The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports two men were arrested on drug charges following a traffic stop Nov. 28th for speeding, in the 1800 block of Stuart Road. After the Deputy noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, he had the driver, 29-year old William R.H. Halstead, of West Sacramento, CA, and the passenger, 45-year old Timothy Noel Cummings, of Fort Dodge, exit the vehicle. While both subjects were handcuffed and detained, a search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of a bag containing a green, leafy substance believed to be marijuana shoved inside the side of the passenger seat.

A continued search of the vehicle resulted in another bag of a similar substance being found in the passenger seat, and 4 glass jars of a green leafy substance in the trunk. Both men were arrested, with Cummings being charge with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 1st offense. Cummings posted a $1,000 bond, and was released from the Adair County Jail, the following day.

Halstead was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, speeding and driving without a valid driver’s license. Once at the Adair County Jail, a pipe used for smoking meth was found on Halstead. And, inside the flap of his underwear, was a bag with a substance believed to be marijuana. Halstead was subsequently charged with Possession of Contraband in a Correctional Facility. He posted a $5,000 bond the following day, and was also released.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports also, 39-year old Lare Michelle Gilmore, of Greenfield, was arrested Friday night for Harassment in the 3rd Degree, after she allegedly  harassed several youth Friday afternoon as they were walking home from school. Gilmore allegedly screamed profanities at the youth, “flipped them off,” and took pictures of them, causing the youth to feel threatened and intimidated. The woman was released from custody Saturday, on her own recognizance.

Authorities say 55-year old Timothy John VanEaton, of Orient, was arrested last Thursday night, on an Adair County warrant charging him with Theft in the 5th Degree. He was released later that same night on $500 bond. And, 49-year old Michael Paul Brummer, of Mason City, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense on Nov. 27th, after a State Patrol Trooper found Brummer’s vehicle illegally parked along Interstate 80 in Adair County, at Exit 75. Brummer was asleep at the wheel of his vehicle, while the engine was still running. An open container of alcohol was found in the vehicle’s center console, along with three full cans of beer on the passenger seat. Tests later determined Brummer was intoxicated by more than twice the legal limit. He was released from custody the following day on $2,000 bond.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, will continue with discussion pertaining to a proposed ethanol plant and related development agreement. During their meeting last week, proposals from Elite Octane were discussed for incentives to construct an ethanol plant in Cass County. The plant would be funded through Tax Increment Financing (TIF), with the future property tax to be paid by Elite Octane.

An initial proposal made by Cass County was not accepted. After lengthy discussion of the two options proposed by Elite Octane, it was decided to consult legal counsel and to not schedule a hearing regarding a development agreement. During Wednesday’s meeting, the Supervisors are expected to act on a Memorandum of Understanding with Elite Octane.

The Supervisors are also expected to act on a Resolution to set a hearing date on Amending the Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area by adding Elite Octane site parcels, and a Development Agreement with Elite Octane.

Their meeting begins at 8:30-a.m.

Iowa Chronic Absenteeism Advisory Council has released four recommendations to help school districts that have too many students missing class. Governor Terry Branstad’s Special Assistant for Education, Linda Fandel, was part of the group. “The first recommendation is to establish a uniform way to define an track chronic absenteeism,” Fandel says. ” And that definition is missing 10 percent or more of school for any reason — excused or unexcused. In Iowa if a student misses 10 percent of school, at a minimum that’s 18 days, and that’s nearly a month of school.”

The Department of Education says an average of eight-point-three percent of school kids are chronically absent across the state. “The second recommendation is to launch a statewide campaign to raise awareness about the importance of good attendance and the impact of chronic absenteeism on student success,” Fandel says. She says a study by the Child & Family Policy Center shows the impact of kids missing school. “Students who were chronically absent were less likely to be reading proficiently by the end of third grad. So the council wanted to launch a campaign to raise awareness about the need to step up and address the problem,” Fandel says.

She says many school districts already make promoting good attendance a high priority and some offer extra support to families facing barriers. That includes efforts in Council Bluffs, Cardinal, Denison, Des Moines and Muscatine. The third recommendation is to create a statewide mechanism for disseminating best practices and resources to schools.  “The fourth recommendation is to establish an advisory group through the Iowa Department of Education to explore how to better collaborate across systems and with families to reduce chronic absenteeism,” according to Fandel. “And that’s getting at the fact that a lot of different systems and organizations are involved in helping address chronic absenteeism and and we want to maximize communication and cooperation to help them get services to schools.”

The group met once a month from August through November, and has now forwarded their recommendations to the governor. “Now the governor and Lieutenant governor will look at these recommendations and consider the next steps.

The Council’s report can be found here https://governor.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2016%20Iowa%20Chronic%20Absenteeism%20Advisory%20Council%20Report%20-%20Final.pdf.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Creston Police Department today (Monday), released a report on recent arrests and incidents. Authorities say 40-year old Richard Starlin, of Creston, was arrested Sunday for Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree. He was later released from the Union County Jail on $2,000, bond. On Saturday, Creston Police arrested 20-year old Tyrell Stucker, of Lorimor, and 23-year old Steven Patterson, Jr., of Hampton, were arrested on separate Driving While Suspended charges. Stucker was later released on $300 bond, while Patterson was released on a Promise to Appear later, in court.

Creston Police said also, a woman residing in the 500 block of E. Howard Street reported Sunday that sometime between 7-p.m. and 12-a.m. Saturday, someone destroyed an inflatable snowman that was in her yard. The damage was estimated at $25. And, a man residing in the 800 block of N. Walnut Street in Creston, reported Sunday that sometime Saturday night into Sunday morning, someone stole a decorative Christmas laser light from his yard. The loss was estimated at $50.