(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a vehicle hit-and-run property damage incident. Authorities say at around 9:30-a.m. Monday, a man reported a hit-and-run accident from the previous night at Diamondhead Lake. The Sheriff’s Office says they took another report of a hit-and-run Sunday night near the man’s residence, and that the suspect vehicle was a UTV that was running into parked vehicles.

A Deputy who arrived on the scene observed damage to the driver’s side of the reporting party’s 2017 Chevy Colorado pickup. The damage was discovered by the vehicle’s owner Monday morning, before he called the Sheriff’s Office.

The pickup sustained $6,000 damage. The incident remains under investigation.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests conducted between June 28th and July 4th. On Tuesday (7/4), 45-year-old Justin James Smith, of Villisca, was arrested on a warrant for Theft in the 4th Degree. (Bond $1,000) And, 33-year-old Christopher Lee McDaniel, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault (No Bond).

On Monday, 40-year-old Alvin Lee Baucom, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. 19-year-old Willow Brook Harvey, of Glenwood, was arrested on a similar charge, Sunday. Both were being held without bond. 35-year-old Joshua Michael Brizendine, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Sunday for Possession of Controlled Substances (PCS). (Bond $50,000). 24-year-old Faith Ann Stapleton, of Council Bluffs, was also arrested Sunday, for PCS.

Last Saturday, 33-year-old Ryan Scott Wendt, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault and Child Endangerment. (No Bond) 36-year-old Michael Gene Charon, of Bartlett (IA), was arrested Saturday, for Theft in the 2nd Degree (Bond $5,000). And, on June 28th, Mills County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 23-year-old Monta Arnell Johnson, Jr., of Council Bluffs, at the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. (Bond $1,000).

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department, Wednesday, issued a report detailing 15 arrests that took place between June 23rd and July 4th. Most recently, on Tuesday, July 4th, 21-year-old Sitson Sapong, of Atlantic, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct.

On Monday, 57-year-old Larry Garner, of Atlantic, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. And there were three arrests on Sunday: 25-year-old Sikrit Muritok, 64-year-old Jeffery Oller, of Paducah, KY, and 28-year-old Mixon Fauna, of Atlantic, were all arrested for Public Intoxication.

On July 1st, 47-year-old Amanda Bashor, of Atlantic, was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order. And, 53-year-old Theresa Reynolds, of Oakland, was arrested for OWI/2nd Offense.

June 29th, Atlantic Police arrested 20-year-old Myson Kovac, of Atlantic, on a Cass County warrant for Violation of Probation (Two counts). On the 28th, 27-year-old Glove Kovac, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication. Authorities say on the 27th of June, 34-year-old Brittiny Sampson, of Atlantic, was arrested for Assault causing bodily injury. And there were three arrests June 23rd, in Atlantic:

34-year-old Jennifer Larson, of Atlantic, was arrested for Trespass in the 1st Degree, and Interference with Official Acts; 34-year-old April Medina, of Atlantic, was arrested for Assault on persons in certain occupations (Causing bodily injury), Assault on persons in certain occupations, and Interference with Official Acts resulting in serious injury. And, 35-year-old Chipenson Louis, of Honolulu, HI, was arrested in Atlantic, for Public Intoxication.

There were two arrested June 23rd, in Atlantic: 22-year-old Maximus Callahan, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI & Operating (a vehicle) without the Owner’s Consent; 57-year-old Larry Garner, of Atlantic, was arrested for Trespass/1st offense.

Each of those individuals were transported to the Cass County Jail, booked in and held pending an initial court appearance.

(Radio Iowa) – A district court judge has ruled Iowa counties may provide voter registration forms, ballots and other election materials in languages other than English. A court injunction issued in 2008 required Iowa election materials to be printed in English. LULAC — the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa — challenged the policy in court. Last week a Polk County district court judge ruled county election officials may provide voting forms in other languages, but they are not required to do so. Joe Henry is LULAC’s Iowa political director.

“There’s between 40,000 to 50,000 people in Iowa (for whom) English is not their primary language and it’s not just Spanish,” Henry says. “It’s other languages from the Middle East, Asia, and so forth and so on, so this is a victory for everyone and it assures our constitutional right to vote.”

A spokesperson for Iowa’s secretary of state says state officials are in contact with county auditors and Iowa’s attorney general about next steps. Secretary of State Paul Pate, who was named in the lawsuit, could appeal the district court ruling. Governor Tom Vilsack signed legislation in 2002 requiring the English language to be used in all state government documents unless documents are necessary to secure a constitutional right. In 2003, state election officials began offering voting materials in other languages and Steve King, who was an Iowa congressman at the time, sued — leading to the 2008 decision that has barred the secretary of state from providing voter registration forms in any language other than English.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors met this (Wednesday) morning, and acted on several matters to come before them on their agenda. First-up, the Board received an update from County Engineer Karen Albert.She said the Secondary Roads Department has been hauling contract road rock and cleaning-up some trees that fell during a recent storm.

A Public Health update was received from Montgomery County Public Health Director Samantha Beesen, who mentioned she is taking on additional duties in the County.

Beeson said the State of Iowa has merged DHS and Public Health at the State level, and “there is talk coming down from the State level, that in the next couple of years, Public Health (departments) will be regionalized.

In other business, the Board acted on approving contracts with the Villisca and Elliott Libraries, for services totaling $13, 665. And, they approved a tobacco/tobacco products permit application from the Red Oak Country Club. The Supervisors passed a resolution which essentially tracks lease agreements/paperwork, as required by Iowa law. And, they passed a resolution to accept a bid from Peterson Contractors, for work on a new box culvert project on 180^th Street, in Montgomery County.

The Board discussed, but took no action at this time, on a lease agreement with Family Connections, for additional Annex building space. Chair Mike Olson suggested the current rate of 30-cents per square foot the County charges for the 3,410-Sq.ft facility, is “a little low.” Family Connections currently rents 1,800 square feet of the building. The County pays the utilities, mowing and snow removal for the building. FC would like to update the addition previously occupied by West Central. Both the Board and Family Connections representative Chelsie Hirt FC Director/Therapist, agreed they need to put together some updated information and figures before approving a renegotiated agreement.

And, the Supervisors discussed with officials from the City of Red Oak and Montgomery County Development Corporation (MCDC), a resolution for one-half of the financial support ($1,500 of the $3,000) needed for maintenance of a rail spur. During their meeting this past Monday, the City Council in Red Oak voted 3-to 0 to approve a one-year economic development support agreement with MCDC for repair of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad spur that spans a distance between the Bunge plant and the railroad’s main line, along with authorizing the transfer of ownership of the spur from the Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association to MCDC.

After a considerable amount of discussion, the Board voted 4-to1, with Vice Chair Donna Robinson opposed, to pass the Resolution. Supervisor Mark Peterson read the resolution as presented. Here is a portion of that Resolution…

The Board then reviewed and approved by a similar vote of 4-to-1, a Memorandum of Understanding between the County,City of Red Oak, and MCDC, which spells out the additions, changes and/or corrections as presented. The hope is to begin repairs on the spur this month, with the goal of having it operational by August 1^st.