(Harlan, Iowa)[Update] – Firefighters from Harlan, Westphalia and Avoca responded to a fire in one of the rooms at the Cyclone Lodge at 2004 23rd Street, Saturday afternoon.

The call went out at 12:50 p.m. According to Harlan Chief Roger Bissen, arriving crews saw smoke coming from around a door in one of the rooms. Upon entry to the room, contents found left near the furnace were seen on fire, along with the curtains. The lodge was evacuated. No injuries were reported.

The motel room sustained smoke and water damage from the sprinkler system. With smoke damage observed on the ground floor of the business.

(Photos courtesy of Zach Ploen)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa –  If you drive on U.S. 20 in Woodbury County you need to be aware of an upcoming construction project that may impact your trip.

Beginning on Monday, April 1, until Friday, Aug. 30, weather permitting, crews will work on patching, milling, and resurfacing of U.S. 20 from east of Moville to Lawton according to the Iowa DOT Sioux City construction office. You will be shifted onto the lane where work is not taking place in the work zone.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

WINDSOR HEIGHTS, Iowa [WHO-TV] — The owner of a Des Moines area video production company was booked into the Polk County Jail Thursday on multiple child pornography-related charges. 57-year-old Frederick Amundson, of West Des Moines, is charged with 22 counts of Purchase/Possess Depiction of Minor in Sex Act 1st Offense. The charges stem from an investigation started in April of 2022.

An application for a search warrant in the case said an employee at Gate House Pictures, located at 6611 University Avenue #104, contacted the Windsor Heights Police Department after finding images of child pornography in the trash file of a shared computer. The officer who responded to the initial call observed the photos on the computer.

Windsor Heights police spoke with Amundson, the owner of the business, a few days after the initial call. According to the application, Amundson admitted to possessing approximately 12 images of nude underage girls. He claimed he downloaded the photos onto a work computer.

The computer and other electronic storage devices were seized during the investigation and the FBI did a digital forensic examination, according to court documents. In February of this year, the FBI passed along evidence that 22 pictures depicting child pornography involving nude females between the ages of 6 and 12 had been found on Amundson’s computer.

A $100,000 cash-only bond has been set for Amundson. A no-contact order was also put in place prohibiting him from having contact with anyone under the age of 18. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 1.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday, held a Public Hearing on authorizing the submission of a CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) application for the Atlantic Municipal Utilities (AMU) Water Project/improvements. Dani Briggs, SWIPCO Community Development Specialist, attending the meeting by phone, summarized the scope of the project.

AMU will provide a local match of approximately $1,054, 479. The total project cost is estimated at more than $1.08-million. The City will apply for the grant funds, and when received, will act as a pass-through agency for the funds to AMU. There is no cost to the City for its role in the matter.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed an Order to Adopt a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and the Nishna Valley YMCA, for 2024 management of the Sunny Pool. Councilperson Elaine Otte said the matter was previously discussed and reviewed in a Personnel and Finance Committee meeting.

The new management agreement includes pay for lifeguards at $15 per hour, an hourly pool manager rate of pay of $25, and a management fee of $20,000.

All lifeguards will be employed, hired, trained, provided with uniforms, and scheduled through the Y. The city will reimburse the Y for the lifeguards’ wages, the pool manager’s fee, and the management fee. The city will be responsible for all other costs associated with running Sunnyside Pool.

The Council set their meeting on April 3rd as the date/time for a Public Hearing/additional action, on proposals to enter into General Obligation Loan Agreements, and to Borrow Money for the same. City Administrator John Lund offered an explanation for the hearing.

And, the Atlantic City Council agreed to accept a recommendation from the Personnel & Finance Committee, with regard to FY 2025 Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Progress and Beautification Budgets.

They approved an updated retainer agreement with Otto, Lorence and Wiederstein, which increases compensation from $2,000 per month, to $2,500 per month, and reflects changes in who the Assistant City Attorney is.

Most of the work for the City in legal matters, will be performed by David Wiederstein.

FORT DODGE, Iowa — Officials with the Fort Dodge Police Department, Friday, identified the four police officers who were dispatched to a scene that turned deadly, when an officer shot and killed a suspect. On March 16th, police shot and killed 24-year-old Tyler Stansberry of Fort Dodge, after he reportedly charged at the officers, while carrying two knives. Officers were called to the scene following a report of a person in a home, who was out of control, and had injured a dog. When they entered, Stansberry allegedly ran at the officers while holding the knives, leading to an officer shooting Stansberry.

The four officers involved were:

• Officer Nicholas Ruggles
• Sergeant Matthew Webb
• Officer Andrew Lane
• Officer Matthew English

All four are still on critical incident leave as the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations continues to investigate the fatal shooting.

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will be meeting with Tyson Foods leaders in Perry next week ahead of the plant’s shutdown in the summer. The governor’s office says Perry city leaders will also be a part of that meeting.

Tyson announced earlier this month that it would be closing the pork processing plant before July, putting hundreds of people out of work.

Iowa Workforce Development’s new mobile workforce truck will be on hand to help plant workers find their next career.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak say 19-year-old Jacob Matthew Haupert was arrested at around 4:50-a.m. today (Saturday), for OWI/1st offense. His arrest followed a traffic stop in the 1800 block of Highway 48. Haupert was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) –  A traffic stop at 100th Street and I Avenue in Montgomery County early this (Saturday) morning, resulted in the arrest of a man from Cass County. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 32-year-old Timothy Alan Carlson, of Griswold, was arrested at around 1:10-a.m., for OWI/1st offense. Carlson was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.