(Hampton, Iowa) – A collision Sunday afternoon in northern Iowa’s Franklin County resulted in a fatality and one person being injured. The Iowa State Patrol reports the crash occurred at around 3:20-p.m. near Hampton. A 2007  Columbia golf cart operated by 84-year-old Robert Norman Irwin, of Hampton, was stopped at Highway 65 on 170th Street, and failed to yield the right-of-way to a 2023 Harley Davidson motorcycle, operated by 54-year-old Corey William Spear, of Hampton.

As the golf cart began crossing east-to-west, it was struck by the motorcycle in the northbound lane of traffic on Highway 65. Robert Irwin died from his injuries at the Franklin General Hospital. Spear was injured and transported to the hospital for treatment.

The crash remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – The president and C-E-O of the Interfaith Alliance says religion can be a positive force in our democracy, but only if there’s equality for all religious traditions. Reverend Paul Brandeis Raushenbush has been the national leader of the Interfaith Alliance for about a year.

“My message to Iowa is…will these policies being put forth benefit everyone from every religious tradition, from every racial background, from every gender and sexuality?” he asks. “Can we really talk about equality in Iowa and what kinds of policies will get us there?” Raushenbush will speak Thursday afternoon at a “Challenging Christian Nationalism” forum at a Des Moines church.

“The country is in a turning point, a crisis point,” he says, “and I feel very called to it.” Two Iowa based evangelical Christian groups have recently hosted forums featuring most of the top Republicans who’re running for president. Raushenbush says the Interfaith Alliance offers a different vision about the role of religion in society.

“No one religion under the establishment clause of the First Amendment…should have pre-eminence. That is the genius of America,” he says. “We are a nation for all religions, not just some and that people will be trying to figure out how we can deal with one another with the utmost respect regardless of background, specifically in regards to religious background.”

Raushenbush, who grew up in Wisconsin, is an ordained American Baptist minister who was the associate dean of religious life at Princeton. He’s also the founder of a religious column on the HuffPost website.

(College Park, MD) – NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released its latest monthly drought outlook for October 2023, showing where drought is expected to improve, worsen, or remain the same over the next month: Atlantic, Iowa is currently in Moderate Drought (D1), according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and conditions are expected to persist over the next month.

(Southwest Iowa) – In response to a rash of recent field and ditch fires having taken place, another southwest Iowa County has been placed under a Burn Ban. No open burning is allowed in Audubon County by Order of the State Fire Marshall, per a request from Audubon County Emergency Management Director Tyler Thygesen, acting on behalf of the fire department chiefs in Audubon County.

The Audubon County Burn Ban is in effect now (Oct. 1st) until further notice (when conditions are such that a danger to life and/or property does not exist from opening burning, and at the discretion of the Fire Marshal). Any violation of the proclamation is a simple misdemeanor, punishable by a $200 fine.

A burn ban does not prohibit the following:  supervised, controlled burn for which a permit has been issued by the fire chief of the fire district where the burn will take place, the use of outdoor fireplaces, barbecue grills, properly supervised landfills, or the burning of trash in incinerators or trash burners made of metal, concrete, masonry, or heavy one-inch wire mesh, with no openings greater than one square inch.

Previously, officials in Shelby County announced a Burn Ban was in effect beginning Oct. 1st, and until further notice. Harrison and Crawford Counties have also instituted a ban on opening burning over the  past 10-days.

(Sidney, Iowa) – Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports a Cass County (IA) man was among several people arrested on separate drug charges over the past week. This (Sunday) morning (Oct. 1st), Fremont County deputies arrested 21-year-old Gage Mitchell Mundorf, of Atlantic.

Gage Mundorf

He was arrested for two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd Offense, (Cocaine and Marijuana). Mundorf wass being held on a $4,000 cash/surety bond.

Last Thursday (9/28) Fremont County deputies arrested 57-year-old Chrissy Lee Farnsworth, of Riverton (IA). She was arrested for two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine and Marijuana), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and released after posting $2,300 surety bond.

Farnsworth

Strange

61-year-old John Allen Strange, also of Riverton, was arrested Thursday, for 3rd Offense Possession of Methamphetamine. He was released after posting a $1,000 surety bond.

On September 11th, deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary of a previously flooded home under that was under construction in Hamburg. On September 26th, deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office conducted multiple search warrants at a residence in the 400 block of Main Street and the 3100 block of Washington Streets, in Hamburg. They were able to recover stolen property as well as controlled substances.

Downey

Forbes

Two men were arrested. 34-year-old Charles David Forbes, of Omaha, and 47-year-old Shane Michael Downey, of Hamburg, were charged in connection with the search warrants.

Forbes was charged with: Theft 1st Degree, a Class C Felony and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He is being held on $10,000 cash/surety bond. Downey was charged with: Theft 1st Degree, a Class C Felony; Possession of Methamphetamine, 2nd Offense; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs and Possession of Marijuana. He was released after posting a $10,000 surety bond. Additional  charges are pending in the case.

Other, unrelated arrests in Fremont County include:

• 70-year-old Patrick Lynn Greene, of Shenandoah, who was taken into custody on Sept. 26th, for Violation of Probation. He was released on his own recognizance.
  

  Greene

  

  Kalkas

• 41-year-old Dustin Eugene Kalkas, of Shenandoah, was arrested Sept. 28th, on an outside agency warrant. He was released to an outside agency.

(Creston, Iowa) – A teenage passenger in a car suffered minor injuries during a collision Saturday evening, in Creston. According to the Creston Police Department, 16-year-old Cain Harmening, of Creston, was transported by his parents to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, following the collision that occurred at around 7:40-p.m. at the intersection of Howard and Elm Streets.

Authorities say a 2005 Chevy Monte Carlo driven by 17-year-old Boone Zerick Virgil Pryor, of Afton, was traveling west on Howard Street. Pryor told police he was moving his food and not paying attention, when his car ran the stop sign at the intersection. As the Chevy entered the intersection, it was struck on the passenger side, by a southbound Chrysler 200, driven by 25-year-old Cheyenne Louise Goodnight, of Creston.

The Monte Carlo sustained disabling damage during the crash. The vehicles sustained estimated at $6,000 damage altogether. No citations were issued, but authorities say Goodnight was not able to provide proof of insurance.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Officers with the Red Oak Police Department arrested a Cass County (IA) man at around 11:40-p.m., Saturday. Authorities say 25-year-old Dawson Allen Squires, of Griswold, was arrested in the 200 block of E. Walnut Street in Red Oak, for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree, and Public Intoxication. Dawson was transported to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on a $300 bond.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Four people, two adults and two children from Nebraska, were injured during a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 29 two-miles north of Highway 34 in Mills County, late Saturday morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2009 Honda passenger car was traveling south on I-29 near mile marker 37 at around 10:50-a.m. The driver attempted to merge from the left lane to  the right. The driver noticed a semi already in the right lane and over-corrected to the left, causing the vehicle to leave the road and enter the median, where it rolled over and came to rest on its top on the northbound side of a cable barrier.

The driver, 20-year-old Gabrielle Wells and a passenger, 20-year-old Robert Baca, both of Omaha, were injured, along with the two children, a seven-year-old and a 10-year-old, whose names were not released. Wells and the 10-year-old were transported to the UNMC in Omaha by Glenwood Rescue. Baca and the seven-year-old were transported by Hamburg EMS to Jenny Edmundson Hospital, in Council Bluffs.

The Patrol said all of the crash victims were wearing their seat belts.

(Walnut, Iowa) – Multiple area fire departments were dispatched to a field fire this (Saturday) afternoon, north of Walnut, in Pottawattamie County. The blaze was reported to have occurred near 540th and Timber Road. Marne Fire was dispatched at around 1:10-p.m., to assist Walnut, Elk Horn, Kimballton and Shelby Fire fighters.

Audubon County Emergency Management officials said Saturday (Today), that “fire departments within Audubon County and surrounding areas have had a busy 24 hours. We are asking that if you have previously (within in the last month) burnt your brush pile or burn pit, please check it to verify there are no hot ashes. The current conditions are favorable for reigniting those sources. Audubon county remains in a very high risk for fire danger.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Meyer & Gross Real Estate, will be hosting a Drive-In Movie experience next Saturday, October 7th. Chamber Programs Director Kelsey Beschorner says “Drive-In Movie Night has become an annual tradition that I look forward to every year. We are excited to bring this classic movie to the big screen this fall. The Drive-In is a fun, nostalgic experience for community members and those in the surrounding area to enjoy. This also gives us the opportunity to show off our town and encourage people to shop and eat before coming to the movie.”

The Drive-In Movie will be at the Cass County Fair Grounds in the grandstand area beginning around 8:30 PM with a showing of “Matilda”. Cars may begin parking at 7 PM. The screen is 60 feet long with a high definition projector. Speakers will be available next to the screen for people to utilize. A transmitter will be provided for those enjoying the movie from their car. Attendees will turn their radio to a certain station and the transmitter will play the audio through their car speakers.

Entry is $25 per car vehicle and tickets can be purchased at www.atlanticiowa.com or day-of at the gate. People are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on. Inside parking for the Drive-In is limited, so pack a chair or blanket as precaution. Concessions will be available for purchase on the fairgrounds.

For more information, visit www.atlanticiowa.com, call the Chamber at 712.243.3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com. The Drive-In is sponsored by Meyer & Gross Real Estate and Nishna Valley Family YMCA.