Sheriff’s officials in Audubon County are asking for your help in solving a crime involving the theft of two pickup trucks over the weekend. Authorities say a silver 2005 Ford F-150 pickup and a white 2005 Ford F-150 pickup were stolen sometime during the evening hours of Oct. 18th or early morning hours of Oct. 19th. The vehicles were taken from a building near a business in the 200 block of North Market Street, in Audubon. The white truck was recovered in Audubon later in the day, on Saturday.

The missing, silver pickup has Iowa license plate number 720-PZN. The vehicle has a dent in the driver’s side box, and is equipped with a tool box and fuel tank in the bed of the truck. Anyone with information about the crime or who may have seen the remaining, missing vehicle, is asked to call the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office at 712-563-2631, or Crimestoppers at 712-563-2234.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report the arrest last week of a Pottawattamie County man on numerous charges. 25-year old Kirk Kincaid Kinser, of Oakland, was arrested Oct. 16th on a warrant charging him with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Eluding, and OWI. Kinser was arrested at the Cass County Jail. His bond was set at $2,000.

Sheriff’s officials in Shelby County said Monday (today) an arrest has been made in connection with an investigation into the discovery of a methamphetamine lab. The operation was found on a vacant farm in rural Shelby County after remnants of the lab was found by members of the public, who alerted authorities. An investigation has identified one suspect.

39-year old Raymond Johnson, of Seneca, MO, was taken into custody in Fremont County, on unrelated charges. Johnson faces felony charges in Shelby County that include Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of Pseudoephedrine as a precursor, and Possession of lithium as a precursor. A warrant has been issued for Johnson, who will be returned to Shelby County upon completion of the charges in Fremont County. His bond was set at $5,000.

Officials with the Danish Immigrant Museum have announced the change of its name to “Museum of Danish America,” and have elected six new members to the board of directors. The change came during the museum’s annual meeting on October 11th.

New logo for the Museum of Danish America (formerly the Danish Immigrant Museum)

Since it was founded in 1983, the focus of the museum has been to tell the story of the Danish immigration around the turn of the 20^th century, but Executive Director Dr. John Mark Nielsen said they began to recognize that the immigrant experience was changing. Nielsen says “In strategic planning meetings beginning in 2004, board members recognized the decline in immigration from Denmark and the need to expand the museum’s focus to include documenting the evolving relations between our two countries.”

Nielsen said that many supporters of the museum had come to feel that the name, The Danish Immigrant Museum, placed too much emphasis on the immigrant generation – it was not inclusive enough for the future. At the October 2012 meeting of the Board of Directors, a committee was charged with the responsibility of soliciting, reviewing and proposing possible new names for consideration at its February 2013 meeting in Houston, Texas. The committee considered fifteen different names and recommended “Museum of Danish America,” which was officially adopted on Oct. 11^th, 2013.

Six new board members join a group of 17 led by President of the Board Dagmar Muthamia of Long Beach, California. The new members include: Daniel Christensen, of West Des Moines; Bente Ellis, of San Jose, CA; Bill Jensen, of Urbandale; Carolyn Jensen, of St. Paul, MN; Brent Norlem, of Monticello, MN, and Craig Molgaard, of Missoula, MT.

(9-a.m. News)

Sheriff’s officials in Fremont County report deputies arrested four people last week. 33-year old John Bosco Lukas, of Omaha, was arrested Saturday on charges that include OWI/2nd offense, Failure to have insurance, open container, no valid driver’s license, and speeding.

36-year old Roger Eugene Straw and 39-year old Kara Marcine Straw, both of Sidney, were arrested last Tuesday (Oct. 15th). Roger Straw was charged with simple assault and interference with official acts. Kara Straw faces  simple assault and public intoxication charges.

And on Monday, Oct. 14th, 32-year old Jeremy Scott Carnes, of Pacific Junction, was arrested in Fremont County for aggravated assault.

Sheriff’s officials in Audubon County report a fatal, single-vehicle rollover accident occurred early Sunday morning, south of Gray. 21-year old Michael Dean Schmidt, of Audubon, died at the scene of the crash off 120th Street. The accident was reported at around 3:30-a.m.

Officials say Schmidt’s vehicle was traveling west on 120th Street when it crossed the center line of the road and continued onto the left shoulder following a curve. Schmidt was ejected from the vehicle as rolled down a ditch and landed in a field.

The accident remains under investigation. Sheriff’s deputies were assisted at the scene by officers with the Audubon Police Department and crews from the Audubon Fire and Rescue Department.

(8-a.m. News)