A traffic stop for speeding in Audubon County Wednesday night resulted in the arrest of a man on drug charges. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports 41-year old Jay Joseph Ratigan, of Exira, was arrested at around 8:30-p.m. on charges that include Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was also cited for speeding.

Ratigan was pulled over in the 1700 block of Littlefield Drive and taken into custody after Sheriff’s K9 “Axel” alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle and a search was conducted.  Ratigan was brought to the Audubon County Jail and later posted a $2,000 cash bond before being released.

A man who told authorities had given blood plasma earlier in the day, crashed his motorcycle at around 3:10-p.m. Wednesday. Red Oak Police say 46-year old Mark Edward Peterson, of Red Oak, was traveling south on N. Broadway Street, when the 1978 Honda CB750K he was operating left the road and collided with a concrete flower bed, causing him to fall off the cycle. The accident happened near the intersection with Coolbaugh Street.

Peterson suffered minor injuries and was transported by Red Oak Fire/Rescue to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital. He told police that in addition to having donated plasma and not remembering the accident, he has suffered from memory loss in the past. The cycle sustained about $500 damage in the crash. No citations were issued.

Police in Red Oak, Wednesday evening, arrested 26-year old James Leroy Christensen, Jr., of Red Oak. Christensen Jr. was taken into custody at around 7:05-p.m. in the 200 block of S. 8th Street, on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $5,000 cash bond.

A traffic stop Wednesday night in Adams County resulted in the arrest of a man from Union County on weapons-related charges. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says deputies pulled over a vehicle near the intersection of Corning Carl Road and Nodaway River Road, at around 10:30-p.m. The driver of the vehicle was transported by ambulance to the hospital for a medical emergency not related to the traffic stop.

A passenger in the vehicle, 26-year old Joshua Lee Jones, of Creston, informed deputies there was a gun in the vehicle, under his seat. Jones admitted that he was a convicted felon, and was aware he was not supposed to be around firearms. Deputies located the loaded firearm, as well as dozens of rounds of ammunition, and brass knuckles.

Jones was arrested on felony charges that include Dominion and Control of a Firearm by a Felon, Dominion and Control of an Offensive Weapon by a Felon, and D-and-C of Ammunition, by a Felon. His cash only bond at the Adams County Jail was set at $15,000. Charges are pending against the driver of the vehicle, who was not named in the report.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The campaign manager for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says he will remain in his position following his conviction for public intoxication. Phil Valenziano says in a statement he made a mistake and is “disappointed in myself for letting down the governor and her team.” He says he pleaded guilty and “will ensure this never happens again.” He says he informed Reynolds after his June 23 arrest, which came days after she announced he would manage her 2018 campaign.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Texas businessman who collected a Wisconsin Lottery jackpot that was rigged by his friend has admitted using the windfall for an investment scheme that produced another wave of undeserved government money. Court records show Robert Rhodes recently testified that he used the $783,000 payout to receive an additional $180,000 in bogus tax refunds. He did so by buying an offshore insurance policy for a personal corporation that didn’t do any business.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has announced layoffs and will dissolve its forestry bureau to offset a $1.2 million reduction in its budget. The agency confirmed Wednesday it’s eliminating eight positions, including state geologist and animal feeding operations coordinator. The agency will also close its forestry bureau, eliminating the top bureau chief position and reorganizing others within DNR.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police authorities have released the names of officers involved in the shooting death of a 29-year-old woman. A news release from police says Officers Brian Buck, Brandon Holtan and Brady Pratt have been placed on paid administrative leave following the shooting of Tiffany Lynn Potter around 2 a.m. Wednesday. Police Sgt. Paul Parizek says Potter had a handgun and fired it at police at least once.

Atlantic Public Library Director Natalie Struecker, last Friday, submitted her resignation, which is effective August 1st. Mayor Dave Jones said Struecker is moving to Cedar Rapids to work for a bigger library that will obviously offer better pay. Jones said “We wish her well, she’s a very talented person.”

Struecker became the Library Director in Atlantic, in July, 2015. Prior to moving here, she worked at the Rock Island, IL, Public Library, and is a native of Des Moines. She attended ISU and later received a Masters Degree from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. Struecker has a background in programming and technology and has worked in libraries over the course of the past 20-years, including in Atlantic.

Natalie Struecker (from her Linked-In page)