The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says Deputies arrested two people on drug charges last week. Taken into custody on December 13th, 2016, was 33-year old Aaron Wayne Watson and 22-year old Maisie Sheryl Williams, both of Atlantic. Watson faces a felony Sponsoring a Gathering charge, in addition to Prohibited Acts, Possession of Meth 1^st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Williams was charged with Possession of Meth 1^st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both were taken to the Cass County Jail. Williams was released the following day on her own recognizance. Watson remains held in the jail on $8,000 bond.

Last Friday, the Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 39-year old Eric Allen Smith,  of Council Bluffs, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Smith was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

And on Saturday, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office charged 26-year old Devin Sparks Register and 61-year old Ricky Lee Roby, both of Atlantic, with Assault Causing Bodily Injury. The men were inmates at the Cass County Jail when the incident occurred. Roby remains held at the Cass County Jail on prior bond of $55,300. Register was released on his own recognizance.

(12-p.m. News)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following two separate accidents, Saturday. Just after Noon, Saturday, a 2000 GMC owned and driven by 47-year old Craig Bruce Woodard, of Atlantic, was westbound on Galveston Road about one-third of a mile east of 640th Street, when the vehicle lost traction on the slick roadway, entered the south ditch and struck an embankment before overturning. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $3,500.

And, at around 1:30 p.m. Saturday, a 2008 Chevy HHR owned and driven by 28-year old Amanda Lee Marholz, of Lewis, was eastbound on White Pole Road when the vehicle slid on the slippery roadway and entered the ditch near the intersection with Lansing Road. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $1,500.

(12-p.m. News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The insurance industry and its regulators are asking a judge to allow documents detailing “shadow insurance” subsidiaries created by life insurers to remain secret. The Iowa Insurance Division and the Federation of Iowa Insurers are opposing a lawsuit filed by Indiana University professor emeritus Joseph Belth, who’s seeking the documents under Iowa’s open records law.

Belth believes that the “shadow insurance” instruments threaten the solvency of insurers, and the public has a right to know. Companies such as TransAmerica have transferred hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities to subsidiaries to loosen the amount of capital they need in reserves. An assistant attorney general argued last week that regulators properly denied Belth’s request and the documents should be kept confidential.

The insurance federation says the practice is well-regulated and justified.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports a man was arrested Saturday night on drug and alcohol charges, following an investigation into an incident that occurred at the intersection of Highways 71 & 44. 57-year old Charles Frederick Fancher, of Audubon, was charged with two counts of Possession of Contraband, OWI/1st offense, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Meth, two counts of Unlawful Possession of Prescription Pills, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Fancher was booked into the Audubon County Jail and later released after appearance before a magistrate.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – The popular mayor of Iowa’s second largest city says he will not run for re-election as he explores whether to run for governor as a Republican.
Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett announced Monday that he will not seek a third four-year term in November. Instead, he says he’ll spend the next several months traveling the state discussing issues and weighing a bid for governor.

If he runs, Corbett would likely face Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds in a Republican primary ahead of the 2018 election. Reynolds is set to become governor in coming weeks, when Gov. Terry Branstad resigns to begin his appointment as President-Elect Donald Trump’s ambassador to China.

Corbett is a former speaker of the Iowa House. He helped Cedar Rapids through a major recent flood that required evacuations.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office say a man was arrested early Sunday morning following a hit-and-run accident, in Avoca. 26-year old Skylar Matthew Ryan, of Avoca, was charged with OWI/1st offense, and cited for leaving the scene of a property damage accident, as well as failure to maintain control, after the pickup he was driving struck a Mid-American Energy pole at the intersection of East Kearney and North Chestnut Street in Avoca. The accident happened at around 1-a.m., Sunday.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports the arrest on Saturday of 41-year old Jeremy Leslie Williams, of Clarinda. Williams was taken into custody under the authority of a warrant charging him with Possession, receipt, transportation, or dominion and control of firearms, offensive weapons, and ammunition by felons and others. The charge was the result of an investigation conducted by the Page County Sheriff’s Office. Williams posted a $5,000 bond and was released shortly after being booked into jail.

Jeremy L. Williams

In other news, Sheriff Palmer says no injuries were reported following two separate weekend accidents. At around 10:15-a.m. Saturday, an accident took place near the intersection of 210^th Street and Tolbert Avenue, about one-mile east of Clarinda. An investigation determined 69-year old Sherry Suzanne O’Connell, of Clarinda, was driving a 1998 Ford F-150 pickup eastbound on 210^th.  When she attempted to turn left onto Tolbert, the pickup went out of control and entered the west ditch before rolling onto its passenger side. The vehicle sustained an estimated $3,500 damage.

And, Sunday afternoon, an accident happened in the 2600 block of 230^th Street, or about three-miles southwest of Clarinda.  An investigation determined 16-year old Cooper Brann Randolph, of rural Clarinda, was lost control of a vehicle as he was driving east and hit a patch of ice on the road. The vehicle went off the road and struck a power pole owned by Mid American Energy.  Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $5,000.  Damage to the power pole was estimated at $500.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports two people were arrested on drug charges last week. Greenfield Police Dec. 12th, arrested 21-year old Ashley Nicole Kelly, of Des Moines, and 25-year old Shane Forrest Dugan-Jones, of Greenfield, on felony charges of Possession with the Intent to Deliver, 5-grams of methamphetamine. The substance was found in the ashtray of the vehicle they were in. Both subjects were also charged with Possession of Meth/1st offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ashley Kelly faces additional charges of Interference with Official Acts, two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance/Prescription drugs without a prescription, and a Prescription Drug Violation. Dugan-Jones was also arrested on a Polk County warrant for Theft in the 2nd Degree. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on $100,000 bond, while Kelly was being held on $50,000 bond, which was was reduced from $100,000.

Adair County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28-year old Larry Joe Warrior, of Fontanelle, Dec. 14th, for Harassment in the 1st Degree. He was later released on $2,000 bond. The Sheriff’s report says Warrior and his sister got into an argument, during which he grabbed a kitchen knife and began to stab the door. He also allegedly threatened to kill his sister and hang her a tree in the yard if she called police. His sister fled the house out of fear for her safety. Warrior admitted to a Deputy that “His anger got the best of him,” and that he had threatened to harm his sister.

U-S Republican Senator Joni Ernst, from Red Oak, will hold a couple of public events in the area next month. Her office said today (Monday), Ernst will hold a Montgomery County Town Hall Meeting Jan. 7th, beginning at 9-a.m., at the Montgomery County Family YMCA (101 E. Cherry St.).

And, Ernst will be in Winterset Jan. 7th, for a “Coffee with Joni,” beginning 2:30-p.m., at the Northside Cafe (61 E. Jefferson St.). Ernst says one of her top priorities is to complete a 99 county tour of Iowa, so she can hear directly from residents across the state.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from western Adair County was injured during a rollover accident Sunday afternoon. 23-year old Jennifer Vandeboe, of Fontanelle, was transported by private vehicle to the hospital in Creston, after the 2003 Pontiac van she was driving went out of control after hitting a patch of ice as she was traveling north on Highway 25.

The vehicle entered a ditch and flipped over, coming to rest on its passenger side. Damage to the van was estimated at $5,000 (a total loss). A fence owned by Jeff Tussey, was also damaged during the crash. The damage was estimated at $200.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports also, 58-year old Dubley Wade Nutt, of Des Moines, was arrested Sunday night at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for violation of probation.  Nutt was being held in the Union County Jail without bond, until seen by a judge.