An investigation into a burglary Friday at the Neola Area Community Center has resulted in an arrest. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office says 22-year old Lucas Scott Brooks, of Missouri Valley, was arrested just before Noon, Friday, in Missouri Valley, for Burglary in the 3rd Degree and Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree/destruction of property. Authorities say Brooks admitted to committing both crimes.

(DES MOINES) – U.S. News & World Report today (Tuesday) released their 2017 “Best States” ranking and ranked Iowa as the 6th “Best State” in the country. “Best States” is a unique rankings and news analysis platform designed to inform citizens, business leaders and policymakers alike about what’s working and what needs improvement across the country.

The site includes rankings that measure the 50 states overall and across seven different categories: education, health care, government, infrastructure, economy, opportunity and crime & corrections. The rankings are derived from 68 metrics and tens of thousands of data points.

Among a few highlights, Iowa ranked:

• No. 1 for health care affordability
• No. 1 for high school graduation rate
• No. 1 for power grid reliability
• No. 6 for opportunity
• No. 7 for labor force participation

The rankings are provided by McKinsey & Company’s Leading States Index. In calculating the rankings, categories were weighted based on a national “citizen experience” survey, conducted by McKinsey, that asked people to prioritize each subject in their state and provide their levels of satisfaction with government services.

More information about how the states were ranked can be found here: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/methodology?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday), said a Nebraska man was arrested Sunday evening following a traffic stop. 28-year old Anthony Ricko Rhoades, of Omaha, was stopped for speeding, and found to be Driving While license Suspended, with seven withdrawals in effect. He also was wanted on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Probation Violation. Rhoades was being held in the Montgomery County Jail for Pott. County. His bond was set at $2,000.

The Creston Police Department says a business in Creston reported Monday morning an incident of vandalism. Supreme Cleaners told authorities that sometime between
Feb. 24th and 27th, someone spray painted the back wall of the business. The damage was estimated at $50.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports the arrest Sunday night of 44-year old Verlyn Duane Richardson, of Audubon. Richardson was arrested by Mills County Deputies at around 8:45-p.m. in Glenwood, on an Audubon Police Dept. warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault, Interference with Official Acts and Disorderly Conduct. Richardson was transported to the Audubon County Jail and after appearing before the magistrate, was released on a Promise to Appear later, in  court.

On Sunday, 36-year old Angela Marie Cerda, of Audubon, was arrested for Theft in the 3rd Degree. She was later released by the magistrate on a Promise to Appear in court.

And, on Feb. 17th, 35-year old Amanda Lynn Thompson, of Audubon, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. She was later released on bond.

(7-a.m. News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A county-owned hospital in western Iowa has released to the public how much it paid the husband of a woman whose death was blamed on a botched colonoscopy. Settlement documents released by Crawford County Memorial Hospital show it and its insurer paid $500,000 to Eugene Christiansen, whose wife, Carole, died in November 2014 after her colon was accidentally torn.

The hospital had refused to release the settlement documents, saying the money was deposited into an estate account that was sealed by a judge. State law bars government agencies from entering into secret settlements of lawsuits.

The Carroll Daily Times Herald and the Iowa Freedom of Information Council took the matter to court. On Friday a judge ordered the hospital to disclose the settlement publicly.