(Clarinda, Iowa) – Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports officers with the Clarinda P-D conducted a traffic stop at around 2:30-p.m., Saturday (March 16), at the intersection of 16th and Orange Streets, and arrested a man on drug charges. 40-year-old Matthew Lee Gusman, of Kansas City, Missouri, was taken into custody after drugs were located in the vehicle he was driving.

Gusman is charged with felony possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and failure to have the required drug tax stamps. He was booked into the Page County Jail and held on $100,000 bond, pending the filing of formal charges by the Page County Attorney.

“All defendants are presumed innocent under our system of criminal justice until found guilty in a court of law.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council has had relatively short agendas during their past few meetings, but that changes with their session set for this Wednesday at 5:30-p.m. in their Chambers at City Hall, in Atlantic. There are Public Hearings scheduled with regard to: The submission of a CDBG application for an AMU Clearwell Water Project; The plans, specifications and form of contract for the Atlantic SplashPad; and on a proposal to Enter into a General Obligation Solid Waste Management Loan Management Agreement.

There are also Resolutions to consider and act on, including:

• Approving the aforementioned plans, specifications and form of contract for the Atlantic SplashPad, and Awarding a contract for project.
• A resolution setting the date for Public Hearings and Additional action on proposals to Enter into a General Obligation Loan Agreement and to Borrow Money,” with regard to a new Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Fund. (See details in the PDF link below).
• A resolution “Taking additional action on a proposal to Enter into a General Obligation Solid Waste Management Loan Management Agreement and Providing for the Levy of Taxes.”
• and, a resolution “Approving a Professional Services Agreement with Barb Barrick to temporarily provide City Clerk consulting services for the City of Atlantic.”

Read more about the upcoming meeting here: City Council Agenda Packet March 20, 2024-compressed_1

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Republican Joni Ernst is seeking the number three leadership position among her G-O-P peers in the U-S Senate. “This is the main communicator job or position for the Republican  Conference in the Senate,” Ernst says.

Ernst is currently the fourth-ranking G-O-P Leader and her title is Senate Republican Policy Committee chair. Her decision to seek a higher rung on the leadership ladder in the next congress comes after Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell announced he would step down as Senate Republican leader at the end of the year. As G-O-P conference chair, Ernst would help guide the message Republicans present to voters.

“This is a great opportunity for me to communicate what’s going on in middle America. We’re tired of hearing all about the coastal elites,” Ernst says. “It is time to hear directly from folks in Iowa, hear what’s going on on the ground.”  Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton is seeking the same position as Ernst. “It is a competition. It is an election and we have all the way ’til this fall to get our message out,” Ernst says. “It is going to be a very long campaign for this leadership position, but I’m up for the challenge.”

Ernst was reelected to a second term in the U-S Senate in 2020. She has not announced whether she’ll run for reelection in 2026.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds and First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds invite Iowans to join them for Terrace Hill’s Annual Egg Hunt on the Hill Saturday, March 23 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm.  The Egg Hunt on the Hill event is for children ages 1 to 10, and children must be accompanied by an adult. This is a free event. Families wishing to attend must RSVP by e-mail only to molly.thompson@governor.iowa.gov. Please include first and last names of each attendee and the age of each child. Guests should dress appropriately for the weather and bring their own sack or basket to collect eggs.

Guests will enjoy photos with the Easter Bunny, meeting Governor Kim Reynolds and First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds, eggs on a stick from the Iowa Egg Council, balloon animals, and most of all: the Easter egg hunt.

Space is limited to 150 children, and registration will close once capacity is reached.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports seven arrests took place over the past week. Sheriff Jeff Vandewater says there were two arrests on March 10th: 39-year-old Jacob Joseph Pratt, of Independence, MO., was arrested following a traffic stop by Stuart Police, and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, PCS/Marijuana – 1st offense, and Possession of Drug paraphernalia. Pratt was released later that same day on a $2,300 cash or surety bond. And, 24-year-old Richard Paul Welsch, of Greenfield, was arrested March 10th by Greenfield Police, for OWI/1st offense. Welsch was released a short time later, on a citation.

On March 11th, an Iowa State Patrol Trooper arrested 59-year-old Jon Jefferson Perry, of Fontanelle, following a traffic stop on Highway 92. Perry was charged with Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

On March 14th, 24-year-old Dylan Michael Cory, of Stuart, turned himself-in to the Adair County Sheriff’s Office. Cory was wanted on an Adair County warrant for OWI/1st offense. He was released the same day on a $1,000 c/s bond. And, 50-year-old Jason James Masolini, of Stuart, was arrested March 14th on an Adair County Felony warrant for Violation of Probation. Masolini was released the next day on a $5,000 bond after appearing before a Judge.

Last Friday (March 15th), 39-year-old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of Fontanelle, was arrested in Fontanelle, for Driving While Barred. He was cited at the scene and released. And, on Saturday (March 16th), 46-year-old Brandie Sue Whitney, of Creston, was arrested in Greenfield, for Driving While Barred. Whitney was cited at the scene and released.