The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests. At around 12:25-a.m. Friday (today), 64-year old Jay Lester-Joseph Roth, Jr., of Omaha, was arrested following a traffic stop on I-29 southbound. He was taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Open Container, and Depositing or Throwing litter onto the highway. Bond was set at $1,000. And, at around 10-a.m. Thursday, 25-year old Rajaah Ramonn Jones, of Omaha, was arrested at the Douglas County, NE., Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Federal experts are warning that Iowa has among the nation’s highest coronavirus death and infection rates, and say residents should avoid gatherings in most counties to protect themselves from the virus. A White House Coronavirus Task Force report found that the virus infected and killed about twice as many people per capita in Iowa as the national average between Oct. 10 and Oct. 16.

The report says new case numbers have climbed for weeks and the state’s test positivity rate also rose. Iowa hospitals are facing a surge of coronavirus patients, with a record 536 hospitalized on Thursday.

The Audubon County Community Foundation has announced that grants totaling $46,500 were awarded to Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects. With these grants, the Audubon County Community Foundation has distributed over $2.3 million in grants and scholarships over the last 23 years.

The following organizations were awarded grants by the Audubon County Community Foundation Advisory Board:

All grantees met the criteria as Audubon County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County were eligible to apply. These grant funds were made possible by the generosity of donors to the Audubon County Community Foundation and the following charitable funds through the community foundation: Audubon Masonic Association Endowed Fund; Audubon State Bank/Stephen Garst Endowed Fund; Charles T. and Kathleen K. Manatt Endowed Fund; Leon and Iva Milliman Endowed Fund for Audubon County, Iowa; Fred and Evelyn Nissen Endowed Fund for Audubon; and Merle and Norma Petersen Endowed Fund.

Board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are Chair, Genelle Deist of Audubon; Vice Chair, Joel Hoegh of rural Brayton; Secretary/Treasurer, Megan Wagner of Audubon; Gina Benton of Exira, Bob Blomme of Audubon; Steven B. Hansen of Audubon; and Donna Olson of Kimballton.

For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact Stacey Goodman, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458 or stacey@omahafoundation.org.

The Cass County Community Foundation is pleased to announce that grants totaling $30,375 were awarded to Cass County nonprofit organizations and community projects. With these grants, the Cass County Community Foundation has distributed over $2.2 million in grants and scholarships over the last 22 years. The following organizations were awarded grants by the Cass County Community Foundation Advisory Board:

All grantees met the criteria as Cass County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. Only organizations providing services in Cass County were eligible to apply.

The grant funds were made possible by the generosity of donors to the Cass County Community Foundation and the following charitable funds through the community foundation: Griswold Community Development Endowed Fund and Triumph Endowed Fund for Cass County.

The Cass County Community Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to create permanent and expendable funds—such as those above—that address changing, vital community needs and interests. To inquire about donating to the Cass County Community Foundation, please contact the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa staff or any board member listed below. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Cass County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.

Board members of the Cass County Community Foundation are Chair, Kristi Burg of Massena; Vice Chair, Gary Maas of Anita; Secretary/Treasurer, Roland K. Landsness, Esq. of Atlantic; Royal Bierbaum of Griswold; Sue Hunt of Atlantic; and Mark D. Kyhnn, CPA of Atlantic.

For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact Stacey Goodman, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458 or stacey@omahafoundation.org.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports the Cass County courthouse will be open for in-person early voting through Monday, November 2 for all Cass County precincts.  The Election room is the County Auditor’s Office which is located on the first floor.  Regular courthouse hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

The County Auditor’s Office will also be open Saturday, October 24 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. and also Saturday, October 31 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The deadline to request an absentee ballot to be mailed is 5 p.m., Saturday, October 24th.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports 23-year-old Brandon Henderson, of Harlan, was arrested October 12th,  on two outstanding warrants for Violation of Probation and Interference with Official Acts. Henderson appeared before the magistrate and was released on his own recognizance.  And, 40-year old Donald Wanser, of Manning, was arrested Thursday, October 22nd, on a charge of OWI/1st offense. Wanser was released on his own recognizance and will appear before the magistrate at a later date.

His charges stem from a traffic stop on Highway 71 in the area of 250th St.

Atlantic firefighters responded this (Friday) morning to reported vehicle fire northeast of town. The page about a vehicle on fire in a ditch just west of Highway 71 on Troublesome Creek Road, went out at around 9:39-a.m. The driver of the vehicle got out safely before fire crews and law enforcement arrived. Cass County Sheriff Darby McLaren says 19-year old Dylan Litty, of Atlantic, was traveling westbound on Troublesome Creek, when his brakes apparently failed as he was about to enter a curve in the road.

Ric Hanson/photo

The Chevy pickup traveled down a farm drive before entering the northeast ditch where it became engulfed in flames. The vehicle was a total loss. The accident remains under investigation.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Court of Appeals has ordered a lower court judge to review the murder conviction in which jurors were accused of making racially charged comments during the trial. The appeals court ruling Wednesday came in the case of Doncorrion Spates, who was 18 when he was convicted in 2018 of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison for a 2016 shooting death.

A juror in Spates’ trial testified that two other jurors made the comments, including that most young Black men are in gangs and are desensitized to killing. Now, the trial court must determine whether the defense proved that racial hostility was a significant factor in the verdict. If so, Spates will be given a new trial. If not, his conviction will stand.