The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Fremont County Reserve Deputy’s Association is in its 34th year of sponsorship of Operation Santa Claus. Operation Santa Claus provides Christmas presents for children in families of need throughout the communities of Fremont County. In 2019, your generous donations made Christmas merrier and brighter for over 300 Fremont County children.

Throughout the natural disasters and global pandemics that have affected our community, our citizens have come together to assist their neighbors in need. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope says “We are currently seeking Tax Deductible donations to assist in our endeavor. Please contact the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424 or 1-800-432-9240 or, new this year, PayPal donations can be made to reservedeputy@co.fremont.ia.us. Please mark any donations care of Operation Santa.”

Aistrope says also, “We are currently accepting applications for participants receiving gifts this year. The children must reside in the home of the caller and must be a high school student or younger. Please call at 712-374-2424 or 1-800-432-9240.”

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports two arrests this past week. On Nov. 24th, 38-year old Chad William Johnson, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/3rd offense, Driving While Licensed Denied or revoked (OWI related), and Open container. He was released the following day on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

And, on Nov. 26th, 25-year old Shyanne Renee Bird, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. She was released the same day on her Own Recognizance.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man inside a Cedar Rapids home, and a person of interest was being questioned. Police say the shooting happened Monday morning, when officers were called to the home for a report of a shooting. KWWL reports that arriving officers found the body of 24-year-old Charles James Griffin. Police have not released other details of what may have led to the shooting and have not announced any arrests, although a person of interest was questioned.

In an update to our earlier reports, the Iowa State Patrol has identified two people who suffered minor injuries during a collision this (Tuesday) morning, at the intersection of Highways 92 and 148, east of Massena. The collision between a car and a van happened at around 6:35-a.m. According to the Patrol, a southbound 2012 Dodge Avenger driven by 61-year old Brenda Bills, of Massena, stopped at the intersection.

Photo submitted to KJAN News

She proceeded into the intersection, not seeing an approaching eastbound 2013 Grand Caravan. The van was driven by 40-year old Justin Fell, of Atlantic.  The car hit the van on its passenger side. Both vehicles came to rest near the middle of the intersection.

Authorities say a passenger in the van, 21-year-old Taymen Brawdy, of Atlantic, was transported by Massena Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, while Cumberland Rescue transported Bills to CCMH.  The Iowa State Patrol cited Bills for failure to yield at a stop sign.

(Radio Iowa) – A standoff is underway in Sioux City where police says a man is firing an old-school weapon at officers. Police responded to the house in the eight o’clock hour this (Tuesday) morning after getting a call about a disturbance and then a 9-1-1 hangup. The subject is barricaded in the house. He has a bow and arrow and he’s shot several arrows at the police who responded. They don’t know if he has any other weapons in the house. They’re trying to negotiate right now and get a peaceful end to this.

There are no reports of any injuries. The man’s name has not been released.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of business leaders in nine Midwest and Plains states suggests faltering confidence in the region’s economy. After climbing every month since bottoming out in April, the overall index of the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions survey fell to 69.0 in November from October’s 70.2. Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth, while a score below 50 suggests recession. Meanwhile, the survey’s confidence index looking ahead six months plummeted 20 points to 50.0 this month from October’s 70.4.

The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Auditor of State Rob Sand Tuesday (today) released a report on a special investigation of the Fremont and Mills County Outreach Centers (Centers) of the West Central Community Action Agency (Agency). The report covers a period from July 1, 2017 through February 28, 2019. The special investigation was conducted as a result of concerns monetary donations collected at the Centers were not properly deposited and non-monetary donations were used for personal purposes rather than distributed to individuals in need of services. A single Family Development Specialist (Specialist) was responsible for receiving monetary donations and donations of food, clothing, and other items at both Centers.

Sand reported the special investigation identified $1,016.00 of donations received at the Centers that were not properly deposited with the Agency’s Central Office in Harlan, Iowa from December 12, 2017 through February 26, 2019. Sand also reported the undeposited donations were identified by comparing receipts issued by the Centers to amounts deposited with the Central Office. However, Sand also reported $1,664.02 of donations were deposited with the Agency’s Central Office which were not supported by receipts from the Centers during the same period.

As a result, it was determined receipts were not prepared on a consistent basis at the Centers and it was not possible to determine if additional donations were not properly deposited. In addition, because receipts were not issued by the Centers prior to December 2017, any donations not properly deposited prior to that period could not be identified.

Sand also reported no one provided direct oversight of the Specialist at the Fremont and Mills County Outreach Centers or ensured appropriate reports were prepared for each distribution of non-monetary donations received at the Centers. As a result, it was not possible to determine if any non-monetary donations were improperly distributed.

Copies of the report have been filed with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Fremont County Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office. A copy of the report is available for review on the Auditor of State’s web site at https://www.auditor.iowa.gov/reports/audit-reports/.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is applauding reports that say a bipartisan group of U-S senators will propose a massive economic stimulus package today (Tuesday) after many months of delays. Grassley, a Republican, says he’s encouraged that members of both parties are finally finding common ground in order to help the nation’s struggling economy survive the pandemic. Grassley says, “If it’s got any chance of passing, whatever number it adds up to, all of the components would have to be something where there’s already bipartisan agreement on.”

The 908-billion dollar package is said to include 300-dollars a week in federal unemployment benefits, 240-billion dollars for state and local governments, as well as a six-month moratorium on some coronavirus-related lawsuits. Grassley says if the issues already have bipartisan support, the measure has a much better chance of passing. “There’s just massive numbers of things that don’t get a lot of attention that have that sort of an agreement,” Grassley says. “The figure of 900-billion may be a little bit high but it sure sounds a lot less than two-and-two-tenths trillion is the last thing that Pelosi proposed.”

While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been negotiating with the White House on a stimulus plan since August, Grassley says Senate Republicans have offered four separate plans in recent months, all of which were rejected by Democrats. He says the focus needs to be on things everyone can agree upon. “More money for testing, money for K-through-12 education because our local school districts have a lot of expenses to keep their classrooms open or even for distance learning,” Grassley says. “And then more help for hospitals and front line workers.”

Another area with wide support, according to Grassley, is pumping more federal dollars into small businesses, especially restaurants and the Paycheck Protection Program.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports his officers, Monday, arrested an unidentified 13-year old male from Clarinda, in connection with a string of burglaries that occurred during the early morning hours of Saturday, November 28th. Ding’s Honk-n-Holler Liquor Store, the Clarinda Lied Recreation Center and the Clarinda Community Center were all forcibly entered, resulting in damage and the theft on consumable goods and an undetermined amount of cash.

The juvenile was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Southwest Iowa Juvenile Detention Center pending additional action by the Page County Attorney’s Office and Page County Juvenile Court Services. He is alleged to have committed three counts of burglary in the third degree, theft in the second degree and criminal mischief in the second degree.

An investigation into the burglary and thefts continues.

After being offline for several weeks, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office is once again issuing reports on arrests and incidents. Authorities say at around 7:30-p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 25), Deputies responded to a report of an armed subject, in Oakland. After an investigation, 55-year old Brian Edward Colvin, of Oakland, was arrested: for Harassment in the 1st Degree/Threaten forcible felony; Assault/use or display of a weapon; and Carrying/transporting a weapon in a vehicle. Authorities say the victim in the case was a 40-year old female.

Friday afternoon, Pott. County Deputies arrested 38-year old Nathan Duane Blue in Council Bluffs, for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense – causing injury. Friday night, 47-year old Todd Alan Salmons was arrested following a traffic stop near Avoca. He was charged with OWI/2nd offense. At around 1:50-a.m. Wednesday, 23-year old Sarah N. Gough was arrested in Council Bluffs, on charges that include OWI/1st offense, and Child Endangerment. Wednesday afternoon, Pott. County Deputies arrested 20-year old Isabelle Lyn Chene Narrons, at the Davis County Jail. Narrons was wanted on valid felony warrants through the State of Iowa for: Fugitive from justice; Possession of a controlled substance; Theft in the 1st degree, and Violation of Probation. She was transported without incident, to the Pott. County Jail.

On Nov. 24th, 26-year old Jessica Allouise Simmons was arrested at the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office, after she turned herself-in. Simmons was wanted for Violation of Probation. She was read the warrant and turned over to Corrections staff.  Pott. County Deputies were called to the Administrative Offices of the AHSTW High School on Nov. 24th, with regard to a juvenile female and a possible narcotics investigation. The 15-year old was referred to juvenile court authorities on a Possession of Controlled Substance charge.

And, on Saturday, 55-year old Michael Anthony Weltch, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a Felony Theft in the 1st degree charge. His bond was set at $10,000.