The Creston Police Department has been busy with numerous, recent arrests. Officials say early this (Monday) morning, 26-year old Ivan Froit, of Creston, was arrested on charges that include Interference with Official Acts and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was later released from the Union County Jail on $300 bond.

On Sunday, Creston Police arrested 34-year old Nicholas Foltz, of Mt. Ayr, for OWI/1st Offense. He was later released on a $1,000 bond. Saturday, Creston Police arrested 33-year old Candace Russell, of Creston, for OWI/1st Offense, and 30-year old John Foster, of Creston, who was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a warrant for Failure to Serve sentence on a charge of Public Intoxication/2nd offense. Foster was being held in the jail until his sentence is served. Russell was later released on $1,000 bond.

Friday night, Creston Police arrested 45-year old Steven Sellers, of Creston, on a charge of 5th degree Theft. Sellers was cited and released on a Promise to Appear later, in court. 20-year old Tyler White, of Creston, was arrested Friday afternoon on a charge of 5th degree Theft, and 33-year old Faith Barnes, of Creston, was arrested Friday morning, also for 5th degree Theft. White and Barnes were subsequently released on a Promise to Appear later, in court.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The CAM and Exira-EHK Boards of Education will hold their regular (Separate) monthly meetings, this evening. In Anita, the CAM School Board meeting in the High School Media Center gets underway at 6:30-p.m.  During their session, the Board will discuss and/or act on open enrollment applications, any resignations to come before them, contracts, Early Retirement, Early graduation requests, and renewal of the voter approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) election.

In Elk Horn, the Exira-EHK Board will meet in the High School Conference Room, beginning at 7-p.m. On their agenda, is the resignation of Jana Smith as High School Softball Coach, and a contract for Jodee Dixson to succeed her as Head Softball Coach. The Board will also discuss an added Security system for next year, including bids on door entrance and parking lot cameras, and, matters pertaining to committees for Superintendent interviews, along with the timelines for seeking a replacement for Dean Schnoes, who has announced his retirement.

Two women from Adams County have been charged with Harboring a Runaway. Sheriff’s officials say 45-year old Rosealia Jane Stalker and 27-year old Angel Rose Sharpsteen, both of Corning, were interviewed by Adams County Deputies at around 9-p.m. on Dec. 14th, about their role in harboring a minor runaway child.

Authorities allege the pair gave aid to the runaway and misdirected law enforcement efforts to find the child. The minor was located by law enforcement on Dec. 16th. Sharpsteen, who also faces a Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense charge, was released Dec. 16th after posting 10-percent of $20,000 bond. Stalker plead not guilty to the charge. She remained in the Adams County Jail on $20,000 bond. Preliminary hearings for both women is set for Dec. 31st.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa school statistics show that black students continue to be removed from class for discipline far more often than students of other races. The Des Moines Register reports that black students accounted for roughly 5 percent of all students statewide last year but 18 percent of the students removed from class. Iowa City school board member Latasha DeLoach says the statistics are an embarrassment.

SPENCER, Iowa (AP) — A Spencer High School wrestler has died after collapsing at a weekend tournament in northwest Iowa. Spencer Hospital spokeswoman Tia Manwarren said Austin Roberts died Saturday night at the hospital. Roberts collapsed earlier during a tournament at his high school in Spencer and was taken to the hospital. The 6-foot-4 Roberts also played on the offensive and defensive line for the Spencer High football team.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors are reviewing the death of a 4-year-old girl who died last June to determine whether to file charges. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports Gracie Vernell Buss’ death is being investigated. A man who was dating Gracie’s mother at the time of her death remains in jail on unrelated burglary and drug charges.

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — The third Democratic presidential debate opened with an apology and ended with compliments Saturday night. A day after a rancorous dispute over a breach of private campaign data by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ campaign roiled the Democratic Party, a political truce between Hillary Clinton and Sanders largely held.

A father and son out hunting deer early Sunday morning in Mills County attempted to cross a section of water at Willow Slough Park, and fell through the ice. According to reports, the Midwest Regional Dive Team was called to the scene at around 8:40-a.m. and arrived within 30 minutes.

Rescuers found the pair in the water in a remote, northeast part of the park. After getting a boat in the water, the dive team equipped with cold water rescue suits retrieved both men from the water and got them to shore. The victims, whose names were not released, suffered from hypothermia and were transported by Malvern Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs.

The Southwest Iowa Dive Team and other emergency crews responded to a water rescue call this (Sunday) morning, in Mills County. KETV reports Mill County dispatchers confirm two men fell through the ice at Willow Slough Wildlife Area near Henderson.  Both men were transported to the hospital.

No other details are available.

SPENCER, Iowa (AP) — A Spencer High School wrestler has died after collapsing at a weekend tournament in northwest Iowa. Spencer Hospital spokeswoman Tia Manwarren said Austin Roberts died Saturday night at the hospital. Roberts collapsed earlier during a tournament at his high school in Spencer and was taken to the hospital. It wasn’t immediately clear Sunday why he collapsed.

Roberts wrestled at the 220-pound weight class, and he was ranked sixth in the state in Class 3A. Last year, he placed eighth in the state tournament. The 6-foot-4 Roberts also played on the offensive and defensive line for the Spencer High football team.

School officials planned to offer grief counseling at the high school Sunday. And a youth wrestling tournament that had been scheduled in Spencer on Sunday has been cancelled.

A traffic stop late Saturday night in Hamburg resulted in the arrest of two people on drug charges. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies conducted the stop for an equipment violation at around 11:15-p.m., near the intersection of C and Adams Streets, in Hamburg. Deputies, assisted by the Fremont County K9 Unit,  arrested 19-year old Kiersten Olney, of Hamburg, and 44-year old Dave Balfour, of Nebraska City, Nebraska.

Balfour was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and subsequently released on $300 bond. Onley was arrested on an outstanding warrant for Violation of Probation in Fremont County. She also faces charges that include: Providing False Information to Law Enforcement; Possession of a Controlled Substance with the intent to distribute, (Methamphetamine under 5 grams); Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Possession of Marijuana; Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs; 2 counts of Possession of Schedule II controlled Substances, and, Possession of Alcohol by Persons Under Legal Age. Onley was being held in the Fremont County Jail.

A surge in residents applying for gun permits in Pottawattamie County is keeping sheriff’s officials busy. Sheriff Jeff Danker told the Daily NonPareil the lobby of his office has been filled with residents applying for gun permits, either the one-year purchase permit or the five-year right to carry permit. Danker said the numbers of people interested in legally owning a firearm has grown to the point where discussions have been held about how to handle the big lines in the small lobby.

He said on some days, there have been as many as 40 people applying for gun permits. So far in 2015, the sheriff’s office has handed out 970 permit applications, and Danker expects that number to rise significantly before the end of the year. In 2014, the sheriff’s office handed out 877 applications.

Danker said he heard from one applicant that recent shootings in Paris and San Bernardino, California led him to get a permit to carry a gun. That, and discussion by President Obama about stricter guns control had led to the surge in permit requests and gun sales. Along with dealing with new permits, in 2016, the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office will also have to deal with renewing permits to carry. Permits to carry last five years. In 2011, Iowa saw a record number of people apply for permits to carry concealed weapons.

Danker said he didn’t readily have 2011 permits numbers, but he did say it was a lot. Statewide, roughly 101,000 nonprofessional permits were issued in 2011, up from 39,000 in 2010. In 2011, the Iowa Legislature changed the state’s permitting law from “may issue” to “shall issue,” giving law enforcement less discretion over who can receive a permit.

Elsewhere in southwest Iowa, Harrison County Sheriff Patrick Sears said he’s issued 229 permits to carry a concealed weapon so far in 2015, compared to 178 in 2014. He said he’s seen a recent uptick in the last month or so, attributing it to a possibility of two factors – or a combination of the two. The county issued 836 permits to carry in 2011. Sears expects a busy 2016.