Police in Atlantic report two accidents caused a total of $5,600 damage, but n0 one was injured. Officials said Monday an accident Friday afternoon in the 900 block of east 7th Street resulted in a Failure to Maintain Control citation for Kassidy Edwards, of Atlantic. The accident happened as vehicles driven by Edwards and Danielle Paulsen, of Elk Horn, were traveling west on 7th at around 12:20-p.m., and Paulsen was slowing due to traffic in front of her. When Edwards failed to notice Paulsen slowing, her vehicle rear-ended the Paulsen vehicle. The damage was estimated at $2,600.

The second accident happened Saturday morning, in the 300 block of Walnut Street, in Atlantic. Officials say no citations were issued after a southbound vehicle driven by Charlene Johnson, of Atlantic, struck the driver’s side door of a vehicle owned by Patricia Brownsberger, of Atlantic. The accident happened as Johnson was pulling into a parking space and Brownsberger was exiting her parked vehicle. The damage amounted to $3,000.

In other news, the Atlantic P-D says 23-year old Sarah Johnson, of Omaha, was arrested Saturday on a charge of OWI/1st offense. She was booked into the Cass County Jail and held, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Police in Clarinda report a 28-year old female was arrested Sunday evening on an aggravated assault charge after allegedly accosting a 65-year old man with a shovel and stun gun. Jenifer Leann Holmes was taken into custody following the incident, which allegedly occurred at around 7-p.m., at a residence on East Lincoln Street. Officials say Gary Laverne Holmes did not appear to be injured following the incident. Jennifer Holmes was transported to the Page County Jail where she later posted bail in the amount of $2,000.00.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five people were arrested last week, including a man from Tabor, who was arrested on drug charges. 19-year old Ozzy Ray Hunter was taken into custody August 20th following a traffic stop at around 8:50-p.m.. Hunter was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and PCS/Methamphetamine. His bond was set at $2,325.

On Wednesday, Mills County Deputies arrested 49-year old John Casey Davis, of Pacific Junction, on a charge of Public Intoxication His bond was set at $300. And, 36-year old Willard Edward Frazier, of Red Oak, was arrested that same day in Emerson, on warrants for Failure to Appear. His bond was set at $12,000.

Last Thursday, deputies arrested 31-year old Kale Garrett Hardman, of Glenwood, for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender. Hardman was being held in the Mills County Jail on $2,000 bond. And, on Friday, 55-year old William Joseph Wilcoxson, of Clarinda, was arrested in Silver City, on a warrant for Harassment in the 3rd degree. His bond was set at $3,000.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says a Guthrie County man was arrested Saturday night following a brief chase. 25-year old Simon Lee McAlister, of Guthrie Center, was arrested after his vehicle went out of control and ended-up against an embankment. McAlister was arrested on  Felony Eluding and OWI 1^st Offense charges. He was also arrested for Failure to Have SR-22 Insurance, and he was cited for Excessive Speed, Failure to Maintain Control, and Violation of a Restricted License. McAlister was taken to the Cass County Jail where he is being held on $7500 bond.

The Sheriff’s Department reports also 46-year old Philip Reed Thompson, of Lewis, was arrested Sunday, on charges of Public Intox and Criminal Mischief 5^th Degree. Thompson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he pled guilty later that day and was released.

And, on Friday, 33-year old Timothy James Kroening, of St. Paul, MN, was arrested on a Possession of a Controlled Substance charge, after a deputy investigated a report of a possibly unconscious man in a vehicle on a gravel road north of Atlantic. Kroening was also cited for Open Container. He was brought to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $1500 bond.

The judge in the case of a Lewis man charged with the sexual abuse of a 14-year old girl has approved expanded media coverage of the trial. Fourth District Court Judge Kathleen Kilnoski this (Monday) morning granted permission for KJAN News and other media outlets to record certain segments of the trial as allowed by law, and take still pictures without the use of flash, despite objections by witnesses, and the attorney for 52-year old Roger Allen Ericksen.

Ericksen faces two Aggravated Misdemeanor charges of Assault with the intent to commit Sexual Abuse, two counts of Lascivious Conduct with a Minor (A Serious Misdemeanor), and 46 Class-C felony counts of Sexual Abuse in the 3rd degree. Jury selection in his trial is slated to begin at 9:30-a.m. Tuesday, with opening statements at around 1-p.m.

Ericksen was arrested in December 2011, following an on-going investigation into allegations he had sexual contact with a teenaged girl over a two-month period of time in May of 2011. He’s plead not guilty to the charges.

The trial is expected to last about three-days.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a 27-year-old man has admitted distributing methamphetamine in the western Iowa city of Denison.  Prosecutors say Antonio Lara-Pantoja, of Denison, pleaded guilty in federal court in Sioux City to a drug conspiracy charge. He was arrested on March 26, 2011, after officers found nearly 4 grams of meth in his vehicle.

Investigators say Lara-Pantoja sold meth in Denison from January through March last year after obtaining it in Omaha, Neb. He faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. His sentencing hasn’t been scheduled yet.

The city council will look at suspending the rules covering nude dancing in Sioux City at their meeting tonight. Mayor Bob Scott says the action is related to an Iowa Supreme Court ruling. “Which basically says that cities can’t license dancers and dance establishments, and so what we’re doing is just putting a hold on our ordinance, we’re not going to enforce. And all the cities are going together and asking the legislature to clarify what the law should be and to allow us to continue to license those facilities,” Scott says.

Last month, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled the city of Hamburg that it cannot enforce an ordinance that prohibits a local business from allowing semi-nude lap dances because state law pre-empts the ordinance. The city in 2008 had passed a local ordinance that requires semi-nude dancers to remain more than six feet away from customers. The owners of a property that leases space to a place known as “Shotgun Geniez” sued the city. They claimed the ordinance eliminates lap dances — one of the major reasons patrons go to the club. The court found Iowa law pre-empts local obscenity ordinances and that nude dancing falls within the state’s obscene materials statute, which prohibits cities from regulating obscenity.

Scott says the ruling keeps cities from regulating nude dancing, “Because as it is now, if you don’t want to serve liquor, you can have nude dancing and call it a dance theater.” He says the Iowa Legislature would have to pass a new law to allow cities to enforce restrictions on nude dancing.