Officials with the Iowa State Patrol say a Georgia man suffered possible, unknown injuries during an accident involving a tractor-trailer Sunday morning on Interstate 80, near Underwood. The Iowa State Patrol reports 59 year old Melvin Cuffee of Decatur, GA was traveling eastbound on I-80 near the 13.45 mile marker when he lost control of the 2012 Freightliner. The semi was in the left lane and crossed into the right lane, entered the eastbound ditch and then jacked knifed. The semi and trailer were both damaged in the accident, which took place around 10:05-am Sunday. Cuffee was transported by Underwood Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, where he was examined for possible injuries. The Patrol says Cuffee was wearing his seat belt, which saved his life.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says a Pottawattamie County man was sentenced Friday to more than 3 1/2 years in jail for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt says 27-year old Ronald Wayne Reed, II, of Council Bluffs was sentenced in United States District Court in Council Bluffs.

Chief United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner sentenced Reed to 46 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 2 years term of supervised release. The Court also ordered Reed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition which he had possessed, and to pay a $100.00 special assessment for the Crime Victim Fund. Reed remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending designation of the Federal Bureau of Prisons facility at which he will serve his sentence.

On December 5th, 2012, Reed pled guilty to the charge of felon in possession of a firearm. The charge arose out of the purchase by an undercover officer with the SouthWest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, of a .357 caliber revolver and ammunition. The investigation was conducted by the SouthWest Iowa Narcotics Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Xi Beta Phi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi International recently donated $1000 to the Cass County Memorial Hospital Healing Garden.

Shelly Rubel (left) presented the gift to Dawn Marnin, CCMH Foundation Director.

The local women’s service organization raised monies by selling decorative greens – wreaths, sprays, garlands – during the holiday season.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two southwest Iowa teens were arrested Friday on drug charges, following a traffic stop on eastbound Interstate 80, near the 42-mile marker. Officials say 18-year old Dominque James Schlup, of Hastings, was arrested on charges of OWI 1^st Offense, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and on a Pottawattamie County warrant. And, 18-year old Dylan Lee Conn, of Malvern, was arrested on charges of Possession of Methamphetamine 3^rd Offense, Possession of Marijuana 3^rd Offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and on three warrants out of Mills County.

Both were taken to the Cass County jail. Schlup remains at the Cass County Jail on $3325 bond. Conn also remains at the Cass County Jail on $7325 bond.