Persons traveling on Highway 30 early this morning near Logan should expect a delay. A faithful KJAN listener reported that Highway 30 at Overton Avenue, was slow moving due a serious accident. The crash happened just east of the Boyer River Bridge. Dense fog is thought to have contributed to the crash, where a vehicle apparently missed an intersection and collided with a utility pole.

No other details are currently available.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an incident of robbery that took place early this (Tuesday) morning. Officers were dispatched at around 12:17-a.m., to the Mega Saver at 3540 W. Broadway for a reported robbery. They arrived on scene and spoke with the victim, who told police two black males wearing gray hoodies and armed with handguns entered the store and demanded money from the victim.

The suspects pointed the handguns at the victim and opened the registers and took an unknown amount of money and some cigarettes. Witnesses stated the two suspects ran from the store to the west and entered a white in color SUV and the SUV fled west into Omaha. No shots were fired and no injuries were reported.

If you have any information regarding this robbery please contact Council Bluffs Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CDT

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The builder of the Dakota Access pipeline is negotiating with North Dakota regulators to resolve all investigations into potential wrongdoing during construction. The Public Service Commission recently offered a settlement of allegations that Energy Transfer Partners improperly reported the discovery of American Indian artifacts. The company’s counterproposal includes potentially also resolving a state investigation into whether crews removed too many trees and improperly handled some soil.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — In vast stretches of the Plains and Northwest known for wheat production, fewer farmers are growing wheat. They’re responding to low wheat prices and changing consumer tastes for high protein foods like hummus, pasta and energy bars, which are increasing demand for alternative crops such as garbanzo beans and lentils. This year, farmers planted the fewest acres of wheat since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began keeping records nearly a century ago.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former prison nurse says in a lawsuit that Iowa’s Department of Corrections discriminated against him because he is transgender. Jesse Vroegh claims in a lawsuit filed Monday that the state agency denied him use of the men’s restrooms and locker rooms at work and denied him health care coverage for medically necessary surgery. The Corrections Department didn’t immediately return a message left Monday.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A jury has convicted a Sioux City man of attempted murder for firing more than a dozen shots at a Woodbury County sheriff’s deputy. The Sioux City Journal reports jurors Monday found Melvin Spencer guilty in the February incident, in which he fired 16 shots at Deputy Mike Lenz after a vehicle chase. Lenz wasn’t hit but at least five rounds struck his patrol vehicle. The 25-year-old Spencer could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. His sentencing date hasn’t been scheduled.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday), released a report on arrests. Last Friday, 49-year old Tracy Lynn Edison, of Silver City, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. Bond was set at $300.

On Thursday, Deputies in Mills County arrested 42-year old Timothy Patrick Vanscoyk, of Council Bluffs, and 52-year old Kelly Gene Anderson, of Carter Lake, for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Drug Tax Stamp Violation, and Interference with Official Acts. Bonds for both men were set at $105,300. Their arrests occurred at just after Noon, Thursday, during a traffic stop on I-29.

Also arrested Thursday in Mills County, was 32-year old Nicholas John Horgdal, of Henderson, who was taken into custody on warrant for Failure to Appear (FTA) in court. His bond was set at $2,000. And, 42-year old Ronnie J. Dolejis, of Omaha, was arrested on a warrant for FTA/2nd offense. He was taken into custody at the Douglas County, NE., jail and held on a $7,000 bond.

Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns reports two people have filed nomination papers in advance of the Nov. 7th City Elections in Cass County. Incumbent Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones and Incumbent Atlantic Parks and Rec Board member Jolene Smith have both filed papers to run, according to Karns.

Additional updates will follow according to when nomination papers are filed, toward the end of each business day, if forms are received at the County Auditor’s Office on a given day.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Department issued a report today (Monday), on arrests over the past week. Among those taken into custody, was 19-year old Klay Logan Evans, of Creston, for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Speeding. Evans was arrested at around 10:45-p.m. Thursday in Greenfield, for speeding 70 in a 55. An investigation revealed rolling paper in his vehicle, typically used for rolling marijuana cigarettes, a marijuana pipe in the center console, and three capsules of MDMA, or, Ecstasy. Evans was brought to the Adair County Jail and later released on his own recognizance.

On August. 20th, 23-year old Alex Lee Buckner, of Adair, was arrested by Adair Police for Domestic Assault with bodily injury, after he allegedly pushed his girlfriend of three-years, causing her to hit her head and pass out. Buckner was later released on $1,000 bond.

On Aug. 24th, 35-year old Justin Paul Parker, of Adair, was taken into custody from authorities in Morgan County, MO., on Adair County warrants for Harassment/1st degree, Criminal Mischief/3rd degree, Simple Assault, and Harassment in the 2nd Degree. Parker was later released on $5,300 bond.

On Aug. 25th, 53-year old Kim Lavere Hester, of Casey, was arrested by Adair County Deputies on an Adair County warrant for Driving While License Denied or revoked. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $1,000 cash only bond.

The Atlantic Public Library hosted a Grand Opening open house on Saturday for the newly completed reading garden project. Members of the public, library board, staff, and other contributors gathered to dedicate the new space. Atlantic Library Board Member Dee Beebensee said the project took about six months to come together once the planning details were complete. She thinks it’s a nice outdoor space to enjoy while visiting.

Former Director Natalie Struecker, who was here during the planning process of the project, talked about how everything got started.

Struecker thinks the space will add valuable usable space to the Library property.

Gary Oedewaldt and his wife Margaret Oedewaldt from Missouri were on hand for the grand opening. Margaret’s Great Uncle Carlos Cole was one of the first board members for the library in 1903 and a number of other family members have served in that same role. Margaret worked at the library in high school and when they found out about the project they wanted to contribute so they helped sponsor a bench. Gary Oedewaldt said he liked the fact that the project will help highlight the front entrance.

The reading garden is now open for the public to use and enjoy. You can listen to the full interviews with Dee Beebensee, Natalie Struecker, and Gary Oedewaldt below.

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A traffic stop at around 11:25-p.m. Aug. 22nd in Bridgewater, resulted in the arrest of a Cass County man. The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports 35-year old Brian Harold Eilts, of Massena, was pulled over for failure to have license plates on his vehicle. As he approached the vehicle, the deputy recognized Eilts, and knew he had been barred from driving due to an earlier incident.

When Eilts exited his vehicle, the deputy noticed a broken glass pipe at Eilts’ feet. The man admitted it was a broken bong. After he was placed under arrest, a search of the vehicle was conducted, during which a broken glass pipe used for smoking meth, and a baggy of a white substance that appeared to be meth, was found. Eilts was taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Driving While Barred. His bond was set at $5,000.

August 28, 2017 –The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and BBB Wise Giving Alliance are advising people to help as much as they can in the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, but to do so with caution and make sure their donations get to the people who need it most. “The devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey prompts us to do what we can to help as soon as possible,” said H. Art Taylor, president and CEO of BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s Give.org,) “but donors need to be aware of some key cautions so that their generosity will get to those in need quickly.”

The National Weather Service reports that Hurricane Harvey has brought over 20 inches of rain to portions of southeast Texas and the volume of flooding is unprecedented for this area. And, another 15-25 inches of rain is anticipated in the days to come. As the impact of this storm on Texas communities is heart wrenching, many will seek to contribute to help those in need.

BBBs are already seeing crowdfunding appeals of a dubious nature, and in the days ahead expect to see “storm chasers” looking to make a quick buck off of clean-up efforts (bbb.org/storm). Consumers can report suspected scams to BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker) or the Texas Attorney General’s hotline (800-621-0508 or consumeremergency@nag.texas.gov).

BBB Wise Giving Alliance suggests that donors keep the following tips in mind to help avoid questionable appeals for support:

• Verify the trustworthiness of soliciting relief organizations by visiting Give.org to access free reports that specify if the charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.
• See if the charity has an on-the-ground presence in the impacted areas. Unless the charity already has staff in the affected areas, it may be difficult to bring in new aid workers to provide assistance quickly. See if the charity’s website clearly describes what the charity can do to address immediate needs.
• Find out if the charity is providing direct aid or raising money for other groups. Some charities may be raising money to pass along to relief organizations. If so, you may want to consider “avoiding the middleman” and giving directly to those that have a presence in the region. Or, at a minimum, check out the ultimate recipients of these donations to see whether they are equipped to provide aid effectively.
• Be cautious about gifts of clothing, food or other in-kind donations. In-kind drives for food and clothing, while well intentioned, may not necessarily be the quickest way to help those in need – unless the organization has the staff and infrastructure to distribute such aid properly. Ask the charity about its transportation and distribution plans. Be wary of those who are not experienced in disaster relief assistance.
• Understand crowdfunding. Keep in mind that some crowdfunding sites do very little vetting of individuals who decide to post for assistance after a disaster, and it is often difficult for donors to verify the trustworthiness of crowdfunding requests for support. If you decide to contribute via crowdfunding, it is probably best to give to people who you personally know that have posted requests for assistance. For more Give.org tips on crowdfunding, check out this Wise Giving Wednesday post.

Phases of disaster relief. Remember that every disaster has several phases – rescue, emergency relief, and recovery. Each part relies on public support and continuing funding for success. The need for donations doesn’t stop when the headlines do.
Recovery time line. For many communities, recovery will be a long-term activity that can take many months or years to accomplish, depending on the extent of the damage. Those truly concerned about helping communities bounce back will have many opportunities to help.

Disaster planning. Although it may seem obvious, no one wants to experience a repeat performance of a disaster. Areas that work toward recovery will probably also need to develop plans to better respond to a similar storm in the future. Even those that already had measures in place can find ways to improve based on experience.

The following is a list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., organizations that meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability) that are raising funds for Hurricane Harvey relief assistance. This list will be updated as additional relief efforts come to BBB WGA’s attention.

American Red Cross; AmeriCares; Church World Service; Direct Relief; GlobalGiving Foundation; Humane Society of the United States; Islamic Relief USA; MAP International; Operation USA; Salvation Army; Save the Children; United Methodist Committee on Relief; United Way of Greater Houston.

A traffic stop in the 1400 block of Highway 71 in Audubon County, Sunday afternoon, resulted in the arrest of a Pottawattamie County woman on drug and other charges. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports 47-year old Jackie Rae Kennedy, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody at around 4-p.m. for Driving While Suspended, Speeding and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Kennedy was booked into the Audubon County Jail, posted bond and was released.