Two Cass County men have pleaded guilty to illegally harvesting deer. The Daily NonPareil reports 47-year old John Chamberlin Jr., of Atlantic, and his son, 23-year old Sean Chamberlin, pled guilty to one count each of restriction of taking game. Both men originally faced 111 charges of illegal possession of deer remains, with the son facing additional charges, though the rest were dropped in exchange for the guilty plea.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A kennel club in western Iowa has donated pet oxygen mask kits to help cats and dogs in fire emergencies. The Council Bluffs Kennel Club’s seven kits will go to the local fire department. The masks can be used on pets of various sizes.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said today (Thursday), the DNR’s Derelict Building Grant Program will award grants to 22 small, rural Iowa communities to help deconstruct or renovate abandoned structures, remove asbestos and limit construction and demolition materials going to the landfill.

Among the area cities whose projects are sharing slightly less than $400,000 in the form of reimbursement grants, is:

• The City of Adair — Which is receiving $20,000, to complete mothball and renovation activities on abandoned commercial building, including roof and floor stabilization, exterior tuck-pointing and installation of temporary internal air ventilation to prevent further moisture damage inside the building. These measures will provide time for the city to decide what to do with building in the future by securing the building envelope and preventing environmental deterioration.
• The City of Bedford — Will receive $49,750, to abate asbestos and deconstruct two abandoned commercial buildings. The city plans to market the vacated sites to interested commercial entities.
• The City of Coon Rapids — is getting $500, to complete asbestos inspection at an abandoned commercial building. The city plans to prepare site for expansion of neighboring business.
• The City of Imogene— is receiving $25,000, to renovate an abandoned commercial building by completing tuck-pointing and stabilization measures. The city plans to sell building to an interested buyer who wishes to locate their business in Imogene.
• The City of Mapleton — will receive $20,000, to renovate an abandoned commercial property by completing external tuck-pointing and repair/replacement of roof. The city plans to sell the renovated building to local business interests.
• The City of Mount Ayr — $5,000 to abate asbestos from the abandoned water treatment building. City plans to remove the building and develop the site into a camping/park development.
• The City of Randolph — $6,800 to inspect and abate asbestos from an abandoned commercial building. The city plans on removing the building and pairing the site to the neighboring community center.
• The City of Sac City— $11,500 to inspect and abate asbestos from two connected abandoned commercial buildings. The city plans to remove the buildings and develop the site for community development.
• The City of Sidney — $21,750 to remove asbestos and deconstruct an abandoned church building. The city plans to build a new fire station on site which will feature living quarters and a community room. This will allow for 24-hour fire and rescue support to the city and its neighboring communities.

The DNR Derelict Building Grant Program was instituted by statute to help rural communities with populations of 5,000 or less. Funding is awarded annually on a competitive basis with cash matches required. Applications for the next funding round will be due in the spring of 2016. For more information about the grant program, application forms and resources, visit: www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/LandStewardship/WasteManagement/DerelictBuildingProgram.aspx.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has ordered flags in city to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Officer Kerrie Orozco, who was killed Wednesday in the line of duty.  Stothert says flags should remain at half-staff until dusk Monday on Memorial Day. Stothert said Thursday the move is a sign of respect for Orozco and her service to the city.

The city also plans to turn lights at the Heartland of America Fountain and on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge blue beginning tonight (Thursday night) through Memorial Day. Stothert is in Florida for her son’s wedding on Friday. She will return to Omaha on Sunday, ahead of schedule, to participate in services for Orozco.

Officials with the Atlantic Rotary Club and employees with the Atlantic Community School District gathered Thursday afternoon at the High School, to learn who the Rotary had selected to receive the “Outstanding Teacher of the Year” award.

Rotary President-Elect Ted Robinson

Ted Robinson, Rotary Club President Elect and Chairman of the Outstanding Teacher Award Committee, said the person selected demonstrates the Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self, and through their continuous dedication to students, parents and the larger community, as well as the art and practice of education.”

Rotary member Jennifer Plumb, with the Cambridge Law Firm, read from some of the letters nominating Thursday’s award recipient. One has a middle son who struggles and has many challenges when it comes to school, but that soon changed when he met this special teacher.

DeLana Harris (Center) receives her Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award

The nominator said the teacher communicated with the parents and their son on a regular basis, gave them ideas and explained how she would like to deal with their sons’ concerns and struggles with his school work. The boy soon showed an interest in school and his test scores improved. Another nominator said the teacher has “Fresh ideas on broadening the kids’ horizons and making them think outside the box.” A co-worker described Schuler 5th Grade Teacher DeLana Harris, as “A leader to her peers and a role model to her students.”

Harris has been with the District for a little more than 10-years. She taught preschool in Atlantic for two years and worked under the Universal Preschool Grant as a 4 year-old preschool teacher at Little Lambs. She later transferred to the 5th grade classroom, and says she has enjoyed every moment of her experiences.

Staff photo of Delana Harris from the Atlantic School District website

Harris was humble in accepting the award. She said “I just do what I love to do every single day, and what I say to my kids is…and it’s weird, but I call them my kids…[because] they became a part of your family…my biggest thing is, as long as they are excited to come into my room every single day, and are excited to learn, then I feel like I’ve done my job.” In referring to her colleagues, Harris said “Great teachers are made because of everybody out there, it’s not just one person. It takes a community, it takes all of us.”

Harris graduated from Central College in Pella, and received her Masters of Education from Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

The Nishna Valley Credit Union in Atlantic has set up a account to help the family of 29-year old Kerrie Orozco, a gang unit officer with the Omaha Police Metro Area Fugitive Task Force, who died after being shot in the line of duty on Wednesday.  Kerrie (Holtz) Orozco is the daughter of Ellen and the late Kevin Holtz of Walnut. Kerrie is a 2004 graduate of Walnut High School.

NVCU Chief Executive Officer Tim Marcsisak says that people can make donations to the account in a number of ways.  They will accept donations in person, by mail or at the drive-thru.  Donations may be made with personal messages or they may be anonymous.  All proceeds will go toward the family.  Kerrie’s mother, Ellen, is a long-time employee at the Nishna Valley Credit Union.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says a narcotics investigation tied to a traffic accident investigation has resulted in an arrest. 49-year old Chadwick Sachau, of Denison, faces a felony Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Deliver, charge. If convicted, he faces up to 10-years in prison.

The charge stems from a hit-and-run accident that occurred at around 6:30-a.m. Wednesday, on Highway 59, where a car driven by Sachau crossed the center line of the road and collided with a Chevy Suburban, driven by Efrain Chavez-Mendoza, of Denison. After his car hit the other vehicle, Sachau continued north on Highway 59, and when his car became disabled, attempted to flee on foot.

Sachau was arrested a short time later and brought to the Shelby County Jail, where he was being held on $100,000 bond. Sachau and Chavez-Mendoza were not injured in the collision, but a passenger in the Suburban, 21-year old Andy Armondo-Casanova, of Denison, suffered minor injuries, and was treated at Myrtue Memorial Hospital, in Harlan.