Page County Sheriff’s Officials arrested a Braddyville man on Sunday for Driving while Barred.  At approximately 8:00pm Sunday Deputies stopped a silver and green Chevy K1500 pickup approximately 1 mile east of Braddyville. Deputies had seen the driver of the vehicle when it passed by them in Braddyville, and identified him as 45-year-old John David Stone of Braddyville. It was known by the Deputies and confirmed through a driver’s license check that Stone was barred from driving a motor vehicle for being a habitual offender.

Stone was arrested for Driving while Barred and transported to the Page County Jail for holding. Stone was also cited for open container of alcohol in the vehicle while operating on a public roadway. Stone is currently being held in the Page County Jail on $2,000 bond awaiting trial.

The “Super Bull” at the Iowa State Fair seems to be enjoying the attention. “Sampson,” a 3-year-old Red Angus, tipped the scales at a whopping 2,893 pounds and is owned by Jim and Danelle Skartvedt of rural Atlantic.  Sampson was bred by Two Oaks Red Angus of Dunlap, IA Brandon McHugh. The bull was named the winner of the annual “Super Bull” contest at the State Fair Thursday evening. Sampson was raised by Zellmer Farms Alan and Brenda Zellmer, near Atlantic, along with Gage Zellmer and maintained by A to Z Feeders.

Owners Jim and Danelle Skartvedt were asked about Sampson’s diet and stated “He eats an entire 50 pound bag of Renew Ag Supply’s “Midwest Success with Matrix” per day, with a sprinkle of VitaFerm’s Sure Champ Cattle a 1/4 of a bale, and lots and lots of water.”

Gage Zellmer, the 22-year old son of Brenda and Alan, said it was surprising to the family how big Sampson grew, and how fast.  He told KJAN News “Honestly, what happened was we had him running with some younger bulls that we were trying to bulk-up, and kind of lost track of him. All at once, we realized ‘Holy Cow!,’ he’s huge. So we decided to pull him in and really start cranking him up on feed and decided we’d try the Super Bull [contest]. We’d never done it, never been around it, but just decided we’d try it.”

Gage says it takes a lot of time and feed to make a bull that huge. You wouldn’t think it would be easy to lead around an animal that weighs more than a VW Beetle, but Gage said he was amiable enough once he got used to the idea…still, he can be determined to go where he wants.

Danelle credits her younger brother Gage for being brave enough to climb in and break the bull. “He is a mild mannered bull and seems pretty happy as long as his feeder is full and his fan is on. Sampson was a family project with many helping to get him ready for his big day!”

Sampson beat out the next nearest winner by 150 pounds. You can see Sampson at the Iowa State Fair in the barn near the Livestock Pavilion, through the last day on August 23rd. Look for the sign out front, that reads “Super Bull.” Feel free to stop by and talk to the Skartvedt family about their bull, their business, and feed as well as the Zellmer family and their farm.

AVOCA, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa community has celebrated the opening of a pedestrian bridge over the West Nishnabotna River. The Daily Nonpareil reports that the span opened in March and is the latest step in an effort to install trails throughout the town of Avoca. A dedication for the bridge was held Friday.

Before the crossing was built, residents would have to walk along a highway shoulder or take other less-than-ideal routes to get to the Edgington Memorial Park, which sits east of the river. Avoca librarian Serena Riesgaard remembers her brothers having to wade across the river to get to the park.

The bridge cost about $340,000, with about 50 percent of the project covered by a state transportation grant. The remainder was funded with local option sales tax dollars.

The University of Iowa is asking students to be sure their vaccinations are all up-to-date after six cases of the mumps have been reported among students in the last couple of weeks. The majority of students will return to campus next week for the state of classes, and university spokesman, Tom More, says they want them to be prepared. “If they have not had two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella, or M-M-R vaccine, it’s a good idea that they get those two doses before they show up on campus. That’ll maximize their protection,” Moore says. Moore says the mumps are another reason for students to get the vaccinations now instead of waiting.

“The students have essentially until the end of the first semester to provide proof of their immunization status,” Moore says. “So, it is something that we do require, but they do have a little bit of a time frame here to do it. But, we recommend that they do it as soon as possible that they are protected.” Many students returning to campus will be living in dorms with a lot of new people, and lots of daily contact. The mumps virus is spread through contact with saliva or mucous from the mouth, nose, or throat.

“That’s always a concern in close living quarters — is that when you have a contagious disease it can spread from person to person with relatively ease. And so we are trying to do everything we can to help protect the safety, health and well-being of our students,” Moore says. Mumps cases have been reported on other campuses in the midwest, but Moore hasn’t heard of any in Iowa.

“We’ve shared this information with our sister institutions at Iowa State and Northern Iowa, but have not heard any reports that they have seen anything similar,” Moore says. The university says it has also alerted area health care professionals and has provided additional training for resident hall staff and resident assistants in the wake of the six reported cases of mumps. U-I classes start on August 24th.

(Radio Iowa)

w/ Chris Parks

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information concerning an arson that occurred in Hamburg on Sunday, August 16th.  Officers received a call Sunday of a possible arson that occurred at the apartment building located at 300 Park Street in Hamburg.  During the investigation it was discovered that at 1:45am someone approached the south building of the complex and attempted to throw an incendiary device through an upstairs window of the building.

The fire caused minimal damage and no injuries were reported. Several people were inside the building at the time.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424.  Fremont County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to the successful arrest and prosecution of those involved in the crime.  You may remain anonymous.

The Iowa Fire Marshall’s Office is assisting with the investigation.

Two arrests were made Sunday by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office in connection to a burglary and assault in Shenandoah.  At approximately 5:30pm the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office was called to 1505 W Sheridan Avenue in Shenandoah for a report of two women fighting. Upon arrival deputies spoke with a female resident of the apartment building that told officers she was in her apartment when two neighbors broke in, assaulted her and stole her cell phone when she attempted to call 911.

Officers then arrested 21-year-old Felicia Galaziz-Monson and 23-year-old Daniel Dean Archer both of Shenandoah in connection with the case.  Both are being held on charges of Burglary in the 1st Degree, a Class B Felony; Assault during the Comission of a Felony, a Class C felony; Obstructing Emergency Communications; and Theft.

Both individuals are being held without bond and further charges are pending.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of two men after a routine traffic stop on Sunday for multiple charges.  At 10:30pm officers stopped a vehicle with two male occupants int the 300 block of East Coolbaugh Street in Red Oak.  Officers then arrested 48-year-old Scott Allen Phillips of Bellevue, NE and 40-year-old Christopher Michael Weaver of Windsor, MO.  Both men were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Marijuana, a Serious Misdemeanor and both cited for Open Container of Alcohol While Driving.  Phillips was also charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Simple Misdemeanor.

Both men were taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

One person was transported to the hospital in Atlantic following a single-vehicle accident early this (Monday) morning on Interstate 80 in Cass County. The accident at the 63 mile marker eastbound was reported just after 4-a.m, when a vehicle went into the south ditch. The person’s injuries did not appear to the life threatening. Anita and Wiota Rescue were called to the scene.

Additional information is currently not available.

Police in Stuart executed a total of four search warrants over the weekend, resulting in the recovery of methamphetamine and one arrest, with charges pending against a second person. Officials say one warrant was executed at a residence in the 300 block of N. Harrison Street, where marijuana, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were recovered. Charges are pending on the occupant of the house.

A second search warrant was conducted in the 600 block of SW 7th Street, where marijuana, meth, and drug paraphernalia was also recovered. A male subject was arrested at that location on felony charges of distribution to a minor and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, as well as aggravated misdemeanor charges of possession of methamphetamine and child endangerment, and a simple misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Other charges are pending related to that warrant.

Friday night, officers with the Stuart Police Department executed two search warrants at South Summit Apartments in Stuart, where a significant amount of methamphetamine was recovered. One person was arrested and faces a felony, Possession of a Controlled Substance with intent to distribute, charge. The unidentified suspect was also charged child endangerment, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

No names were released in connection with the incidents.