A sleepy Audubon woman had a rude awakening early Saturday morning, when the vehicle she was driving crashed and rolled several times. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says 19-year old Alicia Renee King suffered only minor injuries during the crash, which happened at around 2:40-a.m., as she was traveling north on Highway 71, south of Hamlin.

When King fell asleep at the wheel of the 2003 Chevy van she was driving, the vehicle entered the east ditch and hit an embankment before rolling several times and coming to rest on its left side. The van was a total loss. Officials say King was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department reports two arrests over the weekend. On Saturday, 28-year old Bradley Allen Conklin, of Coon Rapids, was arrested on charges of Possession of Marijuana, 2^nd offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The charges were the result of a traffic stop on 190^th Street, near Nighthawk Avenue. Conklin was brought to the Audubon County Jail Saturday afternoon, and held until posting bond.

And, 37-year old Timothy Wade Strabley, of Carroll, was arrested Friday afternoon, following an incident which allegedly occurred on Highway 71, south of Audubon. Strabley was charged with failure to hold a Driver’s License. He was brought to the Audubon County Jail, and later released.

A spokesman for the Iowa State Patrol says three people suffered minor injuries during a three-vehicle collision Sunday evening on Interstate 80, near Avoca. Patrol Sgt. Bryan Michelsen said the crash happened at around 7-p.m., as vehicles were merging into one lane due to a bridge construction zone on I-80 westbound, at the 44-mile marker.

Michelsen says as traffic was backing up, a pickup rear-ended a stopped car, which then rear-ended a pickup. Two of the vehicles sustained extensive damage, and had to be towed away, while one sustained light damage.

All three drivers suffered minor injuries, and were transported to Myrtue Memorial Hospital for treatment. The crash and subsequent investigation resulted in traffic being detoured around the site for about two-hours.

Sgt. Michelson says accidents such as the one which occurred Sunday night are becoming more and more frequent, because motorists aren’t exercising common sense and courtesies. He says the Patrol has seen several incidents on eastbound I-80. Michelson says drivers need to heed the construction sign warnings about one-lane traffic ahead, and merge earlier, in order to avoid road rage incidents, or risk causing accidents.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Melanie Petty presents check to Little League President Dustin McLaren

The Atlantic Little League organization has received a $500 donation to support the youth’s activities. The monies were made possible through the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund, which also supports the Trevor Frederickson Baseball/Softball Clinic each spring held prior to their regular little league season.

Each participant receives a t-shirt with a motivational saying on the back. This year’s saying, “Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game,” was a huge hit with the players.

Frederickson, the son of Darrin and Melanie Petty of Atlantic and Gary and Kari Frederickson of Council Bluffs, lost his life in a 2009 residential fire in Council Bluffs.

Melanie Petty with the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund, says the organization looks forward to a continued partnership with Atlantic Little League, in the years to come.

No injuries were reported after a car and pickup truck collided Friday afternoon, in Atlantic. The Police Department says a car driven by Paula Goettsche, of Atlantic, rear-ended a pickup driven by Jerry McCrory, of Atlantic, at the intersection of 7^th Street and Hospital Drive.

Officials say McCrory was stopped at the intersection headed eastbound. Goettsches’ vehicle was behind him, and proceeded to move forward while McCrory was still stopped. Her car hit a lowered tailgate on the pickup, causing about $2,300 damage altogether. Goettsche was cited by police for Failure to Maintain Control. The accident happened at around 12:45-p.m.

And, an Atlantic man was arrested Sunday on a Cass County warrant. 23-year old Casey Sampson, Jr, was taken into custody on a warrant for Willful Injury. He was booked into the Cass County and held pending a court appearance.

Two children were hurt Friday afternoon, when the vehicle they were traveling in crashed into an embankment near Red Oak. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the accident happened at around 3:45-p.m. on Highway 34, at the intersection with L Avenue.

Officials say 75-year old Keith Wayne Rhone, of Rockwall, TX, was driving a 2001 Chevy Suburban eastbound on Highway 34, when he fell asleep at the wheel. The SUV and a travel trailer it was pulling, crossed the westbound lane of traffic and entered the north ditch. The vehicle traveled about 400-feet before hitting an embankment and coming to rest.

Two, unidentified children in the SUV suffered minor injuries, and were transported by Red Oak Rescue to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital for treatment. The suburban was a total loss, while the travel trailer sustained about $500 damage.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Cass County Board of Supervisors met Friday morning at the courthouse here in Atlantic. During their session, the Board adopted a resolution calling for the County to enter into a loan agreement for the purposes of planning, undertaking and carrying out a project in the Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area. The $555,000 loan agreement will allow for the construction of water and sanitary sewer system improvements in the area. It’s hoped the improvements will draw industry to the area occupied by the defunct ethanol production facility.

The Supervisors also heard an annual report from Cass County Veteran’s Affair Executive Director Mitch Holmes. Holmes said during the past Fiscal year, 444 veterans and dependents were assisted, as compared to 383 in FY 2009-2010. Holmes said 107 veterans signed up for federal VA benefits for the first time. County financial assistance for veterans was also up, more than $3,550 from the previous fiscal year. The aid amounted to slightly more than $29,800.

In other business, the Board agreed to fund the homestead property tax credits for taxes collected July 1^st, 2011 through June 30^th 2012 Fiscal year, at 63-percent. The Cass County Supervisor’s next regular meeting is this Wednesday, August 3^rd, at 9-a.m.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Results from a July survey of business conditions in nine Midwestern and Plains states suggest a slowdown in growth. Creighton University economics professor Ernie Goss says uncertainty about the national economy is among the factors hampering business expansion in the region.

The overall index for the Mid-America Business Conditions dropped only slightly, to 54.1 in July from 54.9 in June. But it was the fourth time in the past five months that the index dropped.  The survey of supply managers and executives and the report use a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Any score above 50 suggests growth in an index while a score below 50 suggests that index will decline.

The nine states are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.