The drivers of two vehicles suffered minor/possible injuries during a collision at around 3-p.m. Wednesday, in Creston. Police report the accident happened at the intersection of Sheldon and Sumner Streets, when a 2002 Jeep Liberty driven by 60-year old Timothy Sean Norton, of Creston, hit a 2017 Fiat broadside, causing a total of $6,000 damage. The driver of the Fiat was identified as 36-year old Paige Nicole O’Neil, of Creston.  Both Norton and O’Neil were transported to the Greater Regional Medical Center by ambulance, to be checked-out.

During the investigation, Norton claimed his traffic light had just turned yellow when he entered the intersection. O’Neil claimed she had the green light. Neither driver saw the other until it was too late. Authorities say the accident occurred close to the transition time between the red and green lights, and it is unknown which driver was at fault. No citations were issued.

Red Oak Police, Wednesday night, arrested 53-year old David Allen Welch, of Red Oak, following a traffic stop for an improper tail lamp. A records check indicated Welch was driving under suspension. He was taken into custody at around 9:20-p.m. and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $300.

Police in Council Bluffs say a call about a burglary in progress just before 6-p.m., Wednesday, resulted in the arrest of a man from Avoca. Officers were dispatched to 122 Benton Street at around 5:51-p.m. Upon arrival, they made contact with the alleged offender, 57-year old Michael Crestoni, of Avoca.

Crestoni was transported to the detective bureau and interviewed along with the victims, 50-year old Tomika Crestoni, of Avoca, and 46-year old Julie Skalberg, of Council Bluffs, as well as a witness. During the interviews, it was determined Michael Crestoni forced entry to 122 Benton St.

Once inside the residence, Crestoni allegedly strangled Skalberg and physically assaulted Tomika Crestoni by kicking her in the head and body. Michael Crestoni is then alleged to have pulled a 9-inch knife, and threatened to kill both women.

Michael Crestoni was placed under arrest for Burglary 1st, two counts of Harassment in the 1st Degree, Going Armed with Intent, Domestic Abuse Aggravated and
Aggravated Assault with Dangerous Weapon.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:405 a.m. CST

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — A Planned Parenthood clinic in eastern Iowa that is providing abortions will close soon. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland said Wednesday its clinic in Bettendorf will close Friday, several months after the local affiliate announced plans to do so. Planned Parenthood said in May that four of its 12 clinics in Iowa would close soon. The announcement was made shortly after the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature removed state funding for organizations that provide abortions.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A jury has found a 25-year-old defendant guilty of killing one man and wounding another in a Cedar Rapids parking lot. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that Quarzone Martin was convicted of second-degree murder and related crimes. The verdicts were read Wednesday in a Linn County District Courtroom. Prosecutors say he fatally shot 26-year-old Andrew Meeks and wounded 30-year-old Johnny Moore Jr. on July 2.

GILMAN, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 90-year-old man died in central Iowa after falling into a water well on Christmas Day. The Marshalltown Times-Republican reports that first responders were sent to a property in rural Gilman around 9:10 a.m. Monday. Gilman Fire & Rescue says the man was pulled out around 20 minutes later from about 6 feet underground. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. Authorities identified the man as Maurice Tufte

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — New charges have been filed against a man accused of fatally shooting an Ottumwa teenager. The Ottumwa Courier reports that Venhure Tsegay was charged last week with a robbery and burglary that occurred on Oct. 30, 2015. Tsegay is accused of shooting 16-year-old Christian Madueno in the face on Nov. 29, 2016. Authorities say Madueno died nearly a month later, on Christmas Day last year.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 38-year-old Meri Ellen Kling of Red Oak on Wednesday at 2:42pm. Kling was arrested at 106 West Coolbaugh Street in Red Oak on an active Montgomery County Warrant for Violation of Probation. She was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $2,500 bond.

You’re invited to join Cass County Conservation Staff at Atlantic’s Schildberg Recreation Area- Lake 4 on Saturday, January 6th, 2018. Staff will be giving ten-minute presentations regarding the Trumpeter Swans every half-hour beginning at 11:00 a.m. with the last one being presented at 2:00 p.m. Let’s celebrate 20 years of the Trumpeter Swans visiting Atlantic, and 15 years of having this wonderful public event! There will also be time to view the swans through spotting scopes and witness random swan feeding sessions. Hot chocolate, cookies, grilled hotdogs, and other snacks will be provided free of charge with donations being accepted (for swan care).

The Schildberg Recreation Area is located on the northwest edge of Atlantic, Lake 4 is on the north side of Highway 83. IF THE WEATHER IS “BAD” OR THE SWANS ARE NOT AT THE PARK…the program will be held at the Atlantic Public Library from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. with a light lunch available. This event is being sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, Atlantic Parks and Recreation, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Atlantic Public Library.

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — A Planned Parenthood clinic in eastern Iowa that is providing abortions will close soon. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland said Wednesday its clinic in Bettendorf will close Friday, several months after the local affiliate announced plans to do so.

Planned Parenthood said in May that four of its 12 clinics in Iowa, including the Bettendorf location, would close soon. The announcement was made shortly after the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature removed state funding for organizations that provide abortions. At the time, no federal or state dollars were being spent on abortions in Iowa.

The other three facilities closed during the summer, and the Bettendorf clinic stopped most family planning services around the same time. The facility has been proving telemedicine abortion, which involves the use of medicine to end a pregnancy.

The steep drop in temperatures has exposed a lot of issues with furnaces that are now running constantly. West Des Moines Fire Marshal, Mike Whitsel, says his department noticed it right away when the cold snap hit.”We have seen an uptick in calls for furnaces that may catch on fire or have mechanical issues,” Whitsel says. Whitsel says it seems the earlier mild temperatures made people forget about having their furnaces tuned up. “A lot of people seemed to have delayed their annual service on those because we were in the 50s all the way up until about a week ago,” according to Whitsel. “So if there is a mechanical issue with them, now we are seeing these things are starting to run very frequently due to the cold weather. we’ve see several of them where maybe belts go bad or there is a mechanical issue that has caused the house to fill with smoke or small fires.”

He says a fireplace can be also be dangerous if you have not maintained it throughout the year. Whitsel says, “Never use your fireplace unless you have maintained that woodburning fireplace routinely and to what the experts say.” Many people are turning to space heaters to supplement their furnace. He says that’s okay as long as you take precautions. “There are good space heaters and there also some that aren’t really good to use in the home,” Whitsel says. He says you need to get a space heater that is listed by a company such as U-L. Get one that is cool to the touch and will shut off automatically when it falls over. Also be sure the heater is plugged into an outlet that can handle it. “If you use a space heater and it keeps tripping a breaker, that means that that outlet you have chosen is not compatible with the amount of draw that the space heater is using. So, be very careful of that,” Whitsel says.

Whitsel says take some time to learn the best way to use the space heater. “Whenever you open up a brand new box if you buy a new space heater — always look at the manufacturers instructions for what they recommend on how to use it,” Whitsel explains. He says space heaters need their space to prevent fires. Keep the areas around space heaters clear so there is nothing near them that can catch fire and they can effectively heat.

(Radio Iowa)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Chaplains who provide emotional support and spiritual guidance to police officers in western Iowa say they’re looking for more members to better serve the community. The Daily Nonpareil reports that the Council Bluffs Police Department Chaplain Corps met with police recruits Friday to spread the word about the program and their need for more chaplains. Only three chaplains serve the department.

Lt. Dan Flores says a chaplain offers the police department support through non-denominational faith. Flores says a chaplain can help notify a family when someone has died or hold a ceremony. Chaplain Liaison Sgt. Jill Knotek says a member doesn’t have to be an ordained minister or a certain faith to become a chaplain. Flores says the chaplains encourage anyone who “can be there for others” to contact them.

The Glenwood Police Department reports one arrest and a few accidents occurred late last week into early this week. Last Friday, 20-year old Brandon Vanatta, of Farragut, was arrested for Public Intoxication. His bond was set at $300.

Just before noon, on Friday, Glenwood Police investigated an accident that caused a total of $2,750. Officials say 51-year old Leslie Dianne Hamilton, of Glenwood, was leaving an apartment complex parking lot for the Village Glen Apartments, when the 2002 Pontiac Grand Am she was driving struck a retaining wall. The car then ran over a parking stop, pushing it into an adjacent yard. Witnesses told Police Hamilton drove through the adjacent yard, leaving parts of her vehicle behind until she got back on the roadway. She then left the scene southbound on Locust Street. Officers stopped her vehicle and confronted Hamilton about the incident. They said the woman appeared confused and was shaking uncontrollably. Hamilton told Police she had not been drinking, but the results of a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) showed there was 0.056 on the device, or just under the legal limit to drive. Hamilton said there was ice on the windshield of the car, so she couldn’t see where she was going. She was cited for Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage accident.

Late Sunday morning, Glenwood Police investigated a property damage accident involving a vehicle traveling west on Fairview Drive. The 1999 Dodge Durango driven by 42-year old Barbara Evans Teaney, of Glenwood, went out of control and began sliding on the snow covered road. The SUV slid off the road and onto private property, where is struck mailboxes and became high-centered on a large, decorative rock. Damage from the mishap amounted to $1,700. No injuries were reported and no citations were issued.

And, Tuesday night, a 2017 Chevy Equinox driven by 59-year old Gloria Jean Prindle, and a 2003 Cadillac driven by 33-year old Gaylene Yvonne Laate, both of Glenwood, collided at the intersection of N. Walnut and 3rd Streets, in Glenwood. No injuries were reported. Officials say the Cadillac was northbound on N. Walnut, while the SUV was eastbound on 3rd Street. Prindle didn’t see the Cadillac, and failed to yield the right of way to the vehicle. The SUV pulled into the intersection and was struck by the Cadillac, causing a total of $2,500 damage. No citations were issued.