Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports ballots for the Nov. 5th, 2013 City Elections in Cass County (for the cities of Anita, Atlantic, Cumberland, Griswold, Lewis, Marne, Massena and Wiota), are available at the Cass County Auditor’s Office. Absentee ballots may be requested by registered voters who will not be going to their assigned voting sites on election day.

The polls will be open on November 5th from Noon to 8-p.m. for all cities in the County. Persons unable to go to the polls on election day, may vote prior to election day by paper ballot, either by mail, or in person during normal business hours, at the Auditor’s Office at the Cass County Courthouse. The deadline to request an absentee ballot to be mailed to you, is Friday, November 1st.

Absentee ballots may also be cast on Election Day from 8-a.m. to 11-a.m.

Polling site information:

Anita – The Anita Community Center; Atlantic – Ward 1, Zion Lutheran Church. Ward 2, Atlantic Public Library. Ward 3, Cass County Community Center. Ward 4, United Church of Christ. Ward 5, Heritage House; Cumberland – Cumberland Community Center; Griswold – Griswold Community Center; Lewis – The Lewis Public Library; Marne – The Marne City Hall; Massena – at the Massena Public Library; Wiota – at the Wiota City Hall.

In Atlantic, two current members of the City Council won’t seek re-election this fall. Shawn Shouse, in Ward 5, and At Large Councilman Steve Livengood, did not file their nomination papers for re-election.

A movie filmed in Elk Horn by a Danish film production crew will be shown tonight at the Elk Horn Town Hall, beginning at Seven o’clock. Elk Horn Mayor Stan Jens says the film, with English subtitles, runs the gamut of emotions, from sad to happy and funny, and is also very informational. He says the producers didn’t even know the Danish Villages of Elk Horn and Kimballton existed, until a chance encounter.

Jens said a Danish film maker was in a bar in Kansas City, and ran into a Nick Jensen, an EHK graduate. Jensen told him about Elk Horn, and it wasn’t long before a crew came to the area with their cameras and filmed a one-hour documentary.

Jens says 750,000 people saw the film in Denmark, and word spread quickly among family members in the County to those back here in the U-S.  Jens said the response to the film was incredible, and resulted in him and Jordan Hansen being flown to Denmark for the film’s premiere and a media blitz.

Jens said one of the things a popular talk show host in Denmark hopes the people of his country will get from the film, is that Danes need to be a little more laid back, in their approach to life. The host said also, that the people of the Danish Villages in Iowa are trying to hard to hold onto their Danish heritage, and that’s something the Danes in his county should endeavor to do as well, and not let the old world traditions slip away. He said they “Should try to keep it Danish in Denmark.”

Jens said the film has resulted in a new, open line of communication with Denmark, and may result in increased tourism in Elk Horn and Kimballton, and give a new spark to the annual TivoliFest Celebration, with volunteers coming from across the country and possibly abroad to help out with the event.

It may even result in romances forming between residents of both countries. Jens says there’s been talk of a dating service between Elk Horn and Denmark.

Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Monday) marked the start of National Manufacturing Week at their weekly news conference, highlighting the contributions made by manufacturers and their employees through a proclamation, and launching a tour of various facilities throughout Iowa. Among the facilities is: Agri-Drain, in Adair;  Bohlmann, Incorporated, in Denison; The Lisle Corporation, in Clarinda; Red Oak Manufacturing, in Red Oak; The Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and Quality Machine of Iowa, in Audubon (See below for the dates and times).

The Governor said “Though we appreciate the contributions of manufacturers each and every day, Manufacturing Week will give us a special opportunity to highlight and celebrate Iowa’s manufacturing sector.”

There are over 3,500 companies engaged in manufacturing in Iowa, employing over 211,000 Iowans with an average wage of more than $51,000. All told, the manufacturing sector contributes over $27.6 billion, or 18 percent, to Iowa’s Gross State Product.

Branstad/Reynolds tour dates & times:

Monday, Sept.30, 2013

11:15 a.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Agri-Drain at  1462 340th St. in Adair.

1:30 p.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Bohlmann, Inc.,  2302 Yellow Smoke Rd. in Denison.

Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013

8:30 a.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Lisle Corporation, 813 E Main St., Clarinda.

10:15 a.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Red Oak Manufacturing,   2400 N. Broadway, in Red Oak.

12:30 p.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Atlantic Bottling Company,   4 E. 2nd St.,  Atlantic.

2 p.m. Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds visit Quality Machine of Iowa, 1040 4th Ave., in Audubon.

Police in Clarinda are issuing a reminder to residents about special parking restrictions that will be in effect this Saturday, Oct. 5 for the 2013 annual Southwest Iowa Band Day Jamboree parade. No parking is allowed on the following streets in Clarinda, from 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 5th, 2013:

The 100 through 800 block of W. Main Street; The 100 block of E. Main Street; The100 block of N. 15th St.; The 100 block of E. Washington Street; The 100 block through 300 block of W. Washington Street; 24th Street (Cardinal Drive) from Garfield Street to State Street

Police Chief Keith Brothers says his department appreciates the cooperation of all citizens in removing their vehicles from the parade route. Vehicles that are not removed from the parade route by 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 5, 2013 will be towed at the expense of the vehicle’s registered owner(s).

Anyone having a question about the parking restrictions can contact the Clarinda Police Department at 712-542-2194.

Police in Lenox report the Adams County Sheriff’s Office received a report last Friday about a person allegedly making threatening phone calls and text messages. Following an investigation, deputies issued an arrest warrant for 27-year-old Ruth Leason Graham, of Lenox, after finding she allegedly sent the messages which stemmed from a family dispute.

Adams County Deputies and Lenox Police took Graham into custody at 601 South Walnut Street in Lenox at around 9:30-p.m. Friday, and charged her with Harassment. Graham was taken to the Adams County Jail and held on $300 bond.