The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports a Coon Rapids man was arrested on Guthrie County warrants June 16th, by the Woodward Police Department. Authorities say 29-year-old Shawn Knudsen faces charges that include six (6) counts of third degree Burglary, five (5) counts of Theft, five (5) counts of Criminal Trespass, and one charge of Ongoing Criminal Misconduct. An investigation into his alleged activities began on June 2nd, 2021, when the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a stolen truck/trailer, and tools from rural Bayard.

The stolen truck was stopped by the West Des Moines Police Department and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office prior to it being reported stolen. Both agencies shared the driver’s information and bodycam footage with the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office.

Shawn Knudsen

The suspect, was identified as Knudsen was taken into custody, and subsequently admitted to stealing the truck, trailer, and tools. Authorities say he told the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office where the truck and trailer were located, and, with the help of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Des Moines Police Department, the truck and trailer were found and rightfully returned to the owner.

On June 12th, other parties in Bayard reported stolen or missing items from their garages that fit the date/time frame of the previous burglary. Surveillance footage from a Kum and Go in West Des Moines helped the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office identify Shawn Knudsen as the suspect. He later admitted to taking the items out of each person’s garage. On June 21st, another person came forward and said they had a dirt bike and generator stolen from rural Bayard that fit the date/time frame of the other burglaries/thefts. The dirt bike that was stolen matched the description of the dirt bike Knudsen was operating, when stopped by the Woodward Police Department. Upon further investigation, it was determined it was the same dirt bike, and once again Knudsen admitted to being in possession of stolen property.

There are subsequent investigations still being conducted where Shawn Knudsen is a person of interest. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reminds area residents to “Please remember to leave your garages closed, and your vehicles locked at night.”

Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation say the DCI is assisting Creston Police and the Union County Sheriff’s Office, in an investigation into the disappearance of 56-year-old Creston resident Tim Fechter. The man was reported missing to law enforcement on Sunday, June 20th. He was last seen in the early morning hours of June 20th, at a residence in the 600 block of Birch Street, in Creston.

Authorities say the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, along with his known medical conditions, have law enforcement actively attempting to find him. While the circumstances have drawn the attention of law enforcement, authorities say there is no known or on-going threat to the public.

Tim Fechter

Tim Fechter is a white male, about 5-feet 11-inches tall. He weighs about 185-pounds, and has blue eyes. He has multiple tattoos on each hand and arm, and was last seen wearing a blue flannel shirt, camouflage cargo shorts, and green high tops. Anyone with information about his location or the details of his disappearance, should contact the Union County Law Enforcement Center at 641-782-8402, or email the Iowa Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse at mpicinfo@dps.state.ia.us.

Des Moines, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division, Tuesday, said a Missouri Valley woman, 49-year-old Lorraine Gale, recently pled guilty to one count of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau. As a result of the plea agreement on June 7, 2021, Gale received a deferred judgement and was ordered to serve one year of probation and to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $1,025.

The charges against Gale stem from an investigation which began in 2020. The investigation discovered that on multiple occasions Gale submitted existing damage as new damage to her motor vehicle to multiple insurance companies in order to obtain insurance benefits to which she would have not otherwise been entitled to.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

Three people were injured during a rollover accident late Monday night, in Lewis. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies, along with Cass County EMS, Griswold Rescue and Lewis Rescue, were dispatched at around 11:24-p.m. to a motor vehicle rollover on California Street in Lewis.  Officials say a 2005 Ford Explorer driven 20-year-old Ayden Rossell, of Lewis was westbound on California Street, when the SUV went out of control. It rolled several times and came to rest in the south ditch.

Rossell was transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital by Griswold Rescue and later transported to an Omaha hospital by Cass County EMS.  A passenger in the vehicle, 26-year-old Thomas Bruning, of Clarinda was transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital by Cass County EMS and later airlifted to an Omaha hospital by Life Net 13.  Another passenger in the vehicle, 18-year-old Sophia Shupe, of Council Bluffs, was airlifted from the scene by Life Flight 3 to an Omaha hospital.

The accident remains under investigation by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office

Members of the Atlantic School Board, Tuesday morning, approved the hiring of new teachers for the upcoming school year. One of them, Rob Astuni comes to the District from the eastern U-S. He will become a High School English/Language Arts Teacher. Superintendent Steve Barber said “We’re extremely excited about the folks coming to our team.”

Board member Kristy Pellett inquired as to why Mr. Astuni chose Iowa over New Jersey. She asked if he had family here or was uprooting and starting life elsewhere.

In addition, Barber had recommended (and the Board approved) the hiring of Rebecca Bird as Middle School Science Teacher.

And, Jon Peterson was approved as Middle School Language Arts Teacher. He comes to the Atlantic School District from AHSTW.

Separately, the Board approved the hiring of Jesse McCann as High School Special Education Teacher, contingent upon him being released from his contract with his previous school, Nodaway Valley. Steve Barber said that’s expected to take place in July. And, the Atlantic School Board approved the hiring of Tom McLaren in a VOLUNTARY position as Baseball Coach.

(Griswold) – The Griswold School Board held their regular monthly meeting, Monday evening. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said they approved several personnel changes for the upcoming school year. The approved resignations for the following:

The also approved the hiring of:

Henrichs said they are still short a Middle School/High School Social Studies Teacher and two Elementary Teachers. The struggle is real, he said to find qualified teachers.

In other business, the Griswold School Board approved activity pass fees for the upcoming school year., which Henrichs says is right in line with the Corner Conference as well as district football.

During the past couple of months, the Board has discussed taking out both the tennis and sand volleyball courts, which see limited use. They are looking into getting a grant to convert the tennis courts into Pickleball courts. The Board elected to leave the tennis court as it is, and remove the sand volleyball court and replace it with grass. There will also be a curb cut to allow for extra parking for bigger events. The tennis court will be rebid when the Board knows more about the potential of receiving a grant.

The Griswold Board received bids for two buses, but rejected them and will instead sell those buses for scrap. They also approved a Continued School Resource Officer position in agreement with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, with the terms the same as last year. A similar agreement was approved with Family Connections, which provides social and mental on-site counseling services for students.

The Board also established a list of 2022 Legislative Priorities and chose their top four: Mental Health; Teacher Recruitment and Licensure; Ensuring the Budget Guarantee stays the same or increases, and sharing reorganization. The latter sunsets in a few years. It enables districts to receive extra funding by sharing positions.

And, the Griswold School Board changed a policy to say a teacher may resign from their position before July 1^st, without any recourse. Previously, the policy said if a teacher resigns after they’ve signed their contract, the district must find a suitable replacement before they will be released from the contract. The new amendment makes the old policy unenforceable, because it essentially violates the law.

The 8:05-a.m. Newscast, w/Ric Hanson.

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The latest area news at 7:07-a.m., from Ric Hanson.

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The teenage driver of a pickup truck died Monday afternoon in eastern Iowa’s Jones County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 16-year-old Lincoln John Gravel, of Wyoming, Iowa, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene, after the vehicle he was driving went out of control and entered a ditch, where it struck a utility pole.

The accident happened at around 2:50-p.m. as the teen was traveling eastbound on Jones County Highway E-45. Multiple agencies assisted at the accident scene.

(Radio Iowa) – John Deere is known for its green tractors and combines but is celebrating the anniversary of its first backhoe loader introduced 50 years ago in 1971. Deere Product Manager, Brian Hennings, says the loader on the front and excavator on the back, and the ability to drive it to and from job sites makes it popular. “The machine is really one of the most versatile pieces of equipment out on a job site. Some compare it to a Swiss army knife of construction equipment,” Hennings says.

The company makes backhoe loaders in Dubuque, Iowa, plus Brazil and China. Hennings says the general concept has stayed the same since 1971 — but nearly everything else has changed — including the engines, hydraulic systems, and transmissions to keep the machine a valuable tool. ” It can load trucks, it can stockpile materials, trench with the rear structure, dig holes and access utilities and other types of underground surfaces then you can turn it right around and backfill into the trenches,” Hennings says.

Deere does not reveal sales and production figures, but will say prices for its seven models range from 114-thousand to 222-thousand dollars. Deere has begun testing its first electric model, but any large-scale production is still some years away.