A southwest Iowa man is dead following a tractor rollover accident in Taylor County. According to the Sheriff’s Department, 54-year old Leon Francis “Lynn” Balster, of New Market, died when his tractor rolled on a steep hillside. Balster, who was mowing on the hillside, was pinned beneath the tractor as it came to rest, and died at the scene. The accident happened at around 9:30-a.m., Saturday.

The Harlan Police Department says several people were arrested May 5th following an investigation into a noise complaint at a residence on 12th Street. Taken into custody on Public Intoxication charges was: 23-year old Douglas Raven; 17-year old Tabatha Wyatt; 18-year old Frank Bates; 24-year old Rebecca Hibbard, all of Harlan, and 19-year old Michael Jacquard, of Avoca. Raven was also charged with Supplying Alcohol to persons under legal age. He was brought to the Shelby County Jail, posted a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court for his preliminary hearing on June 5th. The others were cited for their offenses, and released.

Police in Harlan report a Harlan man was arrested May 7th after authorities received word someone was breaking into a residence on 12th Street. Officers took 47-year old Larry Finstad into custody on Aggravated Misdemeanor charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of burglary tools, and a Class D felony charge of Burglary in the 3rd degree. Finstad posted a $5,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court for his preliminary hearing on May 24th, but a request for a continuance is currently pending court approval.

The Harlan P.D. reports also, 38-year old Bryan Croft, of Harlan, was arrested May 6th, after authorities received word of a man standing in the middle of Highways 44 and 59. Croft was taken into custody on Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Carrying weapons charges. Croft pled not guilty to the Serious Misdemeanor charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and is scheduled for trial on that charge on November 13th. His initial appearance in court on the remaining Aggravated Serious Misdemeanor charges is scheduled to take place May 31st.

The Harlan Police Department reports numerous arrests were made over the past few weeks. In a cumulative report issued today (Monday), officials said 23-year old Douglas Raven, of Harlan, was arrested last Tuesday, on an active Shelby County warrant for Public Intoxication, and supplying alcohol to persons under legal age. Raven posted a $1,000 bond and was released from the Shelby County Jail. A preliminary hearing on the Supplying Alcohol charge will take place June 5th in Shelby County District Court. Raven pled not guilty to the Public Intox charge. His trial for that alleged offense won’t take place until November 13th.

Officials say On May 12th, officers were called to a fight in progress in the 1300 block of 6th Street. 20-year old Kolten Kobold, of Kirkman, & 23-year old Kurtis Kobold, of Harlan, were arrested. Kolten was charged with Public Intoxication, while Kurtis Kobold was arrested for assault. The next day, officers were called to the 1000 block of West Park in Harlan, following a report of an individual breaking out a car window. Kurtis Kobold was arrested on a warrant today (Monday), in association with the incident. He faces Tampering with a Witness and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree charges. He posted a $3,000 bond and was released from custody.

The Kobolds, and another man were also arrested during the evening of May 13th, following a report of a fight in progress at 6th and Baldwin. Kolten Kobold and Kurtis Kobold were charged with Assault, Public Intoxication and Disorderly Conduct. Kolten Kobold also faces a Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. 27-year old Garrett Phillips, of Harlan, was arrested in connection with the same incident, on charges of Assault and Disorderly Conduct.

Phillips and the Kobolds have pled not guilty to the charges. All three are scheduled to appear at their trial on November 13th.

The Harlan Police Department says the driver of a motorcycle suffered minor injuries when the cycle went out of control and crashed into a parked motorcycle, last Thursday. Officials say Douglas Nelson, of Harlan, was starting his 1976 Harley Davidson cycle, when it took off and shot across the street, before colliding with a legally parked 1953 Harley, parked in the 1000 block of 7th Street. The other cycle was registered to Keith Kaufman, of Harlan. When the cycles collided, Nelson’s leg was pinned between them. Damage from the mishap amounted to $2,250.

(Note: In their original report, the Harlan Police Dept. reversed the names of the individuals in this story. They had Kaufman as the man who started the cycle and was injured. On May 31st, officials issued a correction to their report.)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – An FBI spokeswoman says two bodies found at Lake Manawa State Park in western Iowa are those of a woman and a boy.  Sandy Breault, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s Omaha office, says her office is not able to identify the two because of the advanced state of decomposition of the bodies. Breault says an autopsy will be conducted to determine the identity of the two, but she did not expect results to be released today (Monday).
 
Authorities are seeking to determine whether the bodies are those of 41-year-old Charlotte Schilling and her 10-year-old son, Owen, who have been missing from their home in Plattsmouth, Neb., since May 10th.  Police say Schilling’s vehicle was found near Lake Manawa, which sits south of Council Bluffs. Schilling’s wallet and cellphone were in the car.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports an Anita man was arrested late Friday night following a domestic incident during which a shot was fired. At around 11:15-p.m., deputies responded to the incident in Anita. Following an investigation, 39-year old Michael Wayne Luke, of Anita, was taken into custody on a Class C felony charge of Intimidation with a Weapon, and Aggravated Misdemeanor charges of Reckless Use of a Firearm and Domestic Assault 2^nd Offense.

Luke was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was being held without bond pending pretrial release evaluation. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the DCI, the Iowa State Patrol, and Atlantic Police Department.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Spontaneous combustion appears to be the cause of a minor hay bale fire this (Monday) morning between Atlantic and Lewis. Atlantic Firefighter Gene Schmeling told KJAN News the bales were stacked up outside of a building. Some of the bales began to smolder outside of a structure at Milk Unlimited at 59100 Memphis Road. Crews were dispatched at 8:21-a.m. to the facility located about three-miles northeast of Lewis.

Lewis firefighters assisted at the scene. Schmeling said Milk Unlimited employees used an end-loader to move the affected bales away from nearly 200 other bales located nearby to prevent any spread of the fire. Crews remained on the scene for about 30-minutes. No injuries were reported.