Authorities say a teen who attends East Union High School in Afton was arrested last week after allegedly trying to negotiate trades for a stolen handgun with two Des Moines area teens. Afton Police Chief John Coulter told the Des Moines Register, 15-year old Dyrell Thorton, of Lorimor, was charged with trafficking in stolen weapons, possession of stolen property and a probation violation, after monitoring software on a computer in the Johnston School District picked up the alleged activity.

Investigators determined Thorton had communicated on Facebook with a student at Johnston High School and a student at Lincoln High School about buying and selling stolen guns and swapping ammunition. According to Coulter, Thorton apparently met the student from Lincoln at the Central Iowa Detention Center in Eldora, but it’s unclear how he knew the Johnston student.

No charges were filed against the student from Lincoln, who lives in Des Moines but is on probation in Warren County, and Johnston school officials did not file a report on the incident. According to Coulter, the gun Thorton allegedly tried to deal had been stolen from a house in Creston, but it’s unclear if Thorton had possessed or sold other guns. Police have not been able to locate the gun but were able to determined from the students’ correspondence that Thorton possessed it. Coulter told the Register it’s believed several students in Creston have since possessed the gun. He said the teen was not cooperative, and has mislead officers in a search for the gun.

An investigation into his alleged activities remains ongoing.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a Neola man has died from injuries he suffered during a fall Sunday. Sheriff Jeff Danker says deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 30,000 block of 2nd Street in Neola at around 3-a.m. Sunday, to assist Neola Fire and Rescue personnel with a man who had reportedly fallen from an exterior door. According to witnesses, 26-year old Mathew R. McDonald, of rural Neola, fell nearly 11-feet from the main level of the residence, to the ground. A deck which had been on the exterior side of the door had been removed and was not replaced by the time the incident occurred.

McDonald suffered severe head trauma as a result of the fall. He was transported to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, where he later died. The incident remains under investigation.

Officials with the Monsanto Corporation today (Tuesday) say Audubon farmer Todd Nelsen has been selected as a winner in America’s Farmers Grow Communities^SM, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. Grow Communities gives farmers the opportunity to win a $2,500 donation to direct to their favorite local nonprofit organizations.

To further support counties that have been declared disaster areas due to drought by the U.S.D.A., winning farmers in those counties were able to direct double the donation, a total of $5,000 to further support the community. Audubon County was declared a disaster area by the USDA, giving Todd Nelsen, the opportunity to place two $2,500 donations. Nelsen selected the Audubon Recreation Foundation and the Audubon County Agricultural Society.

A ceremonial check presentation will take place next Tuesday, Jan. 22^nd in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Audubon County Courthouse.