A man and woman from Creston were arrested on separate warrants, Monday. At around 9:25-a.m., 23-year old Amanda Blakely-Luddington was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for Driving While Barred. She was later released on a $2,000 bond. And, at around 1:05-p.m., 44-year old Joel Gross was arrested on two Union County warrants, including Failure to Appear on Possession of Prescription Drugs and Possession of Marijuana/1st offense, and, Failure to Appear on a charge of Theft in the 5th Degree.

Gross was additionally charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $2,600 bond.

A call to Police from a woman in Creston with regard to someone being in garage, resulted in the arrest of a man on multiple charges. Officers responded at around 12:40-a.m. to the 300 block of N. Jarvis Street, and located 18-year old Chase Parascando, of Creston, who took off on foot. He was apprehended at around 12:47-a.m. in the 400 block of N. Spruce Street. Following an initial investigation, Parascando was charged with:

• Burglary from a Motor Vehicle in the 3rd Degree
• 2 Felony counts of Burglary from an unoccupied structure in the 3rd Degree
• Interference with Official Acts
• Theft in the 5th Degree
• Possession of Controlled Substances/1st offense, of: Prescription Narcotics; Marijuana; and Drug Paraphernalia,
• in addition to Felony charges of PCS with the intent to distribute, less than 5 grams of Methamphetamine, and Marijuana.

Parascando was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing. The investigation is ongoing, with additional charges possible.

Two people were arrested following a pursuit early this (Tuesday) morning, into Pottawattamie County. The Council Bluffs Police Department reports at around 1-a.m., Omaha Police advised they were pursuing a vehicle on I-480 into Council Bluffs. The vehicle had been stolen at gun point. Bluffs Police Officers responded to offer assistance. Authorities say Omaha Police had deployed a tire deflation device before coming into Council Bluffs, disabling some of the vehicles tires.

A Council Bluffs officer was also able to deploy a tire deflation device shortly before the pursuit ended at S. 19th St. and 8th Ave. The occupants were then detained without further incident. The driver, Christopher Petri, was arrested for Theft 1st and Felony Eluding. A rear seat passenger, Shaqula Rock, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Atlantic Parks and Recreation Director Bryant Rasmussen, Monday, reported to the Parks and Rec Board, that after talking with Atlantic YMCA Aquatic Program Director Chelsie Huddleson, it was decided to eliminate the membership aspect of Sunnyside pool, due to issues with people sharing memberships and other such issues. Those problems he said resulted in a loss of revenue. Instead, there will simply be a straight, reduced daily fee for now, to see how that works out.

They are also working on using the City’s seamless doc program that would enable users of the pool to pay for admission and concessions with a card instead of just cash and change.

Rasmussen said they are going to move forward with as many summer programs as possible, taking into account safety protocols. He reported also, the Parks and Rec Department will host its 2nd nnual Easter Egg Cruise, in partnership with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

The event takes place Saturday, April 3^rd. Details are forthcoming.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:20 a.m. CDT

DOW CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Crawford County woman has pleaded not guilty in the shooting death last month of her boyfriend. The Sioux City Journal reports that 44-year-old Beth Guzman, of Dow City, pleaded not guilty Friday to a count of first-degree murder in the shooting death of 46-year-old Jeremy Frank. Crawford County Sheriff’s deputies say they found Frank unresponsive and bleeding after being called Feb. 21 to the home he and Guzman shared. Frank was taken to a hospital in Denison, where he was pronounced dead from a single gunshot wound. Prosecutors say Guzman told investigators she and Frank had argued and that she shot Frank in a bedroom as he tried to leave.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.5% in January as more residents joined the workforce. The state’s Workforce Development department reported Monday the rate was down from a revised 3.7% rate for December and compared to a 2.8% rate a year ago, before the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a severe economic slowdown. Workforce Development says the state added 8,200 workers in January. There were 57,400 unemployed residents. Iowa was tied with Kansas for the nation’s sixth-lowest unemployment rate. South Dakota and Utah had the lowest rate, at 3.1%. The national unemployment rate for January was 6.3%.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Heavy snow blanketed much of northern Iowa, Monday, snarling traffic and closing schools and services, as a late winter storm moved through the region. Online reports issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation show snow and ice covering roads in north-central Iowa and partially covering roads for much of the rest of the northern half of the state. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for three dozen counties in Iowa’s northern half and a winter weather advisory for several more counties in the region. The weather service expects some areas to see up to 8 inches of snow by Monday afternoon.

MAXWELL, Iowa (AP) — Sudden meat shortages last year because of the coronavirus led to millions of dollars in federal grants to help small meat processors expand. The goal was to help the nation lessen its reliance on giant slaughterhouses to supply grocery stores and restaurants. However, the money flowing to small slaughterhouses shows no sign of solving the meat problem. There’s little doubt the grants will help small processors and in turn provide sorely needed rural jobs, but the economics of meat now centers on larger, highly efficient slaughterhouses, not smaller plants whose numbers have been decreasing sharply.