Police and Sheriff’s Deputies in Red Oak responded to a report of shots, fired late Monday night. Authorities say one person was detained for questioning in connection with the incident which took place at around 11:42-p.m. in the vicinity of 1st and Joy Streets, in Red Oak.

According to the police report, the Montgomery County Communications Center received a call from a residence with regard to a man walking down the street, shooting a firearm. The caller indicated they thought the shots were directed toward a vehicle parked along the street, and possibly a house. The caller said also, the suspect took off in a northerly direction after the shots were fired.

Officers with the Red Oak Police Department arrived on the scene within minutes and established a perimeter. The Montgomery County K9 unit also arrived on the scene and began a track of the suspect. The scent led the K9 Unit to the area of 1st and Prospect Streets, where the dog lost contact with the scent.

Officers on the scene determined at least three shots had been fired into the hood of a 1999 Chevy Monte Carlo owned by Nakia Nicole Lamb, of Red Oak. Early reports indicated that a shot could also have been fired into a nearby residence, but no evidence to collaborate that statement could be found.

An investigation into the incident continues. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene, including deputies from Cass, Fremont and Page Counties.

The U-S-D-A crop report released Monday showed high winds and frequent showers kept many Iowa farmers from getting the planting season underway. Iowa State University Extension Crops Specialist Joel DeJong works in northwest Iowa and says despite the cooler temperatures most of the signs are positive. “The soil conditions right now really look like for a lot of fields it’s pretty good. The soil moisture is at capacity right now, so it won’t take much to fill it back up,” DeJong says, “and the wet spots seem to be bigger than normal because of all that moisture in the soil — overall, pretty good.”

DeJong says the four-inch soil temperature was 35 on Saturday and up to 41 on Sunday, so it is moving in the right direction. “We like to have 50 degrees and warming if we are going to plant crops into good soil moisture conditions…so it looks like later in the week the weather might be pretty good,” DeJong says. He says the forecast right now for next week is looking good, but that could change.

Many farmers are still applying anhydrous ammonia for fertilizer. DeJong says conditions are still favorable, if farmers make certain they are applying that anhydrous ammonia at deep enough levels. “It looks like it’s sealing pretty well when it is out there. In the spring we want to put it six- and-a-half to seven inches deep or eight inches it’s trapping that gas in a smaller zone — and it looks like it’s working pretty well out there right now.

While some farmers in southern Iowa are into the fields, he says northern Iowa farmers may want to wait a few more days, even though research studies indicate better yields are obtained with early planted seed.  “I’m a little better about putting seed into cool ground that is warming up, better than putting seed into warm ground that cools off very rapidly due to a major storm system,” according to DeJong. “I don’t see that in the 10-day forecast — some rain maybe this coming weekend — But it doesn’t look like it is a real cold rain. So, if their conditions are set and everything is working in the field, later this week might be a good time to get started.”

He says each farmer can decide what they want to do, but there is no rush. DeJong says some farmers will start this week and others my choose to wait. “And that’s not a problem. A lot of producers can get their planting done in four or five days or maybe even less. Those who have a lot of days to plant, probably will get started,” DeJong says. He says as long as the crops get planted by May 5th, they should be okay. The U-S-D-A report shows west-central and southwest Iowa had the best conditions last week for working in the fields.

(Radio Iowa)

A Decorah man has been arrested after allegedly making threats that led to a “lock down” in all Decorah school district buildings on Monday. Decorah Police say 42-year-old Bruce Dean Divers, Junior has been charged with two counts of second degree harassment, a serious misdemeanor, and third degree harassment, a simple misdemeanor.

Police say Divers sent an email to Carrie Lee Elementary School on Saturday, expressing his displeasure with the content of some of the curriculum at the school. Police say on Monday, Divers posted information on Facebook threatening the welfare of two teachers. Police say the third degree harassment charge involves a third teacher.

(Radio Iowa)

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — A former northwestern Iowa teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a student has been given probation time. A judge Monday sentenced 25-year-old Samantha Kohls to one year of probation. Kohls, a former Remsen-Union Community School teacher, has already lost her teaching license and must register as a sex offender. She previously pleaded guilty to lascivious conduct with a minor.

Arrest affidavits say Kohls had sex with a 17-year-old male student while she was a teacher at the school. The documents say the sexual encounters happened at her apartment in 2014. She was initially charged with two counts of sexual exploitation by a school employee but Plymouth County Attorney Darin Raymond agreed to the reduced charge, saying jail time was not appropriate.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

A Des Moines lawyer who helped manage Chuck Grassley’s first U.S. Senate campaign and is considered a friend says it’s time for Grassley and Republican Senate leaders to “man up and vote” on a U.S. Supreme Court nominee. Keith Uhl, a Republican who donated money to President Barack Obama’s campaigns in 2008 and 2012, says if Grassley refuses to hold hearings on Obama’s supreme court nominee he’ll have to seriously consider whether he votes for Grassley again.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines lawyer who helped manage Chuck Grassley’s first U.S. Senate campaign and is considered a friend says it’s time for Grassley and Republican Senate leaders to “man up and vote” on a U.S. Supreme Court nominee. Keith Uhl, a Republican who donated money to President Barack Obama’s campaigns in 2008 and 2012, says if Grassley refuses to hold hearings on Obama’s supreme court nominee he’ll have to seriously consider whether he votes for Grassley again.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man has been sentenced to five years in prison for crashing his truck into a backyard trampoline and killing a 6-year-old boy in Des Moines. Guadalupe Villa-Guzman had earlier pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Police say the man has a history of seizures and shouldn’t have been driving last June when his truck struck and killed Irving Aguilar Gonzalez.

DECORAH, Iowa (AP) — Security was stepped up Monday at schools in Decorah. Police say a lockdown was put in place after a person angry about a curriculum matter at Carrie Lee Elementary sent an email that raised the concern of school officials.

The Red Oak Police department reports the arrest Monday of two men on theft charges.  At 3:30pm Officers arrested 50-year-old Marvin Eugene Gulick of Red Oak and 44-year-old Billy Joe Miflin of Red Oak for 5th Degree Theft.  The two men were arrested in the 200 block of East Joy Street in Red Oak.  Both suspects were taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on 300 dollars bond each.

The driver of a semi was hurt late Monday morning during a single-vehicle accident in Carroll County. The Iowa State Patrol says 39-year old Michael Mackedanz, of Sac City, was transported to Saint Anthony’s Hospital in Carroll, after the 2003 Kenworth construction semi he was driving (registered to Wirtjers Trucking, in Sac City), for reasons unknown, left Delta Avenue/Carroll County Road M-68.

The truck entered the east ditch where it struck a creek bank before it came to rest. Mackedanze was trapped in the cab and had to be freed by mechanical means. The accident, which happened at around 11:10-a.m., remains under investigation.

A total of seven people were injured during a three-vehicle collision Friday afternoon east of Manning, in Carroll County. Sheriff’s officials say the accident happened on Highway 141, just before 4-p.m.

According to the sheriff’s report, 18-year old Atearend Joaquin Gaskill, of Manilla, was traveling east on Highway 141 in a 1997 Dodge Intrepid, when the car hit the rear of a 2013 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 53-year-old Jeanne Ann Gruhn, of Manning. The collision occurred when Gruhn stopped to make a left turn north onto Eagle Ave.

The force of the impact caused Gruhn’s truck to cross into the westbound lane of traffic, where it was hit by a 2006 Chevrolet Uplander van driven by 49-year-old Roger John Paulson, of Manilla. Gaskill and Paulson were transported to St. Anthony Regional Hospital by Carroll County Emergency Medical Services for treatment of possible injuries.

Gruhn, along with two passengers in Gaskill’s car, 16-year-old’s Chelsea T. Fishback and Alissa Wright, both of Manning, were all transported to Manning Regional Healthcare Center. Two passengers in Gruhn’s pickup, eight year-old Taylor Beckendorf and six year-old Kori Beckendorf, were also transported to the Manning Regional Healthcare Center. Afterward, Kori was then air-lifted to Des Moines, where she was treated of serious injuries.

All three vehicles were totaled in the crash.  Highway 141 was closed to through traffic for nearly an hour following the crash while emergency crews were on the scene and the vehicles were removed.

Authorities charged Gaskill with Failure to Maintain Control. A GoFundme account has been set up to help pay  for Kori Beckendorf’s medical expenses. https://www.gofundme.com/koribeckendorf.  A donation account has also been set up at Templeton Savings Bank. Donations can be made at either the Manning or Templeton locations.

(Updated 5-p.m.)

Three people were said to have been injured during a collision Monday afternoon between a pickup and a tractor, 1.5 miles south of Cumberland near 68526 690th Street. The accident happened at around 3:45-p.m. Two people were being extricated from the pickup just before 4-p.m. The tractor was on its side and the road was blocked.

Cass County Sheriff Darby McLaren told KJAN news the tractor and pickup were both heading south on 690th Street, when the tractor went to make a left turn. The pickup either tried to pass or avoid colliding with the tractor when the accident occurred.

Two men in the pickup along with the driver of the tractor, were transported to the hospital. The tractor drivers’ injuries appeared to be minor, according to the sheriff.

No names have been released at this time.

Picture courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Agency.