The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a Neola man has died from injuries he suffered during a fall Sunday. Sheriff Jeff Danker says deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 30,000 block of 2nd Street in Neola at around 3-a.m. Sunday, to assist Neola Fire and Rescue personnel with a man who had reportedly fallen from an exterior door. According to witnesses, 26-year old Mathew R. McDonald, of rural Neola, fell nearly 11-feet from the main level of the residence, to the ground. A deck which had been on the exterior side of the door had been removed and was not replaced by the time the incident occurred.

McDonald suffered severe head trauma as a result of the fall. He was transported to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, where he later died. The incident remains under investigation.

Officials with the Monsanto Corporation today (Tuesday) say Audubon farmer Todd Nelsen has been selected as a winner in America’s Farmers Grow Communities^SM, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. Grow Communities gives farmers the opportunity to win a $2,500 donation to direct to their favorite local nonprofit organizations.

To further support counties that have been declared disaster areas due to drought by the U.S.D.A., winning farmers in those counties were able to direct double the donation, a total of $5,000 to further support the community. Audubon County was declared a disaster area by the USDA, giving Todd Nelsen, the opportunity to place two $2,500 donations. Nelsen selected the Audubon Recreation Foundation and the Audubon County Agricultural Society.

A ceremonial check presentation will take place next Tuesday, Jan. 22^nd in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Audubon County Courthouse.

Gov. Terry Branstad’s spokesman is defending the state’s release of a convict charged with killing his mother and kidnapping a woman 36 hours after leaving prison.  Spokesman Tim Albrecht said Monday that state officials did everything in their power to protect the public from 21-year-old Kirk Levin.

Albrecht says Department of Corrections officials identified Levin as needing “special attention in the community,” and notified the Sac County sheriff and Levin’s past victims about his release. He says officials had no basis to seek Levin’s commitment for mental health treatment once his prison term for burglary ended, despite discovering a notebook in which he fantasized about rape.

Levin is charged in the Jan. 3 death of his mother in Early in northwest Iowa. Police say he also kidnapped a 21-year-old woman.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a brief pursuit last week resulted in the arrest of an Atlantic man. Officials say 43-year old Paul William Jessen was taken into custody Jan. 7th, on a Department of Corrections Warrant for Parole Violation.

During the pursuit, Jessen entered a house in Lewis illegally, for which he was charged for Burglary 3^rd Degree (D Felony). He was also charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Jessen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was being held without bond on the Parole Violation warrant.

The Atlantic Police Department reports an Anita woman was arrested Monday on a shoplifting-related charge. 65-year old Linda Barber was taken into custody on a charge of 5^th degree theft. She was later released with orders to appear in court at a later date.