The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest Thursday, Sept. 26th of 35-year-old Robert L. Atkinson of Atlantic on a Cass County Warrant for 5th Degree Theft (shoplifting).  Atkinson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

WOODBINE, Iowa (AP) — Firefighters from several nearby towns have helped put out a flower shop fire in the western Iowa city of Woodbine.

The Council Bluffs Nonpareil says the blaze began around 3 p.m. Thursday in the alley behind the Everything Ellen Flower Shoppe in downtown Woodbine. As the flames spread into the shop, a call soon went out for aid from other Harrison County fire departments.

When the fire threatened to spread to nearby businesses, residents lined up to grab merchandise and pass it out of the stores. The fire appeared to be confined to the flower shop and the roof of a nearby building.

A person who fell on a street was the only reported injury.

The fire cause is being investigated.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a van in the ditch at about 4:53pm Thursday (9/26) on C Avenue about 2/10th of a mile north of 140th Street near Red Oak.

Upon arrival officers found a 1998 Chevy Astrovan driven by 52-year-old Rlena Dee Crouse of Red Oak had struck a power pole owned by MidAmerican Energy with the front drivers side of the vehicle.  After investigation it was determined that Crouse was traveling northbound on C Avenue, just north of the intersection with 140th Street, when a deer entered the roadway from the east.  Crouse swerved to miss the deer and crossed the roadway to the opposite shoulder and ditch.  The van then travelled about 1/10th of a mile before striking the power pole.  Crouse suffered no injuries as she was wearing a seat belt and the airbag deployed in the van.

The power pole snapped in half just above the ground, causing $2,500 damage.  The van was totaled in the crash at a value of $1,869.

No citations were issued following the investigation.  MidAmerican Energy and Red Oak Fire Department assisted Sheriff’s Officials at the scene.