The Iowa State Patrol says two truck drivers from California were injured when their semi slammed into the back of another semi on Interstate 80 in Cass County, Friday morning.

Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass Co. Emergency Mgmt. Agy.

Officials say 47-year old Ruel Pablo Quinto, and 43-year old Raymundo Refran Quinto, both of Los Angeles, CA, were transported by Medivac Ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital following the crash on I-80 eastbound at around 6:45-a.m.

The Patrol says a 2006 Freightliner semi driven by 62-year old William L. Johnson, of Monroe, WI, and a 2000 Freightliner driven by Ruel Quinto were both traveling east, with Johnson’s semi in the right lane going up a hill. Quinto’s semi was in the left lane coming up behind the first semi, when Quinto fell asleep at the wheel.

His semi crossed the center line and entered the right lane where it hit the rear of Johnson’s semi. The cab of Quinto’s semi was destroyed in the crash and both occupants were trapped. They were freed by mechanical means.

A lighted Christmas Parade will be held Saturday evening, in Atlantic. Atlantic Area Chamber Executive Director Megan Roberts said there will also be a fireworks display prior to the parade, thanks to sponsorships from A.M. Cohron & Son and Meyer & Gross Real Estate, the fireworks display this year will be bigger and better than ever.

Lighted parade entries are able to register as late as Saturday in the parade line up at 6th & Walnut Streets. (Pre-registration forms can be filled out at the Chamber office through Friday at 5 p.m.). Participants in the parade will make their way from 6th and Chestnut to 2nd and Chestnut. A traveling trophy will be awarded to the Grand Prize winner, and AtlantiCash will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Winners will be notified Monday, following the event.

In addition to the fireworks and parade, Santa’s Cabin will be open from 3-to 5-p.m. Saturday, at 6th & Poplar Streets, and, free horse-drawn wagon rides will be offered at that time. Roberts said many vendors set up warm drinks and food on Chestnut Street from 5- to 6-p.m. while attendees are window shopping and finding a seat for the show.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld Iowa’s hunting laws ruling that just because someone owns land in Iowa it doesn’t mean they have a right to hunt on it. The court finds that Iowa’s laws that provide hunting advantages to permanent residents do not violate the constitutional rights of nonresident landowners.  Three men who own land in Iowa but have permanent homes in other states challenged Iowa’s hunting laws as unconstitutional claiming they discriminate against nonresident landowners.

The court says Iowa lawmakers have developed an extensive statutory scheme that results in the conclusion “that landownership in Iowa is not accompanied by the right to hunt on one’s own land.”  The men objected to Iowa laws that make more licenses available to permanent residents at a lower price.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County say a homeless man was arrested Thursday night on several charges. 38-year old Patrick Lee Amburn faces Attempted burglary, Trespass, Violation of a Protection Order, and Interference with official acts, charges. His bond on each of the charges, with the exception of the Protective order violation, was set at $5,600.

And, 43-year old Thomas Aleen Light, of Glenwood, was arrested early Friday morning, on an Unlawful Possession of a Prescription charge. His bond was set at $1,000.

An Atlantic man was arrested Thursday on a warrant for drug-related activity out of Missouri. Officials with the Atlantic Police Department say 22-year old Austin Nelson, of Atlantic, was taken into custody on a Dallas County, Mo., warrant for Possession of up to 35 grams of Marijuana, Unlawful Use of Drug Paraphernalia, and on several traffic offense-related warrants.

Nelson was booked into the Cass County Jail.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest this (Friday) morning of a local man. 29-year old Nathan Kinzie, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While Revoked for OWI test failure. Kinzie was booked into the Cass County Jail.

An Audubon County farmer has received the 2013 Iowa Farm Bureau Excellence Award in Agriculture. The Iowa Farm Bureau reports Randy Dreher has been given the Bob Joslin Excellence in Ag award from the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF).

Dreher is a young farmer who harvests crops and raises cattle along with mentoring youth FFA officers. Dreher received the award at the 95th IFBF annual meeting in Des Moines Wednesday. The award honors a young farmer who demonstrates outstanding leadership qualities in Farm Bureau, agriculture and their community. Dreher is a 5th generation farmer and grew up on a Century Farm near Audubon working with his parents.

Today, he and wife Crystal, help run the family farm. Along with being on the Farm Bureau board, Dreher is involved in a number of agriculture programs for youth and is a former FFA officer himself. He has helped with Ag day, first grade coloring contests and sharing agriculture career paths during career day.

As the Joslin Award winner, Dreher received a $1,500 Home and Workshop certificate and all expense paid trips to the 2014 American Farm Bureau meeting in San Antonio, the 2013 Growmark annual meeting in Chicago and the 2014 IFBF Young Farmer conference. The Excellence in Ag Award is given in memory of Bob Joslin who was the Bureau’s president from January 1986 to December 1987 and was known for his support of young farmers.

Here’s a look at the accident scene on Interstate 80, here in Cass County. The crash occurred on I-80 eastbound at 6:47-a.m., and resulted in both eastbound lanes being closed between Highway 71 and Exit 64 (County Road N-28). Traffic was being rerouted south to Wiota, east before resuming north to I-80. One lane of I-80 was reopened at around 10-a.m. Two people were injured in the crash, but their names and conditions are not available at this time. (Updated 10:05-a.m.)

Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass Co. Emergency Mgmt. Agy.

Police in Council Bluffs police say a 70-year-old dementia patient missing since late last night  has been found safe inside a vehicle a few blocks away from his home. Phillip Kephart, who has Alzheimer’s disease, was reported missing late Thursday night by his wife.

Council Bluffs police and Omaha Police Department’s helicopter searched for the man throughout the night and early this morning.  A neighbor found him inside their vehicle at around 7:10-a.m. in the 2500 block of South 13th Street.

Kephart was conscious and alert when he was discovered. He was taken to Mercy Hospital to be treated for hypthermia, but was otherwise in stable condition and expected to be released sometime today (Friday). Officials thanked the media for getting the word out about Kephart’s disappearance. They say numerous people were out checking their properties this morning as a result of the coverage, in an effort to find the man.