Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report the arrest on Saturday of a Villisca man on drug charges. 58-year old Rodolfo Morales, Jr., was arrested at around 3:30-p.m. following a traffic stop on Highway 34. Morales faces OWI/1st offense, Driving While Revoked, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Controlled Substance, charges. His bond was set at just over $2,866.

And, a Malvern man was arrested late Friday night in Mills County. 34-year old Dayton Ernest Tuper faces a charge of Simple Assault.  His bond was set at $300.

Iowa motorists wanting to remember a fallen law enforcement officer may now purchase a specialty license plate with a “Fallen Peace Officer” emblem, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. The fees for a numbered “Fallen Peace Officer” plate are $35, with a $10 annual validation fee; and $60 for a personalized plate, with a $15 annual validation fee.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety receives $35 from each new plate and $10 from each renewal. The Iowa DPS distributes 100 percent of the funds in the form of grants to nonprofit organizations to assist in rebuilding the lives of surviving families and affected co-workers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. When awarding grants, the Iowa DPS gives first consideration to Iowa Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) and similar nonprofit organizations providing such resources.

For information, applications, and pictures of this specialty plate go to the Iowa DOT’s website at www.iowadot.gov/mvd/ovs/plates/plates.htm.

Five vehicles collided in Atlantic Friday, but no injuries were reported. Atlantic Police report the accident happened at around 12:10-p.m. near the intersection of 7th and Pine Streets. Officials say vehicles driven by Payton Ryan, of Marne, Katrina James, of Lewis, Galen Hansen, of Exira, Barbara Wyscarver, of Atlantic, and Anthony Orstad, of Griswold, collided in a chain reaction fashion, when all had to stop abruptly due to traffic which came to a halt at the stop light. The accident happened as all five drivers were headed westbound on 7th Street.

Officials say vehicles driven by Ryan, James and Wyscarver were all able to stop before hitting vehicles in front of them, but Hansen and Orstad were unable to do so. Both struck vehicles in front of them, which continued the chain reaction accident that affected all the vehicles.

Damage from the crash amounted to $7,500. Authorities say Galen Hansen and Anthony Orstad were both cited for Failure to Stop in an Assured Clear Distance.

Police in Atlantic report two people were arrested Sunday on assault charges. 33-year old Tabitha Clark, and 18-year old Philip Thompson, Jr., both of Atlantic, were taken into custody on charges of Domestic Abuse Assault. Both were being held in the Cass County Jail, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

And, 26-year old Jeffrey Knight, of Atlantic, was arrested Friday, on a charge of Public Intoxication/3rd offense. Knight was also booked into the Cass County Jail.

Woodbury County authorities are continuing their damage assessment after severe weather struck the area Friday evening. County Emergency Services Director Gary Brown says at least three tornadoes hit rural Woodbury County. He says ene started down by Sloan and split into two, another touched down just short of Bronson and lifted and the third set down west of Climbing Hill and went northeast across the county “We’ve got 123 farms that have been affected. We have 21 farms destroyed, 42 with major damage, 43 with minor damage and 17 that are in the category of what we call ‘affected’ for a total of 123,” Brown says.

The storms missed the cities in the county — hitting only rural areas — and Brown says there was only one person injured and no residents were killed. “We’ve got several thousand acres of crop damage, we’re still trying to tally up some of the power line issues, and we’ve had essentially a low number of livestock deaths,” according to Brown.

Several power poles were snapped off by the storm, including some major feed lines. Brown says the major power lines will take several weeks to restore, and residential power should be coming back on over the next several days.

Brown says the Red Cross and Salvation Army are accepting cash donations to help the victims of the storms.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds says she’s supporting fellow Republican Joni Ernst in her effort to win the U.S. Senate seat next year. Ernst, from Red Oak, was elected to succeed Reynolds in a southwest Iowa Senate district and is serving in her third year. Reynolds says Ernst is a proven conservative and the best of the Republican Party.

Gov. Terry Branstad says he will not endorse a Republican primary candidate for the Senate seat to be left open in 2015 by the retirement of Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.

The primary next June will be crowded with Republicans with at least five other candidates announced and others considering a run to go up against the Democratic nominee, likely U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, the only Democrat running so far.

Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman said late this (Monday) morning, that firefighters are still on scene of the blaze that occurred early this morning in the former Pit Stop bar just east of downtown Red Oak. Hamman said the fire is under control, however crews were expected to remain on scene though at least mid-day.

Photo courtesy Montgomery County EMA.

Empire Construction was called in to assist crews on tearing down a portion of the buildings walls to make access to voids created during the roof collapse to extinguish the remaining hot spots. The area in and around the fire is still blocked off and will remain blocked off for several more hours.

Area residents who lost power this morning should have had it restored. If you’re power is not restored, please call Mid American Energy.