(Red Oak, Iowa) – Two men from Montgomery County were arrested today (Monday), on separate warrants. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, 40-year-old Cory Ross Smith, of Elliott, was arrested at around 3-p.m. in Elliott. Smith was taken into custody on a warrant for failure to appear on an original charge of driving while barred. Smith was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

And, a man from Stanton was arrested at around 1:15-p.m. Monday (11/18), on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Authorities say 31-year-old Tylor Daniel Fine was arrested in Stanton. He was also being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Natural Resources Commission approved construction projects in Franklin, Cerro Gordo, and Poweshiek County at their recent meeting. Travis Baker of the D-N-R says one of the projects is replacing the lagoon wastewater treatment system at Beeds Lake State Park northwest of Hampton. “The lagoon can no longer meet discharge effluent limits, and so this project will convey wastewater to the City of Hampton by constructing a three-and-a-half mile long, four-inch P-V-C force main. In addition to that, work will include the construction of approximately 15-hundred feet of gravity sewer and a lift station,” he says.

The lagoon system services the park office, campground, and a 39-house subdivision located on the north side of the lake.  “The existing lagoons will be decommissioned. Involved in that decommissioning, the contract will be responsible for removing the sludge, treating that,” Baker says. The homes will be hooked into the system and eventually pay a rate for the sewer treatment. The project will cost around one-point-seven million dollars, and be completed in May of 2026.

The N-R-C approved improvements to the Clear Lake Campground in Cerro Gordo County. Baker says the campground was built in 1941 with 176 sites that were fairly close to each other. The upgrade will rebuild 61 sites. “And includes seven full hookup sites, with pull through 50 amp electric sites and 12 back in 50 amp electric sites. In addition, along with this project, we will have installed three new A-D-A accessible concrete sites,” he says. The work is expected to be completed in September of 2025.

Commissioners approved a clean up plan for Diamond Lake in Poweshiek County. “The  Lake was constructed in the 1950s and had the 20-thousand-672 acre watershed. The lake suffers from periodic algae blooms that lead to poor water clarity,” Baker says. “This project will clean out approximately 32-thousand cubic yards of deposited sediment to existing ponds. Well, it’s constructing new sediment pond.”

The D-N-R lake restoration fund will pay for 75 percent of the nearly 710-thousand dollar cost and the county will pay the rest. The work is expected to be completed in September of 2025.

(Radio Iowa) – Information from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office shows three recounts have been requested in three legislative races. Republican Mark Hanson requested a recount in his Senate District 14 race against Democrat incumbent Sarah Trone Garriott as he trails by 24 votes.

Democrat incumbent Senator Nate Boulton trails Republican Mike Pike by 44 votes in District 20 and wants a recount.

Republican Nathan Ramker asked for a recount in House District 98 where results show Democratic incumbent Monica Kurth winning by 45 votes.

County election workers are aiming to complete the recounts before December 2nd when state officials will meet to certify the results.

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a child was rescued by a Sheriff’s Deputy from a burning vehicle, following an incident that resulted in a fatal crash in Missouri, Sunday morning. Authorities say at around 6:12-a.m., Sunday, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a woman at Grape Community Hospital, in Hamburg, Iowa, who had experienced a domestic assault. The Iowa State Patrol was requested to assist with the call.

The woman reported that she and her 1-year-old child had been kidnapped in Nebraska by a male acquaintance. He fled Nebraska law enforcement into Iowa. The man dropped her off at the hospital but fled with the child in a 2023 Kia Sorento. She also reported the man was suicidal and homicidal.

Fremont County deputies were informed that the Iowa State Patrol was pursuing the vehicle near the intersection of Highway 2 and Interstate 29 (Exit 10). Deputies attempted to intercept the pursuit near Hamburg and began traveling northbound on Interstate 29 from Exit 1. They located the vehicle near the 5-mile marker, where it was being pursued by Iowa State Patrol troopers. The suspect vehicle was traveling southbound in the northbound left lane at a high rate of speed, while troopers followed in the southbound lanes.

The vehicle attempted to strike both Fremont County deputies. One deputy, a nine-year law enforcement veteran, pursued the suspect vehicle in the northbound lanes starting at mile marker 5, with emergency lights activated. Other law enforcement continued the pursuit in the southbound lanes. Missouri authorities were notified as the pursuit crossed into Missouri.

Upon reaching the 123-mile marker of Interstate 29 in Atchison County, Missouri, the Kia Sorento collided with a 2013 Ford Focus traveling northbound in the left lane, as the Ford was passing a 2024 Volvo semi-truck. The Volvo swerved to avoid the crash but struck a 2023 Chevy Tahoe patrol vehicle driven by a Fremont County deputy, who was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes.

The Kia came to a stop on the northbound Nishnabotna River Bridge, fully engulfed in flames. The Ford Focus came to rest in the median, as did both the patrol vehicle and the semi-truck. A Fremont County deputy, a 39-year law enforcement veteran, rescued the 1-year-old child from the burning vehicle. The child was airlifted to a hospital in Omaha with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Fremont County deputy struck by the semi was treated and released from a local hospital. The Missouri State Patrol is investigating the collision. Authorities in Missouri says the 18-year-old male driver of the Ford Focus and an 18-year-old female passenger in the car died in the crash. And second 18-year-old female in the car suffered serious injuries. All three are from Kearney, Mo. The 29-year-old driver of the KIA Sorento, from Bellevue, NE,  also died in the crash. And, the 32-year-old Fremont County Deputy from Tabor, who was in the Tahoe, suffered minor injuries. The driver of the semi – from Ontario, Canada – was not injured.

No names have been released. An investigation by the Missouri State Patrol is ongoing at this time.

(Rural Menlo, Iowa) – A Polk County man suffered suspected minor injuries, during a cement truck rollover accident northeast of Menlo, Thursday afternoon. According to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, 37-year-old Jamal Brenard Jones, of West Des Moines, was driving a fully-loaded 2014 Freightliner cement truck westbound on 315th Street, just west of Talon Avenue, when the vehicle got too close to the north ditch and the soft shoulder on the gravel road.

The truck was pulled into the north ditch and entered the ditch before it rolled over. The report said Jones was distracted because the rotating drum on the cement truck was not spinning, and he was trying to get to start spinning again. Jones was wearing his seat belt when the truck rolled-over. He had to break out the windshield in order to exit the vehicle. He was treated for minor injuries by Stuart EMS.

No citations were issued, but the Sheriff’s report said Failure to keep in the proper lane and loss of control were contributing factors in the crash. The truck was a total loss, as the damage estimated to be $50,000.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two weekend arrests. Late Saturday morning, 57-year-old Derrick Lee Dornburgh, of Malvern, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense. His bond was set at $2,000.

At around 2:20-a.m. Sunday, 20-year-old Christopher Lee Derry, of Sioux Falls, SD, was arrested following a traffic stop on Interstate 29, at mile marker 42  in Mills County. Derry was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond was set at $1,000.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says Robert F. Kennedy Junior could help to answer many questions that haven’t been raised before, if he’s confirmed as the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy is a former Democrat who ran as an independent in this year’s presidential race, and Grassley says he’s encouraged by the choice of Kennedy to head H-H-S.

“What’s wrong with bringing some new ideas in?” Grassley says. “It’s whether or not those ideas are adopted or not, and there’s no way I could make a prediction on that, but I don’t think we should be afraid to review any policies of the government and change them if necessary.”

Kennedy abandoned his bid for the White House after striking a deal to give Donald Trump his endorsement with a promise to have a role in health policy in the administration. Grassley says he sees an advantage to having a businessman who is not a politician raising questions about government programs.  “That somebody comes in from the outside, whether it’s the president of the United States or RFK Junior, raising these questions seems to be pretty important, just to make sure that government is functioning to the will of the people.”

During the campaign, Kennedy said Trump had asked him to reorganize several agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration. Trump also proposes creating a Department of Government Efficiency to be co-chaired by billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. It would look into ways to slash government regulations and spending while downsizing the federal workforce. Grassley says he’d welcome such a review.

“If they’re going to do their job right, every nook and cranny of the federal government and its programs need to be looked into,” Grassley says. “I would be very concerned if they cut away the safety net for American family farmers, but beyond the safety net, when you’ve got at least dozens and maybe hundreds of different programs in the Department of Agriculture, I wouldn’t say that every one of them should be immune from consideration.”

Musk pledged to cut two-trillion dollars from the federal budget, but he’s not offered many specifics on how he’d go about it.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday), released a report on the outcome of recent court cases.

• Matthew Dillon Childs, age 19, of Red Oak, Iowa, appeared by counsel and admitted to violating his deferred judgment. The Defendant’s deferred judgment was revoked and the Defendant was sentenced to 30 days in jail, suspended. The Defendant’s probation was extended 3 months. The Defendant was ordered to pay court costs and court-appointed attorney fees.
• Lori Ann Gibson, age 45, of Shenandoah, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense. The Defendant was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with all but 2 days suspended. The Defendant was placed on probation for 9 months and was ordered to obtain a Substance Abuse Evaluation and complete any treatment recommendations and complete the Drinking Drivers School. The Defendant was ordered to pay a fine of $1,250, surcharges, court costs and court-appointed attorney fees.
• Jacob Paul Gray, age 41, of Shenandoah, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense. The Defendant was granted a deferred judgment for a period of 9 months. The Defendant was placed on probation for 9 months and was ordered to obtain a Substance Abuse Evaluation and complete any treatment recommendations and complete the Drinking Drivers School. The Defendant was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $1,250, surcharges and court costs.
• Shanee Dawn Hamilton, age 51, of Shenandoah, Iowa appeared by counsel and pled guilty to five counts of Child Endangerment. The Defendant was sentenced to 90 days on each count, suspended and ordered to pay a fine of $855 on each count, suspended. The Defendant was placed on probation for 2 years on each count. The Defendant was ordered to pay surcharges and court costs.
• William Bradley Hamilton, age 41, of Shenandoah, Iowa appeared by counsel and pled guilty to five counts of Child Endangerment. The Defendant was sentenced to 90 days on each count, suspended and ordered to pay a fine of $855 on each count, suspended. The Defendant was placed on probation for 2 years on each count. The Defendant was ordered to pay surcharges and court costs.
• Misty Marie Herring, age 49, of Villisca, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Possession of Controlled Substance – Marijuana. The Defendant was sentenced to 2 days in jail and ordered to pay surcharges, court costs and court-appointed attorney fees.
• Keith Benard Johnson Jr., age 46, of Red Oak, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense. The Defendant was sentenced to 45 days in jail, with all but 5 days suspended. The Defendant was placed on probation for 9 months and was ordered to obtain a Substance Abuse Evaluation and complete any treatment recommendations and complete the Drinking Drivers School. The Defendant was ordered to pay a fine of $1,250, surcharges, court costs and court-appointed attorney fees.
• Jace Reilly Lamb, age 18, of Clearfield, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense. The Defendant was granted a deferred judgment for a period of 9 months. The Defendant was placed on probation for 9 months and was ordered to obtain a Substance Abuse Evaluation and complete any treatment recommendations and complete the Drinking Drivers School. The Defendant was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $1,250, surcharges, court costs and court-appointed attorney fees.
• Jose Alberto Meraz, age 50, of Fort Worth, Texas, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense. The Defendant was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with all but 2 days suspended. The Defendant was placed on probation for 9 months and was ordered to obtain a Substance Abuse Evaluation and  complete any treatment recommendations and complete the Drinking Drivers School. The Defendant was ordered to pay a fine of $1,250, surcharges and court costs.
• Lyle Francis Stogdill, age 41, of Shenandoah, Iowa, appeared with counsel and admitted to violating the terms and conditions of his probation. Defendant’s probation was revoked and the original sentence of 5 years in prison was imposed; Stogdill appeared with counsel and admitted to violating the terms and conditions of his probation. His probation was revoked and the original sentence of 10 years in prison was imposed; Stogdill appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Burglary in the 2nd Degree and Possession of Marijuana-3rd Offense. On the Burglary in the 2nd Degree, the Defendant was sentenced to 5 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $1,025, suspended. On the Possession of Marijuana-3rd Offense, the Defendant was sentenced to 2 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $855, suspended. The Defendant was ordered to pay court costs, surcharges, and court-appointed attorney fees.
• Anthony David Titus, age 42, of Clarinda, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Child Endangerment. The Defendant was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with all but 5 days suspended. The Defendant was placed on probation for 1 year and ordered to obtain a substance abuse evaluation and follow any recommendations. The Defendant was ordered to pay a fine of $855, suspended, court costs, surcharges and court-appointed attorney fees.
• Seth Derek Varellas, age 22, of Riverton, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense. The Defendant was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with all but 2 days suspended. The Defendant was placed on probation for 9 months and was ordered to obtain a Substance Abuse Evaluation and complete any treatment recommendations and complete the Drinking Drivers School. The Defendant was ordered to pay a fine of $1,250, surcharges and court costs.
• Cody James Walker, age 44, of Sidney, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense. The Defendant was granted a deferred judgment for a period of 9 months. The Defendant was placed on probation for 9 months and was ordered to obtain a Substance Abuse Evaluation and complete any treatment recommendations and complete the Drinking Drivers School. The Defendant was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $1,250, surcharges and court costs.
• Kalon Lee Whitehill, age 40, of Clarinda, Iowa, appeared by counsel and pled guilty to Operating While Under the Influence-1st Offense. The Defendant was sentenced to 45 days in jail, with all but 2 days suspended. The Defendant was placed on probation for 9 months and was ordered to obtain a Substance Abuse Evaluation and complete any treatment recommendations and complete the Drinking Drivers School. The Defendant was ordered to pay a fine of $1,250, surcharges, court costs and court-appointed attorney fees.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Personnel & Finance Committee will meet 2-p.m. Tuesday, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. According to their agenda, the Committee will hold a Closed Session as allowed under the Code of Iowa, to “Discuss the Purchase or Sale of Particular Real Estate Only Where Premature Disclosure Could be Reasonably Expected to Increase the Price the Governmental Body Would Have to Pay for that Property or Reduce the Price the Governmental Body would Receive for that Property.”

The Minutes and the Audio Recording of a Session Closed Under this Paragraph will be made available for Public Examination when the Transaction Discussed is Completed.

(Radio Iowa) – There’s a change this year in how you register you snowmobile before running the trails in Iowa. The Iowa D-N-R ‘s Jessica Flatt says it simplifies the process. “Residents of Iowa are no longer required to purchase the user permit. They’ll only be needing to register their vehicle annually. So previous to this law change, they would have had to register and buy a trail permit, and now they’ll only have to buy the registration,” she says. Flatt says the registration fee was increased, but it balances out with no permit required.

“You know, they’re basically netting out the same cost, but now it’s only a single item that they have to purchase is that registration fee, Flatt says. “So the registration fee did increase from, you know, 15 to 30, but now they’re not required to buy that separate permit.” Flatt says the fee goes to help the users. “All of the money from the permits and the registration go into a dedicated fund, and the department administers that fund, but we partner with the Iowa State snowmobile Association, and 70 percent of those registration funds go to them, and they run a trail program, and so they work with all the local clubs that have designated snowmobile trails,” she says.

(ISSA photo)

You can register your snowmobile on the D-N-R website.  “If a snowmobile has not been registered before, they’re going to need to go to their county recorder’s office. But to renew an existing registration, they can visit the county recorder, or they can just go online or use our go outdoors app if they already have that,” Flatt says. Flatt says they’ve been consistently seeing around 20-thousand registered snowmobiles each year.