(Crescent, Iowa) – A traffic stop in Crescent Tuesday morning on a pickup pulling travel-trailer with an expired registration, resulted in the arrest of two people on multiple charges. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a Deputy stopped a 2004 Ford F-150 pulling a 1988 Fleetwood travel trailer camper in the parking lot of the Casey’s Store in Crescent, at around 9:30-a.m.

Upon smelling the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, the driver, 39-year-old Ashley Nicole Blank, of Clarinda, and a passenger, 43-year-old Michael Gene Landon, Jr., of Council Bluffs, were detained. An investigation resulted in the recovery from inside the vehicle, of drug paraphernalia and marijuana. A Conservation Officer arrived on the scene and charged Blank and Landon with a camping violation, since neither subject paid for two-days of camping at the Hitchcock Nature Center. The pair were taken into custody and transported to the Pott. County Jail, where Corrections Staff found methamphetamine inside Blank’s property.

Ashley Blank was charged with: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Poss. of Marijuana; Child Endangerment and Possessing contraband in a secure facility, along with two-counts of Camping Violation on Public Lands. She was also cited for the expired registration on the travel trailer.Bond was set at $8,300.  Michael Gene Landon, Jr., was charged with Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia; Poss. of Marijuana; Child Endangerment; and Providing a False Name to law enforcement. His bond was set at $3,600.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Department reports four arrests and property damage accident. Last Friday, August 12, 2022, Cass County Deputies arrested 32-year-old Nicholas Wright, of Atlantic, for OWI 2nd Offense.  Wright was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

There were two arrests on Sunday (8/14), in Cass County: 29-year-old Taylor Christensen, of Red Oak, was arrested for OWI 1st Offense.; And, 61-year-old John Jamison, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI 2nd Offense.  Jamison and Christensen were transported to the Cass County Jail, booked-in, and held pending later release on their own recognizance.

On Tuesday, August 16th, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 52-year-old Travis Keoppel, of Adair, on warrants for Sexual Assault.  Keoppel was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

Late Friday morning (Aug. 12), Cass County Deputies responded to the area of 800 Maple Street, in Anita, for a two- vehicle accident.  An investigation determined a 2003 Suzuki XL7 being operated by Robbie Metheny, of Anita, was backing out of a driveway, while a 2011 Dodge Caravan being operated by Kelsey Frazier, of Ames, was operating South on Maple Street.

When Metheny failed to yield the right of way while backing, the vehicles collided on Maple Street.  The 2011 Dodge Caravan sustained an approximated $5,500 worth of damage while the 2003 Suzuki sustained an approximated $1,500 worth of damage.  No injuries were reported during this accident.

(Harlan, Iowa) – Officials with the Harlan Police Department report two arrests occurred over the past week. On Sunday, 30-year-old Winston Joseph Leal, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for service. Leal was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault. And, on Aug. 11th, 33-year-old Brett Jay Crippen, of Harlan, was arrested for Driving While Suspended, following a traffic stop.

There were three property damage accidents in Harlan over the past near 12 days. One of the incidents occurred Aug. 6th at 7th and Willow, as Becky Rold, of Harlan, was delivering mail when the Jeep she was driving struck a mailbox. On Aug. 8th, vehicles driven by Michael Cooper, of Persia, and Jill Rudy, of Atlantic, collided at 7th and Market Streets, in Harlan. And, on Aug. 11th, vehicles driven by Tela Schwery, of Panama, and Susan Jensen, of Harlan, collided at 9th and Pine in Harlan.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa and several other states have reached an opioid agreement with a drug maker based in Ireland.The agreement says Endo International will provide up to 450 million dollars to participating state and local governments. It bans the promotion of Endo’s opioids and requires Endo to turn over millions of documents related to its role in the opioid crisis for publication online.

Endo filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday night, and the agreement resolves allegations that Endo boosted opioid sales using deceptive marketing that downplayed the risk of addiction and overstated the benefits. Further details of the settlement and the amount of money each state will receive are still being worked out.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Atlantic Rising, in partnership with West Central Community Action, the Atlantic Police Department and New Life Church, are helping kids get back to school by filling backpacks with school supplies just in time for school. “Our community is always willing to step up in times of need. With costs of all items and materials going up, we wanted to do our part in helping the children in our community feel excited and prepared to go back to school,” Kelsey Beschorner, Atlantic Rising Board Member said. The organizations have already received an overwhelming number of backpacks and are asking the community to help fill them with much-needed school supplies. The items most in need are the following:

Crayons
Markers
Colored Pencils
Highlighters
#2 Pencils
Blue & Black Pens
Large Eraser OR Package of Pencil Top Erasers
Scissors
Notebooks
Wide ruled spiral notebook
2 Pocket Folders
Headphones or earbuds
Calculator- TI-30 or higher
Pencil Tool Box/Bag large enough to fit most supplies
On August 19th, members of Atlantic Rising and West Central will help fill and deliver the backpacks and school supplies to the surrounding Cass County schools in anticipation for school starting on August 23rd.

“We recognize that back-to-school time can be hard on families. We are so grateful for the continued generosity of this great community that allows us to uphold this tradition,” Beschorner stated. If you, or someone you know, are in need of community resources, please contact West Central Community Action at 712-243-5421. If you are interested in learning more about Atlantic Rising, contact 712.243.3017 or kelsey@atlanticiowa.com.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Deputy Auditor Doreen South reports nomination papers were filed Tuesday for a seat on the County Soil and Water Commission. Greg Zellmer has filed for re-election to the non-partisan post.

The Auditor’s Office will update persons who have filed their nomination papers, on a daily basis, as necessary. Previously, the Auditor’s Office reported:

• Chad Becker is running for the Agricultural Extension Council. And,
• Mike Klocke is running for Hospital Trustee.

The filing periods for the November 8, 2022, General Election are:

• U.S. Senate, U.S. Rep and State Office: August 1 – August 27 (5:00 p.m.)
• Partisan County and Township Offices: August 8 – August 31 (5:00 p.m.)
• County Ag. Extension, Soil and Water, and Hospital Trustees: By August 31, 2022 (5:00 p.m.)

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday morning and acknowledged the receipt of two separate manure management updates, a Urban Renewal Amendment Notice from the City of Stuart, and a withdrawal request for Public Assistance from FEMA. Auditor Mandy Berg explained…

The Board acted on Homestead & Military Disallowances, and heard approved a request from County Treasurer Brenda Wallace with regard to a request for a tax abatement from the City of Greenfield.

In his Annual Report to the Board, Adair County V-A Director Duane Avey said they registered 55 new veterans for VA Benefits and Programs.

VA Commissioner John Schildberg, III, noted also, that President Biden signed a bill recognizing the health affects of Agent Orange on Vietnam-Era Vets, and the burning of toxic waste, with regard to Persian Gulf War Veterans.

The bills expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras:

• Adds more than 20 new presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures
• Adds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation
• Requires VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA health care

In other business, Adair County Conservation Director Dominic Johnson provided his Annual Report to the Board. And, the Board passed a Resolution to Award a Contract in the amount of $237,714 to American Pavement Solutions, Inc., for crack filling on Farm-to-Market Roads in Adair County. There were four bids received for the projects. County Engineer Nick Kauffman discussed the project, and provided a weekly report on his department’s maintenance and activities.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is urging Iowans to apply to be poll workers in this fall’s election. Poll workers check in voters on Election Day and hand out ballots. Pate says more than ten-thousand pollworkers are needed across the state for each election. He says while a good number of poll workers have signed up, county auditors tell him they still need more people.  “Some counties perhaps are looking for some more Republicans, some counties are looking for Democrats, because, you know, we require it to be balanced and that’s where people can help us out as well,” Pate says.

Poll workers are paid, but the rate depends on the county. Pate calls poll workers the unsung heroes of our democracy. “They’re your friends and neighbors, they go to the same churches and grocery stores that you do and these are the folks that are really there to make sure you can be comfortable that the election results are accurate and that the process itself is a fair one because that’s what’s so important,” Pate says. “You’ve got to believe in the results of those elections for us to really be able to be successful

Visit pollworker-dot-iowa-dot-gov (www.pollworker.iowa.gov) for more information about signing up to be a poll worker. The General Election on November 8th is 83 days away.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Katarina Sostaric)

(Radio Iowa) – Last month’s drawing for the Mega Millions jackpot that exceeded a billion dollars drew plenty of attention in Iowa, and now crooks are using the occasion to try and scam people via text. Consumer advocate Lara Sutherlin says versions of this con have been around for years but criminals are trying to be timely with their message. “You’ve got a purported winner of the lottery that doesn’t want to keep the money all for themselves and they’re graciously trying to give it away,” Sutherlin says. The scammers may claim to be the winner — or to represent the winner — and all they need you to do is contact them. “So they then ask you to call an agent and they give you a number or they ask you to text them,” Sutherlin says, “and that’s the scam. They’re trying to engage you, steal your identity, steal your money.”

Sutherlin says Iowans need to be savvy and not fall for the trick, especially when it sounds too good to be true. “Absolutely ignore these texts offering to give you part of their lottery winnings,” She says. “Block that number, and you certainly don’t respond, and you certainly don’t call back the number in the text.”

Sutherlin says the scam might change, whether they’re trying to get you to send them gift cards or get access to your banking information. The winner of the July 29th Mega Millions drawing, worth one-point-three billion dollars, has yet to come forward. Iowa Lottery officials say one ticket sold in Illinois matched all six numbers.