(Shelby, Iowa) – Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Alex Londo reports that at around 6:24-a.m., Monday, the Shelby County 911 Center was notified of a structure fire on Des Moines Street, in Shelby, and that there were possibly people inside the residence.

Shelby Fire and Rescue, Minden Fire and Rescue, Medivac, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and Shelby County EMA responded. Two people were transported to the hospital. The fire is currently under investigation by the State Fire Marshalls Office.

Additional details were not released.

(Cylinder, Iowa) – The driver of one vehicle died and the other was injured during a near head-on collision Sunday night, in northern Iowa’s Palo Alto County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2011 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 45-year-old Brian M. Freeman, of Garner, was traveling west on Highway 18 at around 10:07-p.m., and approaching a slight right-hand curve in the road. The pickup failed to follow the curve, and crossed the center line before colliding with an eastbound 2006 Chevy Trailblazer SUV.

The driver of the SUV, 26-year-old Landon R. Schiek, of Algona, died at the scene. Freeman was injured and transported by Mercy Air to Mercy Hospital in Mason City. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts. The crash remains under investigation.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office, Cylinder Fire Dept., Emmetsburg EMS, Emmetsburg Police, and the Palo Alto County Medical Examiner.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s commissioner of elections says early voting in this year’s Primary Election will set a record in a non-presidential year. Secretary of State Paul Pate says more than 73-thousand Iowans voted by absentee ballot. “Redistricting and a lot of districts getting merged now and new faces and then of course we have a U.S. Senate race on the Republican and Democratic sides and a big primary here in the Polk area for a congressional race — I think you put all that together and it’s going to put some people out there to make sure their voice gets heard,” Pate said.

Pate’s been working today in the state election office in the Lucas State Office Building. He says county auditors report in-person voting today (Tuesday) was steady, but….”I’m not seeing, I don’t think, an overwhelmingly high number,” Pate says. Pate and his staff are guessing that means total turout is likely to be around 15 percent. “That’s very unscientific. I have nothing to go with it,” Pate says. “That’s just a gut check right now.” Pate has ordered all 99 counties to conduct a post-election audit of the primary election.

Tomorrow (Wednesday), there will be a random drawing to select one precinct in each county to be a audited. Pate says that will trigger a hand count of the paper ballots in each of those precincts. “Compare them to what the tabulator said
the results were and if there happen to be any discrepancy those will have to be resolved to determine what the issue might have been and also to determine if we need to take further action,” Pate says. “When we’ve done these post-election audits of General Elections in the fall, every one of them we’ve done has been 100% match, so I’m optimistic we’ll see the same again.”

Pate says in-person voting today (Tuesday) went smoothly and there were no reports of major issues.

(Atlantic, Iowa) [clarifies some info. in this update, 6/14/22] – Two people who are suspects in the theft of a wallet from a Wisconsin woman’s purse late Saturday morning, in Atlantic, are being sought by police. The incident happened at the Walmart store, sometime between 10:30-and 10:53-a.m. The elderly female victim reported she was in an aisle of the store when a woman with an accent approached her, and asked for help in finding the Alfredo sauce. 

During their interaction, and while the 84-year-old victim’s back was turned toward the shelves, the suspect’s accomplice quietly unzipped the victim’s purse, which was in a shopping cart, and pulled out her leather-style wallet. The suspect in the face mask allegedly took the wallet and zipped the purse back-up before the victim knew it was missing.

The suspects used the Credit card to make purchases at Walmart, Hy-Vee and Dollar General, in Atlantic. The victim was made aware of the theft, thanks to a call from her credit card company, asking if she had made the purchases. Hy-Vee officials confirm the suspects purchased multiple gift cards. In another store, cash was received from an ATM. The total loss from at least two of the stores), was at least $1,500, with a $455.95 purchase at Hy-Vee. An official with Walmart said an attempted transaction at the store was declined.

The wallet, complete with the victim’s checks, ID and medical information, was found on the ledge of a dumpster near the McDonald’s construction site. Some cash was missing, along with the debit/credit and credit card. The wallet was turned over to Atlantic Police, who have since returned it to the victim, who was visiting relatives in Atlantic.

Atlantic Hy-Vee surveillance images. Courtesy Hy-Vee and APD Officer Thompson.

Police were able to obtain surveillance video of the suspects at Hy-Vee. The footage at Walmart did not reveal anything of note, with the exception of the victim’s arrival in the parking lot. Police said other victims were affected by a similar scam, but further details are not available. If you have ANY information as to the identity of the persons shown in the still-frame images in this story, or have seen them and/or their getaway vehicle, please call the Atlantic Police Department.