Authorities in Page County are asking for the public’s help in identifying the person or persons responsible for the theft and destruction of a vehicle stolen from Shenandoah. Sheriff Lyle Palmer said his office received a call today (Monday) at around 7:30-a.m., about a vehicle that had been burned o a property owned by Troy Nielsen, at 1018 140th Street in Page County. Nielsen discovered the burned out shell of a 2001 Ford Taurus while checking his property. An investigation revealed the car had been reported stolen from the vicinity of 702 south Elm Street in Shenandoah, sometime between 10-p.m. Saturday and 7:30-a.m. today (Monday). It belonged to Meagan Mattson. The vehicle and its contents were a total loss. The car was valued at $6,000.

Anyone with information about the theft and/or arson of the Mattson, or any other vehicle in Page County, is asked to call their local law enforcement agency, or, the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193, the Clarinda Police Dept. at 542-2194, or the Shenandoah Police Dept. at 246-3512.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A jury has been selected for the trial of a 21-year-old western Iowa man charged with killing his mother in Early and kidnapping another woman. The Messenger in Fort Dodge reports a jury of seven men and six women was seated Monday afternoon. The trial for Kirk Levin will begin Tuesday morning with opening statements. The trial was moved from Sac County to Webster County because of publicity about the case.

The 21-year-old Levin, of Early, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his mother and third-degree kidnapping in the abduction of a woman who later escaped.

The Experimental Aircraft Association, Chapter 135, has announced an Aviation Youth Rally will take place June 29th, from 8:30-a.m. until Noon, at the Atlantic Municipal Airport. The interesting, educational and fun FREE workshop is designed for youth ages 10 to 15, and will expose them to the exciting field of aviation. Sessions will be given in careers in aviation, airplanes and aerodynamics, along with information provided about airports and navigation.

Weather permitting, each child will also receive an FAA Young Eagle Program orientation flight, at no cost. A pizza luncheon will follow the workshop, and each child will receive a free t-shirt. Pre-registration is required. For more information, or to pre-register, call Brenda Neslon at 712-774-5499, or e-mail towring@hotmail.com, or call 712-249-0726 to request an application.

One person was arrest on drug charges and two others for assault over the weekend, in Cass County. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 39-year old Leonard Joseph Meyerhoff, of Atlantic, was arrested May 31st on an OWI/1st offense and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana charges. His arrest occurred after deputies investigated a report of a vehicle in a ditch off of 620th Street, at around 7:30-p.m. The investigation revealed Meyerhoff lost control of the 2000 Pontiac Grand Am he was driving on the gravel road, causing the vehicle to enter the north ditch. No injuries were reported, and the car was not damaged during the incident.

The Sheriff’s Department reports also the arrest on Saturday of 25-year old Jesse Cavin Meier, of Lewis. Meier was charged  with Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault. He was brought to the Cass County Jail, pled not guilty, and was released later that day. On Sunday, sheriff’s deputies arrested 28-year old Allen Michael Shampang, of Atlantic, on a charge of Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault. Shampang was taken to the Cass County Jail where was released the following day after pleading not guilty to the charge. And, on May 30th, 53-year old Barry Dean Schmidt, of Massena, was arrested on a charge of Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault. Schmidt was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day after pleading not guilty before the magistrate.

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, the arrest on Saturday, of 30-year old Zachary Alan Frank, of Atlantic, on a charge of Driving While Suspended. Frank was taken to the Cass County Jail where was released later that day on $300 cash bond.

A Lenox woman was arrested Sunday afternoon following an altercation with police.

Holly Oliphant (Lenox P-D photo)

According to the Lenox Police Department, 39-year old Holly Oliphant was taken into custody at around 3-p.m., after officers were called to a residence on north Brooks Street, with regard to an out of control female. While Officers were trying to restore order, a person identified as Oliphant, allegedly pushed an officer. Oliphant was arrested for assault on a police officer. She was transported to the Adams County Jail and later posted bond before being released.

A man from southeast Iowa was sentenced Friday in Council Bluffs to 10-years in prison on methamphetamine conspiracy charges.31-year old Chandler Prather Robbins, IV, of Oskaloosa, received his sentence of 120 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence will be served consecutively with 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm in relation to the drug trafficking offense. Robbins is also required to serve a five-year term of supervised release following incarceration. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says Robbins pled guilty on February 8th, 2013, to the charges of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. 

Co-defendant Ray Allen Sutton, a 35 year-old resident ofCouncil Bluffs, was sentenced to 112 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sutton is also required to serve a four-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Sutton pled guilty on January 10th, 2013, to the charges of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. 

The convictions were the result of a joint law enforcement investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine from Omaha into Council Bluffs, with final distribution in central Iowa. Robbins and Sutton were arrested on June 9th, 2012, for transporting over 10 ounces of pure methamphetamine to be distributed in central Iowa. 

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, SouthWest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Mid Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Three Council Bluffs men have been sentenced to prison on drug charges. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says 28-year old Dennis Smith, 26-year old Nicholas Barnes, and 29-year old Gene Smith, all of Council Bluffs, received their sentences Friday in Council Bluffs by U-S District Court Judge James E. Gritzner. Smith was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering. He was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Smith pled guilty on February 13^th, 2013, to charges of conspiring to distribute marijuana and money laundering in the Omaha andCouncil Bluffs areas.

Barnes was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The judge also ordered Barnes to serve a three-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Barnes pled guilty on February 8th, 2013, to a charge of conspiring to distribute marijuana in the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas. Gene Smith was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment for maintaining a drug involved premises. He was also ordered to serve a two-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Gene Smith pled guilty on February 8th, 2013, to a charge of maintaining a drug-involved premise in  Council Bluffs.

Co-defendant David L. Lopez, Jr., a 40 year-old resident of Omaha, was sentenced April 18th, 2013, to 48 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Lopez must also serve a three-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Lopez pled guilty on February 8, 2013, to a charge of conspiring to distribute marijuana in Omaha and Council Bluffs. Co-defendant Christopher Brandt, a 30 year-old resident of Council Bluffs, was sentenced March 8, 2013, to 36 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Brandt is also required to serve a four-year term of supervised release following incarceration. Brandt pled guilty on August 6, 2012, to a charge of conspiring to distribute marijuana in Omaha and Council Bluffs.

The convictions were the result of an investigation conducted by several law enforcement agencies into the importation and distribution of marijuana by a known drug trafficking group operating in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area from May of 2009, through March of 2012. The investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department, the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Omaha Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The IRS’ Criminal Investigation Division also contributed to the money laundering part of the investigation. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

One person was seriously injured following a collision between a semi and a sprayer vehicle this (Monday) morning, in Shelby County. Sheriff’s officials say the accident occurred at the intersection of County Roads F-32 and M-16, about two-miles west of Westphalia, at around 8:40-a.m.

The accident happened when a Case 3330 Patriot sprayer owned by Farm Service Co-op in Defiance, and driven by 48-year old Mark Schmitz, of Westphalia, and  a 2001 Peterbilt semi owned by Two Pair Trucking in Westphalia, and driven by 39-year old Thomas Muenchrath, of Earling, collided. 

Officials say the sprayer was stopped at the intersection of F-32 and M-15 facing south, while the semi was traveling west on F-32. After the sprayer pulled into the path of the semi, the vehicles collided and came to rest on the southwest corner of the intersection. Schmitz was not injured, and was able to remove himself from the sprayer. Muenchrath was pinned in the tractor portion of the semi, and had to be extricated by rescue personnel.

He was flown from the scene by LifeNet helicopter to a hospital in Omaha. A report on his condition is not available. Medivac Ambulance, along with personnel from the Westphalia and Panama Fire Departments and Earling Rescue, assisted Shelby County authorities at the scene of the crash.

(12:40-p.m. News)