In the unlikely event your child collected more Halloween candy than he or she can eat, a dentist in southwest Iowa is willing to take the excess sweets off their hands to keep it out of their mouths. Dr. Cary Jackson, at Broadway Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Council Bluffs, says he’s trading cash for candy.

“We are accepting candy from trick-or-treaters,” Dr. Jackson says. “Each pound they bring in, they get a dollar.” The dentist says the surplus chocolate bars, suckers and candy corn will be brightening the day for American troops who are stationed far from home. “We’re participating in Operation Gratitude,” Jackson says. “That’s based in California. We’re one of the local branches. We’ll ship the candy to California and they’ll ship it overseas to the troops.”

The candy will be accepted at the dentist’s office through November 13th.

(Radio Iowa)

A Pottawattamie County man was injured when the vehicle he was driving struck a deer on Highway 34 last Thursday morning, in Mills County. The Mills County Sheriff’s Offoce says Brian Bray, of Council Bluffs, was transported to Jennie Edmundson Hospital by Glenwood Rescue, after his 2013 Chevy hit a deer that entered the road at around 7-a.m., Thursday.

The impact caused severe front end damage to Bray’s vehicle.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports his officers made arrests over the past weekend for assault and drug offenses. At around 12:25-p.m., Wednesday, October 28th,  officers in Clarinda responded to a report of an assault taking place at 417 E. Garfield Street. Upon further investigation, it was determined a resident of the home, 24-year old David Gene Gaunt, was assaulted with a blunt object. Gaunt was taken by ambulance to the Clarinda Regional Health Center and later transported by air ambulance to Nebraska Medicine for treatment of significant head trauma.

Early Saturday morning (October 31st) Police in Clarinda arrested 35-year old Eric Brandon Wise, of Clarinda, on an arrest warrant alleging Wise committed the offense of Willful Injury, a class “C” felony. Wise was arrested pursuant to a traffic stop at 12th & State. The warrant was issued subsequent to the investigation of the assault on David Gaunt. Wise was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Page County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bond, pending an initial appearance before a magistrate.

And, Clarinda Police responded Saturday morning to a report of an individual attempting to enter vehicles in the parking lot at the Clarinda Regional Health Center. Officers arrested 52-year old Robert Clark Goff, a homeless man, for allegedly tampering with vehicles in the parking lot and for possession of a controlled substance believed to be marijuana.

Goff was taken into custody and booked into the Page County Jail, where he was being held on $1,000 bond, pending an initial appearance before a magistrate.

There really aren’t a whole lot of contested races in eastern Pottawattamie County for Tuesday’s City Elections. Most of the communities have uncontested races for Mayor and City Council positions, and in some cases no candidates have filed to run for office. Those positions will have to be filled by write-in vote.

In Avoca, former Councilman Jerry Espeseth has filed to fill the seat of Mayor Jennie Maassen, who is not running for re-election. Two City Council persons have also decided against running for their seats, with Lori C. Hansen and former Councilman Fred G. Miller III running unopposed for those positions. Incumbent J. Christopher Olesen II will also run unopposed for another term on the Park Board, in Avoca.

In Carson, Tim Todd is running for Mayor. Michael Knudsen is running for one of two seats on the City Council. A write-in candidate will fill the other seat. In Crescent, Brian M. Shea is running for Mayor. Charles Hildreth and Jack Powers are the two candidates who have filed to run for three open seats on the Council.

In Hancock, no one has filed to run for Mayor. Current Mayor Jeff Gress is not seeking re-election. There are also three seats open on the City Council, with one incumbent, James Kock (coke) filing for re-election. Write-in votes will fill the Mayor’s job and remaining Council seats.

There are no candidates for Mayor in Macedonia, and two people, Shoan McCready and Bradley Swope, running for three seats on the city council. No candidate has filed to run for Mayor in McClelland, and one only candidate. Michael A. Kay, has filed for two seats on the Council. And, Kevin Dee Zimmerman is running for Mayor in Minden, while Timothy Ploen and Jason Schneckloth are running for two seats on the Council. Gerald McCool is the lone candidate to fill a vacancy, At-Large seat on the Minden City Council.

In Neola, Deb Schierbrock and Pete Sorensen are running for Mayor. Five people are vying for three seats on the City Council. The candidates include: Darrl Scott Brooks; Greg Heine; Austin Kay; Joseph Munch; Karla Pogge; Ty Ungrad and Ryan Ward. In Oakland, Betsy Moniz and Jeremy Perkins are running for the two open Council seats. Bryce Poland is the lone candidate for Mayor in Treynor, while Allen Hadfield and Megan Beattie Heath are running for the two open Council seats.

Underwood has two candidates for three seats on the City Council: Robert W. Dose, and Edward Freuck. And in Walnut, Mayor Gene Larsen filed papers for re-election. He’s unopposed in for his seat. Only one Council member, Trace Frahm filed nomination papers for re-election, with Karol Calabro filing to fill a seat being vacated by Kathy Humann.

Election Day Tuesday in the listening area features several races to watch in Guthrie County. In Bagley, where there are two city council seats open, Emily Chapman-Olesen, Kristi S. Irving and Vickie Sellers are the contenders. In Casey, there’s a three-way race for Mayor, where incumbent Forrest P. Schnobrich is running against David L. Kuster, Sr., and Barry Chalfant. There’s also six people running for three seats on the Casey City Council.

Names on the ballot will include Cris Ketchum, Nicholas Lindberg, Travis Peterson, Clair Richard Richter, Bruce Vorm, and Bret M. Wedemeyer. Voters in Casey also get to decide on Public Measure A, which asks if the Mayor’s term in office shall be two-years instead of 4, and, Public Measure B, which asks if the Library Board should be comprised of five members, with two members being non-residents of Casey, and the other three residents of the community.

In Guthrie Center, there are five candidates for three city council seats, including: Patrick Halsey; Michael A. Herbert; Carolyn J. Masters; Ian Steensen, and William T. Wagner. The situation is nearly the same In Menlo, with five candidates for three city council seats. On the ballot is Shannon M. Behnken, Michael J. Culver, Deanna L. Harwood, Dorothy Korradi, and Troy L. Miller. Four candidates are vying for two seats on the Panora City Council, including Andy Carson, Ryan M. Ketelsen, Kim Smith, and Rachel Vogel.

The only race of real interest in Shelby County, comes in the City of Shelby itself, where five persons, including Incumbents Sheila Rihner and Bob Richmond, along with Jackie Hursey, Doyle Gilland, and Kathie Pitt, have filed to run for three open seats the City Council.