A Taylor County man was sentenced earlier this month to nearly four-years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U-S Attorney Nickolas A. Klinefeldt today (Thursday), announced Southern District of Iowa Judge James Gritzner sentenced 48-year old James Leroy Meek, Jr., of Bedford, to 46-months in prison.

Meek, Jr.  pleaded guilty to a charge of being a Probibited Person in Possession of ammunition in December, 2011, and agreed to turn over 4000 rounds of ammo, which was found during a search of his home in April, 2010. Meek, Jr.  had a prior conviction in Taylor County, of furnishing precursor drugs for unlawful purposes.

(12-p.m. News)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Lottery officials say someone who bought a Powerball ticket in Council Bluffs has won $1 million. The lottery said in a news release Thursday that the ticket matched five of the six Powerball numbers drawn Wednesday night: 11, 16, 29, 50 and 58. The ticket didn’t match the Powerball number of 33, so the buyer didn’t win the $50 million Powerball prize. The ticket was sold at a Hy-Vee store on the east side of the western Iowa city.

The ticket buyer has not yet stepped forward. The lottery says it’s the third $1 million-winning ticket sold since the $2 Powerball began in January. Gary Higens, of Des Moines, won $1 million on March 1. Steve Petty, of Adair, won $1 million on Feb. 20.

(updated 6-a.m. 3/30/12)

An Atlantic woman faces a serious misdemeanor charge of Invasion of Privacy-Nudity, for allegedly taking an inappropriate picture of a bathing 78-year old female resident at the Salem Lutheran Home, in Elk Horn. The incident was reported to authorities on March 22^nd.  35-year old Amanda Sedina, an employee of the nursing home, was taken into custody last Friday.

She was released Monday on $1,000 bond and was scheduled to have made her initial court appearance yesterday (Thursday). Her preliminary hearing, which had been set for April 12^th, has been continued. A new date for the hearing has not yet been set.

 Police in Harlan say they’re investigating several incidents of reported break-ins and criminal mischief. The reports were received Tuesday, and include incidents which occurred at the Shelby County Fairgounds, ball fields and private property. Officials remind the public that Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of persons responsible for similar crimes. 

Harlan Police report also, an Atlantic man, 22-year old Trent Bramman, was charged with 5^th degree criminal mischief, after the owner of Big House East told authorities Sunday, that obscenities had been scratched in paint on the property. 

In other news from the Harlan Police Department, 35-year old Sheila Boell, of Harlan, was arrested last week on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance/2^nd offense, and unlawful possession of prescription drugs. Her arrest was the result of a traffic stop.And, 45-year old Timothy Turner, of Harlan, was arrested Saturday, following a reported disturbance in the 900 block of Victoria Street, in Harlan. Turner was charged with domestic abuse assault and simple assault.

Sheriff’s Officials in Montgomery County say three men and one woman were arrested this week on unrelated charges. 41-year old Martha Oltmanns, of Villisca, was arrested this (Thursday) morning, on warrants for Harassment and Simple Assault. Oltmanns was taken into custody at around 9:30-a.m., and later released on a $300 bond. 

On Wednesday, 29-year old Bill Jo Gillespie, of Red Oak, was taken into custody on warrants for Domestic Assault, a Concealed Weapons violation, trespassing, and Violation of a No Contact Order. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $7,500 bond. That same day, 25-year old Eric Waldron and 21-year old Drew McKinley, both of Villisca, were arrested for allegedly Supplying Alcohol to a Minor. The men were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond, each.

Officials with Cass County Home Care (CCHC) have announced that the company has been ranked in the top seven percent of home health agencies in the United States by a recent HealthInsight report. HealthInsight is a private, non-profit organization recognized as a leader in defining health care values, transparency and public reporting. Rankings are computed using publicly reported data from CMS Home Health Compare, a report on the quality of care provided by Medicare-certified home health agencies. 

CCHC site manager Denise Coder credits experience, knowledgeable staff and the organization’s ongoing focus on innovation with its ability to rank as one of the country’s top agencies. Cass County Home Care is a full-service, integrated home health care provider, serving patients in southwestern Iowa. Comprehensive services include nursing care, personal care and home support, rehabilitation therapy, respiratory therapy, infusion therapy, palliative and hospice care. CCHS is part of Iowa Health Home Care, which manages multiple home health affiliates throughout the state of Iowa. Iowa Health Home Care is an affiliate of Iowa Health System. In all, only eight Iowa agencies ranked in the national top 10 percent of the nearly 9,000 home health agencies reviewed.