A concerned citizen noticed a suspicious device on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, Thursday morning, and notified authorities. The call to the National Park Service came in just after 8-a.m., about a homemade device that was in the form of a bottle with a rope coming out of the top. Upon locating the device on the Iowa side of the bridge, Officers coordinated with the Omaha Police Department to shut down access to the bridge linking Council Bluffs to Omaha across the Missouri River.

A Council Bluffs Police Department Bomb Technician responded to the scene and rendered the device safe to transport. Officers conducted a sweep of the bridge to check for any additional suspicious devices. Once that search was completed and no additional devices were located the bridge was reopened to pedestrian traffic.

Authorities are continuing to work in partnership with the Omaha Police Department to investigate the incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-7868 (STOP). Lt. Greg Schultz, with the Council Bluffs Police Department, says the incident and response “Is a great example of the principle ‘if you see something, say something’.  Authorities encourage everyone to follow the same principle to help make our communities as safe as possible.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office has released details of a three-vehicle accident  at 130th Street on O Avenue Wednesday.  The accident was first reported as a two-vehicle accident at 11:16am and upon arrival the deputy determined that three vehicles were actually involved.

After investigation it was determined that a 2014 Volkswagon Passat owned and operated by Michael F. Harvey of Carson was traveling southbound on O Avenue when he crossed the centerline and collided with a 2013 Ford F450 pulling hay on a trailer that was owned by David Devries and operated by Michael A. Foote of Stanton.  The vehicles struck left front to left front as Foote tried to avoid the collision.  Harvey’s Volkswagon spun out and cam to rest in the west ditch facing to the northeast.  The Foote vehicle entered the east ditch striking a fence and came to rest with the trailer jackknifed into the left rear side of the truck. The third vehicle was a 2003 Chevy Impala owned by Joan Sink of Red Oak and driven by Rochelle L. Sink of Red Oak.  Sink was traveling behind the hay trailer and entered the east ditch attempting to avoid the initial collision and struck a wooden post and fiber optic junction owned by Griswold Telephone Cooperative with the right front of the car.  Sink’s vehicle ended up coming to rest on top of the wooden post.  No one was injured during the accident.

Damage to the Volkswagon was estimated at $20,000 and considered a total loss. Damage to the Ford F450 was estimated at $70,000 with the RedOx Hay Trailer sustaining $15,000 damage.  Hay bales were also destroyed in the accident at a loss of $420.  The Impala suffered $3,000 damage to the right front and undercarriage.

Harvey was cited for Failure to Yield 1/2 the roadway when meeting a vehicle and Failure to Carry Current Proof of Insurance. The investigation into the accident is complete.

Stuart Police executed a search warrant in the 300 block of N. Harrison St. on Wednesday, June 22nd. Officials say several thousand dollars worth of Methamphetamine and marijuana were recovered in addition to various items of drug paraphernalia during the execution of the warrant. Six subjects were arrested on various drug related charges which ranged from Felony to Misdemeanors.

Those arrested include: Kyle Styron, of Stuart, for Possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver (Meth)(a Class B Felony), possession of a controlled substance (Subsequent Offense)(marijuana), unlawful possession of prescription drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jeremy Day, of Stuart, was arrested for Gathering where controlled substances unlawfully used (Meth)(a Class D Felony), Accessory after the fact (preventing apprehension), possession of a controlled substance (Subsequent Offense) (Marijuana), possession of a controlled substance (Meth), and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Clinton Hostetler,  Kristine Salazar, and Erin Hostetler, all of Stuart, along with Jessi Parker, of Missouri, were arrested for possession of a controlled substance (meth), and possession of drug paraphernalia. Parker, Missouri was also charged with possession of a controlled substance (Marijuana).

Also found inside the house during the search warrant was a subject wanted by the Stuart Police Department after he fled on foot from a traffic stop in April earlier this year. This was part of an ongoing investigation into the sales of controlled substances in the Stuart area. The Stuart Police Dept. was assisted in its execution of the search warrant by deputies from the Adair and Guthrie County Sheriff’s Departments.

The Clarinda Police Department is reminding citizens to keep their vehicles locked and valuables out of sight or removed the vehicle as the department was busy this (Thursday) morning, investigating numerous thefts from vehicles that occurred in Clarinda late last night (Wednesday night) or early this (Thursday) morning.

Various items of personal property and cash were stolen from the vehicles. Citizens are encouraged to contact the police if they observe suspicious activity in their neighborhoods, so the police can respond and investigate.

The Creston Police Department announced the arrest of a Creston man on Wednesday night at 11:20pm.  Officers arrested 47-year-old Dennis Speed at his home at 617 N Birch Street on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault – 2nd Offense. He is being held in the Union County Jail awaiting bond hearing.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Griswold Fire Department responded to a call of an attic fire at approximately 11:35pm Wednesday night on 538th Street in Pottawattamie County.  Griswold Fire Chief Andy Steffen told KJAN news he along with another Firefighter were the first to arrive on scene and knocked down some of the flames with a fire extinguisher until the first tanker arrived.  Steffen said one section of the flames was particularly hard to knock down but they were eventually able to get everything extinguished.

2 adults and 4 children were in the home when the fire started and were alerted to the fire by a working smoke detector.  Everyone was able to get out of the home safely.

Steffen said extensive damage was done to the attic along with one bedroom and one bathroom that were affected by the flames and water.  The family planned to return to assess the damage today.  Griswold fires crews were on the scene approximately 2 hours and returned to the station around 2:00am.

U.S.S. Iowa

The caretakers of the battleship that bears our state’s name are looking to get a little national publicity in an online contest. Battleship Iowa museum spokesman, Andrew Bossenmeyer, says the U-S-S Iowa is in a friendly competition. “The contest is run by Readers Choice Group and it has been going on I believe all year for different segments of the travel and entertainment amusement fields — I believe the U-S-A Today is handling the contest,” Bossenmeyer explains. “…we were nominated along with 19 other ships to be considered the best museum ship in the United States,” Bossenmeyer says.

You can go to www.10best.com and then the best museum ship category to vote for the U-S-S Iowa. The state of Iowa help provide funds to save the historic battleship and have it towed to Long Beach, California where it now serves as the museum. Thousands of Iowans toured the ship in an event prior to the Hawkeye football team’s Rose Bowl appearance.

“I was amazed at the patience that day….I’ve never seen our line to get on our ship that long. People waited in line to take and hour-and-a-half tour that day that probably went for three to four hours that day because of the amount of people in line,” Bossenmeyer says. Anyone who shows and Iowa driver’s license can tour the ship for free when they visit, but Bossenmeyer says they have plenty of things to make people from other states want to see the ship.

He says they have had other museum ship administrators have come out to see how they run the Iowa and he says they have made great strides in the four years they have been operation. Bossenmeyer says they are the only ship that has an interactive tour. He says that tour gives you a lot of information.

“Let’s say you are over in the 16-inch gun turret area, you will get to experience what it was like to have those guns fire off,” Bossenmeyer says. “And that video content or whether it’s augmented reality will be fed to you. No other ship in the United States is running that technology right now.” He says there are other things that make the U-S-S Iowa stand out.

“We’re are the only ship that has a bathtub on board — and that was put in for F-D-R. We’re called ‘the battleship of presidents’ because we’ve had the most sitting presidents on board our ship. So, little things like that make us a little unique. It’s not to take anything away from the other ships, they are fantastic,” Bossenmeyer says.

The are some other iconic ships in the competition, including: the U-S-S Constitution, the oldest U-S battleship afloat; the U-S-S Missouri, the ship where the Japanese signed the surrender documents ending World War Two; the captured German submarine U-505; the aircraft carriers Yorktown, Midway and Lexinton. Bossenmeyer says the weekends are the busiest time for visitors, averaging between 12-hundred and two-thousand people on Saturday and Sunday.

He says they also offer education programs so they get kids from many local schools who come out for the free programs. “We also have a camp battleship program where local scouts come out and learn what it is like to be a sailor for the evening,” Bossenmeyer says. He says they will open a new exhibit in July. “We’ve add 360 panoramic views of the areas on board that most likely the public will never get to just because the steepness of the stairs. So, we’ve done the best to create an environment so you can see what it is like in an engine room, see what it is like in a generator room,” Bossenmeyer says.

You can vote for the U-S-S Iowa once each day through noon on Monday July 18th. The winner will be announced on Friday, July 22nd.

(Radio Iowa)

**Update 12:15pm- Harlan Police are no longer looking for Ziggy. He has contacted family and is safe.**

Harlan Police are asking for the public’s help in locating 43 year old Thomas “Ziggy” Schumacher. He was last seen Wednesday morning at 11:30 at his home. Ziggy is 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs approximately 250 pounds and has green eyes. Ziggy also has a medical condition. If you have seen Ziggy, please call the Harlan Police Department immediately at 755-5151.

Thomas “Ziggy” Schumacher

The Red Oak Police Department arrested a Red Oak woman this (Thursday) morning for Probation Violation. At 6:05am officers arrested 31-year-old Natosha Myree Cralley in the 400 block of Highland Avenue in Red Oak on a Montgomery County Arrest Warrant for Violation of Probation.  Cralley was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $10,000 cash bond.