The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested on drug charges last week. On Sept. 12th, 35-year old Kevin Andrew Brown, of Desoto, KS., and 37-year old Melissa Marie Charay, of Kansas City, were arrested following a traffic stop at around 12:30-p.m. at I-29 and Highway 34. The pair were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, 2 counts Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Their bonds were set at $3,000 each.

Also arrested Sept. 12, was 26-year old Paul Eugene Whitmore, of Omaha. He was taken into custody at the Mills County Jail, for being a Fugitive from Justice. Whitmore was being held without bond. And, 48-year old Pamela Shawn Portnell, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, Fraudulent use of Registration, and Failure to show proof of insurance.

On Sept. 13th, 49-year old Shelly Ann Dow, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. And, late Saturday, 28-year old Bernebe Hernandez-Espinoza, of Des Moines, was arrested following a traffic stop at Highway 34 and Deacon Road. He was charged with OWI/1st offense, No Valid Driver’s license, and driving on the wrong side of a 2-way Highway. Bond was set at $1,000.

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, two men were transported to Mercy Hospital by Malvern and Glenwood Rescue, following a chain reaction collision Saturday. Authorities say a 2006 Dodge driven by 50-year old Clarence Kier, of Shenandoah, and a 2012 semi driven by 57-year old Darwin Shires, of Corning, were legally stopped in traffic due to a traffic backup in a road construction zone. A 2010 Dodge driven by 72-year old Lyle Shannon, of Washington, NE., was traveling west on Highway 34, and did not see the stopped vehicles in front of him. His vehicle struck the rear of the Chevy at highway speed, causing the vehicle to be pushed into the rear of the semi.

Shannon and Kier were transported to the hospital. The driver of the semi was not injured. Lyle Shannon was cited for Failure to reduce speed to a reasonable and proper rate.

The Griswold School Board, Monday evening, approved several matters, including personnel hires. Superintendent Dave Henrichs say the Board approved the following new hires:

• Jeri Orstad – Nurse
• Barbara Teaney; Clarisa Johnson; Alexandria Reilly – Middle School/High School Paraprofessionals
• Chad Rodgers – Junior High Football Coach
• Ryan Lockwood – Assistant Girl H.S. Basketball Coach
• Kassandra Amos: Co-Musical Director

They also approved a one-year leave of absence for Lisa Rush – Cook, and a contract termination for Trish McKinley. Henrichs said the board heard a brief update from their partners at FRK Architects and Estes Construction, with regard to the District’s new facilities. He said the project is very near completion. The Board approved up to $600 for the “Brainfuse” program, which allows anyone at the Griswold of Lewis Libraries who has a library card, to have access to online tutoring, a writing lab and ACT test prep.

In other business, the Griswold Board approved Depositories for the year, a Request for Allowable Growth and Supplemental Aid for 2018-19 Special Education Deficit. Last year, the District’s Special Ed Deficit was $120,000, as compared to $264,000 the year before. Henrichs said they “Greatly decreased” the deficit. Henrichs said also the Board allotted up to $400 for a Veteran’s Day Program put on each year by Board Secretary Nancy Taylor. The Board has supported the program since its inception. It typically costs the school anywhere from $200-to $300, but they built-in the extra to cover costs. The costs include postage, post cards, program paper and table service. He says the community really enjoys the Veteran’s Program.

And, the Board temporarily approved their Board Goals. Henrichs said the temporary approval is because with the change of the election date, their re-organization meeting will not occur until December. Some of the goals were simply left the same, so the new Board can deal with them a bit down the road.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report three male teenagers face charges in connection with an incident in Carson Monday evening. The teens, ages 17, 15 and 13, were arrested after deputies were dispatched to the area of 130 N. Rodeo Drive, for a report of criminal mischief. The unidentified teens were charged with 3rd Degree Arson, Burglary in the 3rd Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. Additional details were not immediately available.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, 38-year old Jason Anthony Vasquez, of Council Bluffs, was transported from the Harrison County Jail, to the Pot. County Jail, to address a Pott. County warrant for Escape from Custody. And, 19-year old Zachery Evan Martin was arrested at the Pott. County Courthouse, Monday, on a State of Iowa warrant for Theft in the 4th Degree.

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

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Mid-American Energy spokesman Geoff Greenwork said just before 8-a.m. today, that power will be shut off to some 4,000 customers in the Griswold and Lewis area, while substation repairs are being made. Listen here:

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Corrections said today (Tuesday), 35-year old Christopher Lee Sheets, convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree and other crimes in Polk County, failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines Correctional Facility as required last (Monday) night. Sheets is a white male, height 5’10”, and weighs 182 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on July 11, 2019.  Persons with information on Sheets’ whereabouts should contact local police.

Christopher Sheets

OGALLALA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska trial of a Kansas man charged with the collision deaths of four motorcyclists from southwest Iowa, has been delayed again. The new trial starting date for 24-year-old Jeser Cisneros-Hernandez, of Liberal, Kansas, is Dec. 3. Keith County District Court records say he pleaded not guilty in October 2017 to four felony counts of vehicular homicide, one misdemeanor count of reckless driving and one of failing to drive in his lane.

The North Platte Telegraph reports that Cisneros-Hernandez’s trial previously had been set to start in July 2018, then successively in April, August and October of this year.
Prosecutors say Cisneros-Hernandez’s vehicle hit two motorcycles carrying two people each on July 1, 2017, near Ogallala.

Authorities say 54-year-old Sheila Matheny and 61-year-old James Matheny, from Bedford, Iowa. The other motorcyclists were 58-year-old Michal Weese and 59-year-old Jerolyn Weese, who lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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In an update to our earlier reports, Mid-American Energy spokesman Geoff Greenwood confirms there are still issues with the power going on-and-off, in Griswold. Contrary to his initial report to KJAN, Greenwood said just after 7-a.m. today, that the fix crews made did not resolve the issue. They are continuing to find ways to circumvent the trouble area, and another crew was enroute with a replacement part. It’s not clear how soon the power issues will be resolved.

Issues that resulted in power outages a little after midnight today, in Griswold, were thought to have been temporarily fixed. Geoff Greenwood, spokesman for Mid-American Energy told KJAN News there was an equipment problem at a substation in Griswold. The piece that failed helps to keep voltage constant. Greenwood said crews took the time to identify what the issue was, and made a switch around the defective equipment until a more permanent repair can be made. There were still some intermittent outages, though, as of 6:30-a.m.

Greenwood said he will get in touch with the control center who told him the issue was resolved, to get an update.

About 400 customers had their power going on-and-off during the night, in Griswold, while the problem was being located and resolved.