(Radio Iowa) –Manchester Police have made an arrest in connection to the vandalism at Oakland Cemetery. Police arrested 26-year old Malachi Montes of Manchester Sunday on a felony charge of first-degree criminal mischief. Police had received a report of vandalism at Oakland Cemetery on August 16th.

Officers discovered 25 headstones that were moved or tipped over and four headstones that were broken. Montes confessed to the vandalism and told police he was extremely intoxicated and under the influence of prescription medications at the time of the incident.

The vandalism caused an estimated 24-thousand dollars in damages. Montes is in custody at the Delaware County Jail on other unrelated charges.

The City of Atlantic’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Tuesday evening, voted 4-to nothing, to approve a site plan for a Scooter’s Coffee kiosk on East 7th Street. Three Commissioners were absent from the meeting.

Their vote came after about 20-minutes of discussion with Scooter’s Construction Manager Dan Forsland, who explained the traffic flow would be manageable using the current “pork chop,” or Y entrance/exit to the U-S Cellular, Verizon and McDonald’s properties. The angled island separating the drive is owned by the City of Atlantic.

Mayor Dave Jones said the City would work to make improvements to the island, including lane markers and extra signs if needed, to help with traffic flow. After the meeting, Forsland said on behalf Scooter’s, “We’re excited. I think there is tremendous opportunity here in Atlantic. We’re excited to be a part of Atlantic.”

He was expecting to submit the drawings to the City and obtain a building permit, with hopes of opening before or shortly after Thanksgiving.

TUSCUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A 62-year-old Atlantic man has been charged with a misdemeanor after a June boat crash killed another man. Miller County Prosecutor Ben Winfrey charged Kelly Wise, Monday with misdemeanor boating while intoxicated after a June crash on the Lake of the Ozarks killed 39-year-old Jason Russell, of Eugene, Missouri. Four other people were injured in the crash.

A probable cause statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol says Wise’s boat collided with the boat Russell was riding in late on June 29. Wise reportedly said he didn’t see the other boat coming until the last second.

ABC17 reports tests found Wise had a blood alcohol content at .184 percent. Wise posted $1,000 cash bond Tuesday. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 11.

JEFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Several Midwestern states are joining together to try to identify bottlenecks along the Missouri River that can cause waters to back up and worsen flooding in certain areas.

Dru Buntin, the deputy director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, says the state is joining with Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska to submit a study proposal Tuesday to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The proposal comes after two rounds of devastating flooding this year caused billions of dollars of damage in Midwestern states. A Corps commander cautioned Missouri officials during a meeting Tuesday that relieving pinch points at one spot in the river might result in new problems elsewhere.

The states also are hoping for long-term changes in the way the Corps manages dams in the Missouri River basin.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) —  Lawyers are withdrawing a subpoena that sought the interview notes of an Iowa journalist who wrote a book about a lottery insider who rigged jackpots in several states.

Perry Beeman received the subpoena last week from lawyers for Larry Dawson, an Iowa jackpot winner who contends that the rigging reduced his prize by millions of dollars.

Beeman co-wrote a recent book, “The $80 billion Gamble,” with former Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich. It tells the story of how now-imprisoned lottery security contractor Eddie Tipton altered number-picking programs on computers to win jackpots in Colorado, Wisconsin, Kansas and Oklahoma.

The subpoena ordered Beeman to turn over his correspondence with Rich since January 2018, including notes related to four interviews conducted last year.
But on Tuesday, hours after The Associated Press published a story about the request, Dawson’s legal team decided to withdraw the subpoena after speaking with Beeman.

Beeman says he’s happy with that decision.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office has posted an advertisement seeking a new Engineer for the County. Officials say Charles Bechtold, who was hiredfor the position in April 2016 and began in July of that year, has decided to seek employment elsewhere. Bechtold succeeded former County Engineer Charles Marker when he was hired for the position. He was previously the Engineer for Osceola County, in northwest Iowa. He has been serving as interim Montgomery County Engineer in addition to his duties in Cass County.

An application for qualified persons who are an Iowa licensed profession Engineer, can be found at www.atlanticiowa.com.  The position pays anywhere from $90,000 to $110,000, depending on experience.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she is pushing the Trump administration to restore billions of gallons of ethanol demand lost when the Environmental Protection Agency exempted 31 oil refineries from blending ethanol with gasoline to meet the requirements of federal law. Reynolds on Tuesday speculated that President Donald Trump may not have fully understood the impact of granting the waivers on the ethanol industry. Now, she says at least one ethanol plant in Iowa has shut down production.

Reynolds says she has calls scheduled with Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Vice President Mike Pence to talk about the ethanol industry after having already talked with Trump, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Ivanka Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Reynolds says she remains comfortable telling the president about polices that hurt Iowa and its farmers even though she’s been named a co-chair of Trump’s re-election campaign in Iowa.

KINGSLEY, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa police chief accused of injuring his wife has pleaded not guilty. Plymouth County District Court records say 51-year-old Joseph Hoover entered the written plea Monday to a misdemeanor charge of domestic abuse assault. A trial date hasn’t been set.

Hoover is chief of the Kingsley force, but he’s been suspended with pay. The records say Hoover acknowledged to sheriff’s deputies that he struck his wife with a forearm and shoulder during their altercation July 19.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department report 22-year old Justin Andrew Dickinson, of Harlan, was arrested Aug. 21st. Dickinson was taken into custody on active Shelby County warrants, including for Probation Revocation (a hearing for which was set for Sept. 16th). Dickinson was booked into the Shelby County Jail.

And, no injuries were reported following an accident in Harlan on Aug. 22nd. Authorities say Donna Elmquist, of Kimballton, was driving a 2011 Ford F-150 pickup, and slowing to turn into a grocery store parking near 19th and Chatburn, when her vehicle was hit from behind. The other vehicle, a 2018 Chevy Equinox was driven by Vivian Storjohann, of Blair, NE. The pickup sustained minor damage, while the SUV sustained heavy front-end damage.

The Atlantic Police Department reports six arrests. On Monday, 42-year old Amy Dole, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear. There were two arrests this past Sunday: 39-year old Trevor Harris, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Shelby County warrant for Violation of Probation, and, 36-year old Serphyl Phylon, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication, Theft in the 5th Degree, Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and Burglary in the 3rd Degree. His arrest was the result of a burglary investigation at Nishna Hills Golf Course.

Last Friday, 23-year old Tyler Osborn, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication. On Aug. 20th, 18-year old Jordan Frazier, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault resulting in injury, Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

On Aug. 16th, 84-year old Lyle Filkins, of Atlantic, was cited for Harassment in the 3rd Degree, and subsequently released. And, 18-year old Rachael Stanley, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear.

With the exception of Filkins, each of the other individuals were booked into the Cass County Jail.