The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest today (Tuesday) of 72-year old Lee Nelson of Harlan on charges of Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee and Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse. Nelson is a former teacher of the Harlan Community School District.

On May 30, 2013, the 17-year old female victim and her parents contacted police to report that since October 2012, Nelson had been saying rude and inappropriate things to the victim, as well as touching her inappropriately. Considering the involved parties and the severity of the accusations, the Harlan Police Department requested the assistance of the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) on June 3rd, 2013.

Over the last two months DCI Agents and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office interviewed the victim, witnesses, and the alleged suspect which resulted in Nelson’s arrest. Nelson is currently being held in the Shelby County Jail on $7,000 bond.

Nelson was employed with the Harlan Community School District for 35 years, before the school board accepted his resignation on April 22, 2013.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce reports the City’s Community Promotions Commission,  represented by Heather Link, and Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce President Chip Hansen, have presented Scott Jensen of State Farm Insurance, with $1,000 in matching funds from the Business Incentive Grant Fund. The Business Incentive Grant Fund is a partnership between the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and Community Promotion Commission to offer new businesses in the Atlantic city limits matching funds for marketing purposes.

Funds are made available through a portion of the Local Option Sales Tax dollars allocated to the CPC for external marketing of the Atlantic Community. For more information regarding the Business Incentive Program contact the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

A Glenwood man was arrested early this (Tuesday) morning on a felony charge of Arson in the 1st degree in connection with fires discovered at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office. In  addition, 22-year old Adam Houchin faces a felony Possession of an Incendiary device, charge. Houchin was arrested following an investigation into fires set at three locations at the Sheriff’s Office, which were reported at 4:25-a.m. The fires were quickly extinguished, but they were determined to have been intentionally set.

Officials say Houchin and his girlfriend had been involved in a domestic disturbance earlier in the evening, when she was arrested, and was at the jail when the fires were started. Houchin faces up to 35-years in prison if convicted on the charges. He’s being held in the Mills County Jail on $35,000 cash bond.

The State Fire Marshall’s Office and Mills County Sheriff’s Office investigated the incident which led to Houchin’s arrest.

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest of 18-year old Nicholas Renner of Atlantic on Monday. Renner was arrested on a Cass County Warrant for Theft in the 4th degree.

The A-PD reports the arrest today (Tuesday) of 50-year old Lawerence William Stuva III of Council Bluffs for OWI 1st Offense.

Both men were transported to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

The Harlan Community School District’s Board of Education has approved an election on a revenue purpose statement. In a meeting Monday, the Board approved the resolution approving a revenue purpose statement and ordering an election on the statement as well as authorize expenditures. Superintendent Justin Wagner says the statement deals with the 1 cent or penny tax.

“Basically the revenue statement is the district policy on the order and usage on how we can spend our 1 cent tax. This is pursuant to the wishes of the patrons and district and that is why we are taking it to an election.” He says right now the penny tax is being used to pay off the Primary School Building. “The district is using the proceeds to pay off the general obligation bonds and revenue bonds which are the bonds to pay for the Primary building. Sometimes folks say levees are paying for the building but they are not. It is the statewide penny tax.”

The Harlan Community School District currently has a revenue purpose statement and needs to be renewed every 10 years. Wagner said it is very broad to allow the district to use the money in many different ways. The statement wasn’t due until September 2018, but Wagner says the district is at a good spot financially and called it a good time to renew. The Superintendent went on to say if the statement is not renewed, it would affect the tax payers.

“If the statement is not renewed then the district has violated some of the agreements with the bond holders. We would also have to levee for debt retirement to satisfy the general obligation bonds. Basically instead of using the statewide dollars from the penny tax, we would be using local tax dollars which is what we don’t want to do.”

The election will be held Tuesday, September 10th and will include 7 or 8 questions on what the school board can use the penny tax dollars for and also the school board members who are up for re-election.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)