A tense situation involving an armed man who was making threats ending peacefully Thursday night in western Iowa. Carroll Police Chief Brad Burke says a parent called 911 over concerns their son would harm himself or others. “He was saying their son was suicidal, was armed with a handgun, and made threats to shoot anyone who approached him,” Burke said. The man was in a vehicle with his mother along Highway 30 in Carroll. Police blocked-off a section of the highway.

“We didn’t want any bystanders or passers-by to be mixed up in any type of crossfire if there were any shots that were fired,” Burke said. “We did have some businesses and buildings in the area that were also evacuated.” The man was eventually taken in custody around 9:3o p.m. and transported to a hospital for evaluation.

“There was no harm to anybody. It resolved peacefully. We’ll continue our investigation and charges are pending at this time,” Burke said. The man’s name has not been released.

pic from scene of Carroll standoff 5-26

(Radio Iowa)

Red Oak Police report two teens were arrested this (Friday) morning on drug and tobacco-related charges. Officers took into custody at around 8:30-a.m., 15-year old Sebastian Kage Meek and 14-year old Dyllan Hunter Hansen, both of Red Oak. Meek faces charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Tobacco/2nd offense. Hansen was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Tobacco. Both teens were then released to their parents.

An issue with the steering on a 2014 Ford Fusion may have been to blame for an accident this (Friday) morning, in Red Oak. Police say 33-year old William Spann, of Red Oak, was driving the vehicle southbound on Eastern Avenue from Summit Street at around 7:30-a.m., when, according to Spann, he became unable to steer. The car crossed over Eastern Avenue, through a yard and struck a Mid American Energy Utility pole.

The car, owned by Esther Ross, of Stanton, sustained $4,500 damage. Damage to the utility pole was estimated at $1,600, while turf/yard owned by Joan Selser, sustained about $200 damage.

Spann was not injured during the accident, and no citations were issued.

The state auditor has completed a special investigation of the non-profit association created to support a southwest Iowa fire department. The Corning Volunteer Fire Association was created in 2006 to support the activities of the volunteer fire fighters in the community. Eight years later, city officials found out the proper paperwork hadn’t been filed with the I-R-S, so the group didn’t quality as a non-profit.

That means the funds it raised should have been considered city funds. Auditors say the money should only have been used for fire department operations. Instead, nearly four-thousand dollars was improperly spent during that eight year period on fitness club memberships for volunteer fire fighters and almost 17-hundred was spent on holiday parties.

The association got all its paperwork in order a year ago and now qualifies as a non-profit group. That means it can spend its money on fitness and social activities for the fire fighters.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court has declined to rule on the constitutionality of a state program that holds sex offenders in custody after they serve prison sentences. The court upheld Friday the civil commitment of 46-year-old David Taft who was convicted in 1987 for lascivious acts with a minor and molested two children within a week of his release from prison in 1991. He went to prison again until 2005 then was kept in custody under Iowa’s civil commitment for sexually violent predators law.

He challenged the law saying some of the requirements for release are unconstitutional. Justices concluded Taft’s challenges need not be decided because even if they ruled in his favor he doesn’t qualify for release because he’s failed treatment program progress and psychiatrists disagree on his readiness.