A western Iowa woman who serves as the auditor for Monona County, has plead not guilty to drug charges. 27-year old Brooke Ann Kuhlmann entered her plea in front of the judge on Tuesday. And while her case is on-hold pending the outcome of a District Court case, according to the Omaha World-Herald, the Monona County attorney has recommended a review of the County’s financial records.
Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety said in a statement last week, that Kuhlmann scheduled a methamphetamine buy and pickup from an undercover Iowa State Patrol officer on Monday who had seized a dealer’s cell phone the day before.
After the drug purchase, Onawa police initiated a traffic stop and took Kuhlmann into custody for questioning. She was arrested and charged with possessing methamphetamine, a serious misdemeanor, and possessing drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor. She was subsequently released from custody, and remains free on a $1,000 signature bond. Kuhlmann, a Democrat, is serving her second term as auditor.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — At least three people in two states have beaten astronomical odds to become the nation’s latest Powerball millionaires. Sue Dooley, senior drawing manager production coordinator for the Multi-State Lottery Association, said late Wednesday night that three tickets matched the winning numbers and will split the lottery’s latest massive jackpot: $448 million. The winning numbers drawn Wednesday night were: 05, 25, 30, 58, 59 and Powerball 32.

The (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger reported early Thursday that a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Lottery said that one of the multimillion-dollar tickets was purchased at a supermarket in South Brunswick, N.J., and the other ticket was sold in Little Egg Harbor, N.J. Information on the Minnesota ticket was not available early Thursday.

A man from Maryland was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Omaha following a single vehicle accident this (Wednesday) afternoon on Interstate 80, in Cass County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 28-year old Matthew Shilman, of Westminster, MD, was traveling west on I-80 near the 57-mile marker (Olive St. Exit), when his 2005 Subaru Impreza left the road and entered the north ditch. The car went through a fence and into a field before colliding with a ditch embankment.

Accident scene. Photo by Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Mgmt.

Officials say Shilman, who was wearing his seat belt, was flown by LifeNet to Creighton Medical Center. The accident, which happened at around 2:08-p.m., remains under investigation. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic Fire and Rescue, and Medivac Ambulance assisted the State Patrol at the scene.

Sheriff’s Officials in Page County report charges are pending against a College Springs man following completion of an investigation into a personal injury accident that occurred this (Wednesday) morning. The accident happened near 2860 Nutmeg, on the north edge of College Springs. Authorities say an investigation revealed that 34-year old Richard Edward Hale, of College Springs was driving a 1997 Ford Extended cab F-150 pickup north on Missouri Avenue, when,  according to Hale, a deer ran out in front of him.

Hale swerved to the east to avoid the deer, and then over-corrected to the west, causing the pickup to begin a counter-clockwise spin.  When the truck entered the west ditch, its passenger side tires caught in the turf of the ditch, causing it to roll passenger side down nearly twice before coming to rest on its roof and hood. 

Hale exited the pickup and went to the residence on the west side of the road for assistance.The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the College Springs Fire & Rescue, and the Clarinda Fire & Rescue.

(12-p.m. News)

Sheriff’s Officials in Mills County say no injuries were reported following a high speed accident early Tuesday morning at the intersection of Highway 34 and 190th Street, or just east of Interstate 29. Authorities say at around 3:20-a.m., a 1996 Toyota driven by Yuan Tu, of Appleton, WI, was, according to a witness, approaching the intersection at a high rate of speed, and failed to stop at the posted stop sign.

The vehicle hit the stop sign which controls north- and southbound traffic on 190^th Street, entered a ditch at a high rate of speed and went airborne over the unfinished Highway 34 project. The vehicle then entered a second ditch where it came to rest. Tu claimed he did not see the posted stop sign, because of dense fog in the area at the time. Authorities say he was cited for Failure to Observe a posted stop sign.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), voted 4-to 1 in favor of a Resolution giving consent to the City Massena, to exercise Urban Renewal Powers. The dissenting vote came from Board Chair Mark Wedemeyer, who wanted the CAM School District to give its blessing on the TIFing of 38 wind turbines located within a two-miles radius of the Massena City Limits, and because he wanted more public input.

Approving the Resolution does not mean the City will be able to institute Tax Increment Financing on the turbines. SWIPCO (Southwest Iowa Planning Council) Executive Director John McCurdy says it does set the ball rolling for future discussion involving officials with the CAM School District, City officials in Massena, the County, and SWIPCO. McCurdy offered to facilitate a meeting of the concerned parties.

Massena Mayor Linda Reinecke and McCurdy plan to appear before the CAM School Board during their meeting next week, to try and iron out the details of where and when such a meeting might take place, and to garner an iron clad position from the District, on how the TIF funds should or should not be used. Supervisors Gaylord Schelling and Mark Wedemeyer stressed the importance of having the CAM School Board’s voice heard on the matter.

Right now, all the Supervisors have is a spoken acknowledgement the CAM School Board is in favor of Massena using TIF monies for their sewer relining and street rehabilitation projects, which are expected to cost in the millions of dollars. In other business, the Board approved motions abating the taxes for Fiscal year 2014 on a parcel of abandoned land owned by the City of Anita, and the FY 2014 taxes owed by the Iowa DOT, for three parcels of land it acquired for a right of way. Both abatements are allowed under Iowa Code.