An accident involving multiple motorcycles and an SUV Tuesday evening in Pottawattamie County has left one person dead, and at least two others critically injured. The Daily NonPareil reports the nearly head-on crash happened between 8:30-and 8:45-p.m. on Old Lincoln Highway, north of Council Bluffs.

Witnesses told Omaha television station KETV that three motorcycles were heading south on the two-lane highway when they collided with another motorcycle carrying two people traveling north. A man riding the motorcycle traveling north was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff’s office and others said he was traveling at a high rate of speed.

The persons on the three southbound motorcycles were said to have been related. A husband and wife were on separate bikes, and the third bike had two people riding on it. The motorcyclist who died at the scene was wearing a helmet. Two other motorcyclists were transported in critical condition to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. A fourth person on one of the cycles and the driver of the SUV were not hurt.

The accident remained under investigation late Tuesday night.

Governor Terry Branstad, Tuesday, issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for Audubon County in response to recent storms and flooding. The county and other parts of western Iowa were hit by high winds and heavy rains on June 24th. Several outbuildings on farms were destroyed, and trees fell on homes. In the city of Audubon, a grain dryer at the West Central Cooperative toppled over, and ruptured a gas line. The incident triggered an evacuation and an hourlong closure of U.S. Highway 71.

The governor’s proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program in Audubon County. The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $39,060, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available at the “Disaster Assistance” link on the Iowa Department of Human Services website: www.dhs.iowa.gov

And, President Barack Obama issued a disaster declaration for 47 Iowa counties hit by recent storms and flooding. Branstad announced Tuesday that Obama had approved his request for a presidential declaration. The declaration means the counties will be eligible to receive federal funding for recovery efforts. Those funds could go to repairs, debris removal, loans for communities or grants to schools. Branstad also said that as part of this declaration the state will receive funding to take steps to strengthen infrastructure and limit the impact of future natural disasters.

Among the western Iowa counties included in the declaration are: Crawford, Greene, Monona and Sac.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Prosecutors in Southern California say a father from Nebraska has been convicted of murdering a man who got into a fight with his daughter. District attorney’s spokeswoman Farrah Emami says 41-year-old Cesar Marta of Omaha was convicted Tuesday of second-degree murder. Prosecutors say Marta, of Omaha, was visiting family in 2010 when he beat 27-year-old Cesar Gutierrez Hernandez as he was leaving his Santa Ana home, a month after Hernandez fought with Marta’s daughter.

An unknown accomplice of Marta’s held Hernandez’s friends back at knifepoint then stabbed Hernandez, who later died at a hospital. When Marta was identified as a suspect, he was in federal custody in Council Bluffs, on immigration charges. He was extradited to California to face trial. He is due for sentencing Aug. 9.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of a large fuel tank from property owned by Schildberg Construction, north of Red Oak. Officials say sometime between the hours of 4-p.m. Monday and 6:45-a.m. Tuesday, a person of persons entered the Schildberg Quarry property located at 1423 J Avenue, and stole a 550-gallon fuel tank valued at $2,000. In the process, a small storage building sustained $500 damage.

The fuel tank was described being red, with a top mounted electric pump. Authorities say evidence at the scene leads them to believe the tank was stolen by using a vehicle with rear duals. Anyone with information about the crime is urged to call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 1-800-432-1001.

Authorities in Montgomery County report also, the arrest Tuesday morning of a Red Oak man following a traffic stop at the intersection of 200th Street and G Avenue. 20-year old Isaias Guerra was charged with Driving Under Suspension/Habitual Violator, and he was cited for having no insurance and a registration violation. Guerra was released after posting bond.

A Taylor County man died Tuesday after the van he was driving collided with a semi in southwestern Union County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 79-year old Leonard Page, of Lenox, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Highway 25, northeast of Lenox. Officials say Page was traveling southbound at around 5:15-p.m, when for reasons unknown, the 2002 Ford van he was driving crossed the center line of the road and collided head-on with a northbound 2007 Freightliner driven by 59-year old David Werner, of Mason City.

Pages’ body was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny for an autopsy. The accident remains under investigation.

The Shelby County Supervisors approved a labor relations engagement with a law firm for representation for the county. In a regular board of Supervisors meeting this (Tuesday) morning, the board approved the agreement with Ahlers Law Firm for a flat rate of $1,250 per month for one year. According to Supervisor Roger Schmitz, the law firm would represent the county on several items. He said “Lawyers that would represent the county on negotiations to contracts, grievances, complaints and consulting services. We felt maybe this was the time to do this and go through the whole process.” 

The County can terminate the contract but would need a 30 day notice. Supervisor Steve Kenkel went on to say the law firm will take care of policies and job descriptions as well. “We will use this to get into our negotiations and to work on implementing annual evaluations and updating job descriptions and our handbook. A lot of policies are outdated so combining them all into one.” 

In other business, the supervisors tabled an agreement between the county and city of Harlan for the collection of delinquent parking tickets. Shelby County Treasurer Carolyn Blum stated at the meeting she has not had proper time to go over the agreement yet and felt by the next board meeting, the agreement should be written and approved. Blum said cities in other counties do in fact use an agreement at times. The agreement on the collection of delinquent parking tickets is a fee of $5 to the county from the city of Harlan. She said the city has 13 overdue parking tickets averaging around $50. The Shelby County Board of Supervisors will discuss the agreement again at their next meeting on Tuesday, July 23^rd.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests over the past few days. On Friday, June 28th, , deputies arrested 29-year old James Nektarios O’Brien, of Cumberland. O’Brien was charged with Driving While Barred and brought to the Cass County Jail. He was released the next day on his own recognizance.

And, on Sunday, sheriff’s deputies arrested 36-year old Richard Edwin Swain, of Griswold, on a charge of OWI 2nd Offense. Swain was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance.

Police in Harlan are investigating a break-in and theft at a local establishment. On Saturday, officers were called to the Westside Lounge, with regard to a break-in, where food and alcohol was reported missing. The case remains under investigation.

The Harlan P-D reports also, a 2008 Chevy truck, along with about $500 worth of tools and other items, were stolen sometime Saturday night from a property in Harlan. The incident remains under investigation.

A Harlan man turned himself-in to authorities Saturday after he ran from police the previous day, following a traffic stop. 26-year old Joey Ranney, Jr., was subsequently cited for Driving Under Suspension, and Interference with official acts, and then released from custody. Officials said also, 55-year old Robert Murtaugh, of Harlan, was arrested Thursday, on a warrant associated with a charge of OWI/1st Offense. And, 18-year old Payton Larsen, of Harlan, was arrested Friday, following a traffic stop. The young woman was cited for being a Minor in Possession of Alcohol and having improper headlights while driving at night. She was subsequently released from custody.

Local band “Popcorn Button” will be back on the stage this Independence Day weekend at the Elks Lodge in Atlantic for a night of free music and dancing. Admission is free, and dancers and listeners of all ages and abilities are invited to attend the dance on Friday, July 5th from 7- to 10- pm.

The summer’s first dance, titled “Let Freedom Swing” will see the twenty piece ensemble perform big band favorites like “In the Mood,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” and “Hoop-de-Doo Polka.”  Event organizers encourage dancers of all skill levels, including those with no experience, to enjoy the live music and get out on the dance floor. Jake and Pam Auerbach will be available to provide free instruction in east coast swing, waltz, two step, and polka throughout the evening.

Popcorn Button is a group of volunteer musicians who come from all walks of life. Many of the band’s members are from Atlantic or the surrounding area, including several students and alumni from Atlantic High School. Also featured are students from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa, and the community at large.

A free will donation will be accepted at the door to help defray costs of the event. All excess money goes back to the community in donations or through the Popcorn Button Community Music Scholarship, an award to help young musicians attend band camps, honor bands, or private lessons. For more information, contact Curtis Ullerich at info@popcornbutton.org or at 424-242-2878, or visit www.popcornbutton.org.

Alliant Energy today reminded customers to be wary of scam phone calls, as complaints similar to those received in winter and spring are continuing into the summer. Similar to a scam that has been in occurring locally and nationally, customers report receiving phone calls that threaten electric service disconnection and ask them to purchase a prepaid card. 

Alliant Energy does not ask customers to purchase prepaid credit cards nor make immediate cash payments over the phone. This scam appears to target Spanish-speaking customers, but can happen to anyone. 

• If someone calls claiming they represent Alliant Energy and they demand immediate payment or personal information, hang up and call us. Do not give in to a high-pressure caller seeking personal information. We have several secure and convenient payment options listed at alliantenergy.com/paymentoptions. 
• Beware that scammers can spoof caller-ID displays, which means they can mask the call’s true origin and make it appear as if it the call is coming from a utility company. 
• Do not provide your Social Security number, credit card numbers or bank account information to anyone who requests that information during an unsolicited phone call or an unannounced visit. 
• Customers should report attempted scams to local law enforcement and the Iowa Attorney General by visiting iowaattorneygeneral.org, or calling 1-888-777-4590.