A Shenandoah Police officer and his canine partner won two awards earlier this month in Des Moines. Shenandoah Police Chief Kris Grebert says Officer Nephi Jones and his K-9 Eron picked up the awards during the National Police Canine Association Regional Trials.

The pair finished 5^th overall in vehicle searches and were named Top Rookie for Region 21, which includes Iowa, parts of Minnesota and Missouri. Sixty-three teams competed during the event. Fifteen were rookies.

Jones said he and Eron participated in the trials so the pair could become certified. He was appointed as K-9 handler at the end of January and completed training at the end of February. Jones has been a member of the Shenandoah Police force since March, 2008.

His partner Eron has already assisted in the detection of narcotics which resulted in arrests.

The Atlantic Board of Education will meet the new Atlantic Middle School Principal tonight, during scheduled work session at the high school. Cameron Smith was hired by the board April 12^th. Smith comes to Atlantic from the Garner-Hayfield School District, where he serves as the K-through 8^th Grade Principal and Athletic Director.

He will succeed AMS Principal Todd Roecker, who had earlier announced he would be retiring from the district at the end of June.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board tonight will receive an update on district building and infrastructure projects from Design Alliance Architect’s Jerry Purdy.

Their work session begins at 7-p.m. in the media center at the high school.

Authorities in Fremont County report the arrest Monday morning of a fourth person suspected in the April 18^th burglary of an unoccupied residence near Thurman. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope says Douglas Myers was arrested without incident in a Casey’s General Store parking lot in Tabor, after officials received a tip the man was in a U-Haul truck in that area.

Myers was charged with Burglary in the 3^rd, and Theft in the 3^rd, degrees. He was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of Methamphetamine.

Authorities allege Myers, along with 48-year old Tammy Larae Rose and 49-year old Kenneth Lee Milenkovich, both of Council Bluffs, took miscellaneous household items, a fuse box and wiring from a home in the Thurman area on April 18^th. 54-year old Lucy Merie Uriel, of Omaha, was charged with conspiracy in connection with the incident. Sheriff Aistrope says the other individuals were arrested at the scene of the crime, but Myers took off on foot. A warrant was later issued for his arrest.

Rose, Milenkovich and Uriel were being held on bonds ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, in the Fremont County Jail. Their preliminary hearings were set for 1:30-p.m. Thursday in Fremont County District Court.

Police in Atlantic report three people were arrested over the past weekend. On Saturday, 35-year old Thomas Fredrickson, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant, and, 19-year old Michael McConnell, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. Both men were brought to the Cass County Jail and held pending a court appearance.

On Sunday, 32-year old Blue Rutherford was arrested for having a revoked license in connection with an OWI, and Failure to File SR-22 Insurance. He was also brought to the Cass County Jail and held pending a court appearance.

A Harlan woman what were described by authorities as “Significant injuries” during a rollover accident early this (Monday) morning southeast of Harlan. 24-year old Clara Mohr was taken to Myrtrue Hospital following the crash, which occurred at around 5-a.m.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says Mohr was traveling south in the 800 block of Maple Road when her 1999 Ford Explorer went out of control and rolled. Mohr was ejected from the vehicle as it rolled.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

A Missouri Valley woman suffering from a heart condition this morning on Interstate 29 in Pottawattamie County received help from several sources, include a Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputy. Sheriff Jeff Danker says the incident began at around 6:15-a.m., north of the Honey Creek exit.

Danker says woman was driving south on I-29 with her husband in the passenger seat, when the driver had a heart problem and collapsed at the wheel. Her husband was able to get the vehicle stopped, and removed her from the vehicle. After other motorists stopped to offer assistance, a sheriff’s deputy was sent to the scene.

When Sgt. Jim Harvey arrived at the scene, Danker says used his Automatic External Defibrillator to try and save the woman, who was identified as 54-year old Karen Lenz.

He says Lenz shocked the woman three times and stayed on location until paramedics arrived. Lenz was eventually flown by LifeNet helicopter to the University of Nebraska Medical Center at Omaha.

A report on Lenz’ condition is not currently available. Danker says she and her husband Thomas were on their way to work when the incident occurred.

The Sheriff says AED’s are carried in all of his department’s vehicles, in hopes lives can be saved. He says they’ve had them in those vehicles for at least three-years. He says it’s not something that’s used on an everyday basis, but often times his deputies are the first on the scene, and using the devices can make a difference in keeping someone alive until trained medical personnel can render aid.

Danker says he’s not sure how many times the AED’s have been used, but the incident today (Monday) wasn’t the first time, and it likely won‘t be the last.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest last week of two men on drug charges. 35-year old Jay Dean Jensen, of Audubon, and 47-year old Lewis Byron Hogue, of Brayton, were taken into custody Wednesday afternoon following a traffic stop in Exira.

Officials say both men were charged with Possession of Marijuana. Jensen faces an additional charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both were transported to the Audubon County Jail, and later posted bond.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department was assisted in their investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.

Sgt. James A. Justice

Spc. Zachary Durham

The Iowa National Guard Sunday night announced a soldier from Grimes, 32-year old Staff Sgt. James A. Justice, was killed by enemy small arms fire during combat operations on Saturday, April 23rd, in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan at approximately 10 a.m., local Afghanistan time. Wounded in the attack was Spc. Zachary Durham, age 21, of Des Moines. Both Soldiers were assigned to Troop A, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry, Camp Dodge, Johnston.

The attack happened during rescue operations of a U.S. Army OH-58 helicopter crew who were injured when their aircraft made a hard landing in Alah Say District, Kapisa Province, Afghanistan. Justice and Durham responded to the scene as members of a Quick Reaction Force (“QRF”) and came under fire from enemy forces at the crash site. Justice died at the scene and Durham was evacuated to Craig Joint Theater Hospital, Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan for medical treatment. No additional information is available regarding Durham’s condition or medical status. The cause of the helicopter crash is unknown at this time and under investigation.

James A. Justice was born June 30, 1978 in Manning, Iowa and graduated from Irwin-Kirkman-Manilla High School in 1997. Justice enlisted as an Infantryman in Company C, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry, Iowa Army National Guard in September 1998 at Denison. He previously deployed to Operation Desert Spring (Kuwait) in 2001, the Multinational Force Observer peacekeeping mission (Sinai Peninsula, Egypt) in 2003-2004, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005-2006.Prior to his mobilization, he was employed full-time by the Iowa National Guard at Camp Dodge, Johnston.

Justice was part of the approximately 2,800 members of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division deployed to Afghanistan. These Iowa Soldiers reported to their mobilization station at Camp Shelby, Miss. in July 2010 for additional training and preparation before departing for the Afghanistan theater of operations. The unit arrived in Afghanistan in November 2010, where the Soldiers provide full-spectrum operations in a combat theater, including lethal and non-lethal capabilities, support to Afghan National Army and Police units, and assistance to humanitarian relief initiatives.

The family of Staff Sgt. James A. Justice issued the following statement:

“James Alan Justice meant many things to every person he encountered. He was the funny best friend named “Juice” that could be counted on when needing to be cheered up; the uncle who always knew just what to say and when to hand out hugs; the son who was his parents’ pride and joy; the father who loved his little girl more than anything in the world and couldn’t wait to have more children; and the husband who loved to put a smile on his wife’s face. One thing James was to everyone was the ultimate soldier. He loved the military and he looked forward to every deployment. While we were stunned and extremely saddened to learn of his tragic death, we all take solace knowing that James died doing what he loved best: serving his country beside the men and women he revered and trusted.
Through his four tours of duty, James had many accomplishments but above all, he made life-long friendships. The outpouring of support and prayers during this time from friends, fellow Soldiers and strangers alike has been astonishing, but proved what we all knew: that James was a one-of-a-kind guy and deeply loved by all who had the opportunity to know him and serve with him. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Iowa National Guard for the opportunities they have provided to James over the past 13 years. Additionally, we would like to acknowledge all of his fellow Iowa National Guard Soldiers both at home and serving overseas. May God be with you always.
We are sure that you can understand and will honor our request for family privacy at this time, as we are focused on working with military officials to return James’ body home for military service and burial. We thank you for your thoughts, prayers and kindness at this extremely difficult time. We are deeply saddened by our loss, but extremely proud of the honorable way he served America as a leader in the U.S. Army. We will remember him, his strength, his infectious sense of humor, his faith in God, and his love for his family, friends and country with great pride.”

Funeral arrangements are pending and details will be provided as they become available.

The Iowa State Patrol reports a couple from Council Bluffs were injured Saturday afternoon, when the SUV they were in left the road as they were traveling east on Interstate 80 near the Underwood exit.

Officials say 34-year old Suzette Marie Harville and 38-year old Michael Lynn Harville were transported by ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs following the crash which occurred at around 1:55-p.m., Saturday.

According to the Patrol, a 2000 Mercury Mountaineer driven by Suzette Harville, left the road to the right for reasons unknown, and ended-up rolling into the ditch.

The accident remains under investigation.