Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an incident of shots fired. Authorities say at around 8:08-a.m. Officers with the Council Bluffs Police Department responded to  the 100 block of Grant Street for a report of gunshots. Upon arrival officers discovered shell casings lying in the street in front of 140 Grant Street.

No known injuries or property damage resulted from the incident, which remains under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with any information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers (712) 328-7867 or Criminal Investigation Division (712) 328-4728.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports three central Iowa men were charged with theft for allegedly harvesting ginseng roots on state managed lands along the Des Moines River valley over the Labor Day Weekend. Officials say it is illegal to harvest ginseng from all state-owned and state-managed land, and most county conservation board owned land.

53-year old Bart Bollie, of Madrid, 55-year old Kyle Jones, of Slater and 28-year old Brent Jones, also of Slater, were each charged with fifth degree theft, unlawful possession of wild ginseng root from state-managed lands, and unlawful possession of young wild ginseng. The DNR is asking for restitution and liquidated damages equal to 150 percent of the value of the ginseng, which is $292.50 from each individual. Bollie, Jones and Jones are set to appear in Dallas County court on September 12th.

All three men had valid Iowa ginseng harvester permits. Officers seized 406 illegally harvested ginseng roots, including 41 roots that did not meet legal harvest age, and the digging tools. The DNR says Ginseng plants must have three or more prongs and a flowering or fruiting stalk with red fruits in order to be dug up. Once dug up, the roots must have at least five stem scars to be harvested. Roots with less than five stem scars must be carefully replanted in the same location.

Most of the ginseng collected in Iowa is exported to countries in Asia, with a small portion going to cities along the west coast, like San Francisco. The price of ginseng fluctuates based on the strength of the Asian economy and lately that price has been down. Last year, average quality ginseng roots would bring $500-$600 per pound, and high quality roots up to $750 per pound.

Ginseng may be harvested from September 1 to October 31 from private land with permission from the landowner, and harvesters must have a valid ginseng harvester permit. Permits are available for $37 anywhere hunting and fishing licenses are sold.
There are currently 154 permitted Iowa ginseng harvesters.

(12-p.m. News)

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports a Cass County woman plead guilty today (Thursday), to a charge of Theft in the 5th degree. The charge against 43-year old Cherie Lea Petty, of Atlantic, was the result of an investigation into a check written to a business in Audubon County, in May. Petty was fined after entering her guilty plea.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Council Bluffs officials are celebrating the expansion of its public internet program and planning to spread free Wi-Fi throughout more of the city. The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports the effort’s second phase was unveiled Wednesday at a school athletic complex located in the 2 1/2-square-mile section of the city where people have free internet access.

At a news conference, students logged onto the internet to check their email and surf the web. The program is being offered through a collaboration of several organizations, including the city, school district, Iowa West Foundation and Google.

David Fringer, the school district’s chief technology officer, says organizers will expand the program in 10 phases, with the next implemented this fall. Private sponsors are paying the $850,000 cost of the first three phases.

(Update 9/9/16 – The Iowa Secretary of State’s Office said [with regard to Lund’s statement as to when campaign signs may be placed on property]There is not a law that specifies how early or late campaign signs can be displayed.   There were restrictions years ago but a court ruling that cited the First Amendment removed them. )

The election season has emotions running high on all fronts, including from the presidential candidates themselves. In Atlantic, a yard sign erected at 3^rd and Maple Streets, has drawn complaints from citizens for its vulgarity.

The sign, which reads “Trump that “B****, before it’s too late,” is with regard to the Trump/Clinton presidential race. City Administrator John Lund tells KJAN News there is nothing in the Zoning Ordinance that allows the City to call for removal of the sign, but there are restrictions on when those signs can be placed, and common sense should prevail with regard to the language.

(Edited for content)

Lund says political signs are not allowed to be placed in yards within the City Limits more than 60 days prior to, or 10 days after, an election, meaning if the property owner in question takes it down now, it could be put back up on Saturday. A new ordinance being drafted is coming, but in the meantime, “People should have a little decency in their standards, and think up what they’re putting up there.”

Lund says in October, the Code will be changed to state “Indecent/vulgar images, or offensive language are not permitted on signage within City limits.” He says there have been some complaints about the sign.

He said he’ll talk with the home owner and ask him to remove the sign, which Lund says is “Not family friendly.” He said also, the end of the election season can’t come soon enough. “It’s a hyper-partisan situation right now. I’ll be glad when the election is over. I think everyone will be.”

CHARITON, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a pilot has been found dead after the crash of his plane in south-central Iowa. The Lucas County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday that the plane went down in northwestern Lucas County. The release said the pilot was alone in the plane but did not provide other details, including the pilot’s name and the type of plane he was flying.

The Sheriff’s Office says it was advised Wednesday afternoon by air traffic control in Des Moines that radar contact with the private plane had been lost and that officials thought the plane was somewhere in Monroe County. Searches were conducted in Monroe County and adjacent Lucas County, and the plane wreckage was found around 5:30 p.m. in Lucas County.

An accident Wednesday night in Glenwood resulted in damage to property and multiple vehicles, and the arrest of a woman on an OWI charge. Glenwood Police say 60-year old Mary Nissen, of Glenwood, was driving too fast for conditions, and driving in a reckless, erratic, careless, negligent manner. She was charged with OWI/1st offense and later released on a $1,000 cash bond.

Officials say Nissen was leaving her home at 227 Florence Avenue and began to drive south. Her 2013 Chevy Impala struck a 2001 Ford Explorer on the left rear side before continuing south and hitting a a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria on the left rear side. The Crown Vic spun around and came to rest against a 2014 Buick Verano.

Nissen’s Impala continued straight ahead through a yard at 111 W. Florence and hit a 1994 Dodge pickup on the passenger side. The pickup then slid into a 2001 Mitsubishi Galant. Damage from the crash amounted to $45,500.

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

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Police in Creston report the arrest Wednesday evening, of 29-year old Kenneth Williams, of Creston. Williams was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

And, a Creston resident reported to police Wednesday, that sometime around 1-a.m. that day, a person or persons unknown pulled the cable outside of her home. The cable was attached to her television. The action caused the TV to fall and break. The loss was estimated at $278.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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