The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says a Nebraska man was arrested Monday on a two felony charges. 30-year old Ivan Antonio Cervantes, of Omaha, was taken into custody for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, felony Possession of Methamphetamine 3rd or Subsequent, and a simple misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. Cervantes was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on $5000 bond.

On Tuesday, deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 41-year old Danyel Rae Foreman, of Massena, on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Violation of a Protective Order. Foreman was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released later that day on $300 bond.

And on Wednesday, deputies arrested 31-year old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of Fontanelle, on a charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Pickrell was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance. Also arrested Wednesday, was 46-year old Corey Allen Peterson, of Atlantic, on a Polk County warrant. Peterson was taken to the Cass County Jail and transferred to Polk County Jail today (Thursday).

Authorities in Shelby County say a garage fire that occurred Monday evening in Harlan, was intentionally set. The fire at 1711 6th Street was reported at around 5:25-p.m. An investigation determined the garage contained bags of garbage and a couple of bed mattresses, and that a juvenile who lived at the address allegedly started the fire intentionally.Their case was referred to the Juvenile Fire Setters Program and Department of Human Services.

The Harlan Fire Department was assisted during their investigation by the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s office and the Harlan Police Department.

Photo’s from our sister station KNOD, in Harlan.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) – Winds gusting to 87 mph have knocked over train cars and toppled trees in parts of Iowa. Authorities say no injuries were reported from the storms that ran through the state early Thursday morning. Crawford County emergency management coordinator Greg Miller says trees and branches are down in several communities and that power also had been briefly lost.

The National Weather Service says the 87 mph gust was reported at the Denison Municipal Airport. Union Pacific spokeswoman Calli Hite says 22 cars on an eastbound UP train derailed near Westside around 2:30 a.m., but there were no injuries and no release of contaminants.

A resident of Audubon County who lives about 7-to 8-miles east of Exira off 280^th Street, told KJAN News a solid wood corn crib that’s stood the test of time for over 50-years, was blown over sometime between 2:25-and 2:45-a.m. today. In Central Iowa’s Story County, a hoop building was destroyed near McCallsburg, a large tree limb snapped and fell on a house, and a shed was damaged.

On the eastern side of the state, gusts knocked over an unoccupied semitrailer at the Isle of Capri Waterloo casino, and another semi overturned near Hudson.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has signed legislation designed to address worker shortages in Iowa. The new state law will guide changes in career and technical programs for Iowa students in the seventh through 12th grades. The goal is to make those programs align better with community college courses and, ultimately, ensure students are gaining skills that will help them get a job. Representative Mary Ann Hanusa, of Council Bluffs says regional partnerships will be formed, involving educators and other adults in the community.

“To bring together school districts and community colleges and the business and agricultural community so that they can help develop a sort of a holistic career opportunities and career pathway for our students,” Hanusa says, “to expose them to new careers and new opportunities with which they may not now be familiar.” The new law requires each public and private school in Iowa to develop a unique “career and academic plan” for each eighth grader. Senator Brian Schoenjahn, of Arlington, says the goal is to make “high quality” technical education available at the high school level.

“We have the Regional Academy for Math and Science at Oelwein. We have the Career and Technical Education (Academy) at Maquoketa — tremendously successful partnerships between businesses, community colleges and high schools that are guiding our students,” Schoenjahn says. “Unfortunately, these great opportunities don’t exist all over our state.” Representative Patti Ruff of McGregor says the law will help students gain the skills for jobs that may not require a four-year or even a two-year college degree.

“But through apprenticeships and other job shadowing and internship options, they will be able to find that path to a successful career and, thus, a successful life,” Ruff says. The bill passed the House and Senate unanimously earlier this spring. Governor Branstad signed the bill into law this morning (Thursday) during a ceremony at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo.

(Radio Iowa)