Officials with the Adair-Guthrie County Emergency Management Office report 9-1-1 service has been restored in Guthrie County. The office had put out a notice at around 6-p.m. Thursday about a disruption in 9-1-1 service that began sometime between 5:30- and 6-p.m.  The service was restored, a few hours later. A Sheriff’s dispatcher in Guthrie County said a fiber optic cable was accidentally cut somewhere. 9-1-1 service he said, was also knocked out in southern Iowa’s Clarke County at the same time.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency is reporting that the 9-1-1 phone lines in Guthrie County are not working. If you have an emergency call the regular Guthrie County Dispatch line at 641-747-2214. Until further notice.

(posted 5:39-p.m. 5/31/12)

The Harlan Police Department reports four 18-year olds were arrested last week on alcohol charges, following a traffic stop. Taken into custody on May 25th, were: Brock Travis, Jared Klein, and Cari Freml, all of Harlan, and, Rachel Ferry, of Kirkman. Each was cited for Possession of Alcohol under legal age, and later released. Their booze was confiscated.

On that same day, 32-year old Shelly Hulsebus, of Harlan, turned herself in to authorities. The woman was wanted on an active Shelby County warrant for 3rd degree theft, after allegedly taking $412 from the cash register at the place of her employer, Bomgaars Supply, Incorporated, in April. Hulsebus was being held in the Shelby County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Authorities in Harlan also spent part of the past week investigating an incident of vandalism. On May 23rd, a Harlan woman reported that her 1992 Lincoln Town Carr was intentionally scratched on both sides, and the driver’s seat punctured twice. The damage was estimated at $1,500, and the case remains under investigation.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department and authorities in Harrison County are investigating the theft of an SUV from Harlan. On Monday, officers with the Harlan P-D were called to the 900 block of Durant Street, where it was reported a 1997 Ford Explorer belonging to Donna Kester, had been stolen. The following evening, Harrison County Sheriff’s officials notified Harlan Police that the vehicle was recovered near Missouri Valley. The case remains under investigation.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Thursday, set June 13th and 20th as the dates for public hearings, and the 1st and 2nd readings of a proposed Illegal Dumping Ordinance. The ordinance, if adopted after the second reading, would apply to all the unincorporated areas of the County, and would call for a $100 fine on the 1st offense if the items illegally dumped weighed less than 10-pounds, or up to 15-cubic feet in volume, and up to $250 for the second and subsequent offenses. The fines increase from $250 to $500 respectively, for trash that exceeds 10-pounds, or 15-cubic feet in volume.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Lottery officials say someone who bought a Powerball ticket at a Council Bluffs convenience store has won $1 million.  The lottery said in a news release Thursday that the ticket matched the first five numbers of 9, 10, 24, 52 and 56 but missed the Powerball number of 14.  The lottery says the ticket was purchased at D&S X-Press on North Broadway and that the buyer hasn’t come forward yet.   The lottery says it’s the fourth $1 million-winning ticket sold since the $2 Powerball began in January. One of prizes was claimed by a Council Bluffs woman.  No one matched all six numbers in Wednesday night’s drawing, so jackpot is expected to hit $164 million for Saturday’s drawing.

The Atlantic Police Department reports 32-year old Zachary Watkins, of Atlantic, was arrested this (Thursday) morning on Cass County warrants, charging him with two-counts of Burglary in the 2nd degree, Simple Assault, and Trespassing. Watkins was brought to the Cass County Jail and held, pending a court appearance.

Cass County Sheriff Darby McLaren received an award today (Thursday) honoring him for his committment to a member of the military who served overseas, who also is one of his deputies. Jerry Hansen Veteran’s Service Officer for Montgomery County made the award to McLaren on behalf of the Iowa and National Committees for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), which is under the office of the Secretary of Defense.

(at left) Jerry Hansen, (Center) Sheriff Darby McLaren, (right) Deputy Ryan Johnson

McLaren was nominated for the Secretary of Defense Employer’s Support Freedom Award by Deputy Ryan Johnson, who was required to take time off of his job to serve in the military, overseas. The award is the U-S Government’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of their employees serving in the Guard and Reserve. Only members of the Guard and Reserve and their family members are eligible to nominate their employers for the award.

Hansen said the award “Recognizes employers who support goodwill, are critically important to retaining highly skilled and qualified members of the Guard and Reserve.” He says Johnson felt strongly enough about McLaren’s support to nominate him and the Cass County Sheriff’s Department for the recognition. In his letter nominating McLaren, Johnson said he was ordered to deploy to Afghanistan. After notifying McLaren of his deployment and the duties he needed to atteded to prior to deploying overseas, he says McLaren understood the committment, and explained the situation in detail to the remaining deputies and staff.

While on active duty, Johnson says McLaren saw to it his wife was taken care of, including providing them with security after an attempted break-in at their home, and even removing a snake from his basement. Johnson said his wife was “treated like a queen”by the other deputies and staff. He says when he returned from his deployment, McLaren told him to take as much time as necessary to re-adjust to life and worked on scheduling, so Johnson could spend time with his wife, whom he was away from for 15-months. He ended his statement my saying “My boss is great.”

McLaren, humble in his acceptance of the award, said it was as much for the deputies in his office as it was for himself, because of their committment to working the extra hours necessary to cover for their fellow employee. He especially thanked former deputies Brian Rink and Don Lappe, for stepping-in to volunteer their time. McLaren said he feels “Unwarranted for accepting the award from the military, based on what Ryan (and his fellow soldiers) were giving up,” to serve our Country. He says the deputies “Were home with their wives and families every night, while they (the soldiers) were overseas, risking their lives.”