At approximately 11:15pm on Friday, July 6th the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested 44-year-old Ronald L. Borem of Villisca following an incident at 305 E 5th Street in Villisca.  Deputies had to respond to the scene two times during the night to a report of a disturbance and after an investigation Borem was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault simple misdemeanor and transported to the Montgomery County Jail.  He is being held on $300 bond.

The Adams County Sherriff’s Office reports the arrest last night (7/6/12) at approximately 11:07pm of 29-year-old Richard Buchanan-Riley of Shenandoah for possession of marijuana (4th offense) and driving while suspended.  After being pulled over a K-9 unit was deployed at the scene and found marijuna.  No further details are known at this time.

Police in Harlan report a Harlan man was arrested Thursday on 12 counts of forgery and one-count of on-going criminal conduct, in association with check fraud. Officials say 32-year old Nicholas Gaer allegedly forged numerous checks on an account belonging to Martha Anastasi, of Harlan. Gaer was being held in the Shelby County Jail.

That same day (Thursday), Harlan Police investigated a report of damage to a vehicle in the 800 block of Tarkington. A 2004 Dodge Dakota pickup belonging to James Laver, of Harlan, sustained $400 damage. The incident remains under investigation.

The Harlan Police Department reports also, on June 30th, 22-year old Andrew Vasquez, of Harlan, was arrested and later cited for Criminal Mischief, after officers observed him allegedly throwing and breaking beer bottles in the 500 block of Market Street. The incident allegedly occurred while officers were investigating another, separate incident.

Interstate Power and Light Co. (IPL), an Alliant Energy company, announced today (Friday), that it will cycle air conditioners for all participating Iowa customers. Weather conditions are such that from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. today customers enrolled in the Appliance Cycling program will have their air conditioner cycled in 15-minute intervals to reduce overall energy usage.

Participating residential customers have a small control switch placed on or near their central air conditioner. Today, Alliant Energy will send a signal to all switches in the state. The control switch will cycle the outdoor cooling unit off and on every 15 minutes. The furnace fan will continue to circulate the cooler, drier air already in the home. 

Alliant Energy pays each participating residential customer $8 per month from June through September – whether the air conditioner is cycled or not. A similar program for electric water heaters is also included in today’s event. Customers enrolled in that program receive a $2 per month discount during the same June through September time period. 

Appliance Cycling events typically occur between May 15 and September 15 on weekdays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. They are not initiated on weekends or holidays.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports Consent Agreements have been reached with two western Iowa entities associated with environmental violations which occurred in 2011. Officials said Thursday that Agriland FS, Incorporated, in Casey, has agreed to pay fish restitution and investigation costs of $6,258, along with a $10,000 penalty, for discharge of pollutants into water. And, the City of Council Bluffs has agreed to develop a written plan to respond to emergencies associated with fueling stations, and pay a $1,000 fine for underground storage tank violations. A consent order is issued in settlement of an administrative order or as an alternative to issuing an administrative order. A consent order indicates that the DNR has voluntarily entered into a legally enforceable agreement with the other party.

(A link to the Consent Orders can be found here:  http://www.iowadnr.gov/InsideDNR/AboutDNR/EnforcementActions.aspx)

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The Red Oak City Council, Thursday, approved the hiring of a Virginia man to succeed former Fire Chief Rick Askey, who has retired from the position. During a special meeting Thursday afternoon, the Council agreed to hire James Blount III, who has served with the Wythe, Virginia Fire and Rescue Department, since 1994. Blount is tentatively scheduled to take over the position of Red Oak Fire Chief on July 30^th. 

His starting salary will be $50,000 per year. Blount will bring his family with him when he transfers to Red Oak. They include his wife and four sons.

Authorities in Montgomery County are investigating a residential burglary in Stanton. Officials say 50-year old John Wayne Jewell, of 403 Elliott Street in Stanton, reported the break-in Thursday night. The incident is believed to have occurred sometime between July 3rd and the 5th. 

Officials say a person or persons unknown forced their way into the home and stole numerous personal documents, cash, and electronic items. The loss was estimated at $1,700.

Anyone with information about the break-in, is asked to contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 712-623-5107, or Crimestoppers at 1-800-432-1001.

A Red Oak teen claims another driver caused her to crash her vehicle Thursday night, east of Stanton. 18-year old Cassy J. Blystone was traveling west on Highway 34 about a mile-west of Viking Lake State Park, when a dark-colored, late-model truck passed her. Blystone told authorities the other vehicle cut her-off as it came back into the westbound lane. The action caused Blystone to veer to the north and lose control of the 1998 Chevy Cavalier she was driving.

The car traveled south across the eastbound lane of traffic before it left the road and went airborne for a short distance and hit the ground. Blystone said she may have hit the accelerator instead of the brake went the car came down. The vehicle continued southwest through a road ditch and became stuck on elevated terrain in the ditch. The accident happened at around 9:20-p.m., just west of the intersection of Highway 34 and Q Avenue.

Blystone complained of a headache, but neither she nor her passenger were seriously hurt. The car, which lost its right rear wheel during the crash, sustained $4,500 damage.