The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office put out a notice on their social media page today (Thursday), that indicated there are scam calls going out that will show on your caller I.D., that you are receiving a call from the “Sheriff’s Department.” The number that is displayed is associated with the Sheriff’s Department fax number. Authorities warn you to be aware of these scams and do not provide any personal information.

If the Sheriff’s Department had been attempting to contact you, their number, which is blocked, would show “Private Caller,” or “Unknown”.    

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report a Nebraska man was arrested just before 2-a.m. today (Thursday), on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County. 24-year old Joshua John Mahloch, of Bellevue, NE., was wanted for Probation Violation. He was also charged with Providing False Identification and Failure to have a valid driver’s license. Mahloch was being held in the Mills County Jail on bond amounting to $2,300.

Mandy Harrigan

Gavin Miller

Two people, a man and a woman, were arrested following a residential burglary that occurred this (Thursday) morning, in Council Bluffs. Authorities say 25-year old Gavin Miller and 25-year old Mandy Harrigan, both of Council Bluffs, face charges in connection with the incident that happened at around 8-a.m. in the 1000 Block of 6th Avenue.

The victim, 65-year old Geoffrey Jennings, of Council Bluffs, told officers that a male and female suspect entered his residence through an unlocked door. Once in the residence the male suspect struck Jennings in the head with a blunt object knocking him to the ground. As they male continued to assault Jennings, the female demanded money and personal belongings from Jennings. Following the attack both suspect fled the residence.

Jennings was able to provide officers with physical and clothing descriptions of both suspects. Officers located two suspects matching the description a short distance from the crime scene. They were identified as Gavin Miller and Mandy Harrigan who were in possession of items stolen from Jennings.

Miller and Harrigan are currently in police custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail charged with Robbery 1st Degree, Burglary 1st Degree, Going Armed with Intent and Willful Injury. Geoffrey Jennings was treated and released at a local Hospital for lacerations to his head.

There’s a new policy in force at the Woodbury County Courthouse in Sioux City that limits who may carry weapons into the building. A new state law allows people with permits to carry concealed weapons in public buildings, but the chief justice of Iowa’s Supreme Court has declared that court-controlled areas in public buildings would remain “weapons-free” zones. In June, the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors voted to allow guns in the courthouse. Now, THIS WEEK, the chief judge in Iowa’s third judicial district banned the public from bringing weapons into the courthouse in Sioux City as well as the adjacent law enforcement center and the second floor of a nearby building where juvenile court hearings are held.

Woodbury County Board of Supervisors chairman Matthew Ung objects. “No one disputes the court’s right and responsibility to secure and set policy for their courtroom,” Ung says. “But when my courtroom becomes my eight-story courthouse and the law enforcement center and the second floor of Trosper Hoyt, you have judicial overreach.”

Law enforcement officers and members of the military who are on duty will be allowed to carry weapons in the complex, but off duty officials will have to surrender their weapons at the entrance. Ung objects to that as well. “I don’t think law enforcement is ever off duty and, indeed, there are many cases where they have prevented crimes and saved lives,” Ung says, “so I think to disarm people like that sends an extremely wrong message to our community.”

Ung says the issue is NOT on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors agenda for next Tuesday, but Ung says he wouldn’t be surprised if someone files a lawsuit challenging this new policy.

(Radio Iowa)

A Page County man turned himself-in to the Page County Sheriff’s Office this (Thursday) morning. Authorities say 40-year old Jeffrey Wade Bartles, of rural College Springs,  arrived at the Sheriff’s Office at around 10:30-a.m. to serve time for a previous sentence.  An active warrant had been issued for Bartles from Page County District Court for Violation of Probation (an aggravated Misdemeanor), with bond set at $2000 cash only.  Bartles was booked into jail for his sentence and will be held until the bond has been satisfied.

MCINTIRE, Iowa (AP) – Apparently it was a not-so-special election in the tiny town of McIntire, Iowa, where none of its 70 registered voters showed up to cast ballots. Tuesday’s ballot asked two questions: Should the term of the mayor be raised to four years from two, and should the terms of council members be raised to four years, staggered, from two years.

A Mitchell County deputy auditor, Barbara Baldwin, told the Mason City Globe Gazette that the poll workers didn’t even vote. None of them live in McIntire. McIntire, population 110, sits near the state line with Minnesota, 137 miles north-northeast of Des Moines. Baldwin says she’s seen low turnouts over her 28 years with the county auditor, but, “This is definitely a first.”