Police in Lenox report the arrest Friday evening of a man wanted on a warrant for 5th degree theft.

Austin Reed

The warrant for 19-year old Austin Reed, of Lenox, was obtained by the Lenox police department following an investigation into a stolen debit card. Reed was released after posting bond.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A motorcyclist has died in an Omaha, Nebraska hospital after crashing on a Council Bluffs roadway. Omaha television station KETV says the crash happened Saturday afternoon on the 16th street ramp onto Interstate 29, near the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office in western Iowa. The biker was taken to an Omaha hospital, where he died.

A witness told investigators that the crash happened when the motorcyclist swerved to avoid another bike. Police have not yet released the name of the motorcyclist.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Morningside College has reported the largest enrollment in the school’s 120-year history. The Sioux City Journal reports the college has enrolled 2,824 full- and part-time students for the fall 2014 semester.

That total includes 1,280 full-time undergraduate students. The college enrolled 429 new full-time students for the fall 2014 semester. Officials say this fall’s total enrollment surpasses the previous record of 2,542 full- and part-time students last fall.

One-person was killed, two other were injured during a crash late Friday night in northwest Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened about three-miles north of Inwood at the intersection of Highway 182 and Lyon County Road A-34, at around 11:30-p.m.

Authorities said a 2008 Dodge Charger collided with a 2004 Dodge Caravan. The names of the victims were not released, pending notification of family. The ISP was assisted at the scene by deputies with the Lyon and Sioux County Sheriff’s Offices, Inwood Fire and Rescue and other agencies.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Five firefighters have been treated for injuries they received fighting a fire in a downtown Des Moines building. Officials say the firefighters’ injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The fire was reported shortly after 12 a.m. Saturday in the 19-story Equitable Building. Fire Chief John TeKippe tells The Des Moines Register that two firefighters were hurt by falling debris, one fell off an 8-foot ladder and two others were treated for heat-related issues.

No other injuries have been reported. Officials say the fire was contained in a crawl space with electrical wiring and ductwork on the second floor, where most of the damage occurred. Some upper floors received smoke damage.

Firefighters remain at the scene.

Officials with the Shelby County Conservation Board want to make the public aware of a slight change to the Hunter Safety Education Online Field Day class. The website for students to sign-up is iowadnr.gov/huntered.

In order for persons 12 years of age and older to complete a hunter education course, you must register for the field day online (as the link above). You will also be required to COMPLETE the online class before coming to the Sept. 27th Field Day at the Nishna Bend Recreation Area (1.5-miles southeast of the Harlan Airport), and, bring your online completion voucher to the Field Day, in order to be admitted.

Anyone born after Jan. 1st, 1972 must complete a hunter education safety course in order to obtain an Iowa hunting license. For more information, call 712-744-3403.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A fire in downtown Des Moines early this (Saturday) morning has resulted in injuries to at least three firefighters. The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. The Des Moines Register, citing social media posts by The Des Moines Association of Professional Firefighters, said crews spent more than four hours dealing with the fire and widespread smoke, which appeared in be at the Equitable Building, at 604 Locust St.

At least five fire trucks were on the scene before 1 a.m., and additional units and firefighters worked in the area later. Just before 3:30 a.m., fire officials requested assistance from the West Des Moines Fire Department. Firefighters told supervisors and dispatchers they were having difficulty reaching and extinguishing a part of the blaze in a mechanical area between floors.

Dispatchers also noted reports of smoke at the Hub or the Hub Tower, which are connected to the Equitable Building by skywalk. Hub Tower is across the street from the former Younkers building, which was devastated by a massive fire in March.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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One of two school districts in Fremont County looking to merge this winter because of financial difficulties is overspending more than initially expected. The Daily NonPareil says the Hamburg Community School District spent about $450,000 more last fiscal year than it was allowed to under state law, according to an estimate shared by Superintendent Terry Kenealy on Aug. 18th.
Iowa controls the maximum amount of spending by public school districts to keep spending equitable, so neighboring districts don’t spend dramatically different amounts of money per pupil. Districts that cannot stay under spending limit – referred to as having “negative unspent budget authority” by school officials – are forced to cut budgets, consolidate or face being dissolved.

Kenealy said Hamburg’s overspending may be adjusted but will remain close to the current estimate. Hamburg’s excess spending climbed from an original estimate of about $300,000 earlier this year. Both Hamburg and the Farragut Community School District, its proposed partner for consolidation, have to go before the Iowa Department of Education School Budget Review Committee in mid-December to present a plan to address overspending. Hamburg’s deficit in fiscal year 2013 was $46,350, according to the Iowan Department of Management. Farragut’s deficit for 2013 was $511,482.

The districts successfully circulated a petition last month to hold a special election in December to reorganize the districts, which would increase their shared authority and cut costs to address the budget restrictions. The Green Hills Area Education Agency will hold a hearing on the proposal on Sept. 24, which will determine whether the merger goes on the Dec. 2nd ballot.

The Hamburg and Farragut school boards will hold a joint meeting Sept. 10 with Jeff Berger, the deputy director of the Iowa Department of Education, and Amy Williamson, the chief of the department’s bureau of school improvement, to review findings from site visits, which will include an update on the districts’ financial situations.

The districts jointly operate a middle school in Hamburg and a high school in Farragut, both of which carry the Nishabotna name, but have separate elementary schools, superintendents and school boards. If they reorganize, they will create the Nishabotna Community School District.