Two Creston residents were arrested Friday on separate charges. The Creston P-D says 15-year old Mauricio Andres Trejos Castaneda was referred to Juvenile Authorities, after he was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana. The teen was then released to his step-father. And, 20-year old Patrick Riley Liams was arrested at around 10:15-p.m., for Public Intoxication. He was later released from the Union County Jail on his own recognizance.

The Creston P-D is also investigating three reports of theft. Last Thursday, a Creston man reported his wallet was stolen, and his credit cards were used for an unknown amount. The loss was estimated at $30. On Friday, a Creston man reported his 2001 MCKD Mac-Lander Trailer was stolen sometime between Oct. 14th and Nov. 14th. The loss was estimated at $2,500.

And on Sunday, a Creston woman reported to police someone entered her residence sometime between 1:20-p.m. and 7-p.m. on that date. She was missing a Google laptop computer, Nexus 7 tablet, and $100 cash. The loss was estimated at $650.

With Ric Hanson.

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A Nebraska hospital says an Ebola patient being treated in its biocontainment unit has died. Nebraska Medical Center said in a news release Monday that Dr. Martin Salia died as a result of the disease.

Salia contracted Ebola while working as a surgeon in Sierra Leone. He arrived Saturday to be treated at the Omaha hospital, where two other Ebola patients have been successfully treated.

Ebola has killed more than 5,000 people in West Africa. Salia was a citizen of Sierra Leone.

The Atlantic Police Department’s Reserves are once again sponsoring a “Family Dream Christmas.” On December 20th, 2014 the Atlantic Police Reserves will be sponsoring the 7th annual Family Dream Christmas program. The program is for Cass County Residents only. During the program, we will furnish the officers and transportation to take the selected families shopping here within Atlantic. Families will be taken shopping in Atlantic to purchase items that they are in need of as well as to purchase gifts for the children from their parents, and for the parents from the children.

A-PD photo

On December 21st, 2014 the Atlantic Police Department will be holding the 14th annual Shop with a Cop Program. This program is for children of Cass County. During the program, officers will take children shopping in our local Wal-Mart store. Children will be assisted in finding items that they are in need of such as; coats, hats, gloves, boots, as well as other clothing. Children will also be able to pick out some items that may be on their wish list for the year.

The Police Reserves will be accepting cash donations to help support these two programs from now through the 17th of December. Donations can be dropped off at the Atlantic Police Department. Officials are asking for primarily cash donations this year.

Applications for families wishing to participate in the Family Dreams Christmas Program can be picked up at the Atlantic Police Department. Applications can be picked up starting November 13th and must be turned back in by December 10th by 4:00 PM to be considered. After all applications have been received, they will be reviewed and the chosen families will be contacted. There is no set limit on the number of families chosen; it will correspond to the amount of donations received. The Reserves will try to help as many families as possible.

The Atlantic Police and Reserve Departments would like to thank everyone in the past that has helped and would also like to thank those of whom are anticipating on helping with our wonderful programs. For questions or inquiries call the Atlantic Police Department at (712) 243-3512.

Facts
***In 2013, the Family Dreams program sponsored 10 full families***
***Additionally helped 2 other families with toys and assistance***
***In 2013 Shop with a Cop sponsored 25 children***
***Spent just over $12,000 on the two programs, all which was Donated by the public and local businesses***

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Police in Red Oak arrested a local man Sunday afternoon on an assault charge. Authorities say 22-year-old Kyle Lee Foster, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 2:45-p.m. on a charge of Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault. Foster was brought to the Montgomery County Jail where he was being held pending an appearance in front of a magistrate.

HARLAN, Iowa – As a major proposal to cut carbon pollution from the country’s aging power plants is considered in Washington D.C., people from all walks of life are calling for approval, including a mom and farmer from Iowa. Ellen Walsh-Rosmann and her family grow corn, beans and more on their spread in Harlan. She says the Clean Power Plan is needed to greatly reduce greenhouse gases and their impact on climate change. “We all have an obligation to protect the health of our families,” says Walsh-Rosmann. “Advocate for the use of more renewable energy and energy efficiency that will help our rural communities thrive.”

Critics of the proposal say it will do little to benefit the environment and will lead to higher electricity bills for consumers. The Environmental Protection Agency is taking public comment on the Clean Power Plan through Dec. 1.

Those groups backing the proposal include Iowa Interfaith Power and Light, the Center for Rural Affairs, Clean Up the River Environment, the Environmental Law and Policy Center and Clean Wisconsin. All are taking part in a regional week of action to build awareness, which includes a petition to the EPA. Walsh-Rosmann notes that with predictions of more weather extremes and big reductions in yields, cutting carbon emissions is that much more important for Iowa considering its agricultural base.

“I want clean air, water and the opportunities to continue farming with what we are given,” says Walsh-Rosmann. “I want my son to live in the same kind of world we are given and living in and his generation, and the next generations to come.”

(Iowa News Service)

The state drug czar says great progress has been made in getting control of the methamphetamine problem in the state, but the drug hasn’t disappeared. Steve Lukan, the director of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP), says the number of meth labs reported by Iowa law enforcement in 2014 is on a pace to total 172, which would be their lowest number found in 17 years. “We certainly think that there’s been some real success with the pseudoephedrine tracking system, I think that that as well as law enforcement working a lot of the intelligence side of things have really helped disrupt a lot of the manufacturing that been going on here in Iowa,” Lukan says.

Pseudoephedrine is an ingredient in cold medications that is also a key ingredient in making meth. Lukan says those making the illegal drug in Iowa have had to move to smaller operations. “These labs, while they are a lot smaller, they are just as dangerous and something that we definitely have to keep our foot on the gas as well,” Lukan says.

While the Iowa-made meth has decreased, the amounts, potency and use of meth smuggled into Iowa are increasing. Law officers have seized 64-thousand grams of meth so far this year, which is the largest volume seized in nine years.   “Because of our location there is a major networking that happens across the county with meth coming up from Mexico. So, one of the reasons you maybe see some higher numbers, is because there’s been some better work done to try to catch that,” according to Lukan.

The continued impact of meth on Iowa is seen in the meth-related prison admissions, which hit 475 last year — more than half of all Iowa drug-related prison admissions. Meth treatment admissions last year made up nearly 15-percent of all publicly-funded treatment entries, an all-time high percentage involving meth.

(Radio Iowa)

Many Iowans, who are smokers, may have this Thursday circled on their calendars. The third Thursday in November is the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout — an annual effort to encourage smokers to quit for the day or make a plan to quit. Peggy Huppert, with the American Cancer Society in Central Iowa, says in the early 1970s, more than 40-percent of adult Iowans smoked cigarettes or cigars. Today, that figure has dropped to 18-percent. “We still think that’s too high,” Huppert said. “We have a lot of emphasis on helping people quit because of the harm that is caused. It is the number one preventable cause of death and disease in the nation and in Iowa.”

Smoking is blamed for roughly 80-percent of all lung cancer cases in the U.S. and lung cancer is the leading cause of death among all forms of cancer. Despite the extreme risks associated with smoking, thousands of Iowans have trouble quitting. “It’s extremely hard to quit smoking. Nicotine is the most addictive substance known to humans, more addictive than crack, meth, or any illegal drug,” Huppert said. “The average person has to try seven times to quit smoking before they’re successful.”

Around 42 million Americans still smoke cigarettes, which equates to just under 1 in every 5 adults. Huppert suggests Iowans who need help quitting smoking or using smokeless tobacco contact Quitline Iowa. “Within 30 days of quitting, your health can improve significantly and it will add years to your life,” Huppert said.

Persons who enroll in the Quitline Iowa program could be eligible for eight weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy, including patches, gum, or lozenges.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

JOHNSTOWN, Iowa (AP) — About 80 soldiers in an Iowa Army National Guard unit may be sent to West Africa to help respond to the Ebola outbreak there. The Iowa National Guard said yesterday that members of the 294th Area Support Medical Company are being notified that they may be deployed next spring for six months to a year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State officials may impose new limits on groundwater use to protect the underground aquifer that supplies drinking water to a half-million Iowans. The Des Moines Register reports environmental leaders are concerned about the future of the Jordan aquifer that sits beneath most of Iowa because water use continues to grow. The Iowa Environmental Protection Commission is scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss requiring additional conservation measures and possibly force some water users to seek other sources of water.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A shooting in downtown Dubuque that injured two women is being investigated. Police Lieutenant Pablo Ramirez says 46-year-old Tanya Brisco and 34-year-old Danielle Brown were both wounded shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday. The Telegraph Herald reports that the shooting happened at The Mad Hatter bar, which was the site of a different shooting last November when the bar was called Players Club.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A 5-year-old girl was critically hurt this weekend when she sledded into a street in Council Bluffs and was hit by a pickup truck. The Daily Nonpareil reports the incident happened just before 1 p.m. Saturday.