Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Villisca was arrested Saturday afternoon on an Adams County warrant. 33-year old Carlton John Dolph was taken into custody at around 1:50-p.m. on a warrant charging him with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine. Dolph was turned over to  Adams County authorities and was being held on $1,000 bond.

A deep freeze is setting in across the Midwest with low temperatures forecast in the single digits and a few below zero, turning the season’s first major snow into ice that made some roads treacherous to travel.

After snow on Friday and Saturday across much of the region, temperatures plunged behind the front on Sunday. The National Weather Service forecast 20 degrees or lower across six states from North Dakota to Illinois. Fargo, North Dakota could dip to 11 degrees by early Sunday. Madison, Wisconsin could see 7 degrees, Des Moines 12 and Chicago 9.

Parts of Iowa, northwest Illinois and southern Wisconsin could reach zero or below, the weather service said.

A teenager from Red Oak was cited for three offenses following a non-injury accident Friday afternoon. Authorities say following an investigation, 16-year old Clayton Darenel Lecinski was cited for Following Too Closely, Leaving the Scene of an Accident and for Violating the terms of his instruction permit, after the 2003 Buick Century he was driving collided with the rear of a 2010 Chevy Aveo, driven by 44-year old Brandie Lynn Woodyard, of Shenandoah.

The accident happened at around 12:35-p.m. Friday, at the intersection of Highway 34 and N. 4th Street, in Red Oak. Officials say both vehicles were traveling west on Highway 34 , when the Chevy slowed down. The Buick struck the Chevy in the rear, causing it to spin around. Lecinski took off westbound on Highway 34, but returned to the scene about 40 minutes later, along with the owner of the vehicle, who was not with him when the accident occurred.

Damage from the collision amounted to $11,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa residents are digging out from under more than a foot of snow in some places, while roads over all but the southwest portion of the state remain impassable or partially blocked. The National Weather Service says a wintry storm that began dropping snow on the state Friday dumped between 6 and 12 inches overnight on much of Iowa.

Officials say the heaviest snow fell between around Highway 20 in the Cedar Falls and Waterloo areas. Craig Bargfrede with the Iowa Department of Transportation told the Des Moines Register that plow crews worked through the night and were still working Saturday to clear roads.

Temperatures for most of the state will range from 20 to 25 degrees Saturday, with wind chills in the teens and single digits.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Omaha, Nebraska, soybean processor is moving ahead with a $38 million expansion of its biodiesel plant south of Sioux City that will nearly double production of the soy-based fuel.

The Sioux City Journal reports that Ag Processing Inc. is planning the expansion at its Port Neal plant, which was the nation’s first commercial-scale biodiesel plant when it opened in 1996. The plant currently produces up to 30 million gallons per year.

At separate meetings Friday, local and state officials adopted a package of incentives to help finance the biodiesel expansion, which is expected to create three new jobs. The Iowa Economic Development Authority in Des Moines approved $308,000 in added incentives, with $24,000 in loans and $280,000 in increased tax credits.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Sheriff’s officials in Crawford County say a search warrant conducted Wednesday night at 512 North 11th Street in Denison, resulted in items were seized for evidence and several individuals were arrested. Among the individuals arrested and charged, with Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, was: 47-year old Ryan Schultz, 48-year old Daniel Joseph Welsh, both of Denison. Their bonds were set at $1,000 each.

29-year old Amanda Hourani, of Denison, was charged with Possession of drug Paraphernalia – Bond was set at $300, and, 29-year old Mark David Beckman, of Odebolt, was charged with Driving While Barred and Furnishing a Controlled Substance to a Jail facility (a Class D Felony). His bond was set at $5000.

Denison Police assisted Crawford County Deputies in executing the search warrant.

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce recently met with Cass Atlantic Economic Development Corporation and the City of Atlantic to discuss next steps for overall business/community development in Atlantic. Chamber Executive Director Ouida Hargens says “In efforts to better understand our current community and future needs we will be meeting with Jim Thompson, Business Consultant, Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) on Tuesday, November 24th from 9:30 – 11am at Cass County Health System in conference room #2.”

Hargens says during the first portion of the meeting, Thompson will be presenting and reviewing the ESRI executive summary for the Atlantic Area, provided by the IEDA. The summary covers items including: population, median age, households, median/average household income, etc. It also contains a retail market profile demonstrating our retail supply, demand, GAP, etc. The second part of the meeting we will discuss what action steps to take next. Please join us for as much as the meeting as possible.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, according to Hargens,  is working to coordinate efforts to create an economic restructuring/business development committee. The group’s focus will be assessments of the current community and downtown district. This will help Atlantic know and better understand the community and downtown district’s needs. The group will also focus on business retention, expansion, property development within the business district and recruitment.

The public is invited to attend this open community meeting to help us grow and support our community.