(Radio Iowa) – Eighteen Iowans were interviewed May 29th for a vacancy on the Iowa Court of Appeals. Thomas Bower of Cedar Falls, the chief judge on the Iowa Court of Appeals since 2019, will retire in June. The 17-member State Judicial Nominating Commission began in-person interviews with 10 judges and eight attorneys who applied to join the Court of Appeals.

Among those interviewed, was:

• Aaron Ahrendsen, Attorney, Eich Werden Steger & Ahrendsen PC, Assistant Carroll County Attorney, from Manning.
• John Gish, Chief, Victim Assistance Section, Iowa Attorney General’s Office, in Adel
• Maura Sailer, Attorney, Lohman, Reitz, Sailer, Ullrich & Blazek, in Denison

The commission will submit five nominees to Governor Reynolds and she’ll have 30 days to decide which one of the nominees to appoint — or she has the authority to ask the commission to reconvene and come up with a new slate of nominees.

The chief attorney for the Victims Assistance section of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office and the legal counsel for the Iowa Department of Education are among the applicants for the slot on the Iowa Court of Appeals.

(Guernsey, Iowa) – In an update to our report last weekend, the Iowa State Patrol has released the names of two juveniles, one of whom died, during a UTV accident that occurred Friday evening (May 24th). The operator of the UTV, 11-year-old Sam Schaeffer, was flown to the UIHC, where a report on his condition is not available. His passenger, 13-year-old Nolan Bayer died from his injuries, when the 2016 Polaris Ranger Crew went out of control southeast of Guernsey, in rural Poweshiek County, as the machine was rounding a curve in the road. The UTV rolled onto the driver’s side. The accident happened at around 5:20-p.m., Friday. The Patrol’s report did not indicate where the youth were from.

The accident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – Eight members of Minnesota’s Incident Management Team are in the tornado-tossed southwest Iowa town of Greenfield, at the request of Iowa officials through a multi-state emergency aid compact. Jacob Beauregard, with Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management says they definitely feel for the people in Greenfield, where four people were killed by the E-F-4 twister last Tuesday. Another 35 people were hurt and dozens of homes were destroyed.

“As you know, we’re no strangers to severe weather and tornadoes,” Beauregard says, “so our hearts go out to those folks and we’re certainly happy to help.” Beauregard says when neighbors are in need, you have to respond.

“When the call comes in, we’re certainly more than willing to step up and help our neighbors,” he says, “and especially the folks in Iowa.” Beauregard says the Minnesota group will assist with managing volunteer resources, cleanup logistics and the disaster declaration process. He expects they’ll be in Iowa for about two weeks.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – (Clarification*) – A man from Atlantic was transported by Lifeflight helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha, Tuesday, following a motorcycle accident near 560th Street and Highland Road. According to Cass County Chief Deputy Sheriff Jon Westering, 33-year-old Joseph Schelle suffered severe injuries, when his 2005 Kawasaki motorcycle, for reasons unknown, left Highland Road and entered the south ditch, just west of 560th Street. The accident happened a little before 5-p.m., on Atlantic’s west side.

Westering said Schelle was leading a group of three motorcycles eastbound on Highland Road when he lost control*, left the road, and entered the ditch. Schelle’s motorcycle  flipped end-over-end about three-t0 four-times, causing Schelle to be ejected from the machine.

Agency personnel on the scene following the crash included those from the Atlantic Fire Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic Police Department, Cass EMS, and Unity Point Lifeflight.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports two people were arrested early this (Wednesday) morning on warrants for Child Endangerment. Authorities say 41-year-old Chasidy Leann Roberts and 47-year-old Scott Earl Eblen, both of Creston, were arrested at around 6-a.m. at a residence in the 900 block of N. Division Street, in Creston. Both face charges that include four-counts each, of Child Endangerment.

Both were later released from the Union County Jail on $8,000 bond (cash or surety), each.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The Cass County Auditor’s Office is reminding voters that they will be open this Saturday, June 1, 2024, ahead of the June 4, 2024 Primary Election. The Auditor’s Office will be open on Saturday, June 1, 2024, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The office will be open for absentee voting and any other election business. The Auditor’s Office would also like to remind voters that they can vote absentee at the office during regular business hours through Monday, June 3, 2024, for the Primary Election.

The Auditor’s Office encourages those who have received mailed ballots to make arrangements to have them returned to the Cass County Auditor’s Office. Due to recent legislation, absentee ballots must be in the Auditor’s Office before polls close at 8:00 p.m. on June 4, 2024 to be counted.

Vote Early

For more information about the 2024 Primary Election contact the Cass County Auditor’s office at 712-243-4570. More information can be found on the Cass County elections website at https://www.casscountyia.gov/county-government/elections/primary-elections/.

FORT DODGE, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections, Tuesday, reported 47-year-old Andrew James Nielsen, who was convicted in Webster County on charges of Burglary 1st Degree in Webster County, Prohibited Acts — Manufacture, Delivery, Possession in Fayette County, and Voluntary Absence (Escape) in Polk and Webster counties, failed to report back to the Fort Dodge Residential Center as required, Monday.

Nielsen is a 5-feet nine-inch tall, 172-pound white male. He was admitted to the work release facility on March 6, 2024. Persons with information on Nielsen’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Andrew J. Nielsen (Iowa DOC photo)