Police in Red Oak early this (Wednesday) morning arrested a man wanted on a warrant for Theft in the 4th Degree. 36-year-old Joshua Andrew Fink, of Stanton was arrested at around 1:22-a.m. and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $1,000.

Red Oak Police report also, a two-vehicle, non-injury accident occurred Tuesday, in the 1300 block of N. 1st Street. Authorities say a 2014 Dodge van owned by Nishna Productions and driven by Katherine Biggs, was backing out of a parking spot at the Nishna Productions House at 100 E. Oak, when Biggs failed to see a legally parked 2018 Ford Fusion, owned by Randy Meek. When the van struck the car, the Fusion sustained $2,900 damage. No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa lawmakers are close to giving legal recognition in Iowa to the so-called “smart contracts” used for digital currency, like Bitcoin. Representative Jeff Shipley of Fairfield says a Des Moines-based software company and some Iowa real estate agents are interested in conducting financial transactions using these computer-generated agreements.

“Iowans who are on the cutting edge of, I guess, cryptofinance or the emerging technological implications of this,” Shipley says. “…This bill ensures Iowans have access to world-leading contracting technologies and making sure that Iowa Code reflects the reality of 2021.” Representative Liz Bennett of Cedar Rapids says other states have passed similar legislation about cryptocurrency or virtual money that is being used to buy things.

“The way a smart contract works is basically like a soda machine,” Bennett says. “You put your coin in — or your Bitcoin. It drops down. It hits a lever. It causes other things to happen within the machine and boop! The arm goes up and gives you your Dr. Pepper. And what’s really important to note is that without any of those mechanical conditions being fulfilled, we’re not able to reach the end of the contract or the point where you get your Dr. Pepper.” Representative Steven Hansen of Sioux City says it is cutting edge stuff — but he notes there are concerns about fraud and tax avoidance.

“There’s going to come a time when the state treasurer and others are going to raise the red flag on companies like Bitcoin,” Hansen says, “and we’re going to have to step in and start regulating them more aggressively.” The House had a 15 minute debate of the concepts behind the bill before passing it unanimously. Earlier this month, the Senate approved the proposal without any debate. Senators will have to accept a minor change the House made in the bill before it can be sent to the governor.

Police in Shenandoah say no injuries were reported after an SUV struck a building housing the Page County Veterans Affairs Office. The Page West Building at 615 Northwest Road was hit Tuesday afternoon, when the vehicles’ brakes failed on the vehicle, causing it to crash in a wall of the building, and pushing the wall in.

Additional information is currently not available.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Nebraska faces charges following a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon. Authorities say 41-year-old Brandon Robert Leonard, of Omaha, was arrested for speeding, failure to have a valid driver’s license and fugitive from justice. He was also arrested on a valid Douglas County, NE. warrant for probation violation on the original charge of possession of a controlled substance. He was being held without bond, in the Montgomery County Jail.

Sheriff’s deputies had stopped Leonard’s vehicle on Highway 34 at Stanton, for traveling 93 mph in a 55 mph zone.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests.

• At around 3-p.m. Tuesday (Today), 35-year old Bryce William Messinger was transported from the Shelby County Jail to Pott. County, where he was wanted on a warrant for failure to pay child support/non-support.
• At around 2-p.m. Tuesday, 29-year old Aaron Gar Nelson, of Red Oak, was transported from the Buena Vista County Jail in Storm Lake, to the Pott. County Jail in Council Bluffs. Nelson faces a Violation of Parole charge.
• Early this (Tuesday) morning 41-year-old Jillian Rae Rodriguez, of Omaha, was arrested for Failure to Appear. She was taken into custody after being transported from Mills County.
• and, Monday afternoon, 25-year-old Melissa Ly Halbert, of Omaha, was arrested on several charges, including: Criminal Mischief 1st (Damage over $10,000); Driving While License Revoked; Reckless Driving; Failure to Use Seat Belt, and Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability. She was transported to the Pott. County jail from the jail in Douglas County, NE. Bond was set at $10,000 on the Criminal Mischief charge.

(Radio Iowa) – The two Iowa State University students who died in a boating accident Sunday morning at Little Wall Lake in Hamilton County have been identified. The students are 20-year-old Yaakov Ben-David, a sophomore accounting major from Washington, D-C, and 19-year-old Derek Nanni, a freshman chemistry major from Normal, Illinois. Both died when the boat they were practicing in with the Crew Club overturned in the lake.

I-S-U says the three students who were rescued will not be identified to protect their privacy. A statement from the school says more information won’t be released until the investigation and the university’s internal review is complete. The statement says that could take several weeks.