Bailey Smith

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the hiring of a new Executive Director. The Board of Directors offered the position to current Programs Director, Bailey Smith and she has accepted the position, which begins immediately.

In a press release, Chamber Board President Rob Clausen said “We are very happy to have Bailey on board as the new Executive Director.” Clausen said also, “We are confident that under her direction the Chamber will continue to thrive and serve its members.”

Smith started working at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce two years ago beginning as the Marketing and Public Relations Associate and moving up to the Programs Director a year ago. Smith says she “Spent the last two years learning from an exceptional Director who taught [her] a lot about the organization, our membership and the community.”

Bailey said she’s “Eager to dive in and continue to implement the programs and events we have in store for our membership,” and that she’s “loved working closely with our members and the community and I’m looking forward to continuing that to keep moving the organization in a positive, forward-thinking way.”

An investigation into an incident at a residence in Brayton, late Tuesday night, resulted in two arrests. 47-year old Jeffrey Allen White, Sr. and 53-year old Virginia Katherine Raysbrook, both of Brayton, were taken into custody at around 11:30-p.m., after a 9-1-1 call was received whereby a woman said she was being attacked in her home located in the 700 block of County T, in Brayton.

White was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, while Raysbrook was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both were transported to the Audubon County Jail and later released, after making an appearance before a magistrate. The incident remains under investigation.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department said today (Thursday), that Detectives with the Council Bluffs Police Department have completed the investigation into a carjacking incident that allegedly occurred on March 7th, 2017.

Investigators have determined the alleged victim, 26-year old Brittnie Holz, of Council Bluffs, provided several false statements to police during interviews after the incident. The investigation further revealed that Holz knew the identity of the male party involved and that no robbery had taken place.

On Tuesday, March 14th, Holz voluntarily came to the Police Station and was issued a criminal citation for reporting false information to police. The investigation into this incident is now closed as an unfounded report.

Brittnie Holz

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club is appealing to the Iowa Supreme Court its lawsuit challenging the Dakota Access Pipeline. In documents filed Thursday, the environmental group says the Iowa Utilities Board refused to consider whether the crude oil pipeline will promote public convenience and necessity, a requirement in Iowa law.

Sierra Club attorney Wallace Taylor says the utilities board did not discuss the need for, or benefits from, the service alleged to be provided Iowans by the oil pipeline which originates in the Bakken oil fields in northwest North Dakota and carries oil underground through South Dakota, Iowa and into southern Illinois.

The Supreme Court will be asked to review the public benefits of the pipeline to Iowans. A district court judge rejected the argument in February.

The Mills County Assessor escaped injury Monday, when the vehicle she was driving went out of control on an icy road. The Sheriff’s Office says 53-year old Christina Govig, of Red Oak, was traveling west on Highway 34 at around 7:25-a.m., and had started to cross the Highway 34 bridge just west of 295th Street, when her 1997 Chevy went out of control on the iced-over bridge surface. The car struck the bridge, causing property damage. There was no report on the dollar amount of damage to the vehicle or bridge structure.

Seven people have been arrested over the past couple of days, in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 18-year old Shali Dawn and 24-year old William Ryan Corns, both of Glenwood, were arrested late Tuesday morning on warrants for Child Endangerment. Both were being held in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond, each.

Also arrested Tuesday, was 39-year old Janet Lynn Hernandez, of Malvern, for Driving Under Suspension, and 37-year old Jeffrey Wayne Greene, of Pacific Junction, who was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation. Their bonds were set at $300 and $2,000, respectively.

26-year old Amanda Elizabeth, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Wednesday morning at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Probation Violation. Wednesday night, 39-year old Clinton Clark White, of Lenox, and 47-year old Tony Dean Fizer, of Creston, were arrested in Mills County. White was charged with Criminal Trespass and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, while Fizer faces charges that include Trespass and Possession of Contraband. Bond for White was set at $600. Fizer’s bond was set at $5,300.