[Red Oak, Iowa] – Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman today (Sunday), said “An open burn ban will go into effect Monday, February 26, 2024 at 8:00am, for all areas and jurisdictions within Montgomery County. The ban prohibits all open and controlled burning in Montgomery County, including all incorporated city limits within the county.”

Record high temperatures, limited to no moisture and continued drought conditions has created dangerous fire conditions throughout the entire area. Extended forecast outlooks show well above normal temperatures as well as extremely windy conditions causing concern that any outdoor fire will become large and out of control in a very short amount of time.

“Citizens are reminded to not throw out cigarettes from moving vehicles and to discontinue burning yard waste, piled tree debris, grass/agricultural ground and set asides or other items during this ban. Small recreational campfires are permitted only if they are conducted in a fireplace of brick, metal or heavy one-inch wire mesh, however extreme caution should be taken. Any campfire not in an outdoor fireplace is prohibited,” according to Hamman.

Violation of a burn ban can subject a person to criminal charges as well as civil liabilities for any damages, losses or injuries resulting from the fire. The open burn ban is anticipated to remain in effect until the county receives substantial precipitation alleviating the increased fire danger risk.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following an accident that took place at around 10:14-a.m., Saturday.  The accident happened at 270th Street and Highway 48. The report says when deputies arrived, they found a 2011 Ford Fusion owned by Todd Owens, of Clarinda, that had sustained significant damage. The vehicle was located in the northwest ditch.

Deputies learned 18-year-old Connor A. Owens, of Clarinda, was driving the Ford northbound on Highway 48 behind a 2004 Chevy Silverado pickup.  When the pickup, driven by 18-year-old Bennett Johnson, of Red Oak, began to slow to turn west onto 270th Street, it was hit from behind by the Ford. Following the collision, the Ford entered the northwest ditch and struck and sheared-off an Iowa Department of Transportation signpost, before coming to rest.

Owens told authorities his brakes failed and that he attempted to engage the parking brake just before his vehicle collided with the right rear of the pickup. Damage from the accident amounted to $6,000 altogether, including to the sign post.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports numerous arrests occurred from Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning (Feb. 22nd through the 25th):

At around 3-a.m. today (Sunday), 21-year-old Cael Raymond Carl, of Creston, was arrested at the intersection of Adams and Cottonwood. He was charged with OWI 1^st Offense and Carry Weapon while Intoxicated. Carl was taken to the Union County Jail where he is being held on $2000 cash or surety bond.

On Saturday: 34-year-old Donald James Simmerman, of Murray, was arrested at the Creston Union County LEC.  He was taken into custody at around 1:18-a.m. and charged with Interference with Official Acts and OWI 2nd Offense. Simmerman was taken to the Union County Jail where he was later released on $2300 cash or surety bond; At around 1:45-p.m., Saturday, 24-year-old Noah Alexander Young, of Creston, was arrested at 807 W Summit. Young was charged with Providing False Identification Information and a Union County Warrant for FTA Disorderly Conduct-Loud Raucous Noise. Young was taken to the Union County Jail where he was later released on $300 cash or surety bond; and, 24-year-old Jeffery Allen Arnold, of Creston, was arrested Saturday at the intersection of Wyoming and 34. Arnold was charged with Driving while under Suspension. Arnold was cited and released from the scene on Promise to Appear.

Friday afternoon, 19-year-old Lucas Lynn Smith, of Creston was arrested at the Creston Union County LEC. Smith was charged with Union County Warrant for Criminal Mischief 1^st Degree. Smith was taken to the Union County Jail where he is being held on $10,000 cash or surety bond; And, 45-year-old Carrie Nawacy Pendegraft, of Creston, was arrested Friday night at the intersection of Highway 25 and Townline. She was charged with OWI 2^nd Offense. Pendegraft was taken to the Union County Jail where she was later released on $2000 cash or surety bond.

Thursday afternoon, 31-year-old  Ryan Palmer, of Creston was arrested in the 600 Block W Mills. He was charged with Animal at Large. Palmer was cited and released from the scene.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – A burning ban will be in place for Adair County and Guthrie County starting Saturday February 24, 2024. The ban prohibits open burning in Adair County and Guthrie County, including all the cities within the counties.
The current dry conditions throughout the region have caused an increase in fire responses throughout Adair and Guthrie County. As dry conditions and winds persist, dead and drying vegetation is the perfect fuel to spread fires rapidly.

Adair County Burn Ban Proclamation 02-24-2024

Guthrie County Burn Ban Proclamation 02-24-2024

Emergency Management Deputy Coordinator Jeremy Cooper says “Adair and Guthrie County Fire Departments have seen the effects of fires in extreme conditions, and they want to do everything they can to help mitigate life threatening incidents from occurring. These Fire Departments are volunteer departments and are responding to calls that pull them from their everyday life and work and becomes very taxing on those volunteers. We have been in a drought for over 4 years and conditions just have not been improving much. We have experienced an abnormal winter with really only one major snow event that really didn’t help with the overall moisture levels. Hopefully in the coming weeks things will improve and start greening up, it’s just not common to have a Burn Ban this time of year.”

During these dry conditions, citizens are reminded to not throw out cigarettes from moving vehicles and to discontinue burning yard waste, piled tree debris or other items during the ban. Small recreational campfires are permitted only if they are conducted in a fireplace of brick, metal or heavy one-inch wire mesh. Any campfire not in an outdoor fireplace or left unattended is prohibited. Fire Departments will still be able to proceed with their scheduled controlled burns of CRP land and citizens can also obtain a burn permit from their local Fire Chief, if the Chief approves such a request and signs the permit.

Violation of a burn ban can subject a person to citation or arrest for reckless use of fire or disobeying a burn ban. For more information on burn bans and the law or to check the current status of burn bans statewide on the State Fire Marshal’s statewide burn ban website: https://dps.iowa.gov/divisions/state-fire-marshal/burn-bans.

(Creston, Iowa) – One person was transported to the hospital in Creston, Friday night, following a motorcycle accident. Creston Police say 76-year-old Michel Joseph Spaulding, of Creston, was operating a 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle northbound on Cherry Street south of Mills St, at around 10:20-p.m., when the machine struck a curb. The cycle scraped along a yard and a road before coming to rest. Police found Spaulding sitting next to his motorcycle, alert and conscious, but bleeding from the head.

The man admitted to officers that he had consumed alcohol. He was transported by EMS to the Greater Regional Hospital in Creston. The motorcycle sustained an estimated $7,000 damage. No citations were issued.

(Stuart, Iowa)  – Officials with the Stuart Fire Department report crews from the department along with Menlo fire, were dispatched to a barn fire at around 8:35-a.m., Friday. The first crews arriving on the scene from Stuart advised all other responding units that the barn was fully involved. Around that same time Dexter fire was requested for mutual aid (for personnel & water). Firefighters battled the wind and got the fire under control.

Guthrie County REC crews were requested to remove an overhead power line, to ensure the safety of the fire personnel on the ground. Authorities say the barn sustained significant damage, and collapsed. It was deemed a total loss. No injuries were reported.

Stuart FD Facebook post photo

Stuart Fire thanks Menlo fire, Dexter fire, Guthrie county REC, Guthrie county Dispatch, and Stuart Rescue for their support at the scene.

(Iowa DNR News)  – A large canine found lying in the median of I-80 in Scott County Monday morning has been identified as a young adult male gray wolf. The animal, estimated to be around two years old, was seen laying in the I-80 median near the interchange with I-280 by State Conservation Officer Brooks VanDerBeek who collected it for examination.

The wolf was taken to the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Ames, and received a full necropsy on Wednesday to confirm cause of death and assess overall health. The DNR is planning to send tissue samples for DNA testing to verify if it’s a true wolf or hybrid, and its population of origin.

Based on the examination, state furbearer biologist Vince Evelsizer and state wildlife veterinarian Dr. Rachel Ruden are confident it is a gray wolf. “He was in fair shape physically, with not much fat under the hide but a good amount of fat internally,” Ruden said. “He was also moderately parasitized by tapeworms, including Echinococcus, which is not unexpected as wild canids are the definitive host. However, this particular parasite can infect people through the ingestion of eggs in feces, so this serves as a good reminder for our hunters, trappers and wildlife rehabilitators to take care when handling coyotes and foxes.”

This wolf likely originated from the Great Lakes population in Wisconsin and Minnesota, Evelsizer said. “Wolves have a complex social structure and will naturally disperse, typically in the fall or winter, not necessarily associated with breeding. We received a quality daylight photo of a gray wolf from a trail camera in Delaware County in November, and this wolf appears to have similar coloring, but we don’t know for sure it’s the same animal or not,” said Evelsizer. “We are thankful Officer VanDerBeek spotted this animal and picked it up.”

The Great Lakes wolf population has been steady to slightly increasing in recent years and is the closest population to Iowa. Over the last five years, Iowa averages from one to five wolves roaming through. Iowa does not have a breeding population of wolves. “While it is rare for wolves to be in Iowa, this serves as a reminder to coyote hunters to be very sure of your target before pulling the trigger,” Evelsizer said.

Coyotes typically weigh 25-40 pounds whereas wolves typically weigh 70-110 pounds. For comparison, this wolf weighed 77.5 pounds, and measured 62 inches long from nose to tip of the tail. Wolves are protected in Iowa and there is no open season.

(Cedar Rapids, Iowa) –  A man from western Iowa who was found in possession of a homemade large-caliber pistol in the Meskwaki Casino in 2022, was sentenced Thursday (February 22, 2024) in Cedar Rapids U-S District Court, to five years in federal prison. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, said Friday (today), 56-year-old Som Boun Cam, from Council Bluffs, received the prison term after a September 18, 2023 guilty plea to possessing a smooth bore, .410 gauge pistol, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

In addition to the 60-month sentence, Cam must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. He is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

In a plea agreement, Cam admitted that on April 14, 2022, he was in the Meskwaki Casino hotel when he was involved in a scuffle with another guest and misplaced his backpack. Hotel staff subsequently found the backpack, and when they looked in it on April 18, 2022, they found methamphetamine and a homemade smooth bore .410 gauge pistol. On April 19, 2022, Cam returned to the hotel to claim his property. Cam admitted he had manufactured the firearm. This was a firearm that was required to be registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, but it was not registered to him. Cam has a 1995 felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and methamphetamine, a 2017 felony conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, and multiple assault convictions.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Meskwaki Nation Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.