Sheriff’s deputies in Fremont County, last week, arrested three men for soliciting a product without a permit. Deputies were called Thursday to a rural Thurman residence where several individuals had reportedly tried to sell the resident asphalt. The homeowner advised he was contacted at his residence by a man, who advised that his crew was working near Plum Creek Road and had extra material they would sell to him at a discount rate. When the homeowner advised he had contacted law enforcement the crew left the residence.

Deputies made contact a short time later, with 52-year old Timothy Allen, and 48-year old Jeffery Allen, both of Fouke, Arkansas, and 50-year old Jerry Higgs, of Henry, Tennessee. All three were arrested for soliciting without a permit and taken to the Fremont County Jail. They plead guilty and were released with a fine.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office wants to warn residents to be aware of door to door solicitors in Fremont County. Door to door solicitors are required to obtain a permit to operate in Fremont County in each incorporated town through the respective City Hall, and are required to obtain a permit from the Sheriff’s Office to operate outside the city limits in the county.

Fremont County residents are often contacted in the summer months by sales persons selling, Chip and Seal, asphalt, vacuums, magazines, meat, or a variety of goods and services. Citizens are encouraged to contact the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with any concerns in this matter at 712-374-2424.

Jeffrey Allen

Jerry Higgs

Timothy Allen

About nine in every ten Iowa children who are eligible for free meals during the summer break aren’t eating those meals. Stephanie Dross, a consultant for the Iowa Department of Education, says community groups offer summer meal sites all across the state, but for several reasons, tens of thousands of children don’t take part.

“We know that in the state of Iowa, we have over 200,000 children who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals during the school year,” Dross says. “When you compare that to our summer program, we average about 21,000 children on an average summer day. So, as you can tell, there’s a fairly significant gap.” According to Dross, since school buses aren’t picking kids up for class during the summer months, many of those children can’t get a ride to get a meal.

“Some of it is the knowledge from families as to the availability of sites and where those site locations are,” Dross says. “We also know there are transportation barriers across the state, both in rural and urban locations.” Still, some areas -are- able to access buses that bring the kids in. Some locations are also able to offer activities for the students in addition to the meals, which helps to boost attendance.

“The organizations that sponsor the summer food service program can choose to serve up to two meals or a meal and a snack per day,” Dross says. “The most commonly participated in meal is the lunch service but we also have lots of organizations across the state that do both breakfast meals and snacks throughout the day.” Another option is setting up serving sites at farmers markets, in addition to making connections with medical facilities.

For more information and to find locations for meal sites in your part of Iowa, call the Hunger Hotline at 866-3-HUNGRY, or text the word “food” to 877-877.

(Radio Iowa)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Barge traffic is making a slow but steady comeback on the Missouri River, although proponents acknowledge the industry is still swimming upstream against a perception that the river is not reliable enough to be a profitable transportation corridor.

Some private barge and tow companies never stopped using the river. But public ports along the 760-mile span from Sioux City, Iowa, to St. Louis virtually disappeared by the early 2000s due to a combination of drought, recession and political infighting. Improved conditions allowed Port KC to reopen the first public port on the Missouri River since 2007 and a public port about an hour north in St. Joseph is undergoing renovations.

Proponents of the ports say barge shipping is cheaper, more environmentally friendly and eases stress on the nation’s highways and rail transportation systems.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater today (Monday), issued his weekly report on arrests. Sunday night, 40-year old Joseph Michael Greathouse, of Massena, was arrested on an Adair County felony warrant for Theft in the 2nd degree. His bond was set at $5,000.

Friday night, 26-year old Alyssa Janeen Carroll, of Greenfield, was arrested by Greenfield Police, for Theft in the 2nd degree and Possession of drug paraphernalia. The theft charge is with regard to her allegedly taking from a residence in Greenfield, a 2004 Chevy Silverado pickup that did not belong to her. Her bond was set at $5,000.

And, as we have mentioned in previous reports, 21-year old Keith Raje Franklin, of Florissant, MO., was arrested in Stuart, Sunday, May 22nd, on two felony and three serious misdemeanor charges associated with a shots fired incident, in Stuart at around 1:30-a.m. that same day. The felony charges included Intimidation with a dangerous weapon, and Possession of weapons by a felon. Franklin was released Thursday on $10,000 bond.

The incoming executive director of the Iowa Police Chiefs Association is open to changes in the state’s marijuana laws. However, Sam Hargadine says his group won’t be backing or fighting any plans that would clear the way for the use of marijuana as medicine in the state. “We decided to leave that to the medical experts,” Hargadine said. “We certainly recognize that there are some illnesses and conditions that marijuana may be resource for them…but we’ve stayed out of that.”

Sam Hargadine

The 57-year-old Hargadine has been the police chief in Iowa City for nearly 11 years. He’ll be leaving that job at the end of June to become the Iowa Police Chiefs Association’s first paid executive director. He’s suggesting state law be changed so possession of marijuana would be reduced from a serious to a simple misdemeanor. It would mean people arrested for possession of pot would receive a ticket on sight, rather than be transported to jail, fingerprinted, and then released.

“It’s one of those things that, depending on where you go throughout the state, not everybody agrees on that,” Hargadine said. “When you’re debating whether to legalize it (marijuana for recreational use), I think we’re all in agreement that would be a mistake. However, it should be lowered from a serious misdemeanor down to a simple.”

The Iowa Police Chiefs Association just recently presented Hargadine with its “Police Chief of the Year” award. He’s a native of Columbia, Missouri.

(Radio Iowa)

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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HOLSTEIN, Iowa (AP) – Veterans of service in Iraq and Afghanistan are being asked to serve in a different way. The Sioux City Journal reports that membership in groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, is shrinking as World War II and Korean War veterans age and die. That leaves the groups with fewer members to carry on basic functions such as providing color guards at veterans’ funerals.

The groups have met varying degrees of success as they try to attract younger veterans. In the American Legion’s northwest Iowa district, 18 of 89 posts have met their 2016 membership goals ahead of the June 30 deadline.

Of Post 225’s membership of 130 in Holstein, nearly a third served in what’s termed the Persian Gulf era.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a man was placed on escape status Sunday, after he failed to return from an authorized furlough to the Marshalltown Work Release Facility. Authorities are searching for 29-year old Michael Alan Compston, who was serving a 10-year sentence for 2nd Degree Robbery out of Cerro Gordo County. His sentence began on April 4th, 2006.

Compston was transferred to the Marshalltown WRF after being granted a work release February 5th, by the Iowa Board of Parole. Work Release is a minimum security setting which allows offenders an opportunity to gradually adjust to the transition between prison, and the community.

Compston

Compston is a white male, 6-feet tall, weighs 175-pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes. He also has a tattoo on his neck, piercings in both ears and left eyebrow. Anyone with knowledge of his location should call the Marshalltown Police Department or Marshal County Sheriff’s Office.

On this Memorial Day, activities are set for several area communities. Among them, services in Atlantic take place at the Field of Glory in the Atlantic Cemetery, beginning 10-a.m.. The service will be broadcast on KJAN and videocast on our video channel.

In Adair, a program will begin at 10-a.m., at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier at the Sunnyhill Cemetery.

In Anita, the events get underway at 10:30 in the Anita Evergreen Cemetery (In the event of rain the event takes place in the CAM High School Commons). The Cumberland First Baptist Church will host their annual Memorial Day Service at the Cumberland Community Building, beginning at 10:30-a.m.

In Casey,  the Casey United Methodist Church is the site for refreshments from 9:30-until 10-a.m., followed by services.

In Griswold, the day includes a ceremony at the Griswold Cemetery Circle of Flags beginning at 11-a.m. There’s also a luncheon at the Griswold American Legion, at 11:30.

Join the Lewis Town & Country Boosters and the Pancake Man on May 30th for a breakfast of pancakes & sausages, juice and coffee. They’ll be serving from 7:30-10:30 am at the Lewis Community Center for a free will donation.

In Massena, a program will be held at the CAM Middle School Commons, beginning at 10:30-a.m. hosted by American Legion Post #693.

Grant Community Preservationists (GCP) will hold an 11-a.m. service to honor lost veterans at the Grant Cemetery. The service will include music, readings, and an honor roll. Small individual flags will be available for families of veterans to place on their graves; GCP will be responsible for collecting them after the holiday. Following the cemetery service, Grant United Methodist Church will hold its annual Memorial Day Dinner from 11:30 am-to 1 pm for a free-will offering.

Memorial Day Services in Audubon County will be held on May 30th at 10:00  in Audubon at the Arlington Cemetery, 10:00 am in Brayton, 10:00 am and 9:30 am in Exira at the Exira Cemetery (Rain location the Exira Rec Center). Exira Lions Memorial Breakfast will be held on May 30th at the Lions Community Center in Exira.  They will be serving pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy, French toast, juice and coffee from 8 am to 1 pm for a free will offering. From 11 am to 1 pm they’ll be serving Rueben sandwiches with chips and drink to be served for $6.50.