Officers with the Atlantic Police Department participated in “Polar Plunge” of support for a young cancer patient this (Friday) morning . The 7-a.m. “Plunge for Landon” took place in a lake at the Schildberg Recreation Area. The “Plunge” was an attempt to show support for five-month old Landon Shaw from Tarkio, Missouri. Landon is battling cancer, and the Tarkio community came up with the “Plunge Challenge” as a way to show support and raise funds to help the family.

The Atlantic Police Department is also taking a collection among its staff to send to the Shaw family. If anyone in the community would like to donate to the family, the Police Department will gladly accept and send one group donation by the middle of next week.

The Atlantic Police Department has challenged the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic Fire Department, and Shenandoah Police Department to complete the “Plunge” as well.You can view a video of the local “Plunge for Landon” on the A-PD’s Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlantic-Police-Department/167902403383032)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two recent arrests and one accident. Authorities say on Tuesday, April 1st, 32-year old Aaron Lee Latus,  of Massena, was arrested on a Fremont County warrant. Latus was taken to the Cass County Jail and transferred to Fremont County authorities on Wednesday.

On Wednesday,  Cass County deputies arrested 44-year old Bradley Leo Ranney, of Massena, on a Magistrate’s warrant for Failure to Appear. Ranney was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $500 bond.

And early this (Friday) morning, Cass County deputies responded to a report of a jackknifed semi on Interstate 80 westbound,  at the 72 mile marker. Officials say a 2013 Kenworth driven by 57-year old Thomas Batie Heathcote, of Des Moines, was traveling westbound on I-80 at around 3:15-a.m., when he lost control of the semi on an icy overpass.

The trailer portion of the semi blocked the left lane and part of the right lane for about an hour.  No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $6000.

Authorities in southwest Iowa made a forced entry into an apartment in Lenox and  arrested one person on drug charges Thursday evening.

Cerda-Romo (L-PD photo)

According to the Lenox Police Dept., 22-year old Christopher Cerda-Romo, of Lenox, was taken into custody at around 5-p.m. after officers with the police department and deputies with the Taylor County Sheriffs Office served a search warrant at 601 S. Walnut, Apt. 5-B.

Officials say after Cerda-Romo refused to answer the door,  officers forced their way in, and conducted a search. Following the completion of the search, Cerda-Romo was arrested on a Taylor County warrant for failure to appear, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal possession of prescription drugs.  Cerda-Roma was then booked into the Taylor County Jail.

A Taylor County woman was arrested Thursday night on drug charges.

Laura Zapata (Lenox P-D photo)

According to the Lenox Police Department, 20-year old Laura Zapata, of Lenox, was arrested at around 9:30-p.m., on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal possession of prescription drugs.

The charges stem from a search warrant served earlier in the day at a residence at 601 S. Walnut, in Lenox.  Zapata was transported to the Taylor County Jail and held pending a court appearance.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A spring storm that brought a mix of rain, sleet and snow is being blamed for numerous crashes and one traffic death in Woodbury County in northwest Iowa.  The Sioux City Journal reports that the fatal crash happened around 4:30 p.m. Thursday on Interstate 29 near Salix, when a northbound vehicle towing a flatbed trailer crossed the median and hit a southbound vehicle. The crash killed a passenger in the northbound vehicle and sent the driver to a Sioux City hospital. Authorities have not released their names.

Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew says the biggest contributing factors in Thursday’s crashes were accumulated slush on roads and vehicles going too fast for road conditions.