The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports the bridge weight restriction on the Mulberry Road Bridge, has been reduced to three-tons. The bridge is in the 2400 Block of Mulberry Road over the West Fork of the West Nishnabotna River. Between Greeley Township sections  5  and 6. The restriction is effective immediately and will continue until further notice.

The hunt is on for cattle rustlers in southwest Iowa. Montgomery County authorities are investigating the theft of more than 30 cattle from a local sale barn. Livestock owner Don Wolfe says the calves were stolen early Sunday morning from a sale barn a few miles west of Red Oak.

“There are 34 head of black and black-white faced steer calves, with an average weight of 416 pounds. They were stolen in the early morning hours of January 7th,” said Wolfe. He says it appears the thief or thieves targeted a particular pen inside the sale barn.

“We had left the barn at 2:30 in the morning,” he said, “and had went home. We had to leave it unlocked, because there were two of our guys that wanted to load out. We got the okay. Then, this one man had bought two pens of cattle. But, we had three pens of cattle. The cattle walked right by three pens, and they picked this particular pen of calves.” “There’s something fishy about it, but we don’t know what it is,” Wolfe added. He speculates the stolen cattle may still be in the area.

“They’re probably within a two-county area from us right now,” said Wolfe. “They’re probably in a background lot, and they probably took all the green tags. All these cattle were weaned and vaccinated, with Iowa green tags. And, I would say they probably took the green tags out when they got them there, and they’re in a background lot within a 60-mile radius of us.”

Anyone with information regarding the cattle theft should contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 712-623-5107 or Montgomery County Crimestoppers at 888-434-2712. A $3,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of suspects involved in the thefts.

(Radio Iowa)

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 31-year old Joseph Allen Scislowicz, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Monday afternoon on numerous charges. He was taken into custody for being a Felon in Control of a Firearm, two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $7,600.

Also arrested Monday, was 26-year old Bradley Scott Wonder, of Carter Lake. Wonder was charged with Driving While Barred. His bond was set at $2,000.

The Harlan Police Department has issued a report on recent arrests and accidents. As we told you this (Tuesday) morning, a van struck the Concerned, Incorporated Building, Monday afternoon, at 1812 Industrial Avenue. Officials say a 2004 Chrysler Town and Country van driven by Teresa Johnson, of Audubon, was backing up into the open door of a 2006 Chrysler Pacifica van, causing it to shut. The door hit the driver of the Pacifica, Daneece Henry, of Avoca. Johnson’s van continued until it collided with the building. There was no word on injuries or the amount of damage to the building.

Harlan Police report also, 47-year old Justin Andrew Dickinson, and 47-year old Karen Schuemann, both of Harlan, were arrested Jan. 4th, following a traffics top on Durant Street. Dickinson was charged with Driving While Suspended. Schuemann was arrested for unlawful possession of a prescription drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

That same day, 24-year old Zachary Stephen Kloewer, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop, and charged with speeding, prohibited acts penalties, failure to affix a drug tax stamp, possession of paraphernalia, and obstruction of justice.

On Jan. 3rd, 33-year old Anthony Joseph Koester, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant. And, on Jan. 2nd, 52-year old Amy Jo Ross, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant. Both were transported to the Shelby County Jail.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University’s unconstitutional crackdown on a pro-marijuana student group’s t-shirts is expected to cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages and legal fees. Subject to the approval by a state board Tuesday, the state has agreed to pay $150,000 in damages to two leaders of the university chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The state would also pay their lawyers $193,000 for their work defending against university appeals, and additional fees for trial work in an amount to be decided later by a judge.

The costs stem from the university’s politically-motivated attempt in 2012 under former President Steven Leath to block t-shirt designs that featured its mascot and a small cannabis leaf. Judges found that administrators violated the students’ free-speech rights.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested recently on Child Endangerment and other charges. On Monday, Jan. 8th, as the result of an investigation, the Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 30-year old Kenneth Lyle Williams, of Creston, on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Felony Theft in the 1st Degree and Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree, and an Assault Causing Serious Injury, charge. 26-year old Mikel Ann Erickson, also of Creston, was arrested on a charge of Child Endangerment. Both subjects were taken to the Cass County Jail. Erickson remains held on $2,000 bond; Williams remains held on $15,000 bond.

Also arrested Monday, was 47-year old Beverly Ann Carroll, of Atlantic. She was taken into custody on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Child Endangerment, and Sponsoring a Gathering Where Marijuana is Used. Carroll was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $3,000 bond. 19-year old Kaylee Renae Roach, of Atlantic, was arrested Monday on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Roach was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $1,300 bond.

And, last Friday, 47-year old Craig Allen Griffin, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear in court. Griffin was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released later that day on $2,500 bond.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — An April trial has been scheduled for a northwest Iowa man charged with forgery and insurance fraud. Court records say 39-year-old Scott Leininger, of Le Mars, entered a written plea of not guilty Friday in Plymouth County District Court in Le Mars. His trial starting date is April 17.

Authorities say Leininger submitted false paperwork to back his claim to Homesite Insurance for damage he said his disability equipment sustained during a lightning storm. Court documents say the company discovered that the paperwork was bogus and didn’t pay the claim.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds says she wants to modernize Iowa’s tax code in part by reducing individual taxes, a proposal she’ll push amid budget constraints. The Republican governor provided general details of a tax plan Tuesday during her Condition of the State address at the Capitol. She added she wants to eliminate an existing provision in Iowa tax code to avoid increasing state tax revenue following changes to federal regulations.

The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature convened Monday and will be tasked with plugging a roughly $37 million budget shortfall in the current $7.2 billion state budget. The state borrowed about $144 million last year to offset two previous budget shortfalls, and they plan to pay that back. Reynolds did say her tax proposal won’t include corporate tax cuts because of budget limitations.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Another former member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska council has been sentenced to probation for stealing from the tribe’s Iowa casino. The Sioux City Journal reports that Darwin Snyder was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Omaha to five years of probation and ordered to pay $36,500 in restitution. Snyder had pleaded guilty to theft from a gaming establishment on Indian lands. Charges of conspiracy and wire fraud were dismissed in exchange for his plea.

Snyder is one of nine former council members accused of a conspiracy to steal money from the WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloan, Iowa.