GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) — A former western Iowa art teacher and track coach accused of groping and having other sexual contact with a female student has been convicted of two counts.

Prosecutors in Mills County say a jury convicted 40-year-old Christopher Lee Irvin, of Pacific Junction, on Friday of third-degree sexual abuse and sexual exploitation by a school employee. Irvin is being held without bond until his sentencing at a later date, when he faces up to 12 years in prison.

A girl reported that Irvin groped her earlier last summer and had other sexual contact with her earlier in the year. The criminal complaints say the incidents did not occur on school property.

Irvin had worked for the East Mills School District in western Iowa.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports a Washington State man was arrested Saturday on an escape charge. 22-year old John Walker, of Goldendale, WA, was arrested in the 200 block of Pearl Street in Bedford, on a active warrant from the Washington State Department of Corrections, for Escape from Custody on an original charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Walker was being held at the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office until he is extradited to the state of Washington.

The National Weather Service reports strong to severe storms are looking increasingly possible both Monday afternoon/evening and Tuesday afternoon/evening. For both days, all modes of severe weather appear to be possible- including tornadoes, large hail, damaging winds, along heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding concerns.

In particular, at this time, Tuesday’s severe weather may be significant. There may be supercells that spawn tornadoes and very large hail. Please monitor the weather forecasts closely, especially if you have outdoor plans Monday afternoon-evening and/or Tuesday afternoon-evening.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County report Josephine Mason, of Prescott, was arrested at around 12:26-a.m. today (Sunday), on an assault charge. Mason was taken into custody for Domestic Abuse Assault Causing Bodily Injury/1st offense.

She was transported to the Adams County Jail and held without bond, pending an appearance in front of the magistrate.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:20 a.m. CDT
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Officials say a small town in eastern Oklahoma is completely surrounded by water and is without power from major flooding on the Arkansas River. Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Keli Cain says about 260 residents live in Braggs and it is not clear how many people evacuated before the flooding began. Across the state, 87 people have been injured.
NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) — Only weeks after reopening in the wake of historic flooding along the Missouri River in March, Interstate 29 on and off ramps for Highway 2 in southwest Iowa have again closed due to flooding. Highway 2 connects southwest Iowa to Nebraska City, Nebraska, over the Missouri River. The Omaha World-Herald reports that as of Saturday morning, floodwater was covering the ramps to the highway from I-29.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The National Weather Service says a tornado that hit south of Iowa City rated an EF-1, with winds of 110 mph. That word came Saturday after teams surveyed storm damage in Washington and Johnson counties. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that the teams found damage to rooftops and trees and say some outbuildings and mobile homes were flipped. No injuries have been reported.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The Salvation Army in Cedar Rapids is seeking donations to help buy box fans to be distributed to those in need as the weather gets warmer. The organization says its goal is to raise $4,000 to buy 200 fans. Community members are also welcome to donate new fans that are sealed in the box.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The National Weather Service says a tornado that hit south of Iowa City rated an EF-1, with winds of 110 mph. That word came Saturday after teams surveyed storm damage in Washington and Johnson counties.

Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that the teams found damage to rooftops and trees and say some outbuildings and mobile homes were flipped. No injuries have been reported.

Frytown, a village of about 200 that sits about 10 miles south of Iowa City, saw the brunt of the damage, with several trailers at a mobile home park there overturned.
The tornado also disrupted Iowa City West High School’s graduation ceremony Friday evening, forcing students, their families and staff to seek shelter inside the Carver-Hawkeye Arena as tornado warnings sounded..

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office would like to inform the public that the I-29 Exit 10, Nebraska City Exit, northbound on ramp and southbound off ramps are closed because of water over the ramps and it is unknown when they will reopen.

This means if you are southbound on I-29 from Council Bluffs that there is no access to any gas stations till you get to Rock Port, Missouri. which is approximately sixty-eight miles.

Please make sure that you have fuel to make the trip because first responders have very limited access to the Interstate.

The Cass County Conservation Board is holding a National Trails Day T-Bone Trail Ride one week from today (Saturday). The program will meet at the I-80/T-Bone Trail Trailhead, north of Atlantic on Saturday, June 1st beginning at 1-p.m.

The event is FREE! Bike, walk, stroll…everyone is welcome! Come out and celebrate National Trails Day!  All ages/abilities welcome!

The event will be cancelled if there is inclement weather.

The National Weather Service, Friday night, cancelled a Flash Flood Watch that had been in effect until 7-a.m. Saturday, for parts of southwest Iowa. A Flood Warning is  in effect for Page County, until early Sunday afternoon.

The forecast flooding has changed from Minor to Record severity for the Nodaway River At Clarinda affecting Page County.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Do not drive cars through areas where water covers the road. The water depth may be too great to allow your vehicle to pass safely. Turn around…don`t drown!

* At 8:00 PM Friday the flood stage was 26.7 feet…or 3.7 feet above flood stage.
* Flood stage is 23.0 feet.
* Record flooding is occurring and Record flooding is forecast.
* Forecast…the river will continue rising to near 27.1 feet by midnight Friday. The river will fall below flood stage tomorrow (Saturday) evening.

A Flood Advisory remains in effect for the Missouri River affecting Harrison, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont and Page Counties through Sunday morning.

Members of the City of Atlantic’s Personnel and Finance Committee will meet in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall beginning 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, May 29th, to review and act on making a recommendation to the full Council, on two positions.

The first is to review and recommend to the City Council, applications for the vacant 3rd Ward City Council seat. The seat became open when Ashley Hayes resigned May 15th because she had moved out of the Ward.

The second matter pertains to the City Attorney’s job. Mark Bosworth is leaving the position. Additional details were not immediately available. In other business, the Personnel and Finance Committee will review and make recommendations to the Council with regard to Street Superintendent Compensation, and Personnel Policy Changes.