The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency is asking local fire departments and businesses in the county who possess “Fire Danger” signs, to place those signs in the “Extreme” category. High wind, low humidity, and significant crop left in the field will make for extreme fire danger this week. Any fires that start will be difficult to control and could spread rapidly. No burning is allowed during this period.

The next update will be Thursday Morning.

Police in Glenwood arrested four individuals on separate charges, recently. Sunday, 50-year old Kelly Merksick, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Bond was set at $1,000. On Saturday, 34-year old Jeremy Carnes, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $3,300.

Last Friday, 24-year old Shialea Cozad, of Omaha, was arrested in Glenwood, for Violation of a No Contact Order. Her bond was set at $300. And, last Wednesday, 24-year old Dyson Tobin, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Shoplifting charge. His bond was also set at $300.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Department reports five, recent arrests. Officials say 19-year old Marcus Anthony Pierce, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday evening for Violating a Protection Order. Pierce was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail. Also arrested Sunday, was 27-year old Tanya Rachel Diekman, of Erie, CO., who was taken into custody at around 6:30-p.m. following a traffic stop on Highway 275. Diekman was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1,300.

Saturday, Mills County deputies arrested 54-year old Shelly Ann Elsen, of Randolph, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1,300.

And, last Friday,55-year old Lonnie Lee Baker, of Malvern, was arrested in Mills County, for OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000. That same day, 41-year old Ladeena Marie Green, of Glenwood, was taken into custody at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 4th degree. Her bond was also set at $1,000.

(9-a.m. News)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday), said two people were hurt during a collision last Thursday evening, on Highway 34. Kendal Arnold, of Villisca, and Kristin Goodell, of Shenandoah, were transported to Mercy and Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, respectively, by rescue crews from Pacific Junction and Glenwood.

Officials say Arnold was traveling west on Highway 34 over Interstate 29 at around 7:10-p.m., as Goodell was exiting off I-29 onto Highway 34. When Goodell made an illegal left turn, her vehicle was struck on the driver’s side, by the Arnold vehicle. Both vehicles came to rest in the median.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports a truck driver from Arkansas was arrested Friday morning following a rollover accident off Interstate 80 eastbound, at the 93-mile marker. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Brady Clary interviewed 52-year old Benjamin H. Adams, of Dover, AR, after the semi he was driving left the interstate and landed on its passenger side in the south ditch at around 9:10-a.m.

The Trooper noted Adams had an odor of alcohol and that his eyes were bloodshot and watery. Adams consented to, and failed, a Field Sobriety Test, and a Preliminary Breath Test resulted in a reading of over .08. Adams was placed under arrest for OWI/1st offense. He was also cited for Failure to Maintain Control, Open Container in a motor vehicle, and for presence of alcohol in a commercial vehicle. He was later released from the Adair County Jail on $1,000 bond.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports also, 47-year old Matthew Field Montgomery, of Earlham, was arrested at around 12:30-a.m., Friday, for Driving While Barred. The man was later released on $2,000 bond.

(9-a.m. News)

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday) reports an arrest has been made in connection with last Wednesday afternoon’s robbery at the Farmers-Merchants Bank, in Neola. On Friday, 37-year old Jesse D. Specht, of Council Bluffs, was identified as person of interest in the crime. Specht was located at the Econo Lodge Downtown in Omaha and taken into custody on an outstanding warrant. He was transported to Douglas County, Nebraska, Corrections. Specht faces a charge of  robbery in the second degree in Pottawattamie County District Court.

Agencies involved in the investigation and arrest included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Marshals Service, Omaha Police Department, and the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office.

(In an update to our earlier report) A small livestock shed burned to the ground this (Monday) morning, northeast of Elliott, resulting the loss of several chickens. Elliott Fire Chief Brandon Adams told KJAN News a call about the fire at 53890 Pioneer Trail, came in at around 3:45-a.m. Adams says Griswold and Red Oak Fire along with Elliott 1st Responders, assisted at the scene.

Adams says when they arrived on the scene, the small livestock shed was fully engulfed in flames. He says they were able to knock down the flames quickly, but some small chickens perished in the blaze. The number of chickens that died was not known.

Adams says the cause of the fire is undetermined. There was a heat lamp for the chicks connected to electricity, but it’s not certain that actually caused the blaze. Firefighters got the blaze under control by around 4:15, and were on the scene for about an hour altogether cleaning up.

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

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Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green is scheduled to present his report during Wednesday evening’s meeting of the City Council. The meeting begins 5:30-p.m., in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall.

During his presentation, it’s expected Green will preview his future budget proposals, which may include body cameras for his officers. City Administrator John Lund says the Chief has done a great deal of research into the subject, the topic of which has been in the spotlight since the August 2014 shooting of a black suspect in Ferguson, MO., and other such recent, incidents.

A November 2014 survey of police departments serving the 100 most populated cities, found nearly 30-percent use some type of body cam, about one-quarter of the departments or agencies have plans to implement body cams, while slightly more than one-third of the cities did not use or planned to use the systems.

In Iowa, the police force in Iowa City began using the devices in July, 2015. In other cities, like Ft. Madison, community groups are banding together to raise funds destined to help pay for their officers’ body cameras. But the price isn’t cheap. They average around $800 a piece, not counting the required associated equipment, and other related expenses.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will review the bids and award a contract for, the Nishna Hills Storm Water Project, which is intended to help deal with drainage and storm water run-off issues affecting East 14th Street.The Council will also act on approving the Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Urban Renewal Report, which is required by the State, and accounts for outstanding debt, revenue and expenditures pertaining to the City’s Urban Renewal District.

And, City Administrator John Lund will present the Hotel-Motel Tax report. The four-percent tax was adopted following a vote on a public measure in Nov., 2010. According to his report, the City has raised $314, 706 from the Hotel-Motel Tax, since it began in Jan., 2011. The City uses those funds for a variety of parks and recreation improvements.

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

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