(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency reports strong winds and freezing drizzle are causing power lines to gallop which in turn is creating the sporadic power outages across the area. Use caution when driving today and be mindful of power outages and/or downed power lines if you encounter them.

As of 2:45-p.m., the Nishnabotna Valley Rural Electric Cooperative reported 5 customers were without power in Pottawattamie County; 14 were without power in Shelby County. Raccon Valley Electric Co-Op in Carroll County has 131 customers in the dark.

MidAmerican Energy said 2,149 of its customers were without power in southwest Iowa:

The Glenwood Police Department reports numerous accidents took place from Nov. 22nd through the 27th. Injury accidents occurred on the 22nd and 24th, the rest were property damage incidents. On the 22nd, 19-year-old Hailey Raymer, of Council Bluffs, was driving a 2019 Honda westbound on Highway 44 at around 9-p.m., when her vehicle left the road to the north, and struck a”briffon rail end point,” causing the vehicle to roll over. It struck a lane width sign and damaged multiple poles of the briffon rail before coming to rest on its top. Raymer was transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital by Emerson Rescue.

The other (injury) accident took place on 287th Street at around 8:25-a.m. on Nov. 24th. Authorities say 58-year-old Jeffrey Fink, of Silver City, was driving a 2006 Chevy, when he failed to traverse the corner at 287th and 286th Street. The car went into the ditch and struck a power pole belonging to MidAmerican Energy, and “Snapped it in-half like a tooth pick,” according to the report. The vehicle came to rest at the bottom of an embankment in a creek. Fink was not seriously hurt. He was transported to Bergan Mercy Hospital by Silver City Rescue, to be checked out. Authorities said Fink, who has a medical condition and “should not have been operating a motor vehicle,” was cited for failure to maintain control and driving while suspended.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Officials with the Glenwood Police Department have issued a report with information concerning 17 arrests. Those arrested include:

On Monday (11/28)…Arrington Leondo Blackwell, of Papillion, NE, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault & Obstruction of Emergency Communications. (No Bond)

Nov. 27th…33-year-old Tyler Scott McClain, of Honey Creek, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense ($2,000 bond).

Nov. 26th…44-year-old Andy Lee Thompson, of Lake City, was arrested for OWI/1st offense ($1,000 bond); 27-year-old Kyle Nelson Steiner, of Henderson (IA) was arrested for 2 counts of Child Endangerment, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia, and Failure to Use a Child Restraint (Bond $6,600).

Nov. 25th…32-year-old Tyler James Palensky, of Malvern, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault (No Bond); 28-year-old Zachary Dean Taylor, of Glenwood, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense ($1,000 bond); 45-year-old James David Vierkandt, of Silver City, was arrested on 2 counts of Domestic Abuse Assault, Harassment in the 3rd Degree, and Obstruction of Emergency Communications (No Bond); and, 49-year-old Martin David Evans, of Glenwood, was arrested Nov. 25th, for OWI/1st offense ($1,000 bond).

On the 24th…24-year-old Ashley Nicole Fitzwater, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession Contraband/Correction, Possession of Control Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Bond $6,300).

Nov. 23rd….33-year-old Kristoffer James Hedlund, Murdock, NE, was arrested in Glenwood on an Out of State Warrant (No Bond).

There were two arrests on the 22nd…27-year-old Zachary Thomas Scheffler, of Harlan, was arrested at the Montgomery County Jail on an Out State Warrant (No Bond); and, 52-year-old Kristen Marie Hughes, of Red Oak, was arrested on a Warrant for Contempt of Court (No Bond).  There were also two arrests on Nov. 21st…Domianque Demetre Rollins, of Iowa City,  was arrested for Interference with Official Acts (Bond $300); and 22-year-old Austin David Wilson, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving While Barred (Bond $2,000).

On the 20th…45-year-old James David Vierkandt, of Silver City, was arrested for Driving While License Denied or Revoked ($1,000 bond). On Nov. 19th, 19-year-old Tanner Ray Pierson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance & Poss. of Paraphernalia ($1,300 bond). And, on Nov. 16th, 47-year-old Patrick Lee Amburn, of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation (Bond $5,000).

(Griswold, Iowa) – In an update to our earlier broadcast report, the Cass County Sheriff’s today (Tuesday), reports that at around 7:04-p.m. Monday, Deputies were called to a residential address in Griswold, for a physical Domestic Dispute.  While Deputies were arriving they were updated with additional information which indicated that a female, later to be identified as Sherri Young, had been drinking and was leaving their residence in a white Chevrolet Tahoe.

Deputies soon after located Young leaving the scene, while operating this Chevrolet Tahoe in an erratic fashion. The SUV nearly struck a Deputy’s vehicle.  Young briefly lost control of her vehicle and struck a separate parked vehicle. She continued driving and entered an open field.  Deputies pursued Young through this field with speeds exceeding 50 MPH.  Young’s vehicle eventually struck an embankment, disabling the vehicle.

No physical injuries were observed after this incident, but Young was transported to a medical facility by EMS.  The case remains under investigation with potential criminal charges pending.  The Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Griswold Fire and Rescue, Cass County EMS and Iowa State Patrol.

(Radio Iowa) [updated 11/30] – President Biden is calling on Congress to intervene to avoid a nationwide railroad strike that’s looming in early December and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he anticipates there will be quick action by federal lawmakers. Grassley, a Republican, says a rail strike would be “devastating” to the country’s economy, costing perhaps two-billion dollars per week, and it couldn’t come at a worse time for Iowa’s farmers. Grassley says, “You’ve heard ag producers in Iowa and all across the country stating their dependence on rail to move inputs, grains and other ag products.” Resolving the labor dispute and preventing the rail strike, in Grassley’s words, is “something that must be done.”

“The administration’s presidential emergency board has worked to resolve this dispute, but thus far, the president, by his own actions, has only managed to delay a strike from early October until now, I think December 9th, so the situation is not resolved.” Grassley says this could’ve and should’ve been done well before now, but he blames Democrats for being “too focused on a partisan spending agenda.” A Senate vote on the Respect for Marriage Act took place, Tuesday. The final vote was 61-36. Backers have said the bill would protect same-sex marriage rights while also providing a layer of religious freedoms. Grassley opposed the measure. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst voted in favor.

“The bill has no practical impact on the status quo of these marriages, but it would expose religious organizations and individuals to new legal jeopardy,” Grassley says. He said he might change his mind and consider supporting the broader piece of legislation.

(Radio Iowa) – The CEO of Iowa’s largest homeless shelter says a key indicator suggests more Iowans may become homeless in the months ahead. Melissa O’Neal, the CEO of Central Iowa Shelter and Services, says just before people can no longer afford to pay rent or a mortgage, the last thing they stop buying is food. “Once that starts to trigger, once that starts to happen, that’s an indicator of what we are about to see in our emergency shelters, so we watch that trend closely,” O’Neal says. Officials who manage Iowa food banks and food pantries say demand is rising.

Early this (Tuesday) morning, Central Iowa Shelter and Services provided breakfast to 169 people who are living temporarily in the agency’s apartments in downtown Des Moines. At 9 a.m., the breakfast room opened up to others who are homeless. “With our community kitchen program, our numbers have remained steady,” O’Neal says. “We haven’t seen a huge influx of additional need or services or support at this time.” But O’Neal says they’re bracing for an increase, due to the data about rising food insecurity.

On this so-called “Giving Tuesday,” Iowa’s Republican governor and the Democratic leader of the Iowa House were among the volunteers who served breakfast at the Central Iowa Shelter. O’Neal says January, February and July are the months when demand for her agency’s services are highest. “This is a need that doesn’t go away just because Christmas and the holidays are over,” O’Neal says. “It’s really a year-round, 365 days out of the year.”

The latest federal data for the entire state indicates over 2000 Iowans were staying in a homeless shelter in January of 2021. Officials estimate up to 500 other Iowans were living in vehicles, homeless camps or some other unsheltered environment. An organization that tracks homelessness in Polk County estimates the number of people in Iowa’s capital city who do not have a permanent shelter has doubled this year.

(Radio Iowa) – The Spirit Lake Community School Board has unanimously voted to let up to 10 staff members who aren’t teachers carry a concealed gun on school grounds. District officials say if there’s an active shooter in Spirit Lake schools, this plan will provide an immediate response until local law enforcement officials arrive. Superintendent David Smith says those chosen to carry a gun will have to undergo extensive marksmanship and tactical training. Spirit Lake Police Chief Shane Brevik recently released a letter, stating he was opposed to the policy. The superintendent said that was a surprise to him.

“At no time did he say, ‘Hey, I don’t like this,’” Smith said at the start of last night’s meeting. “At not time did he say, ‘Hey, we need to slow down.’” The school board received more than 200 public comments about the policy. The police chief is among those who submitted a letter, saying there’s merit to a safety plan, but arming civilians to deal with intruders provides a false sense of security and might interfere with law enforcement response. Superintendent Smith, in remarks to the school board, called the letter “a sabotage job.”

Spirit Lake CSD

“Within a few hours of sending this to me and to you, it was sent out to the media,” Smith said. “Nobody operates that way. Not in something with high stakes like that.” More than a dozen Spirit Lake staff members have already begun training with local firearm instructors. In the school district’s survey, 47 district employees publicly said they supported the new safety plan, while one said they opposed it.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors held a short meeting this (Tuesday) morning, during which they voted to set the date for a public hearing on a Special Use Permit. The permit was requested from Michele Roth, on behalf of Cloud One, LLC, to construct a communications tower on a parcel of land in Montgomery County (located in the SE NE Section 34, T72N, R38W of the 5^th PM). They chose Dec. 13^th at 8:45-a.m., as the date and time for the hearing.

In other business, the Board discussed with Auditor Jill Ozuna, updates to the County Employee Handbook. Ozuna said this will be a long-term process, not something that can be done in a couple of meetings. It will be conducted in a conference call, with two Board members taking part.

The date and time for the conference call has not yet been established. Board Chair Donna Robinson requested ttems in the handbook that need the most attention be addressed first in the handbook overhaul. Discussion on a Budget Planning session was brief, because there isn’t a lot of information available from the Assessor’s Office, the Compensation Board and others that will play a role in formulating a budget. Board Vice Chair Mark Peterson said the Compensation Board meeting next Wednesaday, is a big part of the puzzle.

Donna Robinson agreed.

It’s expected the Board will tentatively take-up the matter for discussion again at 9-a.m., on Dec. 12^th, or 13^th. They will set the date for Budget Planning during their meeting on Dec. 6^th.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The annual Lighted Parade, sponsored by McDermott & Son Roofing, will fill downtown Atlantic with holiday cheer this Saturday, December 3rd, starting at 6 PM. Bailey Smith, Executive Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce said “The Fireworks and Lighted Parade is a holiday tradition that Atlantic families look forward to every year. It’s always fun to see how creative people get with their lighted displays.”

Each float will have a holiday theme, lighting and music. Awards will be given for: Best Overall, Best Holiday Spirit and Twinkle Twinkle award. Winners will be notified before the parade. Fireworks, sponsored by A.M. Cohron & Son, kick off the Christmas magic over the Rock Island Depot, starting at 6 PM.

Before the parade, Santa will be in his Cabin, presented by Atlantic Rotary Club and Rolling Hills Bank & Trust, at City Park from 3 – 5:30 PM. Free Carriage Rides, presented by Lloyd & Meredith, will also be at City Park from 3 – 5 PM. Zipp’s Pizza will be parked on 6th & Chestnut Street for the duration of Santa’s Cabin and the parade. If you would like to participate in the Lighted Parade, visit www.atlanticiowa.com for a registration form.

Line-up begins at 5 PM at 6th & Walnut Street with judging beginning at 5:30 PM. Registration is not required but encouraged. Pick up your Christmas brochure from area retail businesses, like the Chamber on Facebook or follow on Instagram to find dates and details to celebrate Christmas in Atlantic. You can find a complete list of activities at www.atlanticiowa.com.

Capture the Christmas magic with #MyAtlanticIA and post to the Atlantic Area Chamber’s Facebook page or Instagram (AtlanticIowaFan). Contact the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce with any questions at chamber@atlanticiowa.com or call 712.243.3017.

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – An investigation into a reported shooting Monday afternoon in Shelby County has concluded. According to Chief Deputy Sheriff Cody Eckles, law enforcement and rescue crews were dispatched to a home south of Elk Horn at around 4:28-p.m., after a woman came home and found a man who had been shot, but was breathing. Eckles withheld the name of the victim, and said their investigation is complete. No further information will be released.

Foul play is not suspected, and there is no danger to the community.