Officials with the East Pottawattamie County Extension service said Monday, the Pottawattamie County Fair is now accepting applications for the 2018 Pottawattamie County Fair Queen and Junior Fair Queen.  All area youth ages 13-15 who are an active member of a service organization in the community may compete for Junior Fair Queen.  All area youth ages 16-21 who are an active member of a service organization in the community may compete for Fair Queen.

The 2018 Pottawattamie County Fair Queen and Junior Fair Queen will be crowned during Family Night at the Pottawattamie County Fair in Avoca, Iowa on Thursday, July 19, 2018.  The crowned 2018 Fair Queen will represent East Pottawattamie County at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa in August to compete for the 2018 Iowa State Fair Queen.

All candidates must complete an application, which can be found on our website, www.iastate.edu/eastpottawattamie along with a list of rules and expectations.  All queen candidates will go through an interview process with judges prior to crowning.  Applications are due to the East Pottawattamie County Extension Office, 321 Oakland Avenue, Oakland, Iowa by 5:00pm on May 15^th.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says 18-year old Auston Clark, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday night for Possession of Marijuana with the intent to deliver, and possession of drug paraphernalia, after Deputies with the Mills County K9 Unit made contact with a vehicle parked at Pony Creek Park. Upon investigation, and searching the vehicle, 12.5-grams of marijuana, THC chewable tablets, THC wax, U-S currency and multiple items of drug paraphernalia was located. Clark was a passenger in the vehicle.

At around 2:45-a.m. Saturday, the Mills County K9 Unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 17,000 block of Lambert Avenue, for a moving violation. Upon investigation and searching the vehicle, a female passenger, 38-year old Billie Jo Monson-Johnson, of Plattesmuth, NE., was arrested for Unlawful possession of prescription drugs. She was transported to the Mills County Jail without incident.

Glenwood Police reports 21-year old Michael Schmoll, of Glenwood, was transported by private vehicle to Jennie Edmundson Hospital, following an accident that took place at around 11:25-p.m., Friday. Schmoll was driving a 2004 Ford northbound on 230th Street, just north of Gaston Avenue, when his vehicle entered the west ditch, struck an embankment, and rolled over before coming to rest on its side.

Schmoll left the scene and later identified as the driver. He was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

The Glenwood Police Department reports several recent arrests. Four people were arrested Sunday: 40-year old Andy Charles Andrews, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for being an Accessory After the Fact. His bond was set at $2,000;  53-year old Elden Owen German, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $300; 18-year old Auston Phillip Clark, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday for Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver * Marijuana * and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $5,300; and, 28-year old Christopher Lee McDaniel, was arrested on a Warrant for Violation of Probation (2 counts), and Interference with Official Acts. His bond was set at $10,300.

Three people were arrested Saturday, in Glenwood. 45-year old Renee Jean Gooch, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. Bond was set at $300; 26-year old Shialea Kay Cozad, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. Her bond was also $300. And, 38-year old Billie Jo Monson-Johnson, of Plattsmouth, NE., was arrested for Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. Bond was set at $1,000.

On Friday, Glenwood Police arrested 43-year old Steven Darrell Howard, Jr., of Glenwood, for Driving While Barred, His bond was $2,000.

Two people were transported by Medivac Ambulance and Atlantic Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital Monday afternoon, following a collision northeast of Atlantic at Highway 71 (650th Street) and Fayette Road. Cass County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Westring said a blue Ford F-150 pickup was traveling north on Highway 71 at around 1:10-p.m. when a Chevy Blazer traveling east on Fayette Road, pulled out onto the Highway. (Click on photos to enlarge)

The pickup struck the blazer on the passenger side, sending the SUV into the ditch on the northeast corner of the intersection. It’s not clear if the vehicle rolled, according to Westring. He said the occupants of the Blazer suffered “substantial” injuries and were transported to the hospital. It’s also unclear if anyone was ejected. The driver of the pickup refused medical attention and was transported by private vehicle.

The accident remains under investigation.

The Atlantic Police Department today (Monday) released a report on accidents and arrests. As we told you Friday, an accident at 2nd Street and Sunnyside Lane took place at around 4-p.m. Officials say a vehicle driven by Addison McAtee, of Minden, was traveling north on Sunnyside Lane and stopped before pulling out onto 2nd Street (Highway 83). Her vehicle was struck by an eastbound truck driven by Kolby Fulk, of Atlantic. Fulk suffered non-life threatening injuries, and was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac. He was cited for Failure to show proof of insurance. Damage from the collision amounted to $8,000.

On March 28th, vehicles driven by Halsey Bailey and Essex Mullins, both of Atlantic, collided at 14th and Plum Streets, as both vehicles were traveling east on 14th. The accident happened at around 8-a.m. Officials say Bailey’s vehicle stopped in traffic, and was rear-ended by the Mullins vehicle. No injuries were reported. Mullins was cited for Failure to show proof of insurance. Damage amounted to $1,500. At about the same time and location, vehicles driven by John McConkey and Scott Ihnken, both of Atlantic, were traveling east on 14th Street and approaching the Plum Street stop sign. When Ihnken stopped in traffic, his vehicle was struck from behind by the McConkey vehicle. McConkey told police he had the sun in his eyes and didn’t stop in-time. No injuries were reported. Damage amounted to $9,500.

And, an accident March 24th at 9th and Chestnut Street, in Atlantic, caused $2,000 damage, but no one was hurt. The A-PD says a vehicle driven by Anthony Palijo, of Atlantic, was eastbound on 9th Street at a stop sign. A vehicle driven by Halsey Bailey, of Atlantic, was northbound on Chestnut. When Palijo failed to yield from the stop sign, the vehicles collided. He was cited for Failure to Yield.

As for arrests: 31-year old Tony Mack, of Atlantic, was arrested March 27th, for Violation of a No Contact Order. On March 30th, Allen Van Aernam, of Atlantic, was arrested on two counts of Disorderly Conduct, and two counts of Criminal Mischief in the 5th degree. On April 1st, Atlantic Police arrested 39-year old Sergio Ramos, of Atlantic, for Domestic Abuse Assault with injuries. Each of the suspects arrested were booked into the Cass County Jail.

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say one person was hospitalized after a house fire in Clinton. Firefighters were dispatched around 4:10 a.m. Sunday, and the fire was brought under control in about 20 minutes.
The occupant was taken to a Clinton hospital. The person’s name has been released. The fire cause is being investigated.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An independent state agency says the number of complaints related to Iowa’s privatized Medicaid program more than doubled in 2017. The Iowa Office of Ombudsman says in an annual report released Monday that its department investigated more than 225 complaints last year related to private insurance companies that run the state’s Medicaid health program for the poor and disabled.
That’s more than double from the nearly 85 related complaints lodged in 2016.

The office is an impartial agency where citizens can file complaints about state and local governments. The office says complaints overall are up for the fourth straight year, in part because of issues tied to Medicaid privatization and the state’s corrections system. Ombudsman Kristie Hirschman says in the report that she’s not convinced the Iowa Department of Human Services is providing adequate oversight of the private insurance companies. She adds that a bill moving through the Legislature could address some concerns.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency says the outdoor Fire Danger Index will remain in the LOW category, through at least Thursday. Soil moisture is sufficient to keep controlled burns under control. Please be sure and notify your local fire chief, if you plan to conduct an outdoor burn, though, just in case things get out of control. The next update on burning conditions will be on Thursday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State and local officers are investigating a fatal shooting on the southern end of Des Moines. Officers and medics were called to the home in northern Warren County around 7:30 a.m. Monday. No arrests have been reported. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is helping Warren County authorities with the case, which is characterized as a homicide.

The name of the victim and other details have not been released.