A motorcyclist from Marion County was injured during an accident late Wednesday morning involving a car, in Union County. The Iowa State Patrol says 64-year old Thomas K. Hostetter, of Pella, suffered a head injury and was in critical condition when he was flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. The accident happened at the intersection of Highways 34 and 169 in Afton, at around 11:30-a.m., Wednesday.

Officials say Hostetter was eastbound on Highway 34 riding a 2008 Suzuki motorcycle and approaching the intersection of Highway 169, when a northbound 2005 Ford Taurus driven by 32-year old Amanda R. Ibbotson, of Afton, pulled away from the stop sign to make a left turn onto Highway 34. Ibbotson didn’t see the approaching motorcycle.

When she pulled into Hostetter’s path, he attempted to stop, but lost control of his cycle, causing him to lay it down on its right side.

Police in Council Bluffs said late Wednesday night that an arrest has been made in connection with an attempted homicide that took place nearly one and a half weeks ago. An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for 35-year old Derrick West- Jones, of Council Bluffs, and, Wednesday evening, uniformed officers took Jones into custody without incident, during a traffic stop in the 2200 block of the South Expressway, in Council Bluffs.

Derrick D. West-Jones

He was booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail on charges that include Attempted Murder, Willful Injury, and Burglary in the 1st Degree.

His arrest stems from an investigation into in an incident of assault that took place during the early morning hours of Sunday, Aug. 21st, when 27-year old April Stout, of Council Bluffs, was struck with a blunt object and suffered a severe laceration to her neck. At that time, an unknown, black male suspect allegedly forced his way into the residence after knocking on the door, and was apparently looking for a person unknown who did not live at Stouts address. The suspect then became upset over Stout’s dog being too close to him, and got into an altercation with Stout before allegedly striking her with a sharp object and fleeing on foot. Stout  was treated at Mercy Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Officials say the incident remains under investigation.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge has suspended the prison sentence of a Sioux City woman serving 10 years for selling synthetic marijuana that caused the death of another teen. The Sioux City Journal reports that District Judge Patrick Tott on Wednesday suspended 19-year-old Rose Mouw’s remaining prison term and placed her on four years’ probation. Mouw was sentenced in May after pleading guilty in Woodbury County to involuntary manslaughter and delivery of a controlled substance.

Mouw admitted to buying the synthetic marijuana in Nebraska, then selling it to 18-year-old Austin McCloud, who was a senior at West High School in Sioux City. He died in April 2015 after smoking the drug with three other boys, who were also hospitalized, but recovered.

With the filing period for nomination papers to be turned into the Cass County Auditor’s Office having ended at 5-p.m. Wednesday, the stage is now set for the November 8th General Election. Their were a total of four new candidates that filed their papers either late Tuesday or prior to the deadline on Wednesday, with those persons filing for seats on the Soil and Water Conservation District Board, an Edna Township Trustee Vacancy and Griswold School Director 4 seat.

The following names will appear on the ballot in Cass County for the respective County Offices: (I=Incumbent) (R= Republican) (D= Democrat) (NP= No Party affiliation) (*=latest candidate to file)

Board of Supervisors – District 1: Steve Green, (R) from Atlantic.

Board of Supervisors – District 4 (elect 1): Dana Kunze (D) from Griswold; Steve Baier (R) from Griswold.

Board of Supervisors – District 5 (elect 1): (I) Frank Waters (R), from Cumberland; Randy J. Pollock (NP), of Anita, & J. Ford Lillard (NP), of Wiota.

Cass County Auditor: (I) Dale Sunderman, (R) from Atlantic.

Cass County Sheriff: (I) Darby McLaren, (R) from Atlantic.

Agriculture Extension Council (elect 4): (I) Julie Aupperle (R), of Wiota; (I) Darrin Petty (R), of Atlantic; (I) Marcy Jo Dorsey (R), of Anita; Jody Steffen (R) from Massena.

Soil and Water Conservation District (elect 3): (I) Curt Behrends, (R), from Wiota; *Ray Wilson, of Griswold; & *Chase Wheatley (R), of Massena.

Hospital Board of Trustees – NW District: Jody Lorence (D), Atlantic.

Hospital Board of Trustees – SE District: Mike Klocke (R), of Massena.

Edna Township Trustee – Keith W. Nelson (R), from Massena.

Edna Township Trustee (to fill a Vacancy): *Kevin Stender (R), from Massena.

Union Township Trustee: (I) Delmar South (R), from Cumberland.

Union Township Trustee (to fill a Vacancy): (I) Richard Hoffman, from Cumberland.

Griswold School District – Director 4: *Donald K. Smith (R), from Griswold.

Mostly clear skies are forecast as the 14th annual Iowa Star Party starts tomorrow (Thursday) night in west-central Iowa as sky gazers pack in their telescopes to gaze into the heavens. Deb Bonser, of the Ames Area Amateur Astronomers, is coordinating the annual event which draws in space-watching enthusiasts from all over the Midwest.

“On Friday night, we have a public night that is free to everybody who wants to come out,” Bonser says. “They get a chance to look through different kinds of telescopes and see different objects up in the sky and learn a lot about what’s up in the sky.” The Star Party is being held at the Whiterock Conservancy, southeast of Coon Rapids, and she says there’s an obvious reason. “It’s one of the darkest spots in Iowa,” Bonser says. “We’re not bothered by street lights, city lights that are lighting up the sky and we can see things much more clearly.”

If the skies remain cloud-free, there will be a chance to see numerous nebulas and stars millions of light years away, as well as some of the planets in our cosmic back yard. “I am going to be putting a camera on a tripod. I do Milky Way photography and I’m going to see if I can get a galaxy in one of my photos and see what I can get,” Bonser says. “It depends on the weather.”

The Star Party runs nightly for the serious astronomers, tonight through Monday night, while Friday’s open public viewing begins at 7:30 P-M and runs into the wee hours.

(Radio Iowa)

The Page County Sheriff’s Office has announced that they are currently taking donations to assist in starting a K-9 program.  Sheriff Lyle Palmer says his office has been researching the benefits to the public & Law Enforcement in Page County and is in the fundraising stages for the program. Palmer says “With the assistance of donations our office will be able to put into service a certified K-9 and training for a current Deputy to assist Law Enforcement in the detection of drugs and tracking of fugitives in Page County.”

He said also “This requires a great amount of time and commitment for the Deputy as well as the Page County Sheriff’s Office.  It is however, something that our office believes is needed to assist Law Enforcement in Page County and surrounding areas in taking drugs off the streets.”

According to Sheriff Palmer, “The Page County Deputy and K-9 will also be assisting with other area agencies when a call for assistance is heard.  Page County has currently been utilizing the assistance from area Law Enforcement K-9 units.  This assistance has been greatly appreciated.  With time constraints and current court rulings, K-9 units spread throughout the area are needed now more than ever. With the ever increasing constraints on budgets and expenses, your help is needed.”

Donations will be taken in cash or check.  Checks should be made out to the Page County K-9 Fund.  Monetary donations can be dropped off at or mailed to the Page County Sheriff’s Office  323 N. 15^th Street   Clarinda, IA. 51632.  The Sheriff thanks everyone for their continued support of Page County Law Enforcement.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office says a Crimestoppers reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the theft of construction tools from a site located about three-miles east of Essex. Authorities say deputies investigated the theft of tools Wednesday from 1844 140th Street in Page County.

Unknown person(s) entered the construction site and removed numerous construction tools from a cargo trailer parked at this location sometime between 5:15-p.m. Tuesday and 8-a.m. Wednesday.  Anyone with any information about this theft is asked to contact the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193 or their local Law Enforcement agency.

Callers who wish to remain anonymous will be given a number for their identity. You will need to give a phone number so you can be contacted for your reward if it leads to an arrest and conviction.

Officials with the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency said 911 landline services has been restored to residents of Panama and Portsmouth. Those communities had been without 911 since late Tuesday night after a fiber optic cable was cut. The service was fully restored early this (Wednesday) afternoon.

The Atlantic Police Department reports permit applications are currently being accepted for bow hunting within the City limits (in accordance with the City’s Urban Deer Control Ordinance). The permit will allow hunters to harvest antlerless deer. Once you have reported the harvest to the Atlantic Police Department, you’ll be allowed to harvest a Buck. Applications may be picked up at the Police Department from 8-a.m. to 4-p.m., Monday through Friday.

Bow hunters that qualified last year with the Police Department do not need to do so this year, but you still need to pick up a permit application and have it filled out. New hunters will need to contact the A-PD and set up a time with Lt. Dave Erickson, for you to qualify.

Land owners who would like to allow a bow hunter to hunt on their land, should contact the Police Dept. at 712-243-3512 during business hours, and sign-up.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 56-year old Kurt David Crecelius,  of Atlantic, turned himself in Monday, on Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrants for one count of Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine, two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, and one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Crecelius was booked at the Jail and was released Tuesday, on $52,300 bond.

Cass County Deputies Monday, arrested 19-year old Lucas Lee Stone, of Atlantic, on a charge of Driving While Revoked. Stone was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $1,000 bond.

And, on Tuesday, 29-year old Jacob Glen Smith, of Atlantic, was arrested on a felony 3rd Degree Burglary charge, as well lesser charges of Assault with Intent to Cause Injury, Obstruction of Emergency Communications, and Trespass. Smith was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $7,600 bond.