(Council Bluffs) -- Council Bluffs police are asking the public's help in locating a four-year old boy. According to authorities, four-year old Nicholas Patterson was taken from Iowa Department of Human Services foster care, at 707 Harrison in Council Bluffs, by his biological mother at 12:05 on Friday afternoon. The mother, 40-year old Dana Smith, took him, after a court order was issued to place the child in protective custody. Police do not believe Nicholas is in any danger, but Smith is attempting to conceal both her and the child's whereabouts to the public and law enforcement. Police describe Nicholas Patterson as a 4-year old white male with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Dana Smith is described by police as a 40-year old white female, 5 feet 5 inches tall, 120 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes.
read more...

(Northboro)--A lot of folks say they wouldn't mind living to be 100 as long as they were still relatively healthy, especially mentally and could maintain a good quality of life. Meet Mabel Baker of Northboro, who will be 100 May 30th. Mabel encompasses all of those qualities and then some. Born in 1913 in Stendal, Indiana, Mabel moved with her family to the Northboro area when she was two-years-old to give her father a better opportunity to farm. The oldest of four daughters born to Herman and Flora Sickman, Mabel graduated Salutatorian from Northboro school in 1932. Upon high school graduation Mabel went to a teacher's college in Creston and from there taught school at various places in southwest Iowa, including one-room settings close to Yorktown, Hamburg and Northboro. Her teaching days wrapped up in 1939 when she married local farmer Jesse Baker.
read more...

(KMAland) -- All over the nation, travelers are preparing for the first three-day weekend of the year. With Monday being the observance of Memorial Day, families are packing up their cars for extended trips, family gatherings, and camping. Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer says that the weather looks good for the weekend. People can get out and have picnics, and go fishing. When it comes to driving, he urges people to use caution and drive defensively, and hopefully they can get through the weekend without any fender benders or serious accidents. Palmer says roadwork is something else drivers should potentially watch out for. There is ongoing road construction in Page County, so use caution in those work zones. Hopefully the workers will take the day off, but there will be work zones in other areas of the state as well, so again, use caution. Also, you should be aware of increased traffic.
read more...

(KMAland) -- The Page County Sheriff's office reports recent activity. On Thursday evening at around 6:00, authorities received a report of gunshots at 1672 A Avenue, 2 miles north of Shenandoah. Upon arrival, Deputies made contact with 39-year-old David Allen Ryan. Ryan is a convicted felon and had access to firearms and ammunition, so he was arrested on a charge of felon in possession of firearms. He was taken to the Page County Jail on $5,000 bond. A burglary incident is also under investigation. Authorities say they received a report on May 21st from Scott Langley about a burglary at 1830 290th Street. Langley noticed all the central air units were missing and saw damage to the shop. Authorities investigated and determined that both central air units as well as a propane furnace had been stolen. The air units were less than seven-years old. The loss was estimated at $10,550.
read more...

(Shenandoah) -- A vehicle theft is under investigation. On Friday, Shenandoah Police received a report that a blue 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass, license # 668TFF was stolen from behind the old Mama D's at 403 south Fremont Street. The vehicle was last seen on Thursday afternoon at 3:30. The car has magnets that say "US MAIL" and a yellow light on top with a sign that also says "US MAIL". Anyone with information can call Shenandoah Police at 246-2480.
read more...

(Essex) -- Three businesses in Essex are sharing in grant funds. Business Development Chairs Darrin Bouray and Candice Liljedahl have announced grant awards presented by the Essex Community Club. Three applications for a total of $9,211.20 were submitted. ECC has awarded $3000 for Business Community Improvement Grants. Essex Housing was awarded $750 for Landscaping and Gazebo work, and The Essex Golf Course also received $750 for Highway DOT signs. In addition, Bubba's Bar & Grill was awarded $1,500 for exterior paint work. A fourth application was submitted by Essex Community Schools for their new electronic sign along Highway 48. The committee agreed to consider this project as a separate item, and conversations with Dick are in progress. Grants and projects through the Essex Community Club are made possible by membership dues and fund raising efforts of our members.
read more...

(Shenandoah) -- School officials across KMAland are mulling over the education reform package approved by the Iowa Legislature in the just-concluded session. Shenandoah School Superintendent Jeff Hiser tells KMA News he's pleased lawmakers set a 2% allowable growth rate--with a one-time additional payment of 2%--for fiscal year 2014. Though the district will still lose state funding, Hiser says it's still better than the zero-percent growth rate the district's budget for next fiscal year is based on. "We would still be in a negative additional state funding for FY '14 overall," said Hiser. "But, it's a much better picture than where we were at with a zero-percent, no additional state funding." Under the 2% allowable growth rate, the loss of state funding is $64,000, as compared with the $182,000 under the zero-percent rate.
read more...

(Mount Ayr) -- The 2013 Legislative Session will be remembered as a "win-win" session on many fronts. That's according to State Representative Cecil Dolecheck, who is providing his take on the just-concluded session to KMA News. Dolecheck, along with State Senator Joni Ernst of Red Oak, were members of a House-Senate conference committee which hammered out an a compromise on education reform. Dolecheck says he's pleased with the bill approved by both sides of the chamber.
read more...

(Des Moines) -- Governor Terry Branstad made a rare appearance in the Iowa House Thursday morning to watch as legislators took the final votes on a plan supporters say will cut taxes by at least $400 million over the next four years. “We are really delighted,” Branstad told reporters after he shook hands with the top Republican in the legislature. “This is a good example of bipartisan cooperation, making some tough decisions that have been put off for decades (in) this last bill of significant property tax relief for the taxpayers of Iowa.” The bill will reduce commercial property tax rates by 10 percent over the next two years and it creates a new commercial property tax credit. The bill includes an increase in an income tax credit that benefits low-income Iowans as well as a new “Taxpayer Trust Fund” tax credit that will be worth about $60 per taxpayer this year.
read more...

(Shenandoah) -- Voters in the Shenandoah School District head to the polls next week to elect a new school board member. Three candidates--Kathy Langley, Bob Larson and Bill Sons--are running for the vacancy created by the death of board member Tim Johnson back in April. Board members interviewed all three for the opening, but a special election was set for May 28th after the board was unsuccessful in appointing Johnson's successor. Polls will be open Tuesday at the Greater Shenandoah Historical Museum's Delmonico Room from noon to 8 p.m. You can hear all three candidates in a special "Meet the Candidates" report on the special Shenandoah School Board election Saturday morning during our 6:05 and 7:05 newscasts, and again on Monday--Memorial Day--during those same time slots.
read more...

(Clarinda) -- Concerns regarding perceived deficiencies in the city of Clarinda were aired at Thursday night's city council meeting. Former Councilman Geary Kendall, representing the Clarinda Pride group, stated his organization's concerns regarding a number of issues. Clarinda City Manager Gary McClarnon tells KMA Kendall went into great deal, saying the city isn't following the code of ordinances, and has several bad properties that must be addressed. Kendall also requested a two-week suspension without pay for Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers. The council took no action on Kendall's request. Also during the meeting, McClarnon announced the hiring of Roger Williams as the city's new full time fire chief/building inspector. McClarnon says Williams, who current serves as a part-time chief, was among two internal candidates interviewed for the position.
read more...

(Clarinda) -- Summer will very soon be here, and with it's arrival comes the annual celebration of Clarinda's most famous resident. June 13th-16th, Clarinda residents and visitors from around the world will be on-hand to celebrate the 38th Annual Glenn Miller Festival. Spokesperson Marvin Negley says the festival features the return of some old favorites, as well as a brand new performing group. They'll be featuring The Honeybee Trio from Vacaville, California. They are patterned after the Andrew Sisters that were popular in the 1940s. Two of the girls are getting ready to go to college, and the third is a junior in high school. They've been performing all over California for the past 5 years, and Negley says he thinks people will really enjoy them. Also, they'll have many featured bands performing throughout the festival. Negley highlighted some of the featured performers.
read more...

(Dayton) -- Investigators in Dayton say blood evidence found around a hog confinement lot has tested positive as belonging to Kathlynn Shepard. The 15-year-old has been missing since she and a 12-year-old girl were abducted Monday. The younger girl escaped. Agent Bill Kietzman with the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation provided an update on the case late this afternoon. “I won’t go into the quantity of blood that was found. It’s enough to show that she probably sustained some injuries and we’ll leave it at that for now,” Kietzman said. The teen’s blood was also found on the tailgate of the pickup belonging to Michael Klunder. The 42-year-old is the accused kidnapper. He was found dead Monday night and Kietzman revealed today that Klunder had hung himself.
read more...

(KMAland) -- One person was injured in an accident in Cass County, Nebraska Wednesday. The Sheriff's office reports that around 12:30 a.m., deputies and Union and Nehawka Fire and Rescue responded to a one-vehicle rollover accident on East Union Road and 6th Avenue, west of Union. A vehicle was found upside down in the ditch with no driver present. Deputies made contact with Otoe County Deputies who found the registered owner, Jessica Duda of Nebraska City, in a local hospital with no serious injuries. The investigation into the accident continues.
read more...

(Shenandoah) -- It's another milestone for the Rapp Park Recreation Area. A small crowd was on hand at the park entrance off of Highway 48 Thursday afternoon for the unveiling of a new sign, courtesy of Shenandoah's Pella Corporation. Diane Carpenter is Pella's human resource representative. Carpenter tells KMA News the sign was the result of a brainstorming session by members of the company's ambassador's committee, which is involved in many area projects and events. "One of the things that came up during a brainstorming activity was, 'well, let's help out Rapp Park,'" said Carpenter. "During the brainstorming activity, they said, 'what about a sign?' They already had a sign, but it was kind of a plain-looking sign, and we wanted something that would do a better job for them." Carpenter says the committee decided to seek ideas from the rest of the plant's workforce.
read more...

(Dayton) -- Investigators continue to search the area surrounding Dayton in central Iowa for Kathlynn Shepard, a 15-year-old abducted Monday as she walked home from the bus stop. A twelve-year-old, now identified as Dezirea Hughes, who was taken with her escaped shortly after the kidnapping and is, except for scratches on her arms and legs, unharmed. The events have shaken the small town of less than 1,000 residents. A local church held a vigil last night for Kathlynn Shepard. Her classmates remember her as kind, optimistic, and friendly. The superintendent of the school district, Launi Dane, said Shepard’s disappearance has taken a toll on the student body. “Always has a smile on her face. She’s just a good student overall, she’s a good person,” Dane said. Members of the community say they’re not sure when they’ll feel safe in Dayton again.
read more...

(KMAland) -- A number of KMAland communities are benefiting from recently-awarded grant funds. Keep Iowa Beautiful has announced that $80,000 in grants were awarded for the 2013 Community Beautification program. The grants benefit communities with populations of 5,000 or under. Since it's inception, the program has awarded $240,000 in grants to 59 communities in Iowa. Among the KMAland winners were the Garland Hotel Board in Bedford, awarded $4,900 for the Garland Hotel exterior project. Corning/Adams County Economic Development was awarded $4,565 for the park and Freedom Rock project. And The Wabash Nature Trail in Shenandoah received a $5,000 award for a welcome sign and trail enhancements. Funds are available for expenses incurred after July 1st, and the projects must be completed by June 30th, 2014.
read more...

(Shenandoah) -- Shenandoah School Superintendent Jeff Hiser expects the district to review its severe weather safety procedures as a result of this week's deadly tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. Two elementary schools were among the buildings leveled by the EF-5 twister. Hiser tells KMA News the district's buildings already conduct periodic safety drills. "We review our procedures every time we have a drill," said Hiser. "We're required by law to have two per semester--two fire drills, two tornado drills each semester--and that's exactly what we do. And, that's exactly why we have them so that we can say, 'these are things we need to do differently.'" Hiser says having a wrestling/safe room built next to Shenandoah High School is a plus. But, he says even the JK-8 building--which is without a storm shelter--is constructed differently from the school buildings destroyed in Moore.
read more...

(Red Oak) -- Despite what she calls "hiccups," State Senator Joni Ernst is pleased with the education reform compromise reached in the Iowa Legislature. Shortly before adjourning early Thursday morning, the Iowa Senate approved the plan by a 40-10 vote. Also approved by the Iowa House on a 95-0 vote, the bill sets the allowable growth rate for K-12 education at 2% for fiscal 2014, with a one-time payment of 2%, plus a 4% rate for the following fiscal year. Ernst, who was a member of the House-Senate conference committee working out the compromise, tells KMA News lawmakers also agreed on the starting minimum salary for teachers at $33,500 per year, and provisions for the Iowa Learning Online program. The measure also includes the Teach Iowa Scholarship program, which provides money for Iowa college students planning to remain in the state in their professional careers.
read more...

(Red Oak) -- By now, State Senator Joni Ernst had hoped to have decided whether to run for the U-S Senate in 2014. The Red Oak Republican had announced last month that she would consider running for the seat being vacated by Democrat Tom Harkin's retirement. But, Ernst tells KMA News a prolonged legislative session prevented her from deciding on her political future. "The decision is still yet to be made," said Ernst. In fact, the longer session and some important votes forced Ernst to cancel a fact-finding Washington, D-C trip. With the Iowa Senate adjourning for the 2013 session early Thursday morning, Ernst will now make that trip to the nation's capital. "I do anticipate that in the upcoming weeks, I will be heading to D-C, just to do some more visits out there," she said. "I'll find out more on what it takes to run a senate campaign, and whether I'm the right fit.
read more...

(Riverton) -- Two Clarinda residents were arrested on drug charges in Fremont County early Thursday morning. The Fremont County Sheriff's Office says 21-year-old Sierra Adkins was arrested for drug-related public intoxication after deputies were called to a stranded motorist in the 3500 block of 250th Street, about five miles east of Riverton, at around 2:50 a.m. Upon investigating, deputies discovered approximately three grams of methamphetamine, baggies, a scale and numerous other drug paraphernalia items located in the vehicle. Deputies also arrested 39-year-old Heath McClarnon for possession of a controlled substance--methamphetamine--with the intent to deliver, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia. McClarnon is being held in the Fremont County Jail on $50,000 bond, while Adkins is in custody in the Montgomery County Jail on $300.
read more...