The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two accidents took place Monday morning. A little before 11-a.m., a 2020 Chrysler driven by 22-year-old Michael McCormick, of Villisca, was traveling west on Highway 34, when the vehicle left the road, entered the north ditch, and rolled onto its side. McCormick was transported by Malvern Rescue to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak.

And, at around 5:45-a.m. Monday, 18-year old Genevieve Hartshorn, of Malvern, was driving a 2007 Toyota northbound on Ingrum Avenue, and attempted to slow down to pull over. She told authorities her brakes locked-up, causing her to lose traction. The vehicle left the road and slid into a ditch. It then struck a tree before coming to rest. There were no injuries reported.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests over the past week. This past Saturday night, 31-year-old Adam James Magill, of Greenfield, was arrested on two counts Possession of a Controlled Substance, after he was found to be in possession of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, and three bags of a white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine. He was also found to be in possession of a glass pipe with white residue consistent with the use of meth. Magill was arrested after a deputy saw him leaning against a car at the intersection of 160th Street and the Fontanelle Road. Prior to questioning Magill, the deputy learned the man’s license plate had expired in 2019. Magill was released from custody the following day on his own recognizance.

On Oct. 18th, 29-year old Shane Sim Blackford, of Chariton, was arrested at the Lucas County Jail, on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. Blackford was released the following day on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans are being cautious about developing plans for the holiday travel season ahead, according to a survey by Triple-A Iowa. Spokesman Mark Peterson says the coronavirus pandemic is a key influence in how comfortable people feel about traveling between now and the end of the year.  “Nearly two-thirds of our travelers, about 64%, are concerned about traveling in the holiday season due to the pandemic, however, confidence is improving,” Peterson says. “Nearly half say they’re comfortable traveling now, compared to this time last year when the pandemic was just beginning.”

Still, only about one in five Iowans surveyed said they plan to travel during the holidays this year, that’s down about 40-percent from a year ago. The busiest travel holiday of the year is just less than a month away, well, in a typical year. “Thanksgiving is the big family one,” Peterson says. “People have a tendency to travel over that four- or five-day break and Thanksgiving is probably a little more family-oriented. We might get some more traveling but just not as much as last year.”

In the short-term, the survey found about one in ten Iowans say they will not be doing any traveling over the next week because of the presidential election. “People want to make sure that they vote and this, obviously, means it’s the people that want to do it in person,” Peterson says. “Obviously, they can take care of it through the mail but a lot of people like to walk in that door, go up there and do it the old-fashioned way and that has an influence for some people.”

The majority of Iowans (79%) say they are most comfortable traveling in their personal vehicle, which provides more personal control over cleanliness and social distancing. The survey found 64-percent of Iowans are still uncomfortable taking a commercial flight, though a federal study says the risk of contracting the virus on an airplane is minimal.

Officials with the Creston Police Department say a man residing in the 400 block of N. Sycamore Street reported Monday, that someone has pried open the gas cap on the vehicle and added something to the fuel tank that caused the vehicle to become inoperative. The incident happened while the vehicle was parked outside the man’s residence. The damage was estimated at $800.