(Radio Iowa) – The Armstrong City Council has voted to place its police chief and city clerk on unpaid administrative leave after the two were among five current and former city officials arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into misconduct. Mayor Pro-Tem Ronald Trenary says the council made the decision because the investigation could go on for some time and the town’s budget could not handle paying the salaries of people who are no longer working for the city. The council is trying to meet the March 15th deadline for drafting the city’s budget for the next fiscal year. “We have an accountant here in town that’s helping us with the budget because that’s the biggest thing for us right now is getting the budget set,” he says.

Trenary says the city council has asked the Iowa League of Cities for help in finding people to serve as police chief and city clerk for the community, which has a population of about 900. Armstrong’s mayor and two former city employees have also been arrested and charged as a result of an investigation into allegations of theft and misuse of city property that date back to 2013.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A group of 24 scientists, economists, researchers and other past winners of the World Food Prize sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to focus on alleviating global hunger, poverty and malnutrition. The World Food Prize Foundation released the letter Tuesday that asks the president to take immediate action to directly address global hunger and food insecurity by playing a leadership role in the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit and expanding the USAID Feed the Future initiatives.

The letter says: “American leadership on getting food systems right will inspire and embolden others to join forces to end hunger, counter climate change, generate jobs, and promote responsible stewardship of the environment.”

Officials with the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund, Tuesday, said applications are now being accepted for the 12th Annual Trevor Frederickson Memorial Scholarship. Applications may be obtained from the Atlantic High School guidance office at 1201 E. 14th Street, or the Atlantic High School website at www.atlanticiaschools.org.  There are as many as two $750 scholarships available to those graduating from Atlantic High School in the spring of 2021. Applicants must plan to attend a college or vocational school, show involvement in school and/or community activities, supply a copy of their college acceptance letter, provide two letters of reference along with their 7 semester transcripts, and maintain an academic achievement of 2.5 G.P.A, or better. The scholarships will be awarded at the Atlantic High School Class Night held in May.

Trevor Frederickson

Trevor Frederickson graduated from Atlantic High School in 2006. He went on to further his education at Southwestern Community College in Creston where he studied automotive mechanics and played baseball for the Southwestern Spartans. Two additional $750 scholarships will be available for Southwestern Community College students this fall. Trevor, who passed away in 2009, had plans of pursuing a career in law enforcement and returning to his hometown of Atlantic.

His mom, Melanie Petty said “Anyone who knew Trevor, knew he valued family, life and community. Trevor continues to live on in our hearts and minds. To this day, Trevor is still giving back to the community he loved to be a part of.” Funds for the scholarships are raised at an annual golf tournament. Plans are already in the works for the 13th Annual TFred Memorial Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, August 14th, 2021. Organizers look forward to another successful tournament so they can continue to grant scholarships for many years to come.

Red Oak Police investigated two, non-injury accidents that took place Monday afternoon. At around 2:20-p.m., a 2011 Ford F-250 driven by 63-year old Thomas Leroy Bronk, of Red Oak, was traveling behind a 2015 GMC SUV driven by 92-year old Harlan Ebert, of Red Oak, when Ebert, who had stopped at the intersection of N. 8th and E. Corning Streets, began to pull into the intersection, but was forced to stop for a vehicle traveling on E. Corning Street. When Bronk failed to see Ebert had come to a complete stop, his pickup hit the rear of the SUV. Red Oak Police cited Bronk for Following too close. There was no damage to the pickup, but Ebert’s vehicle sustained $1,000 damage.

And, at around 3:30-p.m., Monday, an accident occurred at N. 1st and E. Linden Streets, in Red Oak. Authorities say a 2000 Jeep Compass SUV driven by 17-year old Anna Marie Vandrey, of Red Oak, was southbound on N. 1st Street, approaching the stop sign. A 2006 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 65-year old Michael Lynn Irvin, of Hastings, was eastbound and proceeding through the intersection. Police say Vandrey failed to yield from the stop sign and struck the pickup on the left front fender, causing a total of $4,500 damage.

Red Oak Police cited Vandrey for Failure to Yield from a Stop Sign.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two people were arrested on separate charges over the past few days. On Monday (2/22), 32-year old Michael Given, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Violation of Probation. And, last Friday, 42-year old Shane Seagler, of Massena, was arrested for Driving While License Denied, Suspended or Revoked.

Both men were booked into the Cass County Jail. Given was later released. Seagler remained in jail as of this (Tuesday) morning.

The Shenandoah Police Department reports a traffic stop was made at around 4-a.m. Tuesday (today), on a person known to be barred from driving. During the traffic stop in the 1200 block of West Valley, 50-year old David Daugherty, of Sidney, was arrested for Driving While Barred. He was unable to post a $2,000 bond, and was being held in the Page County Jail.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD), with regard to a tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product, education and enforcement program. Sheriff’s Deputies and staff have taken a pledge to keep tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products out of the hands of Guthrie County youth. Known as I-PLEDGE, the program is a partnership with Iowa ABD, to educate local retailers and to enforce Iowa’s tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product laws. Since the program’s inception in 2000, the statewide tobacco compliance rate has grown to 95%. By participating in the program, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office has committed to do its part to increase the compliance rate even more this year.

I-PLEDGE places emphasis on retailer training. Clerks who successfully complete an online training course and then pass an exam will become I-PLEDGE certified. This allows a retail establishment to use an affirmative defense against a civil penalty if the certified clerk makes an illegal sale. Sheriff Marty Arganbright says “I-PLEDGE’s retailer training is a great way for clerks to prepare themselves to refuse illegal tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product sales. The training also assists retailers to ensure they maintain a compliant and responsible establishment.”

Deputies will also be conducting compliance checks on local establishments as part of the I-PLEDGE program. Underage customers, under the supervision of law enforcement officials, will enter establishments and attempt to buy tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products. Clerks who make the illegal sale will be cited on the spot. Criminal penalties for selling tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products to a minor include a $135 fine for a first offense, a $325 fine for a second offense and a $645 fine for third and subsequent offenses. However, handing out citations is not the intent of the I-PLEDGE program.

Sheriff Arganbright say“By partnering with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, we hope to educate clerks and maintain a compliant retail environment in our community. Moreover, we pledge to help keep tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products out of the hands of Iowa’s youth.”

To take the I-PLEDGE training or search certification records, go to https://abd.iowa.gov.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – A move to withhold state funding from cities or counties that cut budgets for local police and law enforcement has cleared initial review in the Iowa Senate. Senator Chris Cournoyer, a Republican from Le Claire, backs the bill. “The objective here is that we want to make sure that our communities are safe across Iowa,” she says, “and there’s a lot of concerns here with some of the movements across the nation with defunding police.”

Robert Palmer of the Iowa League of Cities says the bill is unnecessary intrusion into local decision making. And Palmer says it may prevent towns from entering into less expensive regional agreements for police or sheriff’s department protection.”We often are talking with our members about how to find efficiencies, how to lower expenditures because it is our believe that is what’s in the interest of the property taxpayer,” Palmer says. “…This bill is incentivizing the retention of an expenditure level.”

No group representing Iowa law enforcement is registered in favor of the bill. A lobbyist for the Iowa Police Chiefs Association says the group has concerns there may be unintended consequences if the bill becomes law. The Iowa Peace Officers Association and the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association are registered as undecided on the legislation.