CARROLL, Iowa (AP) — Two western Iowa men are accused of stealing more than 500 flagpoles from the Carroll American Legion over Memorial Day weekend. The Carroll Daily Times Herald reports that 37-year-old Christopher Lee Gay and 20-year-old Chance Abel Kinney, both of Lake City, were arrested on Sunday. The men were charged with first- and second-degree theft and were released from jail on a promise to appear in court.

Police Chief Jeff Cayler says investigators are seeking a third suspect, whom he declined to identify. The suspects allegedly stole two trailers with an estimated 550 metal flagpoles and tried to sell them at two salvage yards. Salvage yard workers declined to buy the poles, and were able to identify at least one of the suspects.

The poles are worth an estimated $16,500.

CARROLL, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Carroll are more closely enforcing maximum occupancy limits in the city’s public library after a former City Council member threatened to report overcrowding to the state fire marshal. The Carroll Daily Times Herald reported Monday that former council member R.W. Collison sent the letter last week to Fire Chief Greg Schreck.

Collison noted that hundreds of children attend summer reading programs at the library and would be in danger if the building had to be vacated quickly because of a fire or other emergency. Officials were measuring the building and planned to post maximum occupancy signs of about 100 people. Some library programs may need to be moved to other sites.

Collison has supported redevelopment of the library. He’s opposed proposals to build a new library.

A Harlan man died after a single vehicle accident this (Monday) morning. The Shelby County Sheriff’s say 71 year old Kelly Doonan of Harlan died following the accident near 915 Timber Road in rural Shelby County. Doonan was driving a 1998 Chevy Pickup northbound on Timber Road around 7:15am when he lost control, left the roadway and struck a tree in the front yard. Doonan was transported to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan and was pronounced dead. The pickup was a total loss. The Shelby County Sheriff’s were assisted by Medivac Ambulance, Harlan Fire Department and Kimballton Fire Department.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An audit of Veterans Affairs facilities has found nearly 1,000 veterans who requested an initial appointment in Iowa or Nebraska over the last decade, but have not yet been seen. The report released Monday says 987 enrolled veterans sought appointments at one of three facilities — two in Iowa, and one in Nebraska that serves western Iowa.

The VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System had 606 appointment requests during the last decade that have not been scheduled. The VA Central Iowa Health Care System had 274 requests, and the Iowa City VA Health Care System had 107.

The report shows 317 new patients who were placed on waiting lists for initial appointments. New patients are placed on waiting lists when an appointment can’t be scheduled within 90 days.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County say one person was transported to a hospital in Council Bluffs following an accident Saturday afternoon, northeast of Malvern. Judy Smith was a passenger in a 2007 Pontiac driven by Charles Smith, of Red Oak. She was taken by Malvern Rescue to Jenny Edmundson Hospital following the rear-end collision just west of the intersection of Highway 34 and 330th St.

Officials say a 1999 Plymouth driven by Jerico Coy, of Omaha, was traveling west on Highway 34 behind the Smith vehicle, and failed to notice Smiths’ car before running into the back of it. The accident happened at around 12:15-p.m.

Four people were arrested over the weekend, in Mills County. Sheriff’s officials report 21-year old Angel Rose Bovee, of Glenwood, was arrested at around 4-p.m. Friday, on a warrant for Violation of her probation. Her bond was set at $10,000.

On Saturday, Mills County deputies arrested 20-year old Ozzy Ray Hunter, of Oakland, on a warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Driving While Barred. He was taken into cusotdy at around 2:30-p.m. during a traffic stop on Highway 59 at Applewood Road. Hunter’s bond was set at $5,000.

On Sunday, 37-year old Francine May Gladden, of Omaha, was arrested in Mills County on a Red Oak Police Dept. warrant. Her bond was set at $300.

And on Monday (Today), 19-year old Kurtis Robert Miller, of Council Bluffs, was arrested near Highway 34 and 370th Street in Mills County. Miller was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,300.

(Noon News)

An unusual pursuit took place Sunday afternoon, in Fremont County. Sheriff’s officials say a little after 3-p.m. deputies were called to the area of Highway 2 and 370th Avenue, for a report of an erratic semi tractor. Deputies caught up with the 1994 Kenworth semi, which was traveling at a high rate of speed westbound, in the eastbound lanes of the 3100 block of Highway 2.

The semi failed to yield to deputies and reached speeds of 96-miles per hour northbound on Highway 275 in the southbound lane of travel. The vehicle came to a stop in the 700 block of Main Street, in Tabor. Authorities say the driver – who was not identified — was transported to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and later to a Council Bluffs hospital, to undergo a mental evaluation.

Charges are pending completion of the investigation. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office was assisted during the incident, by deputies with the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Tabor Police, and Sidney Fire and Rescue.