The Harlan Police Department reports three recent arrests. On Saturday, 47-year old Francis Raymond, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for service.  He was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and prohibited acts penalties.

Last Thursday, 24-year old Anthony Michael McCoy, of Avoca, was arrested following a traffic stop.  He was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while barred and violating a one-way traffic designation. 34-year old Anthony Joseph Koester, of Harlan, was also transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A southwest Iowa man filed a free speech lawsuit Tuesday against a sheriff’s deputy, his supervisor and a county government after he was charged with harassment for writing a social media post that profanely criticized the deputy. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court on behalf of Jon Richard Goldsmith, a Red Oak resident who became angered after attending a festival in Corning and watching an Adams County sheriff’s deputy search a car and have a confrontation with another person.

Jon Goldsmith

Goldsmith, 50, later criticized the deputy, Cory Dorsey, in a profane Facebook post that led the sheriff’s department to charge Goldsmith with third-degree harassment. The misdemeanor charge is punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $625 fine.

After Goldsmith hired an attorney, the charge was dropped but the ACLU sued Adams County, Dorsey and his supervisor, Sgt. Paul Hogan, for what it alleged was a free speech violation. “Protecting this type of speech directed at government officials is what the First Amendment and Iowa Constitution are all about,” said ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis Austen.

“Police are not allowed to try to put people in jail because they annoy the police or say things the police disagree with — on social media or otherwise,” she said.
The suit calls for the county to pay damages to Goldsmith, stop charging people who criticize law enforcement and require training of officers. Adams County Sheriff Alan Johannes declined to comment on the lawsuit.

In his post on Facebook, Goldsmith alleged Dorsey was wrong to use a dog in an unsuccessful search of a vehicle for drugs and that the deputy later “body slams” a spectator who was “giving them a hard time.”

In a video statement released by the ACLU, Goldsmith said, “Adams County should be upholding the law, not breaking it and that includes criticizing them along with the government.”

Recent floods have devastated areas of southwest Iowa and the Atlantic Rotary Club is stepping up to help. The Atlantic Rotary Club is sponsoring a drive to collect much-needed bug spray that will be delivered to the community of Sidney and distributed to residents of Fremont County.  According to Fremont County Emergency Management Director, Mike Crecelius, as the weather begins to warm, the standing water will make the bug problem worse daily; this timely donation will help residents focus on rebuilding their lives and homes.

Any contribution, from $1 to $100 will help in the purchase of the bug spray. Tim Cappel, with Cappel’s Ace Hardware in Atlantic is working with the Atlantic Rotary Club to purchase the bug spray at cost for both the repellent to put on the body and that which is to spray in yards and buildings.

Donors can go to Cappel’s to purchase the bug spray or just drop off a monetary contribution. In addition, checks can be mailed to the Atlantic Rotary Club at PO Box 82 or given to ANY Rotary Club member. With summer weather approaching soon, the club would like to deliver the first load of donated bug spray by the end of May.

Deter Motor Company has graciously agreed to make the delivery to Sidney and Fremont County. Additional deliveries will be made as need, and donations, continue. Please consider donating to support our neighbors in need!

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will hold a special session 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in the High School Media Center. On their agenda is a Public Hearing on the plans, specifications & form of contract for the Washington Parking lot project. Afterward, the Board will discuss oversight of the project, and later act on a Resolution approving the plans, specifications & form of contract, and a Resolution Making an Award of Contract.

They will also act on approving: A resolution providing for the advertisement of the sale, and approving an Official Statement for not to exceed $9.5-million General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2019. Other action items include a contract with Bond Counsel & Disclosure Counsel Dorsey and Whitney, staff Contract Recommendations for Preschool Summer School Paraeducators Kami Bruck, Missy Miller, Julie Hansen and Christina Simonton, as well as 2019-20 Administrator Contracts, which calls for an increase of 2% for principals’ 2019-20 salary (that includes FICA and IPERS).

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will meet 9-a.m. Wednesday at the Adair County Secondary Roads Building. On their agenda is discussion featuring Gary Metzger and Matt Swanson, pertaining to City of Orient wind turbines. The Board will also hold a public hearing on a FY 2019 Budget Amendment, followed by a resolution to approve the amendment, and an Appropriations Resolution.

Sheriff Jeff Vandewater will discuss Holiday Pay with the Board, as well.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has appointed Paul Trombino to temporarily lead Iowa’s human resources agency after its previous director failed to win Senate confirmation.
Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett said Tuesday that the governor has installed Trombino as interim director of the Department of Administrative Services while she recruits a permanent replacement.

The move comes after the Iowa Senate adjourned last month without confirming Janet Phipps Burkhead to another term as the agency’s director. Minority Democrats had blocked the appointment due to concerns about her handling of sexual harassment allegations in state government, among other things.

Trombino has been serving as the state’s chief operations officer since leaving the private sector to return to government in January. Previously, he was director of the Iowa Department of Transportation before resigning in 2016. Trombino was also President Trump’s pick to lead the Federal Highway Administration, but withdrew from consideration in 2017. As interim director, Trombino doesn’t need Senate confirmation.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Officials say Davenport’s public works department has spent more than $1 million on fighting floods this spring and that figure is expected to rise as the city prepares to hold back future deluges. A provisional flood barricade holding back the Mississippi River ruptured on April 30, sending floodwaters into downtown Davenport. The Quad-City Times reports that Davenport Public Works Director Nicole Gleason says the future outlays are tough to project. She noted that the flooding costs put pressure on a department which already has a limited number of workers with numerous other obligations to manage.

The expenditures for cleanup and recovery efforts factors in facility-related costs, money for signs, labor for public works crews, resources such as sandbags and the price of using equipment.
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Information from: Quad-City Times, http://www.qctimes.com