(Area) – Several, separate meetings are scheduled for Monday in our listening area. Among them is:

The Atlantic Parks and Rec Department, which is slated to meet at the Kiddie Korral, at Sunnyside Park, beginning at 5:15-p.m.  Action items/New Business will include: A review of Park Board vacancy applications; Looking ahead to the Sept. 26th Splash Pad Work Session; The “Healthiest State” walk; and, the Memorial Flag Pole at the Schildberg Recreation Area. Also, Parks & Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen will reports on several matters, including the Sunnyside Pool, Hyggefest, Tour de Parks, the Scarecrow Contest, Produce in the Park, and the All Class Reunion.

The Griswold School Board meeting begins at 5:30-p.m. in the High School Conference Room. New Business includes: Approval of a Resolution to participate in the Instructional Support Levy (ISL); Approval of 2022-23 Board Goals; Possible approval of the SIAC Committee; Approval of –  a contract with Coca-Cola, Official Depositories for the District, and of a Request for Allowable Growth & Supplemental Aid for a 2021-22 Special Education Deficit. Discussion items include: The Open Enrollment Report, Board of Directors Redistricting, and the first reading of certain 500-series Board Policies.

And, the Audubon School Board will meet 7-p.m. Monday, in the High School Board Room. Their session begins with a Work Session for Policy Review. During the regular session, they will dive into action items, including approval of the following: The 2nd Reading of some 700- and 800-series Board Policies; SIAC Committee Membership; An SBRC application for MSA – Special Education Deficit in the amount of $4,759.90; Building Project Change Orders; Approval of a Mediation Settlement with Construct; An agreement with Denovo, and action on any Personnel matters to come before the Board. Superintendent Eric Trager will report on a Tree Grant, and he’ll have an update the Building Project.

Two crashes in Iowa on Sunday claimed two lives. The Iowa State Patrol reports a single-vehicle accident in southern Iowa’s Decatur County resulted in the death of the driver of the vehicle. 45-year-old Luke Neil Helton, of Leon, died during the crash that happened at around 2-p.m. Authorities say Helton was driving a 20111 Chevy 1500 pickup southbound on 253rd Avenue, just south of 217th Street, when he became unconscious due to unknown medical conditions. The pickup left the road and crashed through a fence, and ended up in a pond. The accident was discovered by the property owner. Helton died at the scene.

The second crash involved a 2009 Mercury Mariner SUV. It happened at around 6:22-a.m. Sunday, in northwest Iowa’s Sioux County. The Patrol says the vehicle was traveling westbound on B-40, when it left the road for reasons unknown. The SUV entered the north ditch, vaulted a culvert and struck an embankment before coming to rest. The driver of the vehicle, 25-year-old Felipe Reyes Lopez-Lopez, of Rock Valley, died at the scene.

His passengers, 32-year-old Marco Vinco Lopez-Lopez, and a three-year old female, both of Rock Valley, were injured, and transported by Sioux Center Ambulance to the hospital in Sioux Center. before being flown to the hospital in Sioux Falls. The child was not properly restrained in the vehicle. Marco Lopez-Lopez was wearing his seat belt. The Patrol says alcohol is suspected to be a contributing factor to the crash.

And, a man from Des Moines suffered multiple injuries during an accident Saturday afternoon, in southern Madison County. The State Patrol reports 52-year-old Sefering Benavides was driving a 2022 Ford Explorer eastbound on the Cumming Highway, when the SUV veered off the road, went down an embankment, and struck some trees. The accident happened at around 1:15-p.m. Benevides, who was not wearing a seat belt, was transported to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines for treatment of his injuries. Multiple charges against him are pending.

Worth County, Iowa – On 9/16/2022, a female body was found in the Shell Rock River near 390th St and Raven Ave. The body recovered was identified as Melissa Jo Olson, age 45, of Northwood. The incident is being investigated by the Worth County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

The Worth County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Iowa DNR, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa State Patrol, Worth County Emergency Management, Mason City Fire Department, Kensett Fire Department, and Worth County Secondary Roads.

Law enforcement is seeking information from anyone who may have observed Olson, a 45 year old white female with brown hair, approximately 5 foot 6 inches tall, walking in the area of Highway 65 and along 390th Street, between Manly and Northwood on Thursday, September 15 and into the morning hours of Friday, September 16.

If anyone has any information regarding this investigation, please contact Special Agent Ryan Herman of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at (319)-217-1580 or rherman@dps.state.ia.us.

(Area) – “It was a dark and stormy night” lived up to an often quoted phrase from an 1830’s novel, Saturday night, across western Iowa. The National Weather Service reports hail ranging from as small as pea- to as large as baseball ball size, fell across the area. Storms also brought winds of up to 70 miles per hour. The evening began at around 5:30-p.m. with a severe thunderstorm watch issued for the far west and southwest counties. The warnings began to pop-up about two-hours later, including a tornado warning that was issued for southeast Montgomery and NE Page Counties. A possible tornado was indicated by radar, but there were no confirmed sightings.

The largest hail in southwest Iowa fell in Pottawattamie County, where baseball size hail (2.75 in diameter) was observed in Carson. Elsewhere, tennis ball size hail was reported to have occurred in Stanton, while golf ball size hail fell south of Stanton and in Griswold. Most of the hail reports from around the area, were quarter-sized, with some dime-size rocks of ice falling in Corning.

As of early Sunday morning, there were no reports of damage. That’s likely to change though, as sunlight brings a fresh perspective on the storm’s aftermath. If you have any storm damage and/or pictures you would like to submit, send them to kjannews@metc.net.  Please include (when possible) a time frame for the damage, along with the location and your name. Thank you!

Check out the latest Storm Reports listing of hail/wind events on the Weather page (Under Community Hub) at kjan.com.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department report that around 8:37-p.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to a personal injury accident at Harrison St. and East Kanesville Blvd. A preliminary investigation indicated that a 9-year old boy on a bicycle was traveling northbound on Harrison St., crossing East Kanesville. A vehicle traveling westbound on East Kanesville was unable to see the boy and struck him. The child was transported to Nebraska Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

The CBPD Traffic Unit is investigating this crash and at this time is still under investigation.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Due to severe weather predictions tonight’s (Saturday night’s) Suicide prevention walk (https://facebook.com/events/s/suicide-awareness-community-wa/428124246081248/) has been moved to next Saturday (9/24). Same time, same place: 7:00 PM Schildberg.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Dept. of Corrections, Saturday morning, reports that 30-year-old Daveion Trell Smith, convicted of Burglary 1st Degree and other charges from Polk County, failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines Residential Facility as required, Friday.

Smith is a black male, height 5′ 11″ and weighs 171 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on June 30, 2022. Persons with information on Smith’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Daveion Trell Smith

A man making threats to kill people was eventually arrested in Red Oak on Friday. At 11:41 a.m. Red Oak Police were called to the intersection of N 3rd Street and E Market Street for a report of a man standing in the road yelling that he was going to kill people. Upon arrival the man swung a metal object at the patrol car, attempting to hit the vehicle. The man then fled northbound on 3rd Street and refused to stop after several warnings. The man eventually turned around and attempted to strike an Officer multiple times with the metal object. At that time the Officer successfully deployed his taser and the man was placed under arrest without further incident.

The man was identified as 60-year-old Daniel Mark Kinnersley of Red Oak and he was charged with Assault on a Peace Officer and Interference with Official Acts. Kinnersley was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and booked in on $1,000 bond.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections reported on Friday (today), a prison inmate, 21-year-old Keyote Dean Smith, was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

He died after being admitted earlier in the week for an acute illness related to a chronic medical condition. An autopsy will be performed by the Johnson County Medical Examiner.

Smith had been serving a 10-year maximum term for the crime of Robbery 2nd Degree from Marshall County. His sentence began on October 30, 2020.