A traffic stop in Creston late Thursday night, resulted in the arrest of two people on drug charges. Creston Police report 31-year old Amber Dawn Johnson, of Cedar (IA) and 39-year old James William Lenze, of Des Moines, were taken into custody at around 11:35-p.m. following the traffic stop on Wyoming Avenue, in Creston. During this stop, the K9 “Jax” was deployed, and got a positive hit on the vehicle.

Johnson was taken into custody on the charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance- 3rd, and was being held in the Adams County Jail on $5000 bond. Lenze was taken into custody on the charge of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver, and Driving While Barred. He was being held in the Union County Jail without bond, until seen by a magistrate.

Creston Police said also, 42-year old Michael David Johns, of Creston, was arrested Thursday morning, on a warrants for parole violation and Theft in the 5th Degree. Johns was being held without bond in the Union County Jail.

Authorities said in addition, a Creston man reported to Police that sometime between 6-p.m. Monday and 7:30-a.m. Tuesday, someone stole a propane tank from his property in the 200 block of N. Oak Street. The loss was estimated at $50.

Officials with the City of Corning have declared a 24-hour SNOW EMERGENCY in effect at 8:30-a.m. today (Friday). No parking will be allowed on marked snow route streets during the first 12 hours of this Snow Emergency. Except for the business district, parking during the first 12 hours on all other streets will be on the South and West side, only. For the remainder of the event, parking will be allowed on the North and East side of the street, if not prohibited by signs.

All No Parking signs and direction of travel parking, will be enforced.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City man acknowledged he ran a stop sign and caused a fatal crash last summer. Julian Espinoza pleaded guilty Thursday to vehicular homicide by driving recklessly, causing a crash that killed Ronald Hacker, of Sioux City. The charge carries a 10-year prison sentence. The Sioux City Journal reports Espinoza will be sentenced March 16 in Woodbury County District Court. He remains free on bond. As part of a plea agreement, an initial charge of vehicular driving while intoxicated was changed. The crash happened when the 32-year-old Espinoza drove his pickup through a stop sign in Sioux City. He collided with a vehicle driven by Hacker, who died three days later.

(Radio Iowa) — The new leader of the Iowa National Guard says his plan for the future includes taking a tough look at how they will spend their funds on facilities. Major General Ben Corell spoke about the issue in his address to the Iowa Legislature Thursday. “Just as critical to having the right force structure in place for the future is our ability to maintain and develop sustainable infrastructure. This means we must invest our limited financial resources now into our existing facilities that are in optimal locations as we identify future locations that offer strategic advantage as we posture ourselves for future success,” Corell says.

General Corell says this will mean the closing of some guard facilities. “We recognize the hard reality that we will need to divest ourselves of some legacy properties and infrastructure that is no longer sustainable to maintain,” he says. Corell says the changing Iowa population is part of the reason they need to evaluate things. “We can no longer delay the inevitable. At some point very soon, we will start the process to close select Army National Guard facilities within the state that no longer can support the needs of the Iowa National Guard,” according to Corell.

He says they will thoroughly review the facilities. “We have initiated a careful and deliberate process to assess the future viability of all of our facilities measured against the needs of future force structure requirements and forecasted state demographic patterns,” Corell says. “As we start this process we will work closely with affected communities, along with local and state leadership in a transparent process to minimize the impacts of any future facility closures.”

Corell says they will dedicate the new Davenport Readiness Center in April of this year. This center was built with 23-million dollars in federal funds — and replaces the outdated Davenport Brady Street Armory which was one of our oldest active facilities. He say are also looking at a new facility in central Iowa. “As we look to the future, we believe a Readiness Center located south of the Des Moines metro area will maximize opportunities presented by shifting demographics within the state,” he says. “We are currently in discussions for the potential development of a multi-use facility between the Iowa National Guard and the City of West Des Moines.”

The review of the facilities is part of an eight-year strategic plan Corell laid out for lawmakers. Corell was named the leader of the Iowa National Guard in August to replace General Tim Orr who retired.