Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert said today (Monday), the Fire Danger Index in the County will be “High” this week (10/3-6), due to the dry harvest conditions. Seivert says that means extra precautions should be taken when planning an open burn.

The next update on the County Fire Danger Index will be on Thursday.

Authorities in Montgomery County, Kentucky, have arrested a Mount Sterling, KY, man in connection with the August 30th murder of a Council Bluffs man. Bluffs Police say a warrant was issued for the arrest of 35-year old Arthur J. Crum charging him with Murder 1st Degree in connection with the murder of 39 year old Larry Scott. Scott’s body was found laying in the middle of Avenue B in Council Bluffs, just west of N. 10th Street, at around 4:20-a.m. on Aug. 30th. The man died from a gunshot wound.

Crum is being held in Kentucky while awaiting extradition on the Warrant. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about the incident should contact the Council Bluffs Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 712-328-4728, or Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

Arthur J. Crum

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors will hold a Special Meeting at Noon, Tuesday. The Board will meet in the City Council’s Chambers, to act on approving Shore Stabilization for Lake #2 at the Schildberg Rec Area, from the Troublesome Creek Project, and a bid of $60,000 from Heuton Earthmoving for the same project.

They will also act on approval for REMOVAL of the CAT (Community Attraction and Tourism) Grant Application, in order for it to be resubmitted in January, 2017.  The application was submitted earlier this year with hopes of receiving funds for the Schildberg Rec Area campground project, but no action was taken at Vision Iowa’s meeting in June. According to former Parks Director Roger Herring, the Vision Iowa Board was in the process of being “dissolved,” and replaced with an “Enhanced Iowa” program, and more effort was needed to garner private fundraising support for the project.

AMES, Iowa (AP) – The Federal Aviation Administration retested the flight skills of Iowa State University President Steven Leath after he damaged a university plane on a rough landing. FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory said Monday that Leath had satisfactory results on the check ride in August 2015 and was allowed to keep his pilot certificate. FAA rules say that such rides are usually required after accidents or incidents when the pilot’s competence was the apparent cause of what happened.

Leath has blamed windy conditions for his landing at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in July 2015 that damaged both wings of the school’s Cirrus SR22 single engine plane. After The Associated Press revealed the accident last month, Leath vowed to stop flying university planes and made a $15,000 donation to cover the repair costs.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad says he’s planning a trade mission to China and Japan in November that will focus on Iowa’s beef and pork exports. Branstad said Monday a delegation that includes Iowa business representatives will depart Nov. 11 and return Nov. 18. Stops will include Beijing and Tokyo.

Branstad says the trip will allow Iowa companies involved in meat processing to expand their markets abroad. The governor’s office says Iowa companies exported $564 million in meat products to Japan in 2015. China recently announced plans to lift a 13-year ban on beef imports from the United States.

Branstad is scheduled to speak at a food summit and a meat conference during the trip. He will also attend a reception at the residence of Caroline Kennedy, the U.S. ambassador to Japan.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Months after a falling chunk of marble prompted the closure of a Woodbury County courtroom, officials say the space will reopen and ease scheduling problems in the 98-year-old courthouse. The Sioux City Journal reports Courtroom 203 will reopen Monday, about five months after county supervisors ordered its closure.

They took the action after a 6-foot marble section detached and fell from a window assembly. Windows in the courtroom also bowed out. Closure of the courtroom has been a headache for court officials, who have tried to shift hearings to other courtrooms. Repairs to the courtroom will cost about $175,000. Supervisors have set aside $450,000 for additional work on other courtrooms.

The Woodbury County Courthouse opened in 1918 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Griswold/Lenox School District Superintendent Dave Henrichs reports patrons of the Districts will be receiving a survey in the near future pertaining to families who open enroll-out their students. Henrichs says the purpose of the survey is to “Help determine if a change in facilities would encourage their (the students’) return to the district, and to determine why they have elected to leave the district.”

The goal, he says, is “To make sure the district does not do something in terms of facility changes that would cause others to leave the district.” Hinrichs says also, he has put together a list of steps and requirements required for a bond election.

The District’s Facilities Committee is set to meet today (Monday).

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says two residents of the County have reported incidents of Theft. On Sept. 21st, an Afton woman told authorities someone had entered her shed during a period spanning Sept. 16th and 21st, and stole property valued at approximately $2,820. Among the items reported missing: 2 one gallon chainsaw gas cans; a five gallon gas can; collapsible milk crate with canvas tool liner; 50’ air hose; 3 extension cords; a Fox Pro electric game call; a Stihl 230 chainsaw; an MS311 Stihl chainsaw; Predator generator; 3 fishing poles, tackle box and lures; a Makita angle grinder, small air angle grinder, muck boots, and chore boots.

And, on Saturday, a Union County man reported that someone took his father’s .22 Magnum Cobra Derringer pistol from his father’s home in Kent. The theft happened  sometime over the previous few days, with the loss estimated at $200.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic stop near 130th Street on Bluebird Avenue Saturday, resulted in the arrest of 20-year old Andrew James Nippert, of Harlan. Nippert was charged with OWI/1st Offense and Possession of Marijuana. He was also issued multiple traffic citations. Nippert was later released from the Audubon County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court this Thursday.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, no injuries were reported following an accident early Friday afternoon at the intersection of Highway 71 and South Street, in Brayton. 49-year old Richard Dean Andersen, of Brayton, was stopped at the intersection on Highway 71 southbound and waiting to turn left. 34-year old Foad Jassem Mohammad, of West Des Moines, was also southbound, but failed to notice Andersen’s 2006 Chrysler Pacifica.

Mohammad’s 2007 Chevy Silverado hit the back of the Pacifica, causing a total of $3,000 damage. Deputies charged Mohammad with Failure to Maintain Control. Andersen was charged with Failure to have Insurance, and a Registration Violation.

Two men from Nebraska were arrested Saturday night on drug charges, in Walnut. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 21-year old Aaron Mark Dye, of Hastings, NE, and 18-year old Martin Peyton Hord, of Harvard, NE., were arrested with the help of Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Tyler Shiels and his K9 partner. Dye and Hord were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, after deputies were called to the Cenex gas station on Antique City Drive in Walnut, for a report of Vice activity. Authorities recovered from the suspects’ 4 syringes (1 loaded with an unknown content, 1 empty), the bottom half of a burned aluminum pop can, a baggie containing a clear plastic stamp with bags of unknown quantity and Q-Tips. The suspects’ 1997 Nissen Sentra was impounded following their arrest.

The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office said also, 36-year old Randy Lee Nixon, of Crescent, was arrested Saturday night for OWI/1st Offense, after the vehicle he was driving was pulled over for a malfunctioning headlight on Old Lincoln Highway.

And, 40-year old Thomas Dwight Keyser, of Underwood, was arrested late Friday morning following a disturbance in Underwood. Keyser, who has a Protection Order issued against him, is alleged to have taken the phone from his ex-girlfriend and left the area prior to his arrest at the Underwood gas station. He was charged with Violating a Protection Order and Obstruction of Emergency Communications.