The driver of a 2014 KIA Sportage and her passenger were injured during a rollover accident early Saturday morning, in Union County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 19-year old Jessica Paige Kelley, of Afton, was traveling south on Owl Avenue at around 1:53-a.m., when a deer came out of the left side ditch. When Kelley swerved to avoid striking the animal, she lost control of the car. The vehicle went off the road and into the ditch, where it knocked down a barbed wire fence, rolled and came to rest on its top. All the airbags deployed during the crash.

Kelley and her passenger, 19-year old Taylor Miller, of Afton, were transported by EMS ambulance to the hospital in Creston, for treatment of unknown, possible injuries. The car sustained $8,000 damage, and was declared a total loss.

(Radio Iowa) – As the holidays approach, Iowans are being reminded to be vigilant about con artists that will call, claiming you owe back taxes. Christopher Miller, a spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service, says even as the volume of those scam calls is beginning to slow, unsuspecting people continue to be hooked by the crooks.  “We still find people are falling victim to these scams and schemes,” Miller says. “It’s a really good time to emphasize that, especially now as the online shopping season is kicking off.”

Miller says Iowans need to be on guard for this type of scam all year long, in particular, during December. Miller says, “I’m hoping that people are becoming more aware of this important message that the IRS is not going to call you out of the blue to ask you for your personal information.” He notes, the I-R-S is never going to demand payment over the phone for back taxes.  Miller says, “We certainly are not going to ask you to ever pay your bill by a gift card like an iTunes card.”

Many of the same crooks that were using the I-R-S name are now pretending to be from other agencies, including Social Security, the F-B-I, local police departments and more. Miller says if you get someone demanding payment over the phone, simply hang up.

(Updated 10-a.m.) – The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests over the past week:

• This (Monday) morning, 23-year old Tylor Anthony Witzel, was taken into custody at the Polk County Jail, and transported to Pott. County on a State of Iowa warrant for Contempt of Court.
• Saturday night, 40-year old Briana L. Fricke, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault.
• Friday night, four people were arrested in connection with the arrest in Honey Creek, of an allegedly impaired driver: 49-year old Genevieve Rachel Stueve was charged with OWI/1st offense; 49-year old Gina Susanne Huber, 42-year old April Mae West, and 43-year old Darren Dion West, were each charged with Interference with Official Acts, after they allegedly tried to intervene with an investigation.
• Friday afternoon, 34-year old Rebecca Teresa Romo, of Council Bluffs, turned herself-in on a warrant for Theft in the 2nd Degree. The warrant was confirmed and Romo was booked into the Pott. County Jail.
• And, an inmate at the Pott. County Jail, 24-year old Eric David Rock, of Minden, was presented Friday, with a warrant for Violation of Probation and Voluntary Absence from Custody.

At around 10:03-a.m. Wednesday, another inmate in the Pott. County Jail, 33-year old Eric Michael Wiig, of Bellevue, NE., was served with a warrant for Theft in the 2nd Degree. Wiig was presented with the warrant and returned to the custody of jail staff.  Tuesday night, 21-year old Delores Bernice Corbine was arrested at a convenience store/gas station, for Public Intoxication. Last Tuesday morning, 30-year old Heather Renee Plum turned herself-in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office. Once a valid warrant for Child Endangerment with Bodily Injury was confirmed, Plum was transported to the Pott. County Jail and turned over to corrections staff.

And, at around 8:50-a.m. on Dec. 2nd, 42-year old Justin D. Alstadt was arrested for Driving While Barred.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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ATLANTIC, IA (December 6, 2020) – Produce in the Park is hosting a Christmas farmers market. The Christmas Pop-Up Market will offer pre-order drive-through pick-up only (there will
be no in-person shopping, in order to comply with state mandates). Pre-orders will be accepted from Saturday December 12 – Saturday December 19. Purchases can be picked up on
Monday, December 21 at the Cass County Community Center between 2:00 – 6:00 PM.

The pop-up market is being held the Monday before Christmas so customers can pick up local baked goods, jellies, meats, and more to enjoy at their holiday meals. The market also offers
holiday gifts and winter home décor by local crafters and artisans. Vendors interested in participating in the Christmas market should contact the market manager at produceintheparkatlanticiowa@gmail.com by Wednesday, December 9.

Event details, including vendors, and information on pre-orders will be posted on Produce in the Park’s website www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com and on the Produce in the Park
Facebook page www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark.

Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard today Monday) shows 35 additional deaths attributed to COVID-19 (Since 10-a.m. Sunday), for a total of 2,717. The was one more death in each of Adair, Audubon, Harrison, Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties.

Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities report 1,125 deaths, while deaths attributed in-part to preexisting conditions number 1,363. There are 913 new Positive cases of COVID-19 statewide, for a total of 244,844. Long-Term Care facility outbreaks remain at 137. There are 5,356 positive cases and 2,365 recoveries reported within those facilities. Cass County currently has 161 positive cases among two facilities, with 92 recovered.

Hospitalizations statewide have fallen from 918 Sunday, to 898 today, with 200 COVID patients in an ICU (Compared to 195 Sunday); 94 were admitted (there were 141 admissions reported Sunday), and 120 patients are on a ventilator. Hospitals in southwest/western Iowa (RMCC Region 4) report: 52 hospitalized; 19 are in an ICU (compared to 20, previously); 3 were admitted (there were 4 on Sunday), and 9 COVID patients remain on a ventilator (up from 7 on Sunday).

Iowans who have recovered from the virus number 160,835, while 1,251,391 have been tested, to-date. The State’s positivity rate is down to 16.4%. Cass County’s positivity rate has fallen to 14.9%.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases in each county, along with the 24-hour change in case numbers {+#}; the number of persons recovered, and the total number of [deaths] (if any), since the pandemic began,

• Cass, 875 cases {+3}; 573 recovered; 26 deaths
• Adair, 484 {+5}; 286; 11
• Adams, 195 {+2}; 107; 2
• Audubon, 313 {+1}; 229; 3
• Guthrie, 808 {+6); 519; 15
• Harrison County, 1,164 {+3}; 810; 33
• Madison County, 774 {+6}; 479; 5
• Mills County, 1,132 {+4}; 689; 10
• Montgomery, 543 [+2}; 283; 11
• Pottawattamie County, 7,045 {+12]; 4,262; 82
• Shelby County, 820 {+1}; 544; 15
• Union County,  892 {+7}; 388; 8

A traffic stop in Creston at around 10:40-p.m., Saturday, resulted in the arrest of a woman from Adair County. The Creston Police Department reports 22-year-old Shawna Abell, of Greenfield, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. She was later released on a $1,000 bond. And, 43-year old Lindsey Woolums, of Creston, was arrested a little before 11-p.m. Saturday at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. She was charged with Disorderly Conduct and later released on $300 bond.

INDIANOLA, Iowa — One person is dead and four others were injured during a collision in Warren County, Sunday afternoon. The Iowa State Patrol reports a passenger in 2017 Nissan Rogue (SUV), 41-year-old Amanda Kay Core, of Newton, died at the scene at the crash at 180th Avenue and Fulton Street, northeast of Indianola.

The accident happened at around 3:40-p.m., when a pickup driven by a 17-year-old, failed to stop at the intersection and struck the passenger side of an SUV. Both vehicles entered the northeast ditch, where the 1998 Dodge pickup rolled onto its roof.

The injured included the driver of the SUV, 41-year old Aaron Christopher Core, of Indianola, a 5-year old, one 15-year old and the driver of the pickup, all of whom are from Indianola. The injured were transported by Hartford Ambulance to the hospital in Indianola.

The names of the juveniles were not immediately released.