Police in Harlan say there were two accidents in the community on Nov. 4th. The first, at 7th and Spring Streets, happened as a 2013 Chrysler driven by David Phipps, of Harlan, was traveling north on 7th Street. Phipps suffered from a medical condition, causing him to lose control. His vehicle left the road and struck a tree in the City right-of-way. Phipps was transported by Medivac ambulance to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan. Damage to his vehicle was estimated at $7,500.

The other accident happened at the Casey’s General Store, in Harlan. A 2011 GMC owned by Kathryn Campbell, of Harlan, was parked at the fuel pumps after she had filled her vehicle and went in to pay. When she returned, Campbell discovered the right front side of her vehicle was damaged. Witnesses told police a U-Haul truck had struck her truck and continued east on Chatburn Avenue. All attempts to locate the U-Haul were unsuccessful. The damage to Campbell’s vehicle was estimated at $5,000.

The Harlan Police Department has released a report on recent arrests and incidents. This past Sunday (Nov. 6th), 25-year old Andrew Becker, of Harlan, was taken into custody following a traffic stop.  Becker was taken to the Shelby County jail where he was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, possession of a controlled substance, and prohibited acts penalties.

On Nov. 4th, 24-year old Megan Kroeger, of Harlan, was arrested when officers served a Shelby County warrant on Kroeger.  Kroeger was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she would serve the Shelby County warrant.  Kroeger was also charged with possession of a controlled substance and prohibited acts penalties.  With Kroeger at her residence was 31-year old Robert Sommer, also of Harlan.  Sommer was also arrested and taken to the Shelby County jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Both subjects were also charged with violation of a no contact order.

On Nov. 3rd, 19-year old Cody Varnes, of Omaha, was arrested following a traffic stop.  Varnes was cited for failure to have a valid driver’s license and failure to prove security against liability.  Varnes was released after receiving the citation. Also on Nov. 3rd, Harlan Police arrested 37-year old Brian Cave, of Omaha.  Cave was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving with a suspended driver’s license.  He was also cited for dark windows and failure to prove security against liability.

Harlan Police said also, that on Nov. 1st, Express Lube and Tire, in Harlan, reported that a shop truck, a blue 1997 Chevrolet K-Series pickup, was taken from their lot sometime during the night.  On November 7^th, the truck was located at a business in Denison.  The investigation continues.

(1;55-p.m.) DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa office that administers elections says local officials are reporting higher than expected Election Day voter turnout. Secretary of State’s office spokesman Kevin Hall says several county auditors around the state have reported a higher percentage of voters than they anticipated.

He says the number of Iowans who voted early was down by about 40,000 this year compared to 2012, which could explain the busier Election Day precincts. Nearly 1.6 million voters participated overall in 2012, or about 73 percent of registered voters. Hall says it’s too early to say how this year will ultimately compare.

Hall says the election appears to be running smoothly so far, with no major problems preventing people from voting.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 4 office in Atlantic reports emergency repairs to the BNSF Railway tracks on Iowa 333 between Hamburg and Interstate 29, in Fremont County, requires closing the roadway to traffic from 8 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, until 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, weather permitting.

Motorists will be detoured around the work zone using I-29, Iowa 2, and U.S. 275.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Sunday of two women on drug charges. 25-year old Alexandra Lynn Stone, of Atlantic, was arrested on charges of Possession of Meth 2nd Offense; Possession of Marijuana 2nd Offense; Possession of Burglar Tools; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; and 28-year old Laci Dawn Leslie of Atlantic, was arrested on charges of Possession of Tramadol 2nd Offense and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drug. Both were taken to the Cass County Jail. Stone remains held on $6,300 bond; Leslie remains held on $2,000 bond.

Also arrested Sunday, was 27-year old John Martin Chamberlin III, of Atlantic. He was taken into custody for Public Intoxication. Chamberlin brought to the Cass County Jail where he pled guilty, and was released later that day.

On Sunday, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 25-year old Thomas Alton Dees, of Thornton, CO, on felony charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana, and a Drug Tax Stamp Violation. Dees was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

On November 2nd, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 42-year old Matthew Franklin Rowland, of Lewis, on an Ida County warrant. Rowland was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released later that day on bond.

Police in Atlantic say a man was arrested Monday for Domestic Abuse Assault. Officials say 28-year old Casey Sampson, Jr., of Atlantic, was booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a Shannon City man was arrested Monday, on three Union County warrants. 28-year old Jeffery Michael Hoffman was taken into custody on two warrants for probation violation and one for harassment in the 1^st degree.  Hoffman was transported from the Adams County Jail to the Union County Jail, where he was being held on $12,000 bond.

The field and grassland Fire Danger category in Shelby County has been reduced from “High,” to “Moderate“. The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports most of the crops in the county have been harvested, reducing the availability of fuel sources. Regardless, if you are planning any large burns, the Emergency Management officials say you should still contact your local fire chief, or call the EMA office at 712-755-2124.

The U-S-D-A is awarding more than four-million dollars in grants to 48 veterinarians serving rural communities in Iowa and elsewhere. The money aims to help them repay some of their veterinary school loans in return for serving in areas lacking veterinary resources. Dr. Phil Reemstma, a veterinarian in DeWitt, says this is an important step in getting young veterinarians out into rural America.

“The debt that these students are coming out of college with now and what we’re able to pay them, there’s a pretty significant amount of debt there,” Reemstma says. “When the U.S. government can help them repay some of their loans and provide incentives for them to go into these rural communities, it’s really a big deal.”

On average, student veterinarians have an average loan debt of more than 135-thousand dollars. Reemtsma, who’s president of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, says he has experience with the U-S-D-A program and says it has worked well in the past. “There was a four-county area here that, three years ago, was designated as needing veterinarians,” he says. “I hired a veterinarian into my practice and he was able to participate in that program. It helped him out quite a bit and it helped eastern Iowa to bring veterinarians to our area.”

The focus for many veterinarians today, he says, is shifting and there’s a demand for those kinds of skills. “The veterinarians’ role has continued to evolve into more disease prevention and focused on preventive type medicine,” Reemtsma says. “Not that we don’t go and work on sick animals, but a lot of what we do every day is production-oriented any more. There’s a real need for those type of people.”

The latest U-S-D-A grant of four-point-three-million dollars aims to help fill the veterinary shortage in Iowa and 26 other states.

(Radio Iowa)