local man on fraud-related charges. 35 year old Ricky Raymond Peterson, of Audubon, was charged with Insurance Fraud, for allegedly submitting a false claim stating a large sum of money was stolen from his home, and, for Filing a False Report of an Indictable Crime to law enforcement.

An investigation determined no theft had actually occurred. Peterson was released from custody March 15^th on a $5,000 recognizance bond. His preliminary hearing was set for April 1^st.