DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Law enforcement and gun dealers say that they are seeing a rise in gun sales and applications for carry permits in Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System says Iowa had 25,941 firearm background checks conducted in December 2015, more than in any other month last year.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Department says it saw about 1,000 more gun carry permit applications than usual last month. Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew says he believes that influx is the result of rising safety concerns following high-profile gun crimes.

Tom Hudson, manager of CrossRoads Shooting Sports in Johnston, says the number of new customers at his shop quadrupled last month, and he’s surprised that gun sales have not dropped off since the usual holiday increase.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports one arrest and one accident took place over the past week. 34-year old Jeremy Scott Carnes, of Pacific Junction, was arrested last Friday on a Warrant for Driving While Revoked. Carnes’ bond was set at $1,000.

And, on Friday, Alma Garcia, of Council Bluffs, was cited for Failure to Maintain Control and having No Insurance, following an investigation into an accident. Officials say Garcia was driving a 2008 Hyundai northbound on 188th street, when she tried to stop at the intersection with Hammond Avenue.

Authorities say due to speeding and road conditions, the car was unable to stop and slid through the intersection, into the ditch and through a wire fence. The vehicle was towed out by a friend. Garcia left the scene without contacting law enforcement. The owner of the fence noticed the accident and called the sheriff’s office to report it. The car was located the vehicle at 18146 Hammond Avenue. It had sustained heavy front end damage, including to the fenders and hood. A large chunk of the front bumper had also fallen off. Garcia told the investigating deputy she didn’t know she was supposed to call to report the accident.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports two men, including one from Cass County, were arrested last week. 21-year old Shawn Alexander Jensen, of Cumberland, was arrested Jan. 17th in Adair, on a warrant based on an original, OWI/1st offense charge. And, 53-year old James Kermit Cook, of Greenfield, was arrested Thursday on a warrant out of Union County for probation violation. Both men were transferred to their respective county law enforcement agencies for disposition.

And, on Jan. 21st, 34-year old Raymond Scott Davis, of Creston, was arrested at the Adair County Courthouse, on two warrants. Davis was later released on his Own Recognizance.

An investigation last Friday afternoon into a reported trespass and burglary incident in Page County led to the arrest of two men, Saturday. Sheriff’s officials say 40-year old Markus Eugene Johnson, of Red Oak, and 45-year old Bradley Gene Adolphson, of Emerson, were charged with Burglary in the 3rd Degree, and Trespassing. Johnson later posted a $5,000 bond and was released. Adolphson was being held in the Page County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Page County authorities say the investigation into the men’s alleged activities began after they received a complaint of a possible trespass and burglary at 1323 B Avenue in rural Essex. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation as both Adolphson and Johnson were arrested in Montgomery County.

A new emergency notification system will be launched March 1st by the Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Management Agencies. Emergency Management Coordinator Robert Kempf says the Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Notification System is part of the growing statewide notification system “Alert Iowa.” Currently, 90 of Iowa’s 99 counties have or are in the process of implementing this statewide emergency notification system.

Alert Iowa was developed by Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management to provide all counties with access to a single, statewide notification system that provides local control of how and when to disseminate emergency and public safety messages to residents.

Adair & Guthrie County EMA will be activating public access to the new system February 1st. The existing CodeRED alerting system will remain in place through March 1st as citizens register for the new system and then that program will be eliminated.

Kempf says, “Joining the Alert Iowa System gives us more flexibility in providing alerts to the public, continue to provide automated weather warnings, provide us with more options and significantly reduce emergency alerting costs for the agencies.” Residents will be able to choose the types of alerts they receive, for severe weather watches and warning. Alerts can be sent to residents via landline and cell phone, text messaging and email.

In addition, Emergency Management has been granted access to interface the new system with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to send imminent emergency and public safety messages through the Emergency Alert System, NOAA Weather Radio and the Wireless Emergency Alerts system. Using IPAWS for local alerts will be another method to ensure the most urgent information is delivered to as many residents as possible when an emergency is happening and requires the public to take immediate action.

Residents can sign up for multiple phone numbers and email addresses to receive emergency alerts for their 911 address within the counties. You may also sign up for alerts that may impact your place of business by registering separately for that address as well.

To register for the Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Notification System (Alert Iowa) visit http://tinyurl.com/AG-alerts, the Emergency Management Page at www.adaircountyiowa.org or www.guthriecounty.org. You can click the signup button on the Adair & Guthrie County EMAs Facebook page.

Representatives will be in each community from 7:00 to 9:00 PM on different days during the month of February to assist people in signing up. The community schedule is below:

February 2nd Panora Fire Station February 11th Adair Fire Station
February 3rd Guthrie Center Fire Station February 15th Bridgewater Fire Station
February 4th Orient Fire Station February 16th Fontanelle Fire Station
February 5th Yale Fire Station February 17th Stuart Fire Station
February 8th Bagley Fire Station February 18th Greenfield Fire Station
February 9th Casey Fire Station February 19th Menlo Fire Station
February 10th Jamaica Fire Station February 22nd Bayard Fire Station