The Guthrie County Sheriffs Office is seeking assistance from the public in finding the perpetrators in the attempted theft of a UTV painted in a camouflage style. The Cub Cadet Challenger 750 Crew UTV was parked in hunting timber five miles south of Bayard on the east side of Justice Road.

An investigation leads authorities to believe the attempted theft occurred at night, involved another ATV/UTV, and a half ton pickup or larger. A gold or silver metallic pickup with Polk County license plates was seen in the area on Sunday, August 26th at around 8:30 am.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department reports 32-year old Skyielynn Laverne Stephens, of Audubon, was arrested at around 11-p.m. Thursday (August 30th). Stephens has been charged with Possession of Marijuana- 3rd or subsequent offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Driving While Suspended.

The charges stem from a traffic stop on Highway 44, outside of Kimballton. The Audubon County Sheriff’s K9 “Axel” indicated to the presence of the odor of a narcotic(s).

Stephens was being held in the Audubon County Jail on a $2,000 bond following her appearance in front of the Magistrate.

ATLANTIC – Cass County Public Health is offering free car seat inspections on Saturday, September 8th from 9 am to noon in the parking lot at the Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center at 703 Linn Street in Atlantic.

Multiple certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be on hand to inspect car seats, help parents install them correctly, give tips about car seat safety, and answer any questions.

There is no cost for the inspections, but appointments are needed. Please make an appointment by calling Cass County Public Health at 712-243-7475.

ELDRIDGE, Iowa (AP) — Police say a teacher disarmed a 12-year-old student at a junior high school in eastern Iowa. The Eldridge Police Department said in a news release that no shots were fired and no one was injured in Friday morning’s incident at North Scott Junior High School. Police say the woman disarmed the student before officers arrived.

The boy’s been charged with attempted murder and a weapons crime. His name hasn’t been released. The department declined to answer more question about the incident, including why a charge of attempted murder has been leveled. The school was placed on lockdown while officers investigated.

The Iowa Supreme Court has reversed a lower court ruling that had ordered the city of Des Moines to repay more than $90,000 in fines collected from traffic camera enforcement — but it resurrected several constitutional challenges to the city’s use of the traffic camera.

The high court’s ruling Friday was one of three issued on the use of traffic cameras in the state. In the Des Moines case, a majority of justices ruled that the plaintiffs should be allowed to argue that the city’s use of an automated speed radar camera on Interstate 235 violates the due process and equal protection rights of motorists.

The ruling reverses a Polk County judge’s decision last year that threw out those claims. The high court also gave new life to a similar lawsuit in Cedar Rapids, saying that city’s law on collecting traffic camera fines doesn’t conform to state law.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former secretary for Iowa soil and water conservation districts allegedly embezzled nearly $300,000 in cash and personal purchases over a 7-year period. A report released by State Auditor Mary Mosiman says Leslie Carey made hundreds of withdrawals and improper purchases, criticizing the districts for failing to implement safeguards after a similar scandal was uncovered in 2014.

Carey was secretary for the Black Hawk County Soil and Water Conservation District and its counterpart in Bremer County. She was an employee of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship until resigning last December.

The report found Carey withdrew $182,000 in cash from the Black Hawk district and spent $105,000 on debit and credit cards. She used public funds to buy items such as a new television and water heater, airline and concert tickets, groceries and clothing.
Carey improperly transferred $134,000 from Bremer to prop up Black Hawk’s budget.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state has taken custody of another infant through Iowa’s safe haven law. The state Department of Human Services says a baby boy born Aug. 19 at an Iowa hospital was released into the custody of the agency.

It was the 32nd time the procedure had been used since lawmakers changed the law following a 2001 case in which a mother killed her home-delivered newborn in eastern Iowa.

Under the law, parents can give the state custody of babies who are 30 days or younger without concern of being prosecuted. Parents or an authorized representative can leave infants at a hospital or other health care facility.

The babies are placed with foster or adoptive families. The state doesn’t identify the location of babies taken into custody.