(Corning, Iowa) – A traffic stop Sunday morning in Adams County resulted in the arrest on drug charges, of a woman from Missouri. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports 18-year old Ashley Fisher was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana) 2^nd offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Fisher was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $2,300 cash bond. Additional charges are pending.

Ashley Fisher

And, an Adams County man was arrested Sunday in connection with a burglary, in Villisca. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says 29-year-old Jared Wayne Meisinger, of Corning, was arrested following a call by a Villisca resident, who said they found blood on the front porch of their house. The resident reported also, their front door was open. Upon further investigation, Meisinger was identified as the suspect. He was later released from the Montgomery County Jail after posting a $5,000 bond.

Jared Wayne Meisinger

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans are being warned about a new type of scam called “spearphishing.” Jim Temmer, with the Better Business Bureau, says it’s different from a regular email or phone scam because it targets individuals at their place of work. “You will get a text, you don’t recognize the number, and they’re going to claim they’re your boss,” Temmer says. “For instance, here at the BBB, it’d say ‘Hi, this is Jim, I’m tied up right now, please text me back, I’ve got something for you to do.'”

Temmer says a spearphishing scam may come in the form of a strange email or text from your boss or your boss’ boss.  “I’m the scammer and I say, ‘Hey, you know what? Somebody just did something great. Go buy a $500 gift card for them, or send a check to this person,'” Temmer says. “Whatever it is I’m going to ask, it’s a scam.”

They might also ask for personal or business information from you, or ask that you fill out and approve an invoice. If you find yourself getting a strange message like this, contact your I-T department or your boss directly and make sure it’s legitimate.

(Radio Iowa) – Madison County residents and volunteers will continue clean up today (Monday) from a deadly weekend tornado on the south edge of Winterset that killed six people. Volunteers with equipment and chain saws were helping clean up Sunday at the home of Teresa Hoag off Highway 169. She said her husband was going out to pull the car in the garage when the tornado hit Saturday evening. “And as he opened the door, I could see it, I could hear it over the hill,” She says. Hoag said she saw dark angry-looking clouds and it all happened very quickly. “Started hearing the crashing and booming and the wind – and then it was over,” Hoag says.

Her husband Don said he was trying to get the car out of the hail when he heard the tornado. “A train was coming down the road, it sounded like a train just coming. As soon as I got in the house, and around the corner, we had big tall pine trees in our yard and I just watch them take off. And then the door came in,” Hoag said. They lost seven outbuildings and the upper portion of their log home blew off. Don Hoag said it was much worse for their neighbors across the road. “As soon as I got my bearings and looked outside and everything was gone, I knew they were in trouble, and I ran, and Judy was crying, and she was by her husband,” Hoag said.

The home of Teresa & Don Hoah near Winterset

Their neighbor — 67-year-old Rodney Clark — was one of the people who died. Hoag said a large pile of rubble in front of his home is all that is left of the Clark’s house. There are bits of pink insulation hanging from the branches of the trees left standing around their home. The other victims of the Winterstet tornado were identified as 63-year-old Melissa Bazley, 72-year-old Cecilia Lloyd, 37-year-old Michael Bolger, five-year-old Kinley Bolger, and two-year-old Owen Bolger. The Hoag’s were overwhelmed by the people who turned out to clear trees and debris from around their home. A fundraising page has been established for the Bolger family.

“We’ve a lot of friends and family, and people we don’t even know out here helping,” Teresa Hoag said.

Governor Kim Reynolds toured the area and also commented on the people who showed up to help. “Two-hundred to 300 Iowans. Not only from Madison County and Winterset — but from communities and towns all across the state — that were on the ground the minute it was light and they could start helping,” the governor said. “It’s just unbelievable. I tried to walk through and thank them and over and over the response was “we’re Iowans and that’s what we do’.”

Madison County Emergency Management Coordinator, Diogenes Ayala had more details on the storm. “The National Weather Service determined that the tornado that tore through our community was estimated to be an E-F-3. With wind speeds between 136 miles and 155 miles per hour. There were approximately 52 damaged or destroyed homes in the path of the tornado that spanned over 13-point-seven miles,” according to Ayala.

The governor issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources confirms one person died in the storm Saturday at Red Haw State Park in Chariton. The park had extensive damage and will be closed until further notice.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Board of Supervisors will hold a Special Meeting today (March 7), beginning at 9-a.m. During their session in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Shelby County Courthouse, the Board will hold a Public Hearing on the Maximum Tax Levy, and act on setting the date for a Fiscal Year 2023 Shelby County Budget Hearing and publication.

This Thursday evening (March 10), the Board will meet with member of the Farm Bureau, in the Farm Bureau meeting room  (908 6th Street) in Harlan, beginning at 6:30 PM. No action items are planned. The session is only for discussion.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican, is partnering with a Georgia Senator who’s a Democrat to seek more permanent funding for a government program that trains dogs to detect animal diseases.

“They use some of them in airports because, of course, people bring in unauthorized goods through TSA and other means,” Ernst says. Most of the dogs are beagles and the operation has been dubbed the “Beagle Brigade” — and Ernst says it’s role is critical due to rising concerns about African Swine Fever and bird flu.

The National Detector Dog Training Center in Georgia is financed this year with about seven million dollars in airport fees, but Ernst says that’s an unstable funding source. “Wild swings in funding that don’t allow the consistencies that we need to make sure we’re protecting our goods here in the United States,” Ernst says.

Ernst is pushing for congress to include funding for the program in the U-S-D-A’s budget. The dogs help screen baggage, cargo, and parcels at nearly 90 U.S. airports to detect fruits, vegetables and meats that could carry foreign plant pests or animal diseases into the country. Beagles are the preferred breed for this work because they are even tempered in crowds and have a highly-developed sense of smell.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Katie Peikes)

(Sidney, Iowa) – Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports nine arrests took place from Feb. 20, 2002 through March 1st:

• 02/20/22, Brooke Kingery, age 42 of Sidney, IA was arrested for Domestic Abuse 1^st Degree

• 02/21/22, Ambriea Chandler, age 29 of Sidney, IA was arrested on an outstanding Fremont County warrant.

• 02/21/22, Herbert Hatcher, age 52 of Sidney, IA was arrested for Interference with Official Acts

• 02/24/22, Nautica Patterson, age 23 of Omaha, NE, was arrested for Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

• 02/24/22, Antonio Allen, age 30 of Kansas City, Mo, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts, and Felon in Possession of a firearm

• 02/25/22, James Pontow, age 70 of Randolph, IA was arrested for Contempt of Court

• 02/25/222, Katelan Jacobs, age 22 of Peru, NE, was arrested for an outstanding warrant

• 02/27/22, Justin Loghry, age 35 of Sidney, IA, was arrested for OWI 3^rd Offense, No Valid DL, Failure to Maintain Control, and Open Container

• 3/01/22, Chelsey Blank, age 23 of Villisca, IA was arrested for an outstanding warrant for Harassment 1^st Degree

MARCH 6, 2022 — The American Red Cross is assisting those affected by last night’s tornadoes. Starting in the immediate aftermath of the storm, the Red Cross has been in contact with local officials across the impacted areas to assess the needs of the residents. Assistance has been provided to partners who have supported shelters and reception centers.

The Red Cross continues to address the immediate needs and will have a team in Madison County today to distribute snacks, water and relief supplies. Red Cross workers will also be setting up casework with those affected to help identify their needs and plan their next steps.

For those wanting to support the Red Cross efforts, donations can be made at redcross.org/donate.

CHARITON, Iowa — Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Sunday, said “Due to extensive damage from the storm on March 5th, Red Haw State Park in Chariton will be closed until further notice.

Extensive damage was sustained to the campground, where there was one fatality and one injury. Additionally, there are significant damages to the beach area, including the boat docks, the Bait House, beach shelters and a storage building.”

The park is currently without power. The public is asked to keep away from the area, so debris clean-up and repairs can be completed.

(Madison County, Iowa) – Rural Winterset took a direct hit from a tornado that touched down Saturday evening. Official says the Winterset tornado hit 25-30 homes. Madison County authorities and the Iowa State Patrol are urging the public to please stay away from the area in the coming days.