A call to police in Red Oak Monday night with regard to a woman who was allegedly caught stealing money from a restaurant resulted in an arrest of the woman on numerous drug-related charges. Red Oak Police say Elizabeth Riley, of Red Oak, faces possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and illegal possession of prescription drugs charges, along with a drug tax stamp violation.

She was taken into custody after officers responded to the Rainbow Cafe at 105 West Market Street at about 7:15 p.m., Monday.  Upon their arrival, officers were told Riley allegedly stole tips from other waitresses’ tables, and money out of the manager’s purse. The manager told police she didn’t want to press charges, but she alleged Riley had a needle in her pants.

Police say Riley admitted she had a needle, then removed it and placed it on a table. Riley also admitted to police she had marijuana and some pills in her purse. Upon further investigation, police found marijuana, a one-hit marijuana pipe, 38 Buproplon pills, and 19 Clonazepam pills.

Riley was taken to the Montgomery County Jail, and was unable to post bond.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet Wednesday morning in Atlantic, and one of the action items on their agenda is action on the termination of employment for long-time County Mental Health/General Assistance Coordinator, Teresa Kanning. No reason was given in the agenda for the termination of employment.

In other business, the Board will hold a public hearing on the vacating of portions of Secondary Roads Right-of-Way, with regard to portions of: 644th Street in Section 14 of Grove Township; 700th Street, between Sections 2 & 3 in Benton Township, and Galt Lane, in Section 5 of Lincoln Township. Following the hearing, the Board will act on vacating those sections of roadways.

The meeting begins at 8:30-a.m., Wednesday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Two groups in Iowa want to teach people about the alternatives to demolition.  The Center on Sustainable Communities and the Iowa Waste Reduction Center are hosting four workshops in March to talk about deconstruction. The practice involves carefully disassembling something so its materials can be reused.

The groups say deconstruction is an alternative to demolition that provides social, economic and environmental benefits. The workshops are scheduled March 11 in Ida Grove; March 13 in Corning; March 18 in Keosauqua; and March 20 in Elkader.

The Center on Sustainable Communities is a nonprofit group in Des Moines. The Iowa Waste Reduction Center is at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Their efforts are funded in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the state Department of Natural Resources.

A “domestic situation” early this (Tuesday) morning in Montgomery County has resulted in an arrest. Sheriff’s officials say deputies were called to a residence in the 100 block of west 2nd Street in Villisca shortly after midnight. Following a brief investigation, they took into custody 22-year old Jesse A. Luft. Luft was charged with Disorderly Conduct and brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, where he was being held on $300 cash bond.

And, a Red Oak woman was arrested Monday evening on for Violating the terms of a Protective Order. 43-year old Shelby JoAnn Oliveres was taken into custody at around 6:55-p.m. at a residence on east Maple Street, in Red Oak. She was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Iowa Finance Authority is now offering some first-time Iowa home buyers a tax credit of up to two-thousand dollars a year, for the life of their 30-year mortgage. Twenty years ago congress passed a law allowing states to set up this kind of a program and Iowa is doing it for the first time in 2014. Iowa Finance Authority director Dave Jamison says his agency will issue a certificate for that tax credit on mortgages that are handled by a lender participating in the program.

“One important note is that the Mortgage Credit Certificate funding will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until the funds are expended,” Jamison says. Home sales that closed after February 3rd of this year are eligible. There are income limits as to which first-time home buyers are eligible, as well as limits on the price of homes they buy, but Jamison estimates 585 Iowa home buyers will be eligible in 2014. Iowa Association of Realtors C-E-O Dave Bert says this “Take Credit” program should encourage more Iowans to buy a home.

“Not only is home ownership good for individuals, it promotes a prospering economy,” Bert says. “Every home purchase pumps up to $50,000 into the economy over time and homeownership helps support and create jobs.” The Iowa Finance Authority was created in the mid-70s to administer programs that help low- and moderate-income Iowans buy their first home.

(Radio Iowa)

The Audubon City Council Monday voted to make null and void action reached during its Jan. 13th meeting with regard to the appointment of a new City Clerk, and opted to have current Clerk Lora Hansen as the “Hold over” clerk, while at the same time seeking applications for her possible successor or an interim clerk. Action on the appointment of a City Clerk or Interim City Clerk was tabled, because as with the January 13th meeting, there was not a sufficient notice of publication of the Council’s intent.

Audubon Co. Atty. Francine Andersen (Ric Hanson/photo)

Prior to their vote to keep Hansen on, the Council heard from Audubon County Attorney Francine Andersen. Andersen said she had not filed a claim in District Court or a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board (IPIB), with regard to the Iowa Open Meetings and Public Records laws some on the Council may have allegedly violated in making its initial decision on Jan. 13th not to reappoint Hansen, because she said she hopes to have the problem resolved “informally.” She acknowledged, however, there was “Probable Cause” to file a complaint.

Andersen said the Council could avoid legal action by being accountable for its actions, including submitting voluntarily to her all electronic communications, such as e-mails, faxes, text messages, etc. that pertain to the City Clerk’s position, whether they were deleted or not, from Nov. 2nd, 2013 through Feb. 2nd, 2014. She also suggested the City might avoid a future such fiasco by knowing the law better. That includes educating the Mayor, Council and City Clerk’s Office on the Open Meetings/Records Laws, with specific focus on agendas and electronic communications, as well as timely compliance to public records requests.

She also requested specific information with regard to meetings not held in front of the public. Failure to do so within 60-days she said, would result in a complaint being filed and the subsequent forensic examination of all public computers and file servers under the control of the City. During the Council’s meeting on Jan. 27th, Dawn Rohe (Roy), City Administrator in Manning, also made a request under the Iowa Open Records law, for documents pertaining to actions leading up to the Jan. 13th meeting, and any other pertinent information. She said to date, she had not heard from some of the City Officials with regard to her request. The Iowa Attorney General says within 20-days is the “appropriate time” to respond to such requests.

Councilperson Teresa Murray offered to give Rohe her City owned laptop for examination of any e-mails. John Whetzal said he had turned his e-mails in to City Attorney Dave Wiederstein. Mayor Sam Kauffman said he was “Not a techie,” and would have his wife Lois forward those e-mails to Rohe. Wiederstein said with the exception of one e-mail on Nov. 25th which may be considered private and not part of the public record, he has, and would continue to comply with, the request.

The Atlantic Police Dept. reports the arrest on Saturday of 52-year old Robert Atkinson, of Atlantic. Atkinson was taken into custody on charges of Public Intoxication and Criminal Trespassing. He was booked into the Cass County Jail and held pending an appearance in front of the magistrate.

And, an Atlantic man was cited Saturday following a collision at 8th and Plum Streets. Officials say a vehicle driven by Joshua Waggoner, of Atlantic, was traveling west on 8th Street at around 12:45-p.m., when he attempted to stop and at the stop sign and began sliding into the intersection, hitting a vehicle owned by Sharon Tanner, of Omaha. No injuries were reported. Waggoner was cited for Operating without a valid registration, Failure to Maintain Control or reduce speed, and no proof of financial liability. Damage from the accident amounted to $1,900.

And an accident Friday evening in the 900 block of 7th Street here in Atlantic caused $13,000 damage. Officials says vehicles driven by D’Lisa Ware, of Sioux City, and Jody Rossell, of Griswold, were traveling south on 7th Street at around 5:30-p.m., when Ware slowed for a non-contact vehicle on front of her. When Rossell failed to slow in-time, her vehicle hit the rear of Ware’s vehicle. A passenger in Rossell’s vehicle was checked for injuries by a Medivac ambulance crew, but was found to be uninjured. Rossell was cited for Failure to Reduce Speed.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports a Harlan man was arrested following an undercover drug buy. 20-year old Dylan Hansen was arrested Sunday on a warrant issued on Feb. 7th, for Delivery of Methamphetamine. Authorities say Hansen allegedly delivered a quantity of methamphetamine to an undercover agent of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. He was being held in the Shelby County Jail on $50,000 bond.

(12-p.m News)