(Radio Iowa) – The National Weather Service is seeking volunteers to be trained to be storm spotters for the spring severe weather season. Meteorologist Andrew Ansorge says spotter classes will begin next month. “This is just an opportunity for us to come out into the community and provide refresher training on spotter training, as well as for people who might be interested that haven’t taken it before. It gives them information about how to spot a storm safely and to report that information back to us here at the National Weather Service,” Ansorge says.

Ansorge said the first class will be held in southwest Iowa, and you can find out more about the classes online. “They can go to our website, weather.gov forward slash Des Moines and there’s a link at the top there that talks about storm spotting,” he says. The first class is on March 19th in Creston.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Montgomery County was arrested at the conclusion of a pursuit that began in northwest Missouri and ended in Page County. Authorities say 21-year-old Drake Leslie Brown, of Red Oak, faces charges of Eluding, Interference with official acts, Reckless Driving, and four scheduled motor vehicle violation citations. Brown was being held in the Page County Jail on a $2,000 cash-only bond.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office says it was notified at around 1:46-a.m. Sunday, of a high speed pursuit that was entering the County on Highway 71. Officers with the Maryville, MO. Police Department and Deputies with the Nodaway County Missouri Sheriff’s Office, were pursuing the vehicle. Page County Deputies engaged in the pursuit on Highway 71 at 300th Street. The chase continued through southern Page County until Deputies lost sight of the vehicle.

Drake Brown

They later received a tip that the vehicle and two suspects were in Coin (Iowa). Following-up on the tip and after arriving at the suspect’s location, Brown was taken into custody. In addition to the aforementioned Missouri law enforcement agencies, Red Oak Iowa Police and Fremont County Iowa Sheriff’s Deputies assisted in handling the incident.

A charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, during their meeting this (Wednesday) morning, acted on approving several matters, including: Taxable mileage in the amount of $112.22 (1,071 miles) Supervisor Matt Wedemeyer, who uses his own vehicle to conduct county business. The Supervisors renewed a Grove Township Cemetery mowing contract with Mike Mangels was renewed; They also acted on Homestead and Military Disallowances; and authorized Kelly Mitchell to use the County Recorder’s Credit Card.

They also approved publishing a “Notice of Intent” to Appoint Kelly Mitchell as Adair County Recorder. Auditor Mandy Berg…

In other business, Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg discussed with the Board, an Election Equipment Contract. The current equipment is nearly 10-years old. The Board unanimously approved the contract as presented.

They also approved a Software License Agreement and an Extended Warranty and Maintenance Agreement.

County Engineer Nick Kauffman presented for the Board Chair to sign, a contract and performance bond and liability insurance, with Henningsen Construction, for a HMA (Hot Mix Asphalt) resurfacing project on Adair County Road P-33. Kauffman discussed with the Board a Summer Internship Program. The part-time position pays $15/hour.

And, he spoke about Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities. He said there will be two projects (one is bridge, the other is a concrete box culvert) up for letting on February 26^th. He said also they will be looking at vacating five different roads, beginning in April.

(Radio Iowa) – Members of the Iowa House are scaling back the governor’s plan to consolidate or eliminate 111 state boards and commissions. A bill that cleared a House subcommittee this (Wednesday) morning only focuses on the elimination of 49 boards or commissions. Republican Representative Jane Bloomingdale of Northwood is chair of the House State Government Committee.

“I didn’t feel like the committee or subcommittee had time to really look through, look at the mergers,” Bloomingdale says. “…I didn’t think it was fair to ask my committee to vote on something they didn’t have time to look at.” A review committee met last fall and made recommendations about streamlining state boards and commissions, but Governor Reynolds’ bill to implement those changes wasn’t released until Monday. Bloomingdale says she reviewed the commission’s recommendations, developed a plan that focuses on the obvious changes and sent it to all of the members of her committee on Sunday.

“Everyone looked at it — Democrats and Republicans — and this was the list we came up with and said: ‘Let’s start here,’ and as we have time the rest of session we’ll look at adding to this, ” Bloomingdale says. “We’ll look at the merger recommendations. We’ll look at a couple of these that we didn’t eliminate that we can eliminate, but at this point this is the consensus.” A Senate subcommittee will meet at noon today (Wednesday) to review the governor’s bill which would eliminate or merge 43 percent of state boards and commissions.

(Radio Iowa) – A 40-year-old Webster City man has been arrested by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department after a lengthy investigation into a fatal accident last fall.  Dustin Humlicek (HUM-leh-check) has been charged with homicide by vehicle operating while intoxicated, operating while under the influence and driving with a suspended license. The accident happened at about 3 a.m. on September 2nd near Webster City.

Authorities say Humlicek failed to stop at a stop sign, his pickup entered a ditch and came to rest in the yard of a home. Humlicek and a passenger, 48-year-old Kevin Beightol of Webster City were taken to Webster City’s hospital for treatment, then transported to hospitals in the Des Moines. Beightol, the passenger in the pickup, died later that same day.

A preliminary hearing for Humlicek is scheduled next Tuesday in Hamilton County Magistrate Court.

(Creston, Iowa) [Updated 11-a.m., 2/14] – A Union County man was arrested Tuesday night on drug charges, in Creston. According to the Creston Police Department, 66-year-old Terry Mark Brown, of Creston, was arrested at around following a traffic stop in the vicinity of Highway 34 and S. Lincoln Street. The K9 “Baxo” was deployed during the traffic stop, and conducted a free-air sniff around the vehicle. After Baxo alerted to the odor of narcotics, approximately one-half ounce of methamphetamine packaged for sale, and a digital scale to weight narcotics, were discovered.

Brown was arrested for Possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance (Meth) – over 5 grams (a Class-B Felony), and Failure to Affix Drug Stamp (a Class-D Felony).  He was being held without bond in the Union County Jail until seen by a magistrate.

Tuesday afternoon, Police in Creston arrested 57-year-old Roy Dean Parrott, of Shannon City. Parrott was charged with Failure to Appear, and Driving While Barred. He was taken to the Union County Jail and later posted a $2,000 cash or approved surety bond on the FTA charges. Parrott was cited and released on a Promise to Appear on the Driving While Barred charge.