Red Oak Police investigated two, non-injury accidents that took place Monday afternoon. At around 2:20-p.m., a 2011 Ford F-250 driven by 63-year old Thomas Leroy Bronk, of Red Oak, was traveling behind a 2015 GMC SUV driven by 92-year old Harlan Ebert, of Red Oak, when Ebert, who had stopped at the intersection of N. 8th and E. Corning Streets, began to pull into the intersection, but was forced to stop for a vehicle traveling on E. Corning Street. When Bronk failed to see Ebert had come to a complete stop, his pickup hit the rear of the SUV. Red Oak Police cited Bronk for Following too close. There was no damage to the pickup, but Ebert’s vehicle sustained $1,000 damage.

And, at around 3:30-p.m., Monday, an accident occurred at N. 1st and E. Linden Streets, in Red Oak. Authorities say a 2000 Jeep Compass SUV driven by 17-year old Anna Marie Vandrey, of Red Oak, was southbound on N. 1st Street, approaching the stop sign. A 2006 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 65-year old Michael Lynn Irvin, of Hastings, was eastbound and proceeding through the intersection. Police say Vandrey failed to yield from the stop sign and struck the pickup on the left front fender, causing a total of $4,500 damage.

Red Oak Police cited Vandrey for Failure to Yield from a Stop Sign.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two people were arrested on separate charges over the past few days. On Monday (2/22), 32-year old Michael Given, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Violation of Probation. And, last Friday, 42-year old Shane Seagler, of Massena, was arrested for Driving While License Denied, Suspended or Revoked.

Both men were booked into the Cass County Jail. Given was later released. Seagler remained in jail as of this (Tuesday) morning.

The Shenandoah Police Department reports a traffic stop was made at around 4-a.m. Tuesday (today), on a person known to be barred from driving. During the traffic stop in the 1200 block of West Valley, 50-year old David Daugherty, of Sidney, was arrested for Driving While Barred. He was unable to post a $2,000 bond, and was being held in the Page County Jail.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD), with regard to a tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product, education and enforcement program. Sheriff’s Deputies and staff have taken a pledge to keep tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products out of the hands of Guthrie County youth. Known as I-PLEDGE, the program is a partnership with Iowa ABD, to educate local retailers and to enforce Iowa’s tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product laws. Since the program’s inception in 2000, the statewide tobacco compliance rate has grown to 95%. By participating in the program, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office has committed to do its part to increase the compliance rate even more this year.

I-PLEDGE places emphasis on retailer training. Clerks who successfully complete an online training course and then pass an exam will become I-PLEDGE certified. This allows a retail establishment to use an affirmative defense against a civil penalty if the certified clerk makes an illegal sale. Sheriff Marty Arganbright says “I-PLEDGE’s retailer training is a great way for clerks to prepare themselves to refuse illegal tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product sales. The training also assists retailers to ensure they maintain a compliant and responsible establishment.”

Deputies will also be conducting compliance checks on local establishments as part of the I-PLEDGE program. Underage customers, under the supervision of law enforcement officials, will enter establishments and attempt to buy tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products. Clerks who make the illegal sale will be cited on the spot. Criminal penalties for selling tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products to a minor include a $135 fine for a first offense, a $325 fine for a second offense and a $645 fine for third and subsequent offenses. However, handing out citations is not the intent of the I-PLEDGE program.

Sheriff Arganbright say“By partnering with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, we hope to educate clerks and maintain a compliant retail environment in our community. Moreover, we pledge to help keep tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products out of the hands of Iowa’s youth.”

To take the I-PLEDGE training or search certification records, go to https://abd.iowa.gov.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) – A move to withhold state funding from cities or counties that cut budgets for local police and law enforcement has cleared initial review in the Iowa Senate. Senator Chris Cournoyer, a Republican from Le Claire, backs the bill. “The objective here is that we want to make sure that our communities are safe across Iowa,” she says, “and there’s a lot of concerns here with some of the movements across the nation with defunding police.”

Robert Palmer of the Iowa League of Cities says the bill is unnecessary intrusion into local decision making. And Palmer says it may prevent towns from entering into less expensive regional agreements for police or sheriff’s department protection.”We often are talking with our members about how to find efficiencies, how to lower expenditures because it is our believe that is what’s in the interest of the property taxpayer,” Palmer says. “…This bill is incentivizing the retention of an expenditure level.”

No group representing Iowa law enforcement is registered in favor of the bill. A lobbyist for the Iowa Police Chiefs Association says the group has concerns there may be unintended consequences if the bill becomes law. The Iowa Peace Officers Association and the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association are registered as undecided on the legislation.

(Radio Iowa) – The lead attorney involved in drawing the boundaries for Iowa’s congressional and legislative districts in 2001 and 2011 says there are huge unknowns surrounding this decade’s redistricting process. U.S. Census Bureau population data will be delivered weeks past the date when the Iowa Constitution says the new maps for Iowa House and Senate districts are to be approved by the legislature. Ed Cook is senior legal counsel for the Legislative Services Agency. “At this point, we don’t have any idea how legislative redistricting is going to be conducted,” Cook said.

Every 10 years, the boundaries of Iowa’s congressional districts as well as all 150 state legislative districts must be redrawn to reflect population changes recorded in the Census. That information will be delivered by September 30th. So, due to the constitutional deadline, the Iowa Supreme Court will be responsible for the process. “It’s ultimately up to the Supreme Court in regards to how that’s to be conducted once September 1 comes and goes,” Cook says.

The chief justice has declined to comment on how the court may proceed. Cook made HIS comments Monday during the first meeting of a temporary commission appointed to advise legislators on the redistricting process.