Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater says the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Toys for Tots program helped out families in eight communities in the area, last Friday evening. Between 5-p.m. and 8-p.m. Frida toys were handed out to 58 different children who were signed up through the Sheriff’s Office. The donation drive collected enough toys to provide for approximately 200 children. The Sheriff says “We surpassed our donations last year by approximately two and a half times. This was the first year for the Adair County Sheriff’s Office to be a distribution point and/or to hand out toys, and I think it went extremely well.”

Deputy James Paup, a former active duty Marine, spearheads the Toys for Tots toy drive.

Two deputies, a jailer, an off duty civil clerk, a Greenfield Police Officer, two of their spouses along with the Sheriff came in that night to help in the handing out of the toys.  Vandewater says “It was a fun, positive experience and was a great opportunity to interact with adults and kids alike on a totally positive basis with the goal of helping make Christmas just a little bit better for some children in our community.”

Police in Council Bluffs reports a man wanted in connection with the death of a man whose body found December 11^th in a vacant lot, has been arrested by Lincoln, NE, Police on a misdemeanor charge. 43-year old Michael J. Thacker, a transient, is currently in custody while awaiting extradition to Pottawattamie County, where he is wanted on a warrant for Murder in the 1^st Degree.

Council Bluffs police say the body of 34-year old David S. Simpson, of Council Bluffs, was found by a resident walking his dog.  An autopsy shows Simpson died of blunt force trauma. Authorities have charged 53-year-old Cleo W. McClellan, of Council Bluffs, with being an accessory to a felony-murder.

The Mills County Sheriff’s reports three arrests. On Sunday, 32-year old Jacob Andrew Graham, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for OWI/3rd offense, Driving While Revoked, and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop on I-29 at around 4:45-a.m., Sunday. Bond was set at $7,000. Saturday night, 23-year old Joshua Udo Laubert, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. And, late Friday night, 33-year old David Michael Graham, of Silver City, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop near Highway 34 and 195th Street.

(9-a.m. News)

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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SUPERIOR, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man died after being pinned by a machine he’d been working with in northwest Iowa. The accident occurred around 12:40 p.m. Friday at a farm in rural Superior. The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office says the man was pinned by a backhoe attached to a tractor. The Sheriff’s Office says the man was pronounced dead at the scene. He’s been identified as 72-year-old Thomas Mart.

Officials with the Creston Police Department report three arrests took place Monday. 63-year old Kathy Conley, of Creston, was arrested at her home at around 10:24-p.m., on a charge of (Simple) Domestic Assault. She was transported to the Ringgold County Jail and held while awaiting a bond hearing. At the same time and place, 36-year old Bobbie Sue Flynn, of Creston, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. She was being held in the Union County Jail on a $300 bond.

And, 22-year old Jacob Davis, of Cromwell, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, Monday afternoon. Davis was arrested on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear in Court on an original charge of Theft in the 3rd Degree. He was being held at the jail in Creston on a $5,000 bond.