(Radio Iowa) — A 12-year-old boy is in custody and facing criminal charges after he allegedly called 9-1-1 at midday Tuesday, claiming there had been a shooting at Sioux City West High School. Police Lieutenant Chris Groves says they quickly determined it was a prank. “Officers first responded to West High School and found that there was nothing there, everything was okay,” Groves says. “Through the investigation, we determined that the call originated near North Middle School.”

There was also no trouble at North Middle School. The investigation led officers to the boy, whose name was not released. The boy was taken to juvenile detention on a charge of making a false police report, a serious misdemeanor. Groves says the call caused many anxious moments for school officials, authorities, parents and students. “I actually put it on Facebook right away just to hopefully let people know that this was a false claim and that everything was okay,” he says, “but what that does is just cause chaos in everyone’s life.”

Groves says this is the latest in a series of recent crank calls which all appear to have come from the same source.”That particular phone number has made other prank or at least false, fictitious calls into the communications center over the last three weeks,” he says.  Officers are investigating to determine whether any other juveniles were involved in the calls.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A man who sued a Black Hawk County board has lost his bid to block a planned wind energy project. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that a judge affirmed Monday the county Board of Adjustment’s power and decision to issue a permit to Washburn Wind Energy. The company plans to erect 35 wind turbines east of Hudson.

Farmer Harold Youngblut’s lawsuit says the board’s April 2018 action violated the county’s zoning ordinance and amounted to an illegal “taking” of property because of the wind project’s potential effect on neighbors. The $120 million project drew objections from nearby property owners concerned about its potential impact on their health, quality of life and property values. Project supporters have said it would generate clean energy and give farmers where the turbines would be placed new revenue to keep their farms viable.

Youngblut’s lawyer says he’ll probably appeal.