(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report a camper trailer got hung-up on one of the protective bars near a convenience store gas pump, Friday afternoon. The incident happened at the Casey’s Store on Townline Road, at around 4:17-p.m. No injuries were reported. Authorities say a 2018 RAM pickup driven by 54-year-old Michael Steenhagen, of Roland (IA), was pulling the large camper trailer when Steenhagen attempted to make too sharp of a turn, due to a vehicle parked next to him.

The rear, driver’s side bumper became hung-up on a safety pole by the pump. A display sign that was on the pole was damaged by the camper. Damages amounted to $500 for the store property, and approximately $8,000 to $10,000 to the camper. A tow truck and forklift were used to pull the camper away from the pole and gas pump.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department say five people were arrested over the weekend. Sunday evening, 53-year-old Kevin Lee Campbell was arrested at intersection of Highway 34, one-quarter of a mile east of Osage. Campbell was charged with OWI 1^st Offense. He was transported to the Union County Jail and later released on bond.

Two people were arrested Saturday at a residence in the 400 block of E. Townline Road, in Creston. 37-year-old Douglas Edward Woodward, III, and 33-year-old Rachel Marie Colburn, both of Creston, were arrested for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order. Both were transported to the Union County Jail. Woodward was later released on bond. Colburn remained held in the jail on bond, as of the latest report.

Also arrested Saturday, was 67-year-old Julie Ann Madore, of Creston, for OWI/1st offense. She was taken into custody at around 12:08-a.m. and was transported to the Union County Jail and later released on $1,000 bond. And, 38-year-old Charles Wayne Fry, of Creston, was arrested at about 3:50-a.m. Saturday, also for OWI 1^st Offense. Fry was transported to the Union County Jail and later released on $1,000 bond.

Creston Police said also, a man residing in the 200 block of S. Sumner Street reported at around 12:20-p.m., Friday, that a heavy set man in shorts entered his garage, took a cash box and left during a garage sale. The loss was estimated at $175.

(Radio Iowa) – A treasure hunt of sorts gets underway today (Monday) in a park in Pella. Glass orbs made by students at Central College will be hidden in Pella’s Big Rock Park for people to find. The president of the park’s board, George Clark, says he got the idea from an artist who hid his work in Rhode Island. “He actually was kind of inspired during the pandemic because there were so few people coming into his shop, his gallery I should say — and so that’s kind of where these were born out of making an effort to get more folks into his shop,” Clark says. There will be 23 brightly colored glass orbs to match the year 2023.

“We’re gonna spread it out, we’re gonna hide like five a month,” Clark says, “so June, July, August, September, and then probably end up with you know those last few in October.” Clark says the orbs will be hidden in the 83-acre park, but won’t be too hard to find because the idea is to get people involved. “We want folks to find your orbs, take pictures with your orbs, post them on our Facebook page. And you know and that’s supposed to be kind of part of that fun outing that families and you know citizens and visitors can take part in,” he says. Those who find the glass orbs can keep them.

“In the process of finding the orbs in the park we hope they discover the natural beauty of Big Rock Park,” Clark says. Clark turned to his fellow Central graduate and current art professor, Brian Roberts, to create the orbs. Roberts says students in his second year glass blowing glass took on the project. “It takes one person to shape the glass, and another person to put air into the blowpipe to expand the glass to make these circular spherical forms. And then another person eventually is gathering some collecting some hot glass to make the stamps,” Roberts says. The stamps are a symbol representing the park.

“Each of the orbs have a face of a barred owl stamped into ’em,” he says. The orbs are also numbered.

(Radio Iowa) – State Treasurer Roby Smith sees room for expansion of the I-ABLE program his office manages for Iowans with disabilities. The money deposited in a tax-free I-ABLE account may be used to cover expenses related to a disability and the spending does NOT affect the person’s eligibility for government assistance programs like Medicaid or Social Security.

“There’s just a little over 2000 accounts,” Smith says. “I believe we can have a lot of growth there.” U-S Census data indicates nearly 400-thousand Iowans have some sort of a disability. I-ABLE accounts can accrue interest and help Iowans living with a disability cover expenses like housing, transportation and job training as well as in-home support services.

“It’s an important tool and we’ve got to do more reaching out,” Smith says. “Part of my job is to travel the state to talk about I-ABLE.” Smith recently made a presentation about I-ABLE in Pella and the treasurer’s office hosted a webinar with the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council this spring.

“We know that there’s a number of other agencies that deal with that population that could use it and help their lives,” Smith says, “and so we’re going to look to team up and sign up more people.” An Iowan with a disability may open their own account — or accounts may be opened by relatives, legal guardians or conservators who act on behalf of an Iowan with a disability.

The yearly contribution limit is 17-thousand dollars. Forty-nine states now offer the program after congress established the tax-free benefit for an Achieving a Better Life Experience or ABLE accounts in 2014. Iowa lawmakers created the I-ABLE program here the following year.