SIOUX CITY, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — A 45-year-old Carroll man is charged with first-degree murder in the death of a Sioux City man. Gary Dains Jr. pleaded not guilty last week in the death of 65-year-old Paul Smith in July. He is scheduled to go to trial Oct. 27. Court documents say Dains had previously stolen from Smith when he returned to Smith’s home in July. A fight broke out when Smith told Dains to leave.

Court documents say Dains told police Smith was breathing but not talking when he left the house with about $120 and Smith’s car. Dains reportedly told police he stole the items to sell them to buy methamphetamine.

Cass County Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall reports the deadlines for property taxes, Driver Licenses and motor vehicle registration renewals, vehicle title registration and license plates, have been extended in response to COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation Tuesday, that extends the deadlines to June 25^th for March 2020 property tax payments, Driver License, vehicle registration renewals, vehicle title registration and license plates.

Marshall says “While our office is open by appointment only for Cass County Citizens, we are encouraging citizens to use online, mail, email and our drop box if possible.” Online payments can be made at www.iowatreasurers.org. Mail in payments can be mailed: Cass County Treasurer, 5 W 7^th St, Atlantic, IA 50022

A drop box can be found at the courthouse main entrance door. Anyone with questions regarding property tax, Driver License or motor vehicle inquiries should contact Cass County Treasurers Office at 712-243-5503 or email cass.treasurer@casscoia.us

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The daughter of an Iowa nursing home resident who died suddenly in a coronavirus outbreak says the state could have done more to stop the spread and protect vulnerable citizens such as her father. Roger Coe, age 86, died Friday at the Crystal Heights Care Center in Oskaloosa after the virus quickly spread through the home. The center said Monday that 48 residents and 13 employees have tested positive over roughly the last two weeks.

Sherrie Coe of Fort Collins, Colorado, said her father was known for wheeling himself to the nurses’ station every day and playing his harmonica for anyone who would listen. She says his death is sad and tough to take because she believes it could have been prevented with stricter mitigation strategies.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope Reports that an arrest has been made in connection with vehicle burglaries and other incidents that took place in Farragut. 22-year old Max Mitchell, of Farragut, was taken into custody at around 1:25-a.m. Tuesday.

Max Mitchell (Fremont County Sheriff’s Office photo)

During the course of the investigation, the Fremont County K9 Roby was deployed and located a warm marijuana pipe with marijuana thrown on the ground by Mitchell, upon being contacted by law enforcement. Deputies and the K9 Unit executed a search warrant in the 800 block of New Orleans Ave, in Farragut, where they discovered stolen property connecting Mitchell the events that took place May 15th, and a home invasion on May 24th.

Mitchell is being held at the Fremont County Jail on the following charges:

• Burglary 2nd Degree, a Class C Felony
• Theft 3rd Degree, an Aggravated Misdemeanor
• 2 counts of Burglary 3rd Degree, a Aggravated Misdemeanors
• Theft 4th Degree, a Serious Misdemeanor
• Possession of A Controlled Substance 3rd Offense, a Class D Felony
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Simple Misdemeanor

More charges are pending. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says Mitchell’s arrest stems from the following incident investigations: On May 15th, authorities received two reports of vehicle burglaries in Farragut. On May 24th, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a home invasion that occurred in the 400 Block of Washington Street in Farragut.  The elderly homeowner reported she was sleeping in her bed when an intruder entered her residence.  She awoke to find several items missing, including items taken from around the bed she was sleeping in.  The female homeowner was not injured.

Later that morning deputies took a report that a vehicle and garage were entered on the same evening, in the 200 block of Clay Street, in Farragut. Deputies also received a report of a third vehicle that was burglarized around 05/22/2020.  Nothing was found missing from the vehicle.

Anyone with additional information concerning those or other crimes, is asked to call the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424.

Two young women in a Chevy Tahoe-type vehicle were injured during a single-vehicle accident this (Tuesday) afternoon, near 4th and Poplar Streets, in Atlantic. According to Atlantic Police Officer Caleb Smith, at around 3:05-p.m., the vehicle came off the road about 80-feet west of the intersection and struck a tree in front of 315 Poplar Street.

Officer Caleb Smith investigates the crash (Ric Hanson/photos)

The two, unidentified females were transported by Medivac Ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. The accident remained under investigation. Atlantic Police and Atlantic Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene, along with Richter Towing.

Audubon Community School District 5th-thru 12th grade Principal Quentin Stanerson posted a notice on social media this (Tuesday) afternoon, announcing the 2020 Prom “A Rustic Romance,” that was scheduled for June 13th is cancelled.

Stanerson says “Following the guidance of the Governor’s Office, the Department of Education and the Iowa Department of Public Health, it was determined that it would not be feasible to hold such an event.”

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Federal officials say BNSF railroad has agreed to clean up 2 million pounds of broken glass from televisions and computer monitors that contains lead at a property it bought in Sioux City, Iowa, several years ago. The Environmental Protection Agency says the glass from cathode ray tube monitors was left at the site by a recycling company that owned the land before BNSF bought it in 2014.

The EPA says the cleanup will take about four months to complete. The EPA says the Sioux City site is one of six locations in Iowa and Nebraska where Recycletronics left roughly 16.9 million pounds of glass from CRT monitors behind.