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

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The Creston Police Department reports three arrests took place over the past few days. On Sunday, 57-year old Dennis Elva Brown, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While License Suspended. Brown was released from the Union County Jail on his own recognizance. Also arrested Sunday, was 18-year old Donavan Michael Houghmaster, of Creston, for Criminal Mischief. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $300 cash or surety bond.

And, last Friday morning, 30-year old Jessica Renee Pettit, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. Pettit was later released on her own recognizance from the Ringgold County Jail.

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

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The Adams County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests over the past week. On Sunday, 47-year old Randy Etheridge, of Corning, was arrested following a traffic stop in Corning, for Driving While License Revoked based on a previous OWI. His bond was set at $2,000. Sunday afternoon, 29-year old Kyle Gile, of Lenox, was arrested following a traffic stop. Gile was charged with Unlawful Possession of Prescription Pills and Drug Paraphernalia, as well as OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $2,000.

Saturday afternoon, 29-year old Jody Reed, of Corning, was arrested following a traffic stop. Reed was charged with Driving While Barred, and cited for Driving While License Suspended (2 counts), Fraudulent use of registration, having No insurance, Operation a non-registered vehicle, Failure to file SR-22 insurance, and Failure to Use a Child Restraint Device. Her bond was set at $4,010.

Early Saturday morning, 62-year old Joseph Ronfeldt, of Corning, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000. Friday night, 26-year old Devon Miller, of Gravity, was arrested in Adams County for Driving While Suspended, and on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Failure to Appear in Court.. Bond was set at $300. Early Friday morning, 41-year old Christina Sweat, of Clearfield, was arrested in Corning, following a traffic stop, during which deputies saw a glass smoking device in plain view. She was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1,000.

And, back on Feb. 10th, 44-year old Vicki Cunningham, of Clarinda, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, following a traffic stop on Highway 34, in Adams County. Her bond was set at $2,000.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two separate arrests for Driving Under Suspension. At around 12:15-a.m. today (Tuesday), 48-year old Scott Len Lowery, of Des Moines, was arrested for DUS with 5 withdrawals in effect, following a traffic stop at the intersection of Highways 34 and 71, north of Villisca.

And, at around 7:15-p.m. Monday, 34-year old Brent Lee Wagaman, of Red Oak, was arrested at the intersection of Highway 34 and 4th Street in Red Oak, for Driving Under Suspension with 14 withdrawals in effect.

Both men were brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $435 bond, each.

The first quarter income report from John Deere and Company released Friday showed a drop in net income — but it also held a positive message for the ag industry. Sales were up two percent and spokesman Ken Golden says there are signs of continued improvement.

“U-S farm income is expected to increase slightly in 2017, that’s always good news for people who sell to farmers,” Golden says. “In construction and forestry it’s the overall economy and G-D-P growth, housing starts and several other areas that really are indicators for our construction and forestry business.” Deere predicts sales will increase four per cent this year.

“In recent years we’ve been talking about decreases it seems like every quarter. So, this is beginning to give us indications we are near the bottom of the agricultural market and are beginning to swing in the right direction,” according to Golden. Deere in fact had predicted last fall that sales would drop one percent this year, before revising it to the projection of the four percent increase.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A panel of House lawmakers has approved a bill that would prevent Iowa judicial courts from applying foreign law to state cases. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says the bill mirrors anti-Sharia legislation passed in other states, though Sharia law is not directly referenced in the bill. The GOP-led House Judiciary Subcommittee agreed Monday to support the bill. It now heads to a full committee.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s largest state employees union has filed a lawsuit challenging a new law that eliminates most collective bargaining rights for public workers. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Iowa Council 61 filed the lawsuit Monday in Polk County District Court. It seeks an order halting immediate enforcement of the changes. The lawsuit argues that the law violates language in the Iowa Constitution that ensures equality to citizens.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has defended allowing a lobbyist to attend a private bill signing of the state’s new collective bargaining law. Branstad told reporters Monday that Drew Klein of Americans for Prosperity witnessed the Friday signing because the lobbyist asked. Members of the press inquired about the event and were told it was private. Branstad defended the media’s exclusion from the signing by saying he’s accessible through events like weekly press conferences.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say five people have been wounded in a shooting that involved two Ames police officers. Police say the officers fired back at people who had fired from a car into a crowd early Sunday morning. Three people in the crowd were taken to hospitals, and police say two wounded suspects and two other men were found at a Fort Dodge hospital and arrested.

The Red Oak Police Department conducted a search warrant in the 1000 block of East Corning Street in Red Oak on Monday and recovered drugs and drug paraphernalia. 32-year-old Robert B. Harris of Red Oak was already in custody on theft charges and will now face drug charges.

Officers seized numerous items of drug paraphernalia, pipes, bongs, scales, and baggies. They also found approximately .88 grams of suspected Methamphetamine. Officers also recovered stolen property that belonged to the Hardware Hank Store in Red Oak.

Harris was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance (a serious misdemeanor) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (a simple misdemeanor).  He is being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 cash bond.

The Enhance Iowa Board, on February 8th, heard a presentation from Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Seth Staashelm, with regard to the City’s application for funds to complete a phase of the Schildberg Recreation Area (SRA) improvements. Staashelm told the Parks and Rec Board Monday evening, that overall, the meeting went well, but there are some additional funds that need to be raised before the Enhance Iowa Board scores the application on March 8th, which is date of the next meeting Staashelm must attend to update their Board.

He said he had 10-minutes to make his presentation for consideration, along with eight other project presenters, and he received a lot of positive feedback. The application did show a “fundraising gap” amounting to approximately $29,000. Staashelm said the City can use funds from the Parks Capital Improvement 2020 Program, from the County and Connect-A-Dock, who is helping with the ADA accessible fishing pier, Cass County Community Foundation, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs. While some of those are “Pending” funds, Seth says he hopes to get more committed letters of support before the March 8th meeting. He also hopes to use Trust and Agency Funds.

The Parks and Rec Department is seeking $175,000 from Enhance Iowa for the SRA improvements. In other business, Staashelm said has a special deal for persons wanting to attend an Iowa Wild American Hockey League (AHL) game on March 18th, “Atlantic Parks and Recreation Night” at Wells Fargo Arena, in Des Moines. The $22 price per person of the tickets includes the game against the Milwaukee Admirals, followed by a Gaelic Storm Concert and Saint Patrick’s Day hat giveaway. 22 tickets are available by calling Staashelm at 712-243-3542 by no later than March 3rd.

And, Staashelm said Monday that the ice skating rink is closed at Sunnyside Park, due to the obvious change in the weather. The roads in Sunnyside Park are now open again, and the Tennis court nets are up. The Basketball Court should be available for use by Tuesday night, but the restrooms will remain closed until there’s no more chance of frost or freezing temps in the forecast.

A Sioux City woman has confirmed that her son was one of five people wounded in a drive-by shooting early Sunday in Ames. Officers were sent to the scene around 1:30 a.m. Sunday on reports that two groups were fighting as bars closed in the area. As police officers separated the groups, shots were fired from a stopped car into the crowd. Police say two officers fired into the car, which sped away. Three bystanders in the crowd were taken to hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

Kathy Heaton of Sioux City has confirmed that one of those three victims is her son, Kyle Heaton, who is a student at Iowa State University, and that he sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. Heaton’s mother says her son has been treated and released from an Ames hospital and that the wound was not serious. Commander Geoff Huff of the Ames Police says the two wounded suspects and two other men were found at a Fort Dodge hospital. All four of those men, who are from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, were arrested.

(Radio Iowa)