(7-p.m.: corrects name in 2nd graph to Tiffani Burks)

Several groups and individuals took the polar “Plunge for Landon” Sunday afternoon, at the Schildberg Recreation Area in Atlantic. Last Friday morning, members of the Atlantic Police Department took “Plunge,” to show support for 5 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 first group gets ready to jump in.

At around 3:30-p.m. Sunday, Tiffani Burks from Anita was challenged by her employees at REM Iowa Community Services, to take the plunge. Burks will donate $5 for each of the employees who takes the plunge where she works. Amy Nelson from Griswold also took plunge, promised to donate $5 for each of the Griswold Fire Department members who take the plunge, and, Charlie and Lisa Mills, from Massena challenged their son Ted Mills and staff at the Cumberland Fire Department to take the challenge and raise funds for Landon.

Then it was time for members of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office to accept the challenge from the A-PD’s Devin Hogue. Taking the plunge Saturday was Deputy Josh McLaren, who issued his own challenge to the Ft. Dodge Police Department and a local radio station. McLaren said he would donate $10 for Landon for each group that completes the plunge.

Cass County Deputies McLaren, Shields and Quist get ready to take the plunge.

Deputy Tyler Shiels issued a similar challenge to the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office. Cass County Deputy Kyle Quist and his partner Vader took the plunge as well. He was challenged by the A-PD and the Nodaway County, MO. K-9 Dept. to take the challenge. Quist in-turn issued a challenge to Guthrie County K-9 officer Kent Gries, Cass County Deputy Ryan Johnson, and IA DOT Officer Brian Rink.

Once the soggy trio of McLaren, Shiels and Quist emerged from the lake, Cass County E-911 Director Rob Koppert and 9-1-1 Dispatcher Shawn Page ran into the lake. Koppert was challenged to take the plunge by Montgomery County 9-1-1. He pledged $10 and is issued a challenge to Pottawattamie County Communications and their Director Bob Anderson, Tom Ling and the Mills County 9-1-1 staff. Page challenged Atlantic Boy Scout Troop 54 and Pack 53.

Rob Koppert & Shawn Page

The Atlantic Fire Dept. was set to take the plunge at the fire station, at 5-p.m.

Two Red Oak residents were arrested early Sunday morning as authorities were executing a search warrant at a location near Highway 48 and E. Ratliff Road. Red Oak Police say 52-year old Jack Ray Steinspring was taken into custody at around 3:50-a.m. on a warrant for Failure to comply with the Sex Offender Registry/5th offense. During the incident, 34-year old Becky Jo Hegarty was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. Both Red Oak residents were brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, where Steinspring was being held on $5 ,000 cash bond. Hegarty’s bond was set at $300.

The Iowa State Patrol has identified the victims of a snow-storm related crash that happened Thursday afternoon in Woodbury County. As we reported on Friday, 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.

Officials say 71-year old Allen J. Lueck, of Rosendale, WI...a passenger in 2004 Ford driven by 69-year old Gary C. Schwantes, of New Holstein, WI…died at St. Luke’s Hospital in Sioux City from injuries he suffered in the crash. Schwantes, along with the driver of a 2004 Pontiac, 25-year old Desiree Lhotka, of Onawa, and the other driver, 38-year old Kevin Johnson, of Sioux City, as well as 70-year old Michael Fuller, of East St. Paul, Manitoba, Canada, were injured in the crash. Each of the injured were transported to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Settlement agreements are likely to continue to dominate the agenda at the Iowa Capitol this week as some lawmakers remain unsatisfied with discrepancies in testimony and answers they received during hearings last week.

Former employees testified at a Government Oversight Committee hearing Wednesday they were treated badly when fired in 2011 and were offered money to keep quiet about their dismissals. Department of Administrative Services Director Mike Carroll denied those allegations on Thursday in testimony to the committee that completely contradicted the workers.

Democratic Sen. Janet Petersen, chair of the Senate Government Oversight Committee, says she plans to ask state department heads and human resources officials to come before the committee. She’s waiting for the Department of Administrative Services to provide numerous documents about state contracts and hiring practices.