Fremont County Sheriff’s Deputies, Saturday afternoon, were called to Penn Drug in Sidney for a report of prescription drug fraud. Deputies made contact with 29-year-old Travis Locke, of Saint Paul, Minnesota and 35-year-old James Webb, of Chicago, Illinois.

Webb

Locke

Deputies allege that a fraudulent prescription was used in an attempt to procure a Schedule V controlled substance. Both parties were arrested for Prohibited Acts, a Class B Felony and Possession of Marijuana 1st Offense, a Serious Misdemeanor.

Both are being held on $26,000 10% bond. Locke is also being held on a felony no-bond warrant out of Minnesota. More charges are pending.

A traffic stop just before Noon, Sunday, in Fremont County, resulted in a man’s arrest on drug and other charges. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies stopped a vehicle near the Highway 2 Missouri River Bridge, and in the process, made contact with a passenger in the vehicle, 20-year old Dretavious Evans, of Lincoln, Nebraska. After

Evans

Evans provided law enforcement with fraudulent identification information,  a probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted, and a loaded firearm was found in the vehicle as well as an undisclosed amount of marijuana. Evans was placed under arrest for Carrying Weapons and Providing False ID to Law Enforcement. He was being held in the Fremont County Jail on a $2,000 bond, with 10% acceptable. The driver was cited for traffic violations and released.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Fremont County Reserve Deputy’s Association is in its 34th year of sponsorship of Operation Santa Claus. Operation Santa Claus provides Christmas presents for children in families of need throughout the communities of Fremont County. In 2019, your generous donations made Christmas merrier and brighter for over 300 Fremont County children.

Throughout the natural disasters and global pandemics that have affected our community, our citizens have come together to assist their neighbors in need. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope says “We are currently seeking Tax Deductible donations to assist in our endeavor. Please contact the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424 or 1-800-432-9240 or, new this year, PayPal donations can be made to reservedeputy@co.fremont.ia.us. Please mark any donations care of Operation Santa.”

Aistrope says also, “We are currently accepting applications for participants receiving gifts this year. The children must reside in the home of the caller and must be a high school student or younger. Please call at 712-374-2424 or 1-800-432-9240.”

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports two arrests this past week. On Nov. 24th, 38-year old Chad William Johnson, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/3rd offense, Driving While Licensed Denied or revoked (OWI related), and Open container. He was released the following day on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

And, on Nov. 26th, 25-year old Shyanne Renee Bird, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. She was released the same day on her Own Recognizance.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man inside a Cedar Rapids home, and a person of interest was being questioned. Police say the shooting happened Monday morning, when officers were called to the home for a report of a shooting. KWWL reports that arriving officers found the body of 24-year-old Charles James Griffin. Police have not released other details of what may have led to the shooting and have not announced any arrests, although a person of interest was questioned.

In an update to our earlier reports, the Iowa State Patrol has identified two people who suffered minor injuries during a collision this (Tuesday) morning, at the intersection of Highways 92 and 148, east of Massena. The collision between a car and a van happened at around 6:35-a.m. According to the Patrol, a southbound 2012 Dodge Avenger driven by 61-year old Brenda Bills, of Massena, stopped at the intersection.

Photo submitted to KJAN News

She proceeded into the intersection, not seeing an approaching eastbound 2013 Grand Caravan. The van was driven by 40-year old Justin Fell, of Atlantic.  The car hit the van on its passenger side. Both vehicles came to rest near the middle of the intersection.

Authorities say a passenger in the van, 21-year-old Taymen Brawdy, of Atlantic, was transported by Massena Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, while Cumberland Rescue transported Bills to CCMH.  The Iowa State Patrol cited Bills for failure to yield at a stop sign.

(Radio Iowa) – A standoff is underway in Sioux City where police says a man is firing an old-school weapon at officers. Police responded to the house in the eight o’clock hour this (Tuesday) morning after getting a call about a disturbance and then a 9-1-1 hangup. The subject is barricaded in the house. He has a bow and arrow and he’s shot several arrows at the police who responded. They don’t know if he has any other weapons in the house. They’re trying to negotiate right now and get a peaceful end to this.

There are no reports of any injuries. The man’s name has not been released.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of business leaders in nine Midwest and Plains states suggests faltering confidence in the region’s economy. After climbing every month since bottoming out in April, the overall index of the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions survey fell to 69.0 in November from October’s 70.2. Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth, while a score below 50 suggests recession. Meanwhile, the survey’s confidence index looking ahead six months plummeted 20 points to 50.0 this month from October’s 70.4.

The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Auditor of State Rob Sand Tuesday (today) released a report on a special investigation of the Fremont and Mills County Outreach Centers (Centers) of the West Central Community Action Agency (Agency). The report covers a period from July 1, 2017 through February 28, 2019. The special investigation was conducted as a result of concerns monetary donations collected at the Centers were not properly deposited and non-monetary donations were used for personal purposes rather than distributed to individuals in need of services. A single Family Development Specialist (Specialist) was responsible for receiving monetary donations and donations of food, clothing, and other items at both Centers.

Sand reported the special investigation identified $1,016.00 of donations received at the Centers that were not properly deposited with the Agency’s Central Office in Harlan, Iowa from December 12, 2017 through February 26, 2019. Sand also reported the undeposited donations were identified by comparing receipts issued by the Centers to amounts deposited with the Central Office. However, Sand also reported $1,664.02 of donations were deposited with the Agency’s Central Office which were not supported by receipts from the Centers during the same period.

As a result, it was determined receipts were not prepared on a consistent basis at the Centers and it was not possible to determine if additional donations were not properly deposited. In addition, because receipts were not issued by the Centers prior to December 2017, any donations not properly deposited prior to that period could not be identified.

Sand also reported no one provided direct oversight of the Specialist at the Fremont and Mills County Outreach Centers or ensured appropriate reports were prepared for each distribution of non-monetary donations received at the Centers. As a result, it was not possible to determine if any non-monetary donations were improperly distributed.

Copies of the report have been filed with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Fremont County Attorney’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office. A copy of the report is available for review on the Auditor of State’s web site at https://www.auditor.iowa.gov/reports/audit-reports/.