COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Arrests have been made in back-to-back robberies of a western Iowa store in which the clerk was repeatedly shocked with a stun gun. Police in Omaha arrested 18-year-old D’Jay Betts on Tuesday and 22-year-old Loyal Brown on Wednesday. Both men live in Omaha.

Police say Betts and another man entered Exotic Gifts in Council Bluffs on Aug. 24th, and that Betts repeatedly attacked the store’s clerk with a stun gun while the other man stole merchandise. Betts and Brown are accused of returning to the store five days later, with Betts again attacking the same clerk with a stun gun while Brown took merchandise and money.  Betts and Brown remained in an Omaha jail this (Thursday) morning.

The City Council in Adair has voted to begin the search for a new Police Officer. The decision came during a meeting Wednesday night, and follows the recent firing of Lt. Josephine Weston, and the resignation of Police Chief Bob Koeneman. City officials have declined to release any details concerning the departures of the two law enforcement officials.

The City will begin advertising for the position in the Des Moines Register, Omaha World Herald and locally, soon. The person hired for the job will be required to live in Adair. Until that person is hired, deputies with the Guthrie and Adair County Sheriff’s Offices will continue to patrol the city of Adair.

Officials with Artistsignal.com, a digital distribution platform for artists, bands, and record labels, have announced two bands, one from Minnesota, the other from Iowa, has received $25,000 each, following a vote-driven, internet contest. “Crankshaft and the Geargrinders,” from Minnesota, and “Randy Burk and the Prisoners” from Iowa were announced as the winners of the contest, during which  fans could cast a vote every hour for 90-days.  Originally, there was only one $25,000 top prize designed to help an artist or band, jumpstart their career, but the online venue decided the top two musicians receiving votes would each receive the big prize.

Randy Burk and the Prisoners, whose lead singer is Atlantic native Randy Burk, will use  their prize money to record a new album at Iowa recording studio, The Sonic Factory. In a press release, the 39-year old Burk said “We could record anywhere in the country and have great contacts in Nashville and California, but think it’s important to keep the money here, rooted to the fans and community that supported us in this contest, helped us win, and support us everyday.”