A 10-year old male who allegedly tried to sell marijuana to another student at the Washington School in Red Oak, Monday, lead authorities to a residence and the arrest of a woman. Red Oak Police say authorities were called to the school at around 12:45-p.m. for a report of a juvenile in possession of marijuana. The student allegedly tried to sell the drug to another student, who told school administrators. The administrators notified police.

After speaking with the student, officers obtained a search warrant, which was executed at a home in the 100 block of W. Valley Street. As a result, 34-year old Erin Elizabeth Bartles, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 3-p.m., for possession of the controlled substance (marijuana).

Authorities say Bartles was cooperative during the investigation. She was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 cash bond. Police also arrested the 10-year old male for Possession of a Controlled Substance. He was referred to juvenile authorities. Red Oak Police were assisted in their investigation, by Deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Residents of the Gulf coast states and other states affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and even the tropical storms that followed, are beginning to pick up the pieces. But for many without flood insurance, the process is likely to be long, costly and frustrating. Iowans can sympathize as the destructive storm surge flooded hundreds of homes and businesses. While Iowa’s been plagued by many floods over the years, fewer and fewer Iowans qualify for flood insurance as at-risk properties are bull-dozed into green spaces.

Dave Maurstad heads the National Flood Insurance Program for FEMA and says flood plain lines are drawn to dictate who’s at most risk and who has to get flood insurance. “And if you’re on the high-risk side of that line, then you’re required, the government says you have to buy it if you have a federally-backed mortgage,” Maurstad says. “If you’re on the other side of that line and you’re just in the low- to moderate-risk area, the government’s really sending a message that you don’t need the coverage. We need to change that dynamic.”

The Houston, Texas area is still reeling from the flooding that resulted from Hurricane Harvey. At least 80-thousand claims under the flood insurance program have been submitted by policy holders in the Texas Gulf Coast area, though many thousands more homes that were damaged or destroyed did not have flood insurance.

Maurstad says, “We need to change the social paradigm where people do everything they can to avoid buying a flood insurance policy to one where it’s the individual property owner’s responsibility to their family and their community to protect their property from flooding.” So far, the National Flood Insurance Program has made more than $13.2 million in advance payments to insured survivors of Hurricane Harvey.

The damage caused by the combination of tornadoes and flooding in Iowa in 2008 was estimated at 848-million dollars. At the time, it was considered the sixth-worst natural disaster in U-S history, a list then-topped by Hurricane Katrina at more than eight-billion dollars.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County say Deputies arrested a man Monday night, for falsely reporting his 1999 Dodge Caravan had been stolen. The vehicle was located off the roadway at Highway 59 and Dogwood Road. 18-year old Tristan Michael Herrera, of Carson, faces charges that include False Reports to Law Enforcement, Interference with Official Acts, and Criminal Mischief in the 3rd degree. The vehicle sustained about $1,000 damage when a door panel was pulled off and a door handle was broken.

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

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – An October trial has been scheduled for one of three people accused of trying to pass counterfeit cash at Sioux City’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Court records say 29-year-old Brittany Derby entered a written plea of not guilty to a forgery charge last week in Woodbury County District Court. Her trial is set to begin Oct. 31.

Police say Derby, Kurt Jones and Jackelen Hartsock made several cash transactions at the casino on Aug. 5. Police say the bills were later found to be counterfeit. Jones and Hartsock also have pleaded not guilty.

Creston Police report the arrest early this morning of 32-year old William McKinley, of Winterset. McKinley was taken into custody at the Law Enforcement Center on a Union County Warrant for the charge of Theft 2nd. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

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

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WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The adoptive mother of a West Des Moines teenager who officials say was starved to death plans to use “diminished responsibility” as a murder trial defense. Polk County court records say notice of the defense was filed last week for 43-year-old Nicole Finn.

Finn has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the death of 16-year-old Natalie Finn. Nicole Finn’s trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 23. The girl’s adoptive father, 46-year-old Joseph Finn II, has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, neglect or abandonment and child endangerment. His trial is set to begin Nov. 27.

Medical examiners say Natalie Finn died from emaciation due to denial of critical care.

A smattering of area School Board Elections (with contested races and/or issues) are being held today. The polls open at Noon and close at 8-p.m.

In Cass County, there is a race for two At Large seats (4-year terms) on the Griswold School Board. The candidates include Incumbent Robert D. Peterson, and Bruce Brunk, both of Griswold, and Aaron Houser, of Henderson.

In Adair County, there are two At Large seats up for grabs in the Nodaway Valley School District, and four candidates: James Campbell and Terri Lee Raasch, both of Fontanelle, as well as Maureen Lonsdale and Melissa Schwartz, both of Greenfield.

In Audubon County, voters in the Exira/EHK School District will determine the fate of a $3.9 million bond issue intended to improve District facilities. The improvements would include: new bleachers at the football field in Exira; updating the boiler in the Elk Horn building; upgrading air-conditioning and heating systems in the Exira building; upgrading the playground in Exira, and renovating a school parking lot in Exira.

In Montgomery County, two incumbents, Mark Lindgren and Brian Bates, face a challenge from Amy Tibben and Travis Taylor, for one of three seats on the Stanton School Board. And, there’s a Public Measure calling for the renewal of a 10-year Instructional Equipment levy for counties in the merged, Area 14 of Southwestern Community College. The question asks if the voters wish to continue the levy for another 10-years, beginning July 1st, 2018, at a rate not to exceed 6 cents per thousand dollars assessed value in any one year.

In Shelby County, in the IKM-Manning School District, Larry Blake and Amy Ferneding are vying for one open seat in Director District 1B, and five candidates are running for two At Large seats: Kathleen Blake; Mike Blum; Sam Hansen; Brandi Perdew, and Lucas Potthoff.

In Pottawattamie County, two people are running for one position on the AHSTW School Board in each of Director Districts 1, 4 and the At Large seat. Running in District 1 is Katie S. Goshorn and Angie Grote. In District 2: Bobbi L. Lund and Thomas J. Ryemyk. And running for the At Large seat is Jamie Coon and Bernadette Hatch.

Four people are running for two seats on the Treynor School Board: Lisa Chambers, Greg Goos, Mickey Stogdill and Brandon Vorthmann. And, in the Underwood School District, three people are hoping to fill two seats on the School Board: Jeff Bonsall; Ashleigh Robinson and Michelle Soloth.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The City Council has decided to establish an emergency medical services division to handle Sioux City 911 ambulance calls starting Jan. 1st. The council voted Monday to adopt a plan offered by Sioux City Fire Rescue Chief Tom Everett.

Siouxland Paramedics cited financial difficulties when it told the city last month that it would stop providing 911 services to Sioux City and North Sioux City by the end of the year. Sioux City considered two main replacement options: hire another private firm or offer the services through the city’s Public Safety Department.

A civilian paramedic/ambulance division now will be formed, employing 27 new full-time equivalent employees. The city won’t provide non-emergency transfers of patients or provide services to other communities.