An accident in Pottawattamie County at around 6-a.m. today (Thursday), resulted in two people being sent to the hospital. The Iowa State Patrol reports 25-year old Tyson H. Heckathorn, and his passenger, 38-year old Melissa Kruse, both of Spencer, was transported by Crescent Rescue to hospitals in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area, after Heckathorn fell asleep at the wheel of the 2003 Chevy Tahoe he was driving. The vehicle drifted onto the left shoulder and nearly hit the median barrier. Heckathorn woke up and over-corrected, sending the vehicle into the east ditch, where it rolled once before coming to rest. The accident happened on Intertstate 29 northbound, near mile marker 66. Both accident victims were wearing their seat belts.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County reports a Nebraska man serving a sentence at the Pott. County Jail, was presented with a warrant from Douglas County, NE., Tuesday morning, for being a Fugitive from Justice. 33-year old Mitchell Scott Albers, of Omaha, was read the warrant and returned to the custody of jail staff. A warrant was also served Tuesday, on an inmate from Council Bluffs. The warrant for 22-year old Zachary Tyler Cox, was for Felony Violation of Probation.  And, at around 3:30-p.m. Tuesday, 32-year old Shea Michael Minor, of Council Bluffs, turned himself in on a warrant for Violation of Probation. He was turned over to Corrections Staff.

A traffic stop on an SUV Tuesday evening resulted in the arrest of 44-year old Jason Michael Redler, of Council Bluffs. Redler was arrested for OWI/1st offense, and brought to the Pott. County Jail.   48-year old Jack Jerome Underwood, Jr., of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/15.4-grams of marijuana. His bond was set at $1,000. A traffic stop late Wednesday morning in Pott. County on a van with an expired registration, resulted in the arrest of 42-year old Adrian Christopher Bates, of Council Bluffs, for Driving While Barred, and Violation of an Order/Contempt of Court.

A traffic stop Wednesday afternoon on Canoe Lane, in Pott. County, resulted in the arrest of a passenger in the vehicle. 19-year old Michael David Hatcher, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, after authorities found a clear bottle containing a green leafy substance weighing 67.1 grams, two glass pipes, and rolling paper. And, a woman from Oakland was arrested Wednesday night, following a traffic stop. 59-year old Wanda Jean Henderson was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense.

No children were seriously injured, but many could’ve been, by razor blades that were stuck in playground equipment. The sharp objects were discovered this week in a park in the Eastern Iowa town of Tiffin. Jon McDonough told KCRG-TV that his mother-in-law first spotted the razor blades placed in different parts of the equipment. “Around the slide and just parts where kids are grabbing on to,” McDonough said. Folks in the neighborhood eventually discovered at least 10 blades in the grooves of the playground equipment in the park in Tiffin’s Woodfield neighborhood. “(I’m) worried, as any parent,” McDonough said. “When you go to the park, it’s not something you should have to look for – razor blades on pieces of play equipment.”

One razor blade gave McDonough’s toddler a minor cut on the arm. It was enough to draw blood but little else, McDonough said. Riley Williams also lives in the Woodfield neighborhood. “It’s hugely concerning because our kids are back there all the time. We’re out there a couple times a week,” Williams told KCRG. “You know, even the day we heard about it, they were over there. Thank God they weren’t on the equipment.”

City officials in Tiffin checked all the community’s parks with metal detectors but did NOT find any more blades outside of the one park. Anyone with information about the razor blades is asked to call the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office at 319-356-6800.

(Radio Iowa w/thanks to KCRG TV)

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A Webster County jury has convicted a Fort Dodge man in the 2017 shooting death of another man. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports jurors Tuesday convicted 28-year-old Levi Gibbs III of second-degree murder in the death of 32-year-old Shane Wessels, of Fort Dodge. Gibbs had been charged with first-degree murder but jurors opted for the lesser charge.
Gibbs was convicted of shooting Wessels on a street corner on Sept. 3, 2017.

Both sides agreed Gibbs shot Wessels, but the defense argued Gibbs did so amid a fight in which his sister was injured. Sentencing was set for July 27.

Police in Creston report 44-year old Jennifer White, of Creston, was arrested Wednesday afternoon, for 1st offense Domestic Abuse Assault. White was being held in the Adams County Hail, pending a bond hearing. And, Tuesday evening, 28-year old Spencer Leitzel, of Greenfield, was arrested at Adams/Spruce on a Clarke County Warrant for Failure to Appear in court, on the original charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance- Marijuana 2nd Offense. Leitzel was turned over to Clarke County Deputies.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa bartenders and police officers want to know more about how the state’s new digital driver’s licenses will work when they reach smartphones next year. The Des Moines Register reports officials haven’t yet explained how bars and retailers will be able to verify the ages of customers when they want to buy alcohol.

Mark Stringer with the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says he wants to know more about what limits will be in place to keep officers from searching someone’s smartphone while they look at the digital license.

State Transportation Director Mark Lowe says the questions about the new licenses should be addressed before they debut around the middle of next year.

Voters in Shelby are being asked to head to the polls next Tuesday, to cast their ballots during a Special Election for the City Council. There are four candidates vying for two open City Council seats. The candidates include: Donovan Dontje; Steve Myers; Robert Morton, and Karen Schlueter.

The polls will be open from Noon until 8-p.m. Tuesday, July 10^th, at the Shelby Community Building.

The City Council in Walnut will hold their regularly scheduled meeting this (Thursday) evening. On their agenda is: Discussion about the Well Project; discussion and possible action on the first reading of an ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances, by amending the provisions pertaining to Water Rates for service; Discuss of the Minimum Maintenance Ordinance (With officials from SWIPCO); Discussion of a plaque honoring Eldon Ranney; Quarterly inspections of City Property; and other matters.

The meeting takes place at the Walnut City Hall, beginning at 5-p.m.