A traffic stop in Red Oak for a minor infraction, resulted in an arrest this (Wednesday) morning. Police say 33-year old Sara Sue Batten, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 1:15-a.m., for Driving While Barred. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A man who spent more than 25 years in prison for an Iowa murder that he did not commit is urging college students to help inmates who may be innocent. Terry Harrington spoke to Coe College students on Tuesday, recounting how he was wrongly convicted in the 1977 shooting death of a Council Bluffs security guard when he was a teenager. Harrington had exhausted his appeals and was serving a life sentence at the Iowa State Penitentiary when he met a prison barber who believed in his innocence.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Waterloo have approved a measure banning the city and many businesses from asking about applicants’ criminal records in early stages of the hiring process. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the City Council on Monday approved a so-called “ban-the-box” ordinance. It doesn’t let employers ask about an applicant’s criminal history until after making a conditional job offer. The measure is intended to ensure people with criminal convictions get a fair chance of getting jobs.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — Forecasters say a wintry storm system could drop up to 10 inches of snow on northwest Nebraska later this week. The National Weather Service says ice could form on wet pavement late Wednesday night or early Thursday as the system arrives, followed by snow and winds gusting to 35 mph. The system is expected to move east, leaving less snow across much of northern and northeast Nebraska. The system also could drop some snow on northwestern and northern Iowa on Friday or early Saturday.

Members of the Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will meet 5:30-p.m. Wednesday in the High School Media Center. Among the items on their agenda is a presentation from Lisa Sonntag, with regard to the two-year Aviation Program being offered in the District. Sontagg and fellow Math Teacher Morgan Staashelm earlier this year, went Maryland to the headquarters of the AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association). They were given three days of hands-on training with the writers of the class curriculum, which features labs and flight simulators.  

Last February, the District announced it would joining more than 100 schools in implementing the nationally recognized AOPA STEM (Aviation Science-Technology-Engineering-Math) program in the 2019-2020 school year. Approximately 20 students are participating in the curriculum. The program course features two Career and Technical Education pathways: Pilot, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones). All curriculum materials are provided to schools at no cost, thanks to generous donations made to the AOPA (The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) Foundation.

In other business, the Board will act on: approving contract recommendations for Jim Mullenix – Route Driver, and Jarrod O’Donnell – Asst. HS Music Director; and, on a fundraiser for the Spanish Club’s Trip Nov. 5th to Costa Rica (using funds from Taco Night activity) and a Boys Basketball Popcorn Sales fund Nov. 4-14 for Uniforms.

Other action items include approval of: A final pay App amounting to slightly more than $20,753 to Precision Concrete Services for the Washington Parking lot project and a Resolution accepting work on the project, the total cost of which was more than $3,658 less than the original accepted bid amount; SBRC Modified Allowable Growth for Special Ed Deficit (in the amount of $537,475, which allows the District to receive that amount in additional spending authority (last year the deficit was $541,615); and Modified Allowable Growth for LEP Excess Cost in the amount of $57,748, which amounted to $42,626 last year, and allows the Board additional spending authority for the excess cost.

One of the final items of business is to act on the disposal of District Assets. Both the Achievement Center and Bus Barn have old property stored, that is taking up space. The District feels that by getting rid of obsolete assets through a rummage sale, that will free-up more space. The sale is expected to take place from 8-a.m. until Noon, Nov. 2nd, at both the bus barn and Achievement Center. Some of the items include used Food Service equipment, old scoreboards, and scaffolding. Anything left over will be taken to Fredericksen Iron Recycling for scrap metal, or disposed of.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Dallas County was arrested last Thursday, on warrants associated with a July 25, 2019 incident at Sparky’s One Stop Store, in Bayard. Jeremy Evans, of Dallas Center was arrested at the Polk County Jail on Guthrie County warrants for Possession with Intent to Deliver Greater than Five Grams of Methamphetamine, Keeping a Vehicle for Controlled Substances and Drug Paraphernalia.

Evans was transported to the Guthrie County Jail where he is being held on a $100,000 cash or surety bond. K9 “Rage” of the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office was instrumental in the investigation of events pertaining to Evans.

(Radio Iowa) — An administrative law judge has affirmed the City of Spencer’s decision to refuse to renew the liquor license of a “gentlemen’s steakhouse” accused of serving alcohol to underage and intoxicated customers, as well as an underage employee.  In June, Spencer officials denied the Southside Grill’s application to renew its liquor license. The administrative law judge has ruled the city was “justified in concluding the licensee lacks the requisite good moral character to hold a liquor license.”

Spencer Police indicate that over a two-week period, an 18-year-old employee was being served alcohol every day she worked. According to police, the woman says the bar’s owner knew she was not 21. The bar’s owner has denied the accusation. The business has been under investigation since a late April car wreck that killed a 21-year-old from Estherville and a 19-year-old from Graettinger who had been drinking at the bar.

Police say video from the bar shows employees made no effort to check I-Ds before serving alcohol that night, although it is not clear from the video that the 19-year-old driver was “visibly impaired.” Police say video from the business shows it also has violated a state law which forbids performers from showing their naked breasts to customers.