The Creston Police Department today (Thursday) issued a report on incidents and an arrest. Officials say 35-year old Haley Miller, of Creston, was arrested Wednesday night on a Union County warrant for Theft in the 3rd Degree. Miller was later released on $2,000 bond. And, 24-year old Carlos Merazsanchez, of Creston, was cited  Wednesday morning for an annoyance or disturbance occurring at his residence, related to animal complaints.

A resident in the 600 block of N. Walnut Street, in Creston, reported this (Thursday) morning that her home and vehicle had been hit by projectiles from a paintball gun. And, early Wednesday afternoon, a resident in the 600 block of Oak Street, in Creston, reported someone took a small children’s pool and hot tub covers from her yard at her residence. The loss was estimated at $325.

The 7:06-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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A GoFundMe account has been established for a former Marne area resident who was viciously assaulted Sunday morning over an incident involving fireworks. Mark Paulsen, who lives in Omaha, and Logan Skow, both suffered injuries when they were attacked after they asked neighbors near 156th and Giles Road, to stop shooting-off fireworks at around 2-a.m., Sunday.

Family members said on the fundraising page established for Paulsen, that Skow walked away from the incident with bruises, cuts, bloody nose, and broken blood vessel in his eye. Paulsen, however, was in critical condition following the incident, after suffering several face and skull fractures, as well as bleeding on his brain. He was last reported to be in the Intensive Care Unit at CHI Health Creighton University.

The suspects in the case, Nathan Christensen, Andrew Short, his brother Branden Short and a juvenile, are charged with 1st degree Class 3 Felony Assault for beating, Paulsen, and 1st degree misdemeanor assault, for beating Skow. All four suspects posted bond at 10% of $25,000 ($2,500) and were released from the Sarpy County Jail. They are due in court again, on July 21st.

Paulsen is expected to be out of work for several months while he recovers from his injuries. Donations to help with his medical expenses can be contributed via GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/markpaulsen. So far, around $2,790 has been raised.

Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley will hold Town Hall meetings Saturday, July 25th, in Carroll, Calhoun and Sac Counties. The meetings are part of Grassley’s annual 99 county tour.

His July 25th schedule includes at stop from 8-to 9-a.m. at the Rockwell City Community Center. Afterward, he travels to Carroll for a Town Hall meeting that takes place from 10-until 11-am in the meeting room at the Carroll County Courthouse. Grassley’s final stop for the day is at the Law Enforcement Center in Sac City, from 12:15-until 1:15-p.m., again on July 25th.

Iowa’s senior Senator will speak at the public meetings before taking comments and answering questions.

Two people suffered what were initially described as minor injuries during a collision Tuesday evening, east of Griswold. Authorities say Heath Nordby, of Lewis, who was traveling south on 590th Street, failed to yield upon entering Highway 92. Nordby’s vehicle hit a westbound vehicle driven by Jacob Maass, of Griswold.

Nordby and Maass were transported from the scene to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Griswold Rescue. Officials say Nordby was charged with failure to yield upon entering a highway and operation of a non-registered vehicle.

Pheasant hunters in Iowa saw a lot more birds last year, according to data compiled by the Department of Natural Resources.

Pheasant Hunting

Kevin Baskins is a spokesman for the DNR. “For the third consecutive year, we’ve seen a harvest increase for pheasants,” Baskins said. “It looks like it’s up 30-percent in 2014 to an estimated 216,000 roosters.” The harvest estimate released this week is based on an annual survey of hunters following the season. The biggest factor in the growing pheasant population involves the fact that Iowa has experienced several consecutive mild winters.

“We went through an extended period where the winters were just brutal on the pheasant population,” Baskins said. “Once crops get harvested and we start getting snow on the ground, there really isn’t much habitat in a lot of places for pheasants to kind of escape the elements.” Pheasants weren’t the only species to show a harvest increase in 2014. Hunters also killed more quail, rabbits, squirrels and doves.

“We also saw a corresponding increase in the interest,” Baskins said. “Our total number of (small game) hunters was up 9-percent to more than 63,000 in 2014,” Baskins said. DNR officials are predicting hunters will enjoy even bigger small game populations this coming fall and winter. The agency will get a better idea of the state’s population of pheasants, quail, rabbits and partridge during an annual roadside survey conducted over the first two weeks of August.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, voted to set July 15th, at 8:35-a.m., as the date and time for a public hearing on the County’s intent to enter into a loan agreement not to exceed $360,000. Proceeds from the loan would be used to refinance the purchase of property (across from the courthouse) at 707 Poplar St., and to pay cost of roof repair.

In other business, Cass County EMA Coordinator Michael Kennon submitted a written request to update the membership of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), by adding additional members.The Board approved upon a motion, the appointment of additional LEPC members, which include: Jared Merkel, Chris Jimerson, Ryan Archibald and Ryan Askeland.

Appointments are for two years from the date of appointment by the Iowa Emergency Response Commission. Members in good standing are automatically re-appointed to successive terms. The Commission revises its appointments upon request from the county.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Dozens of Davenport residents have reported sewer backups and flooded basements following heavy rainfall. Melissa Logsdon told the Quad-City Times that water was ankle deep around stairs in her basement and that her “whole house smells like a sewer right now.” The National Weather Service says between 2.5 and 4.5 inches of rain fell across parts of Johnson, Muscatine and Scott counties in Iowa and Rock Island County in Illinois on Monday.

PALO, Iowa (AP) — The water level of a Linn County lake will be lowered next month to allow for work to improve its shoreline. Paul Sleeper, a state fisheries management biologist, tells KCRG-TV that a part of Pleasant Creek Lake’s shoreline is eroding. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources plans to lower the lake’s level by at least 12 feet beginning in August.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man in Iowa in connection with a stabbing death in Texas. The U.S. Marshals Service says 23-year-old Noe Trevino of Abilene, Texas, was arrested Wednesday near an apartment complex in Des Moines.

BEDFORD, Iowa (AP) — The father of a 3-year-old girl slain in southwest Iowa now faces a murder charge. The Omaha World-Herald reports that new charge was filed last week against 25-year-old Charles Hall, who is from Chicago. Hall originally was charged with child endangerment resulting in serious injury, the same charged filed against his girlfriend, 25-year-old April Clair, who is from Bedford, Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad’s request for a federal disaster declaration to respond to the bird flu outbreak has been denied. The governor had sought a major disaster declaration from President Barack Obama for the four counties most impacted by the virus. In a letter from federal authorities dated Tuesday, the request was rejected.

The letter said the damage was “not of such severity and magnitude” that it could not be handled by the state. The virus has infected more than 31.5 million birds in Iowa, mostly egg-laying chickens, making the state the hardest hit in the nation. Branstad spokesman Jimmy Centers said the administration was gathering information to assess whether an appeal would be effective.