(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Cass County (IA) Auditor Kathy Somers has officially announced her intentions to run for re-election in the June 4, 2024 Republican primary. Somers was elected to fill a vacancy following Dale Sunderman’s retirement in the November, 2022 General Election, and is now running for a full four-year term.

Somers served 12 years on the Atlantic City Council from 2010 through 2021. She was chairperson of the city’s personnel and finance committee for 10 years, and credits that experience, along with her committee work as chairman of the landfill board and member of the Cass County Public Safety Commission, with preparing her for the role of county auditor. Somers learned how local governmental finances and budgets work, and became familiar with many issues involving the county as a result of those experiences.

Before becoming the county auditor, Somers worked at A.M. Cohron & Son, Inc., a bridge construction company, as the HR & EEO Officer and Safety Coordinator. The experience allowed her to bring a background in human resources, employee benefits, equal employment opportunity, workman’s compensation and liability insurance claims to the county. She also previously worked at CADCO as the executive secretary where she was involved in various projects that benefited the county and has brought that history to the office as well.

Kathy Somers (official photo)

The auditor’s duties include serving as the county’s financial officer, budget director, clerk to the board of supervisors, commissioner of elections, and registrar of voters. The auditor processes taxable valuation rates and prepares the property tax book. Real estate transfers, payroll, accounts payable, and passport applications are also handled in the auditor’s office.

Somers is the daughter of Dean and Verna Esbeck and is a 1988 graduate of Atlantic High School. She is married to Guy Somers. They have four grown children: Mikayla Stockhaus, Justin Somers, Nadia Coop and Lex Somers. Kathy Somers looks forward to serving the citizens of Cass County for another four years.

JEFFERSON, Iowa [KCCI] — A Jefferson man accused of kidnapping his son will undergo a psychiatric evaluation. On Monday, a judge ruled that there was probable cause to suggest that 34-year-old Brandon Duong is not competent to stand trial.

Duong is charged with second-degree kidnapping and violating a custodial order after he removed his 7-year-old son from Greene County Elementary in January, prompting an Amber Alert. After a chase and hours-long stand-off, Duong surrendered and was taken into custody in northwest Iowa. His son was unharmed.

The case will remain on hold until the psychiatric evaluation comes back.

DES MOINES, Iowa  – Officials with Drake University, Monday, announced on social media, that their retired mascot “Griff I” had passed away. Griff I joined Drake University as the official mascot in 2015, bringing joy to the students and alumni he met on campus. He retired in 2020, after 5 years as both a mascot and certified therapy dog.

Griff helped initiate the “Griff Gives Back” pet food collection campaign that resulted in over 100,000 pounds of food being donated to the Pet Project Midwest.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa [KCCI] — Police believe a juvenile intentionally set a fire Sunday in the Oskaloosa Walmart. The fire started around 6:30 p.m. in the women’s clothing section and quickly spread before a customer put it out with a fire extinguisher, authorities said. The building was evacuated shortly after the fire and was closed on Monday.

The Oskaloosa Police Department posted on Facebook that no one was injured in the fire. They’ve charged one juvenile, who has not been identified, with first-degree arson and first-degree criminal mischief. The minor was fingerprinted and referred to juvenile court before being sent home, police said.