Multiple fire departments are battling a field fire south of Oakland, in the area of 320th and Highway 6 in Pottawattamie County. A tractor and some small buildings have reportedly been destroyed by the flames. Additional fire fighting units are being called-in.

No other information is currently available.

The Harlan Police Department, Tuesday, issued a report on arrests that took place over the past week. On Tuesday (Oct. 6),  24-year old Ronald Kevin Vincent, of Council Bluffs, was arrested following a traffic stop in Harlan. Vincent was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with speed and driving while barred.

Last Saturday (Oct. 3), 37-year old Troy Dakota Weelborg, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant. Weelborg was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with violation of a no contact order. And, 41-year old Jennifer Lynn Clayton, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for service. Clayton was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with operating while intoxicated and unsafe backing.

On Friday, Oct. 2nd., Harlan Police cited 24-year old Zachary Thomas Scheffler, of Harlan, for possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop. And, on Sept. 29th, 32-year old Tamara Leigh Dryer, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant. Dryer was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with violation of a no contact order.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a suburban Des Moines educator has died from complications of COVID-19, but it’s unclear if she contracted the virus at school or elsewhere. Shane Christensen, the principal of Indian Hills Junior High School, says special education assistant Jennifer Crawford, died Monday. The school is in West Des Moines.

Iowa has the fourth-highest coronavirus positivity rate in the nation. Only 10 of Iowa’s 99 counties are below the 5% threshold at which public health experts recommend measures to slow the spread of the virus, including mandatory masks and limits on gatherings.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 41-year old Tyler William Weaver, of Bellevue, NE., was arrested at around 8-p.m. Monday, on two counts of Theft in the 2nd, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $10,000.

INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — The father of a newborn who died in June now faces charges in the baby’s death, along with the infant’s mother. Television station WOI reports that 29-year-old Gregory Burton Rodee, of Indianola, has been charged with child endangerment resulting in death. The baby’s mother, 31-year-old Amber Nicole Phillips, faces the same charge. Authorities say the couple called 911 late on the night of June 14 to report that their baby — born just 20 minutes earlier at home — was not breathing.

Prosecutors say the couple refused medical treatment, but called 911 again about nine hours later when they woke and found the baby not breathing. An autopsy showed the child tested positive for methadone and buprenorphine.

A man being held in the Page County Jail was served with a warrant, Monday charging him with multiple offenses. Page County Deputies served 36-year old Matthew Lawrence Magers, of Shenandoah, with the warrant for Theft 2nd degree, Burglary 3rd degree, Interference with official acts, trespass resulting in damage or injury, and Criminal mischief 5th. The combined charges have a cash or surety bond amounting to $11,600, and are the result of a Shenandoah Police Department investigation & the arrest of Magers on October 2, 2020.

Matthew L. Magers

The warrant that the Page County Sheriff’s Office served on October 5, 2020, has a bond of $25,000.00 cash only. His total bond currently amounts to $36,600. Magers continues to be held in the Page County Jail, pending further court proceedings.

Audubon County Sheriff Todd Johnson, Tuesday (Today), issued a report on arrests that occurred in September and so far this month (October). The October report says:

• Scott Belew, age 29 of Audubon, was arrested Monday (October 5th), for Trespass in the 1st degree and Theft in the 5th. He was released after appearing before the magistrate.
• Tyler Carter, age 29, of Exira, was arrested Sunday, for Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia. Carter was seen by the magistrate and released on his own recognizance.
• Last Friday, 57-year old Scott Black, of Hamlin, was arrested Driving while Barred. Black posted cash bond and was released.
• And, on Thursday, 22-year old Sylas Stangeland, of Harlan was arrested on an outstanding Audubon County warrant for Burglary 3rd, Theft 2nd and possession of burglary tools. The charges stem from a burglary investigation in Audubon County.

Sheriff Johnson says there were five arrests in Audubon County last month:

• Tammy Henriksen, age 58 of Audubon was arrested September 28th, for aiding and abetting the Violation of a No-Contact Order. She was later released on her own recognizance.
• On Sept. 24th, 58-year old Dennis Petersen, of Exira, was arrested for Violation of a No-Contact Order and Violation of Probation. He was sentenced on the Violation of Probation and was released several days later.
• On the 18th, 22-year old Peyton Busse, of Guthrie Center, was arrested in Audubon County for Operating While Intoxicated-1st offense. He was later released on his own recognizance.
• 38-year old Mitchell Killion, of Orient, was arrested September 14th, for OWI/1st.  He was seen by the magistrate and was later released.
• And, on Sept. 6th, 36-year old Joseph Jensen, of Exira, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear. He was released on his own recognizance.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Republican groups are asking the Iowa Supreme Court to stay a judge’s ruling that blocked enforcement of a state order that’s been used to invalidate tens of thousands of absentee ballot requests. The Republican National Committee, President Trump’s reelection campaign and other GOP groups said in a court filing that Iowa’s election administration could be thrown into “chaos” if the ruling stands.

At issue is a Monday ruling by Judge Robert Hanson blocking Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate from enforcing a directive that required counties to mail blank absentee ballot applications to voters instead of ones pre-filled with their personal information. Hanson found the directive would harm the public’s interest in making absentee voting as easy as possible.