WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hold an informational meeting in West Des Moines to discuss a planned tree harvest from a central Iowa state park campground site.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A major Iowa grocery retailer has announced it will no longer allow its employees to use tobacco products on company property, including stores in Nebraska.

Des Moines television station KCCI reports that Fareway Food Stores implemented the policy, effective Monday. Under the new policy, smoking and the use of any other tobacco or tobacco-like products such as electronic cigarettes and chewing tobacco is banned on all company property.

Store officials say employees will only be allowed to use FDA-approved nicotine products aimed to help smokers quit.

Caitlyn Ferin, a member of Fareway’s Corporate Wellness Team, says it’s important to the company to “create a healthy work environment for our employees.”

Fareway operates more than 100 stores in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois and Minnesota.

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The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 44-year-old James Reed Mitroff II on Friday at 10:10pm for Public Intoxication. He was arrested in the 800 block of East Reed Street in Red Oak. Mitroff II was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

WEBB, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northwestern Iowa say a 39-year-old Milford man has died in a snowmobile crash. The Sioux City Journal reports that Justin Robert Stahly died Thursday night after the snowmobile he was driving north along the Little Sioux River crashed into a tree.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says first responders were sent to the crash site shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday. Officials say efforts were made to save Stahly, but he died at the scene near the town of Webb.

Officials with the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, have announced the first baby born at CCMH in 2018, belongs to Tammy and Brandon Montgomery, of Fontanelle. Their daughter Allyson, was born on January 3rd.

The OB Department at CCMH presented the Montgomery family with a year’s supply of diapers, an embroidered 2018 blanket, and a certificate to commemorate Allyson being the New Year’s Baby.

Proud big sister, Bailey, holds the blanket. Britni Olson, RN, and Dr. Angela Weppler were on hand for the celebration.

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) has announced the launch of her 99 county tour for 2018 which includes public events in Montgomery and Boone counties. Ernst says “In 2017 I heard from Iowans who were concerned about skyrocketing taxes, the rising costs of health care, and the harmful impacts of burdensome regulations. Throughout the year, I worked to translate those concerns into action in Washington,” said Senator Ernst. “While we have made some gains on behalf of Iowans, there is more work to be done in 2018. I am looking forward to my fourth 99 county tour as a U.S. Senator to continue hearing directly from Iowans so we can build on the progress we’ve made.”

Details for the Montgomery County event are as follows:

“Coffee with Joni”, 2-p.m. Sunday, January 14, 2018, at the Montgomery County Family YMCA (101 East Cherry Street), in Red Oak.

In an update to our previous reports, Council Bluffs Police have identified the suspect allegedly involved in the robbery of a convenience store at around 3-a.m. Today (Friday). Officials had taken 23-year old Matthew A. Campbell, a transient, into custody for questioning, after he was found hiding in a pickup not far from where the incident occurred. Campbell was being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on a charge of robbery.

Campbell,Matthew

Officers were dispatched to the Kwik Shop at 1749 W. Broadway for a reported robbery. Upon arrival officers made contact with the victim. The victim said he was returning to the store after taking out the trash, when the suspect (Campbell) approached the victim and displayed a handgun ordering the victim back into the store. Once inside the store Campbell demanded money. The victim gave Campbell money out of the register. There were no injuries reported.

Campbell left the store and fled west and then south. The victim told officers that he noticed a red Chevy truck pass the store a short time prior to the robbery. While officers were checking the area for the suspect they located a red Chevy truck. The truck had no plates and when officers investigated further they located the man later identified as Campbell, hiding on the floor of the truck attempting to hide under a coat. He was was transported to the Criminal Investigation Division for further questioning. Inside the truck, officers located under a seat, a firearm matching the description given by the victim.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery game has climbed to $450 million, just hours before the drawing. The top prize was raised ahead of the drawing Friday night. Lottery officials also increased the jackpot of Powerball, the other national lottery game, to $570 million. That drawing will be Saturday night. The jackpots refer to the annuity options for both games, in which payments are made over 29 years. Most winners opt for cash options, which would be $281 million for Mega Millions and $358.5 million for Powerball.

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot is one in 302.5 million. Powerball has odds of one in 292.2 million. Both games are played in 44 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico also participates in Powerball.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, today (Friday), released a report detailing numerous arrests occurred this first week of January. Early Thursday morning, 25-year old Ashly Nicole Duncan, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, and 42-year old Auscencio Rivera, of Omaha, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, and interference with official acts. Thursday afternoon, 27-year old Cory David Cleveland, of Malvern, was arrested for Driving While Revoked and No SR-22 on file. And, Thursday night, 57-year old Russell Paul Barton, of Omaha, was arrested for Interference with Officials Acts.

Early Wednesday morning, 22-year old Dakota John Allen, of Hastings, was arrested in Mills County for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possessing Contraband, Possession of Paraphernalia, Burglary in the 3rd and Theft in the 2nd, degrees, as well as Driving Under Suspension. And, 22-year old Morgan Rae Green, of Glenwood, was arrested for Dominion/Control of a firearm or offensive weapon by a felon. Wednesday afternoon, 34-year old Shawn Lee Richter, and 19-year old Morgan Raye Wooton, both of Glenwood, were arrested on separate warrants for probation violation.

Wednesday night, 46-year old Ann Kristine Harding, of Red Oak, was arrested in Mills County for Possession of a Prescription Drug (without a prescription), and on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Theft in the 3rd degree.