STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – A college student from southwest Iowa has been accused of making a homemade explosive device that detonated at his university campus in northwest Iowa. Authorities say no one was injured. The Storm Lake Police Department arrested 21 year-old Matthew Hanson, of Villisca, on Tuesday after the device detonated Monday night at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake.

Police allege Hanson made the device with a flameless heater and glass bottle. The device detonated about 10 feet from a residence hall. Officials say the incident is not linked to explosions Monday at the Boston Marathon.

Hanson is charged with possession of an explosive device and reckless use of an explosive device. He is being held at the Buena Vista County Jail on a $3,000 bond.

A fundraiser will be held this weekend to help the Harlan Police Department purchase a new drug dog. A group called “First Shot Iowa,” is holding a concealed carry permit class at the Harlan Fire Hall from 8-am to noon on Saturday. The cost is $50, with a portion of the proceeds going towards the purchase of a new drug dog.

Brent Soll, with First Shot Iowa, says the Department’s current dog has vision problems. Soll said the dog “Is going blind, so the Police Department has a new dog picked out. They are trying to raise money for the purchase of the dog and the training the dog and officer have to go through.”

He says the drug dog doesn’t just serve the City of Harlan. Soll says “It is extremely important not just the city of Harlan but surrounding communities as well because officer Tim Peterson gets called out by the Shelby County Sheriff’s and other police departments for search warrants. It’s a good investigative tool to have on hand.”

To register for the concealed weapons carrying permit class, log on to firstshotiowa.com or call 712-579-0869. The concealed weapons class isn’t the only fundraiser on Saturday, “Locked and Loaded Outfitters” is having a free will donation pork loin luncheon from 11 to 2 with all proceeds going to the K-9 fund. Locked and Loaded Outfitters is located at 422 Market Street in Harlan.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Officials with the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce say a fraudulent check could be floating around Harlan. The Chamber says it received word from a local bank that they had received a phone call from a Credit Union in Des Moines, Tuesday, wanting to verify funds from a check drawn from the Iowa Workforce Development in Denison. The check had Shelby County State Bank’s name on it however the routing number actually belonged to US Bank in St. Paul, MN.

The check was payable to a “Kaitlyn Stressman,” which should have been Stessman. Locally businesses should be warned that Iowa Workforce Development no longer has an office in Denison. If you see a check that is attempted to cash from them, contact your local authorities.

(Joe McCall/KNOD)

The Cass County Supervisors today (Wednesday), approved on the first reading, amendments to the County General Assistance Program. A vote on approval followed a public hearing, during which there were no comments from the public. The amendments generally serve to clean-up the language in the current General Assistance Program policy, and eliminates any typographical errors. Additional hearings on the amendments, along with the second and third readings of the ordinance, will take place in subsequent Board meetings.

In his report to the Supervisors, Cass County Engineer Charles Marker said the placement of “Contract Rock” along gravel roads and other service areas is grinding to a halt because of a supply problem. Marker said the Schildberg Quarry has run out of road rock. A stripping crew was brought in, and a crusher will follow, but it will not be until the 1^st or the middle of June before and more rock for the gravel roads is available. He says there are some stockpiles left in parts of the County, but not enough to cover and major road work.

Marker said stockpiles of rock in other parts of the County (near Highway 71 & the Lewis Road, and Highway 92/County Road N-28 south of Cumberland), are reserved for those specific areas. The Atlantic quarry serves the northeast and mid-section of the County. He says contract rock is still available from quarries near Red Oak, Corning and Jefferson to serve specific areas of the County, however, when they haul from those areas, it means longer hours for the County crews, and less trips for picking up loads, than would normally occur.

In other business, Marker said Murphy Contracting has removed the deck from the Hopley Bridge over the Nishnabotna River, near the Lewis Research Farm. He said the steel beams under the deck have been removed and will be stored for future use on other, smaller bridge projects, such as a “Level B” road. Mid-American Energy is supposed to move a power line on the south side of the bridge sometime within the next week, so allow the contractor to continue work on the project, unobstructed.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report three people were arrested Tuesday, including a Malvern man. 18-year old Dylan Lee Conn was arrested at the Cass County Jail on a warrant for assault causing bodily injury, a warrant for Failure to Appear on a Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge, and for Theft in the 4th and 5th degree. His bond was set at $2,600. Conn plead guilty in Cass County on April 9th, to: one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance (PCS)/2nd offense; PCS-marijuana/3rd or subsequent offense. He was given a 2-year suspended prison term on each count, credit for time served and one-year of supervised probation. Conn was also fined $1,250 plus court costs for the offenses in Cass County, and his license was revoked for 180 days. He’s scheduled to stand trial in Cass County on a Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge, on June 11th.

Also arrested Tuesday, was 18-year old Christopher Lashawn Denson, of Council Bluffs. Denson was taken into custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail for Failure to Appear on a 2nd degree Harassment charge. His bond was set at $1,000. And, 31-year old Joel Emil Terry, of Glenwood, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for Driving While Revoked. He was being held in the Mills County Jail on $1,000 bond.

The first of three Public Hearings will be held Wednesday morning in Atlantic, with regard to the County General Assistance Program. The hearing, pertaining to an Amendment to an Ordinance Prescribing the Cass County General Assistance Program will take place during a regular meeting of the Cass County Board of Supervisors, which begins at 9-a.m. Following the hearing, the Board will hold the first vote on the ordinance.

In other business, the Supervisors will hear a report from Ann Pross, Director of Iowa Western Community College, in Atlantic, and discuss the County’s contribution to the IWCC Foundation. They will also discuss the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone system, at the Courthouse.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest late Tuesday night of an Elk Horn man. 18-year old Dylan Jager was taken into custody on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault, after he allegedly assaulted a family member. The incident, which took place at a residence in the 2000 block of Elm Street, in Elk Horn,  was reported at around 11:55-p.m.  Jager was brought to the Shelby County Jail and held pending an appearance before the magistrate.

The Iowa State Patrol and a Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy assisted at the scene.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Iowa State Patrol has released the details of an accident that happened Sunday afternoon on Interstate 80, in Pottawattamie County. Officials say a 1999 GMC Yukon and a 2009 Volvo semi pulling a tanker were both traveling east on I-80 at around 1:55-p.m., when the Yukon tried to overtake the semi in the left lane. As the vehicle was passing, the camper/trailer it was pulling began to sway back and forth. The driver of the Yukon, 37-year old Mathew Schrott, of Estes Park, CO., was unable to control his vehicle, which hit the semi on the driver’s side.

The semi and tanker, driven by  59-year old John Steen, of Elk Horn, entered the south ditch and rolled onto its right side. The rig was registered to Transport Service Company, out of Oak Brook, IL. The GMC and its trailer jackknifed and came to rest in the median. No injuries were reported, and the Patrol says no hazardous materials were released during the incident, which occurred near the Avoca Exit.

Officials say Schrott was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Damage from the crash amounted to $52,000.

w/ Ric Hanson

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