The Creston Police Department says a man living in the 1000 block of N. Poplar Street, in Creston, reported Wednesday that sometime between 8-p.m. Tuesday and 7-a.m. Wednesday, someone took his wallet containing cash and credit cards. The wallet was taken from his vehicle parked outside of the man’s home. The loss was estimated at $40. And, 72-year old Hyvis Oerlyn Thatcher, of Creston, was cited Wednesday in Creston, for allowing an animal to run at large in the 500 block of W. Montgomery Street. Thatcher was released on a Promise to Appear in court.

Beginning this Friday, the Fire/Tornado Siren in Cumberland will be sounded weekly for testing at noon, on Fridays. In case of impending or possible storms, the Cass County Communications  Center will not sound them unless necessary. Cumberland Assistant Fire Chief Brad Penton reminds residents, one long blast of the siren is for Tornadoes, while a cycling up and down is for a fire. Penton says the sirens did not go off during Tuesday’s severe storm/nearby tornado, due to a circuit breaker that had tripped in the control box.

He says the Cass County Comm. Center tried to trip the sirens and Cumberland Fire tried to trip them manually. When they didn’t work still, Fire crews drove around town with the truck sirens sounding. Cumberland’s Fire/Tornado siren is now working as it should, but the tests will be conducted on a weekly basis to make sure they are functioning as required.

Severe storms that entered western Iowa Wednesday morning brought hail and wind damage to parts of Shelby County. The National Weather Service in Omaha says thunderstorm wind damage was reported in Portsmouth just before 10-a.m. Wednesday. An estimated 10-to 20-trees were blown onto buildings, roads and cars, in Portsmouth. The Fire Hall in Portsmouth was damaged, three grain bins and a machine shed were destroyed. Winds at the time were estimated at 70-mph. At around the same time, crops were laid flat 2 miles west/southwest of Tennant, along Shelby County road F-58. And, at around 10:15-a.m., 1-inch diameter (quarter-size) hail was observed 5-miles south of Harlan.

In Guthrie County, a thunderstorm wind gust of 50-mph was reported at around 10:50-a.m., along with heavy rain and pea-size hail. There were no immediate reports of damage there, however.

Storm damage in and near Portsmouth (Photos submitted to our sister station KNOD in Harlan)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A woman accused of stealing more than $6,100 in a credit card scheme has pleaded not guilty. Woodbury County court records say 36-year-old Amy Inniss-Reyes entered the plea Tuesday to a charge of theft. Her trial is scheduled to start Sept. 17.

A criminal complaint says Inniss-Reyes was managing two Exact Eye Care branches in Sioux City between April 19 and May 30 when she used three of her credit cards to obtain fraudulent refunds. The complaint says she also told investigators that she made copies of 20 patients’ personal records, intending to use them to obtain loans. The copies were recovered from her home.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A 13-year-old eastern Iowa student has been found guilty on three charges after he pointed a gun at a teacher and pulled the trigger, but the jury declined to convict him of attempted murder. The Quad-City Times reports jurors convicted the boy Wednesday of carrying weapons on school grounds, assault while using or displaying a dangerous weapon, and assault with intent to commit serious injury.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Police say the bodies of two people have been found in a Burlington apartment. The Hawk Eye newspaper reports neighbors called police Wednesday morning after not seeing a man who lived in the apartment for several days. The officers who responded found the two bodies. Police Lt. Adam Schaefer says the bodies had been in the apartment, “for some time.” Schaefer says the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and state crime lab would assist in the investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Sen. Charles Grassley is declining to answer whether he thinks President Donald Trump’s comments toward four minority women in the U.S. House were racist. Asked by reporters Wednesday about Trump’s comments, Grassley would only call for civility among elected officials. He says officials should avoid name calling and shouldn’t question others’ patriotism. Trump tweeted that four Democratic women of color should “go back” to their home countries. All are U.S. citizens. Three are U.S. born.