GREENFIELD, Iowa [WHO-TV] – The Greenfield Fire Department is back in business thanks to the temporary donation of a pole barn. The structure was needed after a tornado damaged the department’s building on May 21st. Other departments covered for the unit, not only in the city of Greenfield, but several townships around that part of Adair County following the May 21st tornado. Fortunately, several of the Greenfield fire units were out storm spotting when their building was damaged. When they saw the tornado, they scrambled to get out of the way. One of the fire trucks was able to make it back to the station.

(Left) – The Greenfield Fire Station sustained damage in the May 21st tornado that devastated the community of Greenfield (right).

After the storm, when it became obvious the fire station was still standing but not usable, the team began to look for a new place to park the fire equipment. While crews are currently operating out of a donated pole barn,  firefighters say they have all the gear they need, and their trucks are in good shape.

Officials hope to build a new fire station, and they say people can support that effort through the Greenfield Fire Department Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, the fund for which has been set up in-town through First National Bank. Donations can be mailed to the Greenfield Fire Department Foundation PO Box 146 in Greenfield, Iowa, 50849.

A GoFundme account has also been established to help four Greenfield Firefighters who lost their homes to the May 21^st tornado.(Photos via the Adair & Guthie County EMA Facebook page)

OTTUMWA, Iowa [KCCI] — Emergency responders in Ottumwa continued to search the Des Moines River and embankments, Monday, for swimmer who went missing Sunday. KCCI says the Ottumwa Police Department received a report around 4:30 p.m. Sunday about a missing man who had last been seen swimming in the river. The man – whose name was not released – had been in the river earlier in the day with a group of people near the Highway 34 overpass bridge near to Ottumwa’s JBS plant.

A search began Sunday night, and personnel from the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, the Ottumwa Fire Department, the Eldon Fire Department and the Iowa DNR continue to search the river and embankments.

ONAWA, Iowa (KTIV) – A Northwest Iowa man being charged with the death of his wife has had his trial scheduled for 2025. KTIV in Sioux City reports court documents show Jamie Allen, who is facing one count of first-degree murder, has a jury trial scheduled for Jan. 28, 2025. Allen has already pleaded not guilty to his murder charge and has waived his right to a speedy trial.

His charge stems from a shooting that took place May 10, 2024, at a home in Onawa. According to Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation, after authorities arrived at the residence, they found Jamie Allen’s wife, Stacey Allen, dead from a gunshot wound.

Court documents state “On May 10, 2024, at approximately [5:40 p.m.], Jamie Lee Allen having malice aforethought, willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation killed his wife, Stacey Maria Jean Allen with a firearm, outside of their home.”

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report two recent arrests and an incident of burglary. Authorities say 42-year-old Nicholas Allen Foltz, of Mount Ayr, was arrested Monday evening on a charge of Driving While Revoked. Foltz was taken to the Union County Jail and later was released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. And, at around 12:14-a.m. today (Tuesday), Creston Police arrested 20-year-old Jordyn Marie Gonzales, of Creston, for OWI/1st Offense, and on five-counts of Contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Gonzales was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $2,500 cash or surety bond.

Authorities report also, Officers were dispatched at around 12:50-a.m. today (Tuesday), to the Medicap Pharmacy in Creston, for an alarm going off. Upon arrival the building it was determined the business had been burglarized. The loss was estimated at $1,400.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop early this (Tuesday) morning in Red Oak, resulted in a high-speed pursuit and an eventual arrest of the driver. According to Red Oak Police, 39-year-old Michael Scott Stafford, of Red Oak, was charged with Felony Eluding. His bond was set at $5,000. Authorities say a little after 12-a.m. Tuesday, Officers with the Red Oak Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic infraction. Upon turning on their emergency lights and sirens, the driver of the suspect vehicle failed to yield and took-off on Broadway Street northbound, eluding officers.

The vehicle continued north on Highway 48, with speeds of up to 105-miles per hour. The vehicle then turned west onto 130th Street, and south onto F Avenue before driving through a private residential driveway and onto their property. The vehicle rammed through two cattle gates before becoming stuck in the mud in the cattle lot with one of the gates was wedged under the vehicle.

Stafford refused to cooperate with law enforcement commands to exit the vehicle. After a short time, he removed himself from the vehicle and was taken into custody. Red Oak Police were assisted during the incident by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and K9 Unit, the Iowa State Patrol, Deputies from the Pottawattamie and Mills County Sheriff’s Offices, Red Oak Fire Department and the K9 “Bane.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic will meet at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday (June 5th), in their chambers at City Hall. During their session, the Council will discuss with officials from Vision Atlantic, a proposal to utilize Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for the Camblin Hills Development and Child Development project. During their meeting on May 15th, the Council adopted a resolution to sell City-owned property purchased from the Comes Family Trust in 2022, to Vision Atlantic for the sum of One-dollar, in exchange for what City Administrator John Lund says is “A tremendous amount of capital investment into the area”: More than $4.1-million in infrastructure; $48.8-million in housing, and a $10.7-million child development center on the land. Part of the proposal includes a TIF rebate not to exceed $10.5-million over a period of 15-years. Lund says “This would be the largest project, and the largest multi-entity partnership ever seen in Atlantic’s history. The scale of capital investment is enormous.”

Following discussion on the TIF proposal, the Atlantic City Council will review, discuss and act on an Order to Approve a Low-to-moderate Income (LMI) Reduction Waiver Request to the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), on behalf of Vision Atlantic and the aforementioned development project. John Lund says Iowa Finance and IEDA Director Debi Durham has encouraged the City to apply for a waiver to grant the project “maximum flexibility to succeed,” however a local government must apply for the waiver as part of its Urban Renewal Project amendment and development agreement.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on an Order to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Snyder & Associates (at a cost of $25,000), for a Downtown Treescape Improvement Master Plan, which includes options, public engagement and Budget estimates. John Lund says Calendar Year 2025 is the year the City kicks-off the next round of a Street Improvement Program, with an inflation-adjusted total of over $3.23-million scheduled for the period, and which includes over $1-million in approved funding from the City’s State Transportation Improvement (TIP) program, to largely address West 22nd Street. The largest project on the schedule is an asphalt overlay in the downtown area, at a cost of more than $1.86-million. The project covers 2nd-through 6th Streets, from Poplar to Walnut, and Chestnut Street from the Depot south, to 7th Street. Lund says the project, while likely disruptive, will provide an opportunity for the City to address the problem of overgrown tree roots structures, which are lifting sidewalks and breaking through their grate coverings. He says it doesn’t mean the trees will go away, but the problem must be addressed.

The Council is expected to set June 19th at 5:30-p.m., as the date and time for a Public Hearing on an Amended FY2024 Budget (See below). The hearing takes place in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. And, the Council is expected to act on setting July 3rd, 4th and 5th from Noon-until 11-p.m. each day, as the dates and times for the use of fireworks inside the City Limits.