Authorities in Oklahoma have issued an “At-Risk/Missing Persons” bulletin for two women, one of whom has ties to Cass County, Iowa. Reports say 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jillian Kelley, both of Hugoton, Kansas, went missing while Kelly and Butler were traveling to visit Butler’s children in Oklahoma.They were last seen March 30th. Butler’s car was found abandoned near Highway 95 and Road L, south of Elkhart, Oklahoma. To date, no trace of the women has been found.

Jillian Kelly is the wife of Pastor Heath Kelley, who recently became the pastor of the Willow Christian Church in Indianola, Neb. Pastor Kelly previously served as a Youth Minister at the Church of Christ in Griswold (IA). The couple has four children.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the search for the women and the reasons for their suspicious disappearance. The missing person’s bulletin says Veronica Butler has several tattoos, a Chinese symbol on her left forearm, a sunflower on her left shoulder. Jillian Kelley has a butterfly tattoo on her left forearm. The alert describes Butler as being 5-feet 4-inches tall with red hair and green eyes, last seen wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt and denim shorts. Kelley has brown hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing a long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans and tan or beige shoes.

Authorities urge anyone with information to contact the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) at tips@osbi.ok.gov or 1-800-522-8017.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County, today (Tuesday), passed a resolution to fund courthouse tuckpointing and other relevant improvements. They also approved the Loan Agreement, Registrar and Paying Agent Agreement. The resolution authorized a loan agreement with Houghton State Bank, in the amount of $450,000, for “The placement and issuance of General Obligation Courthouse Improvement Bonds, Series 2024, and providing for the levy of taxes to pay” for the bonds.

Prior to their vote to pass the resolution, the Board heard from Nate Summers, with UMB Bank. Summers provided documents showing the latest property valuations, outstanding principal payments on existing debt, and other financial data.

The interest rate is approximately 4.51-percent. Summer that there were four banks interested in having a loan agreement with the County, but the interest rates were higher. Persons wishing to see the full resolution (2024-16) may do so at the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office during regular business hours. Last August, the supervisors approved the bid of Andrew Tuckpointing LLC out of Clarinda for over $382,000 to perform tuckpointing on the county courthouse and clock tower. The supervisors also set a public hearing for April 23rd at 8:45 a.m. for a budget amendment necessary for the project.

In other business, the Supervisors in Montgomery County received an update from County Engineer Karen Albert.

She said also…

The Board’s next regular meeting is April 9^th, at 8:30-a.m.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Police in Glenwood, Monday, arrested a man on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County. Authorities say 39-year-old Brandon Swanson, of Glenwood, posted a $1,000 cash or surety bond, and was released from custody.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Wesleyan University announced its closure one year ago and since then campus buildings in Mt. Pleasant have been sold and the university archives have been divided. There are efforts to try and preserve some of the legacy of the school which operated for 181 years. Alan Allsup from the class of 1987 and his friends have squirreled away a collection of items that range from part of the old gym floor to framed paintings. “Everything happened so quickly. And a lot of people didn’t know what was even being taken out or not. A lot of us are we want Iowa Wesleyan to prefer reserved somewhere,” he says.

The Henry County Heritage Trust and board member Pat White run a museum that has a room dedicated to the school.  “That was my first thought, what is going to happen to the archives that were housed on the university campus?,” She says. “I think it was important that these things that happened here in little Mount Pleasant, that it stay local.” Spencer Barton worked as an archivist at Iowa Wesleyan in what became its final year and then hung around as an independent museum consultant on the collection. “That’s over eight-thousand items, objects to go through, and then that doesn’t include anything in the file cabinets,” he says.

Barton says the museum will give people a chance to remember the institution that is now gone. “People who make their pilgrimage to the campus every year, every ten years, however long it takes for them, can come back and relive a little bit about experience,” Barton says. “Even if it’s completely different than a new place still close to home.”

After a long bidding process the campus has been divided and sold to groups including the Mount Pleasant Community School District. The district bought a large gymnasium track and field space,auditorium and office space, for one-point-three million dollars. One buyer from the Quad Cities is planning to make apartments out of some of the old dorms another would make office space out of the wrestling facility.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors have proclaimed April as “Child Abuse Awareness Month.” Board Chair Steve Baier read the proclamation, a portion of which stated…

In other business, the Board set April 23^rd as the date for a Public Hearing on the Proposed Cass County Budget. They also approved, following discussion, a second amendment to the Ambulance Services Lease Agreement between the County, City of Atlantic, Cass Health, and Midwest Medical Transport Company, LLC. The lease agreement – which is also set to be approved by the City of Atlantic during a Council meeting Wednesday evening – is in effect from now through June 30^th, and from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.

Supervisor Steve Green….

The Cass County Supervisors passed a resolution establishing the specifics of a Weed Control Program for 2024.

The Supervisors briefly discussed a funding request in the amount of $14,000, to replace a drone for the Cass County Sheriff’s Department. Deputy Ben Bartholomew is the with the Cass County Drone Team. He said the goal is to purchase a drone that is not manufactured by a Chinese Company, for reasons of national security, among other concerns.

It would also be an upgrade over the current drones the Team operates. He said the drones they currently use can be used for training purposes. It was agreed that a formal resolution approving the request will come during the Board’s next meeting.

Cass BOS mtg. 4-2-24

The Board passed a resolution for the 2024-through 2029 Secondary Roads Five-Year Construction Program. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken highlighted some of the near future projects….

The Board also approved adoption of the Secondary Roads Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. Trent Wolken then updated the Board on Secondary Roads Department maintenance projects and activities.

Lastly, the Supervisors approved the hiring of staff member for the Jail.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – An SUV struck the Cambridge Law Building in Atlantic a little after 10-a.m. today. According to dispatch reports, the female driver suffered minor injuries when her vehicle struck the southeast side of the building at 8th and Poplar Streets. The structure houses the law firm and Cass County Communications Center, which caught the accident on a surveillance camera.

Atlantic Police, Atlantic Fire and Cass EMS responded to the scene. Additional information is currently not available. (Photos by KJAN’s Asa Lucas)

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak say a man who was involved in an accident this (Tuesday) morning, and was arrested at around 7:17-a.m. for suspected Operating While under the Influence became combative after he was transported to the Montgomery County Jail. Law enforcement responded to the accident scene at the intersection of Highways 34 and 48. Upon further investigation, the driver, 49-year-old David Eugene Anthony Fussell, of Red Oak, was transported to the Montgomery County Jail for further testing.

While at the jail, Fussell reportedly became non-cooperative and refused tests for OWI. He was charged with OWI/1st offense, Interference with Official Acts, Following too close, and having no insurance (Failure to provide proof of financial liability). He was being held on bond in the Montgomery County Jail. Officials say the vehicles involved in the accident sustained minor damage.

No injuries were reported.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Cass Health, in Atlantic, announced today (Tuesday), Della Woolsey is the inaugural recipient of the Recognition of Service Excellence (ROSE) Award. Woolsey has worked as a housekeeper as part of the Environmental Services team since July 2017. The award presentation was held on Wednesday, March 20 with staff and the Cass Health Board of Trustees gathered. Woolsey said she was stunned to hear her name announced.

Woolsey said “It was a shock! You don’t expect people to pay attention to what you’re doing, let alone appreciate it. It’s nice to be recognized for doing what you love.”

Her nominator wrote: “Any and every interaction that anyone has had with her is met with a greeting and a bright smile. She stands out not only among her peers but also among every employee here at Cass Health. She does not need to be asked to take on tasks; she is a go-getter. She remains positive every day while at work. Her work performance surpasses all expectations. You’d never know if she has had a bad day with the smile she presents with every single day. Even though she has daily tasks to complete and is on a time crunch, she always stops what she is doing to help you, to ensure your work is done efficiently and our patients are cared for. Little does she know that we hear her out in the hallways while she is interacting with patients. The compassion that she shows patients while they are here is unmatched.

Della Woolsey (Photo courtesy Cass Health)

“She goes in to clean a room, and continuing to work, she has conversations and engages with the patients. They feel valued and present when they spend time with her. She will get them whatever they need when she asks what she can do for them while in the room. I have overheard a patient tell our winner once, ‘You have made my day just talking to me.’ She could not be more deserving of this award.”

Woolsey said that working on the inpatient floor and talking to the patients is her favorite part of her job. “And it’s never a special effort for me to talk to our patients and visitors—that comes naturally to me. I love it!”

The ROSE Award was created to honor and celebrate non-nursing employees of Cass Health who exemplify dedication, compassion, and a commitment to service excellence in carrying out their duties and advancing the goals and mission of Cass Health. The criteria are being knowledgeable and efficient, being compassionate and respectful, working with the care team, and going above and beyond for others. Nominations can be made by anytime online at casshealth.org/rose.

RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Brownells of Poweshiek County. Throughout this Congress, Ranking Member Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. 

“As a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, I am proud to recognize the Brownells for their dedication to crafting firearms, ammunition, and specialized gunsmithing tools for marksmen and outdoorsmen,” said Ranking Member Ernst. “Their enduring emphasis on selection, service, and satisfaction has set them apart for the past 85 years and helps their business thrive in Iowa and around the world.”

Founded in 1938 by Frank “Bob” Brownell II, Brownells is a third-generation, family-owned business that sells gunsmithing tools and gun supplies in Grinnell. Brownells maintains a supply of over 50,000 gun parts they sell throughout the United States and around the world. Their headquarters in Grinnell includes a warehouse, corporate offices, and a retail store. The Brownell family also actively advocates for Second Amendment rights. Pete Brownell served as President of the National Rifle Association (NRA) from 2017 to 2018, and Frank Brownell has received the NRA Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award. This year, Brownell will celebrate their 85th business anniversary.