Officials with the Harlan Police Department say two persons were arrested, and two accidents were investigated over the course of the past couple of weeks. In a report issued Thursday, the H-P.D. says 33-year old Robin Hensel, of Harlan, was arrested October 13th following a traffic stop, on a charge of Driving Under Suspension. Hensel plead guilty to the offense Tuesday in Shelby County District Court. He was ordered to pay a fine of $250.    And, 48-year old Christina Hansen, of Harlan, was arrested October 15th following a trafic stop, for Driving Under Suspension, Operating a Non-registered vehicle, and for Failure to Prove Security against Liability.  

Harlan Police also report non-injury accidents occuring on October 3rd and 5th caused a total of $14,000 damage, and resulted in two separate citations. Anita Dargy, of Harlan, was cited for Failure to come to a complete stop in an assured clear distance, following an accident October 3rd in the 1000 block of Chatburn Avenue.  During the accident, Dargy’s vehicle rear-ended one driven by Adam Phifer, of Harlan, as he was about to turn into a bowling alley driveway.

Kaitlyn Ladehoff, of Templeton, was cited October 5th, for Failure to Yield to a vehicle on her right, following an accident at 9th and Laurel Streets, in Harlan. Her vehicle collided with one driven by Peggy Ahrenholtz, of Manilla, at the uncontrolled intersection. The impact spin Ladehoff’s car around 180-degrees.

The Iowa Department of Transportation late Thursday released details on the planned, temporary closure of U.S. 30 between Interstate 29 (west of Missouri Valley) and the Missouri River (near Blair, Neb.), which is scheduled to begin next week. An accelerated work schedule and special traffic control measures are being employed to get traffic moving as quickly as possible.

Closure points
·  Western end – one mile east of the Missouri River (near Blair, Neb.)
·  Eastern end – approximately ½ mile east of Harrison County Road K-45
·  No access will be available to U.S. 30 from side roads, including Corning Avenue
and Harrison County Road K-45/Austin Avenue

The project will be completed in two stages.
Stage 1
·  Work during this stage will involve removal of granular material from the TrapBags, stockpiling of the material at various locations, disposal of the plastic bag material, broom and wash the surface of the pavement and paved shoulders, dispose of all sandbags and plastic materials, and place final pavement markings.
·  U.S. 30 will be closed to all traffic, around-the-clock, for five continuous days, beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 24.
·  Due to the importance of this highway and river crossing to regional traffic, the contract includes an incentive/disincentive provision. The contractor is allowed a maximum of five calendar days to complete the work. An incentive is available to the contractor for reopening the roadway in fewer calendar days. Liquidated damages would apply if the roadway is not opened within this period.
·  Because the contractor will be working quickly to restore traffic, it is unknown precisely when the road will be reopened to traffic. However, the closure is not expected to extend beyond 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29.
Stage 2
·  Repairs to the foreslopes and shoulders will be completed during this stage.
·  U.S. 30 will be open to single-lane traffic during daylight hours with use of flaggers and pilot cars. During nighttime hours, all lanes of U.S. 30 will be open to traffic by using a shoulder closure.
·  The contractor has 20 working days to complete this stage. Weather can impact available working days.
·  Contract specifications allow traffic control to be set up starting 30 minutes after sunrise, and must be taken down and off the roadway 30 minutes before sunset.

Detour: Persons wishing to cross the Missouri River may take the following detour on
the Iowa side of the river.
·  Starting at the I-29/U.S. 30 interchange near Missouri Valley
·  Travel south on I-29 to I-80
·  Then west on I-80 across the Missouri River into Omaha, Neb.

As a reminder, I-680 is closed from I-29 west to the Missouri River. This road is currently being rebuilt following the flooding.

The Audubon Police Department reports five western Iowa residents were arrested Wednesday on numerous drug charges. Police Chief David Simonsen said the arrests stemmed from an investigation into alleged drug activity, and the execution of a search warrant, at a residence in Audubon.

Among those taken into custody, Wednesday was: 25-year-old  Nina Gross of Audubon, who was charged with Possession of Marijuana, Gathering Where Drugs are Used/Marijuana, and Gathering Where Drugs are Used/Methamphetamine. 28-year-old Anthony Bruns of Manning, was charged with Possession of Marijuana, Gathering where Drugs are Used/Methamphetamine, Failure to Affix Drug Tax Stamp, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Knowingly keeping a Dwelling for the Purpose of Using a Controlled Substance. 38-year-old Chad Darrow of Denison, was charged with Gathering Where Drugs are Used/Methamphetamine, and Possession of Methamphetamine. 36-year-old Michael Stessman of Defiance, was charged with Possession of Marijuana/3^rd or Subsequent Offense, Possession of Methamphetamine/Subsequent Offense, and Gathering Where Drugs are Used/ Methamphetamine. And, 31-year-old Nickolas Schwenn of Denison, was charged with Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Gathering Where Drugs are Used/Methamphetamine.

All five suspects were booked into the Audubon County Jail and held pending an appearance before the magistrate. The Audubon Police Department was assisted in their investigation and arrests by deputies with the Audubon County Sheriff’s Department, and the County Attorney’s Office.

The new Iowa Economic Development Authority Board met today (Thursday) in Des Moines, with its members taking action on approving awards that will create up to 593 jobs in Iowa and retain another 105 jobs. The board approved incentives for planned or proposed projects located in Des Moines, Charles City, Fort Dodge, Coralville, Urbandale, Davenport, Underwood and Independence. The incentives went to companies whose business is in the areas of technology, manufacturing, food processing and biosciences.

In western Iowa, Link Snacks in Underwood was approved by the board for $40,000 in direct financial assistance plus tax incentives to Link Snacks, Inc., to expand it’s operations. The money will be used for the acquisition of an existing building in the city of Underwood to establish a second distribution center in Iowa for its products.

The company’s other center is in Laurens.  Link Snacks,Inc. is one of the fastest-growing meat snack manufacturers in the world, and sells their products in more than 40 countries.  This $9.4 million capital investment is expected to create 131 new jobs.

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) – A Glenwood man is being held on $25,000 bond after being charged in connection with the death of his 5-month-old son. Authorities say 35-year-old Jason Curtis was arrested Wednesday on Felony charges of child endangerment, neglect of a dependent person and willful injury. They say Curtis called for help on July 14th because his son was barely breathing. When emergency crews arrived they found the child unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at a Council Bluffs hospital. Special Agent in Charge with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Terry Klooster, says an autopsy showed Jackson Curtis died of head trauma. Klooster declined to say how the injury was inflicted because the investigation is continuing. Curtis appeared in court this (Thursday) morning.

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A Hamlin teen died and three other people were injured during a near head-on collision Wednesday night in Audubon County. The Iowa State Patrol says 17-year old Kristopher George Crawley, who was wearing a seatbelt, died at the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic following the crash, which happened at around 11:25-p.m on Highway 71, just north of Brayton.

Officials say the teen was a passenger in a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was traveling north on Highway 71, when it collided near the centerline of the road with a southbound 2006 Chevy pickup.  After the crash, both vehicles came to rest in the west ditch.

Injured in the crash, was the driver of the SUV, 22-year old Jason Robert Rattenborg, of Audubon, and two persons in the pickup, including the driver, 55-year old Kendall Lee Ware, of Lineville, and 30-year old Mark Anthony Piearson, of Leon.  Two of the injured were taken to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, the other two were transported to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital, each was taken by Exira Rescue.

The accident remains under investigation.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report the arrest Wednesday evening, of a Villisca man on an assault charge. 27-year old William Joseph Pokorny was charged with Simple Domestic assault, after deputies responded to a reported incident in the 100 block of North 5th Avenue in Villisca, at around 7:10-p.m., Wednesday.

Pokorny was booked into the Montgomery County Jail in Red Oak, where he was being held on $300 bond.

Fire officials in Council Bluffs have released the name of an elderly Council Bluffs woman who died following a house fire Wednesday afternoon. Chief Alan Byers says 77-year old Yon-Sook Kim was overcome by smoke, and died at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs. Byers says firefighters responded to 917 Spruce St. at around 1:17 p.m, after a neighbor called to report smoke coming from an attic vent. A utility worker on his way to a job site also called 9-1-1 when he saw heavy smoke coming from a front window of the home. Police officers arrived on the scene and kicked in the door, but were unable to enter the home due to the intense smoke.

Firefighters found the woman unconscious, in her kitchen.  A preliminary investigation indicates an accidental cooking fire likely caused the blaze. Byers says the amount of actual fire damage to the structure was limited to the hall & kitchen area, with heavy smoke damage throughout the rest of the residence. He says also, there were no working smoke detectors in the home.

An autopsy was sheduled to be performed on Kim’s body today (Thursday), at the State Medical Examiner’s office in Ankeny. The results of the autopsy will likely be released in 2-to 3-days.