Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports a teenager has escaped from the Clarinda Academy, Juvenile Holding Facility in Clarinda. Brothers said in an updated news release at 6-a.m, that at around 4:10-a.m., a black female matching the description of the Clarinda Academy escapee, 16-year old Myriah Maulik Thomas, had stopped at the Casey’s Store in Villisca and asked for directions to the Interstate. The suspect was driving a white Ford Ranger and was by herself. The direction of travel after the female left Casey’s is unknown at this time. Thomas, who is 5-feet 3-inches tall, is from Dallas Texas.

M. Thomas (Clarinda P-D provided image)

Thomas weighs 122-pounds, has short, curly brown hair and brown eyes.  If you see her, DO NOT APPROACH the teen. Instead, you should call your nearest law enforcement agency immediately by the 911 emergency telephone system. There is presently a search underway for Thomas by authorities from the Clarinda Police Department, Page County Sheriff’s Department, Clarinda Academy staff  and the Mercy One Helicopter Unit.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa regulators have declined to give Planned Parenthood of the Heartland a report that discusses the group’s use of a video-conferencing system to distribute abortion-inducing pills. The Iowa Board of Medicine declined to release the 2010 report by a board investigator that was used in 2011 to determine the safety of the video system. The Des Moines Register reports Planned Parenthood requested a copy last week.

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) — The city of Evansdale plans to end its ambulance service to nearby Poyner Township. Evansdale Fire Chief Kent Smock sent a letter to township trustees stating the service would stop October 1st because trustees have declined to pay for the service. Evansdale had been billing Poyner Township patients through an informal agreement since the early 1970s.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors say they have dismissed charges against two Sioux City residents accused of robbing and torturing a man because they want to build their case. The motion filed Tuesday dismisses first-degree robbery and willful injury charges against 33-year-old Melissa Lowe and 32-year-old Brandon Keleher.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Nothing seems assured for Iowa State after it lost to FCS school Northern Iowa last weekend. The lower-tier Panthers exposed issues on both sides of the ball for the inexperienced Cyclones, who showed that those who picked them to finish ninth in the Big 12 might end up being right.

Iowa foster care officials say violence between children in foster care is very rare. The Department of Human Services is investigating the case of a 5-year-old foster boy who was killed this weekend, allegedly by a teenager living in the same foster home in western Iowa. Vern Armstrong, an administrator with the Iowa DHS, says children are matched with foster families based on several factors, including the distance from their biological parents, and they’re often placed with other foster kids.

“That’s very common,” Armstrong says. “We actually would probably say the majority of our homes have unrelated kids placed together.” While having unrelated children placed together in foster homes is commonplace, physical aggression between them is not. “Actually, I hear about it more when there are siblings groups placed together. There might be sibling stuff going on and they’re used to each other,” Armstrong says. “It’s rare to hear of a serious assault between one foster child and another. I can’t remember the last time we’ve had something like that.”

More than 10,000 Iowa children are placed in foster care at some point during a typical year. The state currently has around 2,100 licensed foster families. Seventy foster children have died of natural causes in Iowa since 1997, but prior to this week, none had died from abuse. Seventeen-year-old Cody Metzker-Madsen is charged as an adult with killing 5-year-old Dominic Elkins. The boys had lived together since early August with a foster family in a rural area of Harrison County.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic City Council Wednesday evening adopted on the second reading and approved on the third and final reading, an amendment to the Code of Ordinances, with regard to Urban Deer Control. The Community Protection Committee had recommended several changes to the ordinance in order to make it more effective. The changes include allowing hunters who take an anterless deer within the City limits to also take an antlered deer. It also stipulates that once a hunter has qualified to bow hunt deer in Atlantic, that they will remain qualified in future years, as long as the requirements are met.

The Council also passed the first reading of an Ordinance entitled “No Parking Zones,” with regard to U-S Highway 6 (7th Street), on the west side of Atlantic, in front of the KFC Restaurant and Casey’s General Store. Jim Bane, DOT District Maintenance Engineer, had indicated in a letter received last month, that there is a “Reccuring safety and maintenance problem on the shoulder of U-S 6,” when “Vehicles park on that shoulder and interfere with the visibility of vehicles attempting to turn onto U-S 6.” Bain said “In addition, trucks that are parked on (the) shoulder (of the road), are causing damage” to the area, and increasing maintenance costs.

Often times, truck drivers park on the shoulder to grab a quick bite at Casey’s or the other establishments nearby. Councilman Shawn Shouse questioned if establishing a No Parking Zone along the shoulder doesn’t merely transfer the problem of damage caused by trucks to another section of the roadway, and where trucks would pull over. The Council decided it would be better to try and get more input from the public, truckers and others affected by the potential change, before the Ordinance is enacted.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council approved a Grant Agreement with the FAA and related matters, with regard to a just over $1.04-million grant for the Airport Paving and Lighting Project. City Administrator Doug Harris said the City’s share of the project is $156,214. A bond issue for airport improvements was approved in 2006 has helped to pay for grading and other paving projects. There are still funds available to pay for the City’s share of the grant and other possible improvements. The total project cost of about $1.196-million.

And, the Council Wednesday approved a resolution setting Building and Zoning Fees, as recommended by the Finance Committee. The Committee has recommended the lowering of permit fees for unattached garages, gazebos, sheds, decks and similar accessory structures over 100-square feet, from 30-cents per square foot, to 15-cents/psf, but not to exceed $500. In addition, the fee for moving existing dwellings and structures to a new address, would be raised from $100 to $200, due to the number of City services required to assist in making such a move possible.

An adult and a child were transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center following a collision Tuesday evening in Clarinda. According to Clarinda Police, an SUV driven by 31-year old Dawn Pullen, and a pickup driven by 61-year old Joann Rogers, both of Clarinda, collided at the intersection of 14th and Lincoln Streets at around 5:35-p.m.

Officials say both vehicles entered the intersection at about the same time. Following the impact, the SUV veered north and through the yard at 222 East Lincoln, before coming to rest. The pickup was spun around by the impact and came to rest at the northwest corner of the intersection after driving over two small trees. The pickup lost a rear tire, when it hit the sidewalk. The tire rolled through the yard and hit a stair railing at 222 E. Lincoln, jarring the railing loose.

Joann Rogers was transported to the hospital to be checked for possible injuries. A passenger in the SUV, 10-year old Sander Pullen, was strapped into a child safety seat, but was transported by ambulance to the hospital to be checked for injuries. Rogers was cited by police for Failure to Yield to a vehicle on her right. Damage from the crash amounted to $9,000.

(Updated with additional details)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Department reports two people were arrested this (Wednesday) morning on theft charges associated with missing vehicles. 41-year old Shelly Dawn Race, of Shenandoah, and 48-year old Carl Allen Race, of Clarinda, were taken into custody following a traffic stop. They were each charged with two counts each of Theft in the 2nd degree. Carl Race also faces a Violation of Protection Order charge, for which there is no bond. Shelly and Carl Race’ bond on the other charges was set at $10,000 each.

The couples’ arrested stems from an investigation into the theft of pickup. The Page County Sheriff’s office says it was notified that a  1993 Chevy 2500 Standard Cab pickup owned by David Mellencamp of rural Clarinda, which was reported stolen Tuesday, had been recovered this (Wednesday) morning, during the traffic stop in Mills County.  Also found with the stolen pickup was a 2007 Suzuki DR-650SE motorcycle that had been reported stolen Tuesday. The cycle is owned by Larry Athen, of rural Shenandoah. 

Sheriff Lyle Palmer said the motorcycle’s information was not released to the press, as an investigation was being conducted and a press release could have compromised the immediate investigation.  Both vehicles were entered as stolen through the NCIC system for Law Enforcement when they were reported.

In other news, deputies in Mills County deputies arrested 26-year old Mackenzie Ann Meggison, of Malvern, Tuesday, on a warrant for being a fugitive from justice, issued out of Omaha. Meggison was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond.

(12-p.m. News)

The Harlan City Council, Tuesday, approved a change order to the Harlan Police Department’s construction project. The Council approved an $11,000 addition to the new structure for a basement along with $1,500 for radon detection. The Council had previously discussed the cost of the basement at their last meeting, August 20th. The council approved costs because it was relatively low, and will give the Police Department extra room on the main floor.

Also discussed at that meeting were the private donations given to the city of Harlan towards the Harlan Community Foundation. The item was forwarded to City Attorney Todd Argotsinger who informed the Personnel and Finance Committee on August 30th, that it was perfectly legal for the city to accept the funds and pay the funds to the Foundation.

At the same Committee meeting, Superintendent Justin Wagner gave the city an update on the Harlan Community Education Foundation fundraising efforts. Wagner told the committee the Music department has raised half of their goal, $50,000 while the STEM program is fully funded with $456,000 raised out of $450k needed. The Merrill Field Renovation Project is sitting at $823,000 out of $1.5 million. The Foundation is meeting with the Vision Iowa Grant board on Wednesday, September 11th. Any money from the Vision Iowa Grant will be used on the Merrill Field Project.

During the City Administrator’s report, Terry Cox told the Harlan City Council the 2013 RAGBRAI awards money has been divided up to organizations. The city returned $10,000 to the Hotel/Motel Committee, $5,000 to the Shelby County Fair Board, Education Foundation and the Harlan City Parks/Pool. The SCCO, little league, Concerned Inc. and West Central Community Action received $2,000 while the Harlan Police Reserves $1,000. In all a total of $37,730 was awarded to 22 organizations.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, introduced a new deputy to the force. During a meeting of the Shelby County Board of Supervisors, Sheriff Mark Hervey introduced Nathan Pigsley to the board. Pigsley is a certified officer and worked for one year at the Audubon County Sheriff’s Department. Hervey said Pigsley worked at the Shelby County Communications Center when Pigsley was going to college so he knows the department and is from the area. Deputy Pigsley’s first day on duty was Tuesday.

In other business, the Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator, Bob Seivert was on hand at the meeting to give a report on GEO Communication software. The County is working on upgrading their software and technology in order to track motor graders. The software will cost $57,956 along with installation and annual maintenance. The tracking device would be used in 13 vehicles. Iowa 9-1-1 funds will cover 50 percent of the cost through grant funding. The Supervisors approved the software and technology upgrades.

And, Shelby County Engineer Dan Ahart gave another update on the closure procedure in process to close a portion of 1800th Street. The Shelby County Supervisors approved October 1st at 9-am for a public hearing for the closure. The Supervisors then moved into a closed session to hold a negotiation strategy meeting.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

A pursuit Tuesday afternoon in northwestern Pottawattamie County ended within an hour, when a teenaged runaway from Nebraska surrendered to authorities near the Missouri River. Pott. County Sheriff’s Dept. spokesman, Sgt. Dwayne Richie says the incident involving the 17-year old male driver of a 1996 Nebraska plated Nissan sedan began at around 4:10-p.m, at the 130th Street Exit off of Interstate 680.

He says the vehicle continued north onto 145th Street at speeds in excess of 70-miles per hour, once the deputy engaged in the pursuit. Other deputies also engaged in the pursuit, including one who was running northbound, parallel to the Nissan. Another deputy was behind the car. The chase continued onto Meadowlark Loop and northbound onto 140th Street, where the car entered a private drive and drove off into a grove of brush. Once the teen ditched the car, he took off on foot. Omaha Police helicopter Able 1 was contacted to search for the teen.

After some time, the vehicle was located about a mile from where deputies broke off the pursuit. Able 1 was able to locate the driver. Deputies proceeded in that direction and found the driver, who surrendered by the river, without further incident. The teen was missing one of his socks and shoes when he surrendered to deputies. While his parents were contacted, the teen was brought to the Juvenile Detention Facility in Council Bluffs.

Sgt. Richie says the young man faces numerous charges, including Failure to Stop, Careless Driving, Eluding or attempting to Elude a law enforcement vehicle, and criminal mischief in the 3rd degree.

w/ Ric Hanson

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