A member of the Shelby County Board of Supervisors was found guilty of 3^rd degree harassment Thursday, in Shelby County District Court. Southwest Iowa District Court Judge William T. Early found 62-year old Delbert Hull, of Kirkman, guilty of 3^rd degree harassment, in connection with a letter he sent to a Harlan teen, in hopes of changing what he saw as the teens’ self-destructive behavior. Hull was fined $100 plus court costs and surcharges which totaled $300. He had faced up to 30-days in jail and fines of up to $625. Hull is a member of the Shelby County Board of Supervisors and is up for re-election next year.

Shelby County Supervisor Delbert Hull

His trial began December 13^th.  A complaint filed with authorities, alleged Hull had sent an anonymous letter to 16-year old Austin Hess of Harlan. The teen received the unsigned letter on September 20^th. Hess’ mother Diane reported the letter to authorities after her son became upset over what was written in the note. Shelby County Sheriff Mark Hervey enlisted the help of Audubon County Sheriff’s Deputy David Bean, in conducting an investigation into the incident. Bean said on the witness stand that it is procedure for another county deputy to help investigate such matters, especially when they concern an elected official. Hervey told the judge he compared the writing on the letter to court documents with Hull’s writing, and confirmed it was Hull who sent the letter. 

A mailing label on a local newspaper article sent along with the letter was also traced back to Hull. When authorities interviewed Hull on September 22^nd, he admitted to having written the letter. Hull was subsequently charged with Harassment and posted a $300 bond the same day he was questioned. During his trial, a video of Hull’s interview was played, during which he was quoted as saying he was “fed up with the kids and frustrated.”

On the witness stand, Hull told the Judge it reminded him of when he was in high school and had a friend who was athletic and academically gifted, but became involved with alcohol and drugs. He said he saw Hess in the same light, and wanted to open the teen’s  eyes in hopes he wouldn’t take the same path.

(Joel McCall/KNOD, Harlan)

Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources say an adult male mountain lion was shot and killed early this (Friday) morning by local law enforcement officers in western Iowa’s Monona County. The incident occurred in the City of Blencoe. The Blencoe police chief and a Monona County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a citizen’s call regarding the mountain lion around midnight. After finding the lion in a tree in the northwest part of town, the officers shot the lion.

The lion will be analyzed to determine its age, what it has been feeding on as well as DNA tests to try and determine its place of origin. The lion will eventually be mounted and used as a display somewhere in Monona County. Iowa law does not provide wildlife protection to mountain lions.

Mountain lion sightings have been documented periodically in Iowa and DNR biologists believe that most of the lions seen here are likely young males that have been pushed from their native areas by older, dominant males. The lion likely came from a state west of Iowa.

Officials say in general, a mountain lion will sense human presence before humans know they are in the area and the mountain lions will quickly vacate the area. Sightings of a mountain lion can be reported to local law enforcement or to DNR conservation officers.

No injuries were reported following four separate accidents over the past week, in Harlan. According to the Harlan Police Department, three of the accidents happened on Tuesday. Officials say vehicles driven by Brittnee Boardman and Doris Towne, both of Harlan, collided in the 18-hundred block of Chatburn Avenue, causing $1,400 damage.

Ashley Arkfeld, of Harlan, reported to authorities her 2004 Chrysler was hit Monday while legally parked in the Chatburn Plaza parking lot. The damage was noticed as Arkfeld was leaving her place of employment. Damage from the incident amounted to $1,000.  That same day, a teal green pickup truck hit the right rear bumper of a 2002 Buick driven by Karen Gross, of Harlan, as Gross was traveling west on Morningview, just pass Veteran’s Auditorium. Damage from the incident amounted to $500.  The pickup and driver fled from the scene.

The fourth accident in Harlan happened on December 17th. Officials say a 2001 Nissan, driven by Jordan Henscheid, of Harlan, was traveling north on Utility Avenue, when the vehicle left the road and hit telephone poles and a concrete barrier, before rolling over once and coming to rest on a telephone pole. Henscheid’s vehicle sustained $5,000 damage, while damage to the utility poles, owned by the City of Harlan, amounted to $325.

Police in Harlan today (Friday) released a compiled report on recent arrests and incidents. Officials say 25-year old Charles Hayes, of Harlan, was arrested Monday on a Shelby County warrant for Failure to Appear on burglary charges associated with a theft which occurred in the Dye Street area, last February. Hayes plead guilty earlier this month to a charge of 2nd degree theft, and was sentenced to 5-years in prison. The term was suspended, and Hayes was placed on supervised probation for a period of two-years. His sentencing on the charge is set for January 3rd, 2012.

Last Sunday, police in Harlan investigated a report of theft from Mikels Family Restaurant. Several items, including commercial griddles, and a milk dispenser used for their catering business, were reported missing. Officials say they have no suspects at this time, and the incident remains under investigation.

On December 17th, 23-year old Theodore Behrens, of Harlan, was arrested after officers were called to a disturbance in the 11-hundred block of Willow Street. The officers ended-up returning to the scene three separate times. Behrens was brought to the Shelby County Jail on a charge of Disorderly Conduct.

And, on December 13th, 42-year old Kim Musich, of Harlan, was arrested by the Harlan P-D, after she allegedly tried to obtain prescription medication with a prescription that had been altered. Musich was brought to the Shelby County Jail on a charge of Tampering with Records.  She posted a $1,000 bond Monday, and was ordered to appear in court for her preliminary hearing on January 5th.

Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Friday) announced that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has approved the Branstad/Reynolds Administration’s request for a temporary waiver of income restrictions on federal housing tax credit properties throughout the state to assist Iowans who may have been displaced by the Missouri River flooding last summer. The Iowa Finance Authority administers the federal housing tax credit program in Iowa and a listing of properties is available at: www.IowaFinanceAuthority.gov/EmergencyHousing. 

Branstad says “The IRS approval of our request for affordable housing relief means that hundreds of Iowans who may have been displaced by the Missouri River flooding, but may not have been income-qualified to live at a federal housing tax property now have that option.”  Reynolds says “Having adequate housing is at the core of strong families and vibrant communities. By allowing Iowans who have been displaced by the floods access to hundreds of affordable housing properties throughout the state, we’re arming them with a tool that will be vital in their rebuilding process.”  

Eligible Iowans must have resided in one of the five counties that were designated for Individual Assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the period of May 25, 2011, to August 1, 2011. These counties include: Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona and Pottawattamie counties. More than 1,200 Iowans have registered for FEMA Individual Assistance as of December 19, 2011.

An Atlantic man was arrested Thursday on a warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault. According to Atlantic Police, 24-year old Ryan Juhl was taken into custody and booked into the Cass County Jail, where he was being held pending an appearance before a magistrate.

The Atlantic Police Department says also, no injuries were reported following two separate accidents, Thursday. Officials say Jenna Kaufmann, of Anita, was given a warning for Failure to Obey a Traffic Light, after her vehicle collided with a vehicle being driven by Janice Peterson, of Atlantic. The accident happened at around 3:45-p.m. Thursday, at the intersection of 5th and Chestnut Streets. Damage from the collision amounted to $2,500.

The second accident happened at around 9:30-p.m., on Fair Ridge Circle, when vehicles driven by Blake Stender and Trey Lovell, both of Atlantic, collided on a curve in the road, as they approached a legally parked vehicle from opposite directions. Damage from the accident amounted to $3,200. No citations were issued.