MONTEZUMA, IA – The community volunteer group Finding Xavior Harrelson is planning a “Day of Action” today (August 27), which marks three months since the 11-year-old disappeared from his home in Montezuma, Iowa. They are asking people across the country to do three things they can to help spread the word, such as emailing friends, sharing social media posts or handing out flyers with the missing child’s photo.

“Xavior needs us. There are so many ways to help spread awareness that he is missing. We need to keep asking “Where’s Xavior?” Please do three things today to spread the word and to bring Xavior home. Can you imagine the ripple effect if everyone did three little things?” said Joy VanLandschoot, founder of Mollie’s Movement.

To find other ways to get involved, you can go to Finding Xavior Harrelson on Facebook. Anyone with information about Xavior Harrelson’s disappearance should call Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office at 641-623-5679.

Donations to the Xavior Harrelson Reward Fund can be made at:

Montezuma State Bank

101 South 4th Street
Montezuma, Iowa 50171
Phone: 641-623-5766

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Members of the Atlantic Rising organization could be seen in Atlantic City Park giving out blue bags on Thursday, August 19th. Educators from all over Cass County were invited to come to the park and receive bags full of classroom supplies and treats. The school supplies were delivered Aug. 20th.  Atlantic Rising’s Social Chair, Kelsey Beschorner says “This project is something we have done for a few years now and we always look forward to helping get everyone back to school.“ She added, “We want our community to know that we support the educators and students as they navigate this exciting time of year.”

(Photo’s courtesy Kelsey Beschorner)

This year, Atlantic Rising was able to facilitate a school supply drive along with the educator appreciation bags. The supplies were divided and delivered to the schools throughout Cass County. Beschorner says, “We recognize that back-to-school time can be hard on families. We are so grateful for the continued generosity of this great community.”

Atlantic Rising would like to send a special thank you to Meyer & Gross Real Estate, Cass County ISU Extension, Kevin O. Garrett, CPA, PC, Rita Chestnut and Healthy Cass County for their contributions to make this project a success. If you are interested in joining Atlantic Rising and what they are involved in throughout the year, you can contact Kelsey Beschorner at 712-243-3017 or kelsey@atlanticiowa.com. The membership application can also be found at www.atlanticiowa.com. Atlantic Rising is sponsored by McCurdy Investments.

(Radio Iowa) – A 74-year-old year man serving a 75-year sentence for sex-related crimes died in an Iowa prison this week. In 1992, Ronald K. Hendricks was given the maximum sentence for the crimes of second degree sex abuse in a case out of Sac County. Online records indicate Hendricks had a previous felony conviction in Sac County in 1988.

According to the Iowa Department of Corrections, Hendricks died Wednesday afternoon in a prison infirmary where he had been housed due to cancer.

(Radio Iowa) – A Chicago man caught in Iowa City two years ago with marijuana and a lot of cash has been sentenced to federal prison. Twenty-three-year-old Travon Ambrose pleaded guilty to gun and drug trafficking charges and has been sentenced to five years in prison. Prosecutors say police identified Ambrose as a drug distributor in the Iowa City area in the fall of 2019. During a search of his residence, authorities found 100 grams of pot, a bunch of pills, nearly 12-thousand dollars in cash and a gun.

Last year, Ambrose was again caught with what the U.S. Department of Justice describes as large quantities of marijuana.

(Radio Iowa) – Seven different fundraisers are planned across the state Saturday for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. It is the number one disease that claims the life of babies under the age of one. One of the fundraisers is in Le Mars — where Pam Jeneary serves on the board of directors with the Iowa Association of SIDS. She and her husband Tom lost a child due to SIDS. “About 38 years ago now already. Our son Stevie Michael passed away from SIDS when he was four months and three days,” Jeneary says.

Jeneary has taken on an active role following her son’s death in calling attention to SIDS, including organizing fundraisers to help with SIDS research. January says researchers still don’t know the reasons why some babies die. “At this point, I think there’s just a lot of hypothesis about what is causes SIDS. To my knowledge there hasn’t really been anything specific that is causing it,” Jeneary says.

She says the fundraising goes toward helping scientists and medical professionals trying to better understand the cause and a cure. There have been some steps taken to try and prevent the deaths. “We have since 1995 done ‘back to sleep baby’ — which has reduced the risk of SIDS — putting babies back to sleep on their back, having a fitted sheet on their mattress with no bumper pads, no blankets. They really require that you use a sleep sack,” according to Jeneary. “Those are things that seem like they have helped somewhat.”

Jeneary says statewide, the organization has a goal of raising at least 50-thousand dollars. Nearly two thousand infant deaths nationwide each year can be attributed to SIDS.