A Pottawattamie County man was arrested today (Wednesday) on an outstanding Audubon County warrant. According to the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office, 25 year old Zachary Alan White, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail and transported to the Audubon County Jail. White was charged with eluding and driving while barred.

The charges stem from a pursuit by law enforcement in Audubon County on March 20th, 2013. The pursuit continued through Cass County and ended in Pottawattamie County where he was taken into custody. White is being held in the Audubon County Jail and will appear before the magistrate on Thursday, June 13th.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), approved increasing the fee for new or renewed licenses for concealed weapons permits. Sheriff Darby McLaren requested the $10 increase to help cover the cost of a laminating machine that will create a photo ID/permit, which will replace the current, paper permit for concealed weapon licenses. McLaren said he based the increase on what other area counties are charging for a similar service, and the service was based on demand. He said a lot of people have requested the laminated permits since the state law was changed to allow those types of permits to be issued in that form. 

McLaren said the new permits can also be used as a second form of identification, when it’s required. The Cass County Emergency Management Agency will use the machine to create IDs for firefighters at no charge. Part of the cost for the lamination machine will be absorbed by the EMA, the other part will be paid for by the increased license fee.

Currently concealed license fees run $50 and the license is good for 5-years. With the increase, anyone renewing or wishing to receive a permit for such weapons, will have to pay $60. And, if your current permit is in need of replacement due to age or damage, you can get a laminated version for the $10 fee, as well.

In other business, the Board of Supervisors approved the full-time appointment ofCathy Downy, of Atlantic, to the Veteran’s Affairs Commission, effective July 1^st. Her term will expire in three-years. Downy was serving in an interim capacity on the Commission, since Jerry Putnam resigned from the post in March, 2012.

A fire overnight about five-miles west of Atlantic completely destroyed a home and its contents, but no one was injured. Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees said no one knew it had happened until after sunrise. McNees said Dave Freund, who is a neighbor of Wayne Preister,who was renting the home, both notified the fire department the house had burned. When crews arrived there was nothing left to do but put out some hot spots.

Smoldering remains of the home on Indian Creek St., near Atlantic. (Cass Co. EMA/photo)

McNees said his department, along with the Cass County Emergency Management Agency conducted an investigation and notified the State Fire Marshal’s office. The cause of the blaze will be listed as undetermined, because there is so little evidence to go on.  He said it could have been caused by lightening or was the result of an electrical problem, but that’s not official. No one was home at the time. 

The call about the fire came at 56575 Indian Creek Street in at around 7:30-.am. No injuries were reported.