In an effort to ensure Iowa’s road are as safe as possible for motorists during the week leading up to Thanksgiving, law enforcement agencies across the State will be participating in another special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP). Officers with local police departments, deputy sheriffs, state troopers and DOT officers, will be encouraging everyone to buckle-up, and be watching out for impaired drivers. They’ll also be looking closely for other moving violations. It all takes place November 19th through the 25th.

Although 92% of Iowa motorists are using safety belts during the daytime hours, there is plenty of those who aren’t especially in the rural communities.   Patrick Hoye, Bureau Chief of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau continues to stress the importance of buckling up during the daytime hours and especially at night. Hoye says “Seat belts save lives and that is the bottom line.”  As of November 1^st with over 37% of this year’s 299 fatalities having been determined not to have been wearing seat belts, the answer he says is clear, that buckling up increases your odds in surviving a major crash.

During the last August-September sTEP wave, Iowa officers confronted 2,358 seat belt violations, 847 impaired drivers, 13,443 speeding violations, and a total of over 34,335 contacts with traffic violators.  Vehicle assistance was given to 1,980 motorists and 419 arrest warrants were served.  The next sTEP wave is scheduled for March 14-17, 2013.

A program designed to make sure every child in Clarinda receives a gift on Christmas Day begins next week. According to Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers, next Monday, November 19th, the Clarinda Police Department and Clarinda E-911 Communications Center will begin “Operation Blessing 2012.”  Children may be signed up for involvement in the program by calling the Clarinda Police Department at 712-542-2194. A Clarinda E-911 Communications Center Operator will take the child’s name, age, sex, and address and request two gift requests per child. Names of children can be submitted beginning Monday, November 19, 2012 and will be accepted through Thursday, December 20th 2012. All information concerning the child is kept strictly confidential.

Persons wishing to make a charitable contribution to Operation Blessing 2012 may either donate cash or purchase a requested gift item. Gifts purchased can be dropped off at the Clarinda Police Department along with a note indicating the sex and age of the child the gift is for. Please leave the gift unwrapped. Cash contributions can be dropped off at the Clarinda Police Department or mailed to the Clarinda Police Department, 200 South 15th Street, Clarinda, Iowa 51632. Cash contributions will be used by the Clarinda Police Department to purchase gifts for the children.

Families will be contacted by the Clarinda Police Department when the gift items are ready to be picked up.

LAKE CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a house fire in west central Iowa has killed four people. The fire in Lake City started sometime before 1:45 a.m. Tuesday and was discovered by a police officer on patrol.  The state fire marshal’s office says three children and one adult were killed.

Lake City Police Chief Bobby Rist says one of his officers noticed smoke coming from the south edge of town. The officer followed the smoke to the house and found it ablaze.  Rist says the smoke and flames prevented the officer from getting into the house.

Investigators say the fire is not considered suspicious, but the cause is being investigated. Lake City is a town of about 1,700 residents that sits about 75 miles northwest of Des Moines.

A Griswold man was arrested last week on a Mills County warrant charging him with Burglary in the 3rd degree. Sheriff’s officials in Mills County say 29-year old David Allan Minard was taken into custody in Cass County at around 9:35-a.m. Nov. 7th. His bond was set at $10,000.

Last Thursday, Mills County authorities arrested 52-year old Randall Alan Ross, Sr., of Glenwood, on a charge of OWI/1st Offense. Ross was brought to the Mills County Jail. On Saturday, deputies arrested three individuals: 36-year old Joseph Lee Miller, Jr., of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving While Suspended. Bond was set at $300; 36-year old Sean Eugene Hicks, of Emerson, was arrested for Tampering with a Witness. His bond was set at $2,000. And, 24-year old Seth Ryan Peters, of Glenwood, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense and Open Container. Bond was set at $1,300.

On Sunday, 36-year old Micheal Lee Butcher, of Glenwood, was arrested in Mills County on a charge of Disorderly Conduct. Bond was set at $300, and, 29-year old Trevor Wayne Steadman, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for being a Fugitive from Justice, and on a Mills County warrant for Eluding, Criminal Mischief and Interference with Official Acts. He was being held without bond on the fugitive charge, while his bond for the other charges amounted to $25,000.