Police in  Red Oak are warning area business owners to be on the lookout for persons who may be possessing fake, out-of-state identification cards, which are being used to pass bad checks. The alert was issued Friday, after officers investigated an incident at the Red Oak Hy-Vee store, where two unidentified men, with ID’s indicating they were from North Carolina and Michigan, allegedly tried to pass fraudulent pay checks.

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It turns out four were people arrested and more than 470-pounds of marijuana with a combined street value of $1.13-million was seized during two separate traffic stops on Interstate 80 in Cass County, on Wednesday. Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Scott Bright confirms information provided to KJAN by the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, that two men from New Mexico and two from Connecticut were arrested.  Earlier, Bright had said just one person was arrested.

28-year old Mario Carmono, and 33-year old Oscar Salinas-Olivas, both of Albuquerque, NM, were arrested soon after the vehicle they were in was pulled over for speeding on I-80, at around 10-a.m. Wednesday. Bright says an Iowa State Patrol Trooper stopped a vehicle traveling east on I-80. After talking with the driver, the Trooper believed criminal activity was underway. A search of the vehicle was conducted using a K-9 unit. After the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, authorities located 363-pounds of marijuana.

Sgt. Bright says the pot, which was packaged in a “brick-style,”  has an estimated street value in excess of $871,200. Bright said the driver told the Trooper he was enroute to Minnesota via I-80 and I-35. Carmono and Salinas-Olivas were arrested for Possession of a controlled substance/marijuana with the Intent to Deliver, Prohibited Acts, and failure to affix a drug tax stamp. Both men were brought to the Cass County Jail in Atlantic.

During the second traffic stop, 110-pounds of marijuana, valued at around $264,000, was seized. Officials say 20-year old Warren Thomas LaPorte, of Jewett City, CT, and 26-year old Richard Rose, of Chaplin, CT, were arrested on two felony counts each of Possession with the Intent to Deliver/Marijuana, two-counts of Drug Tax Stamp Violation, and one count each of Prohibited Acts.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – While state officials complete changes to Iowa’s mental health system, some who oversee county programs fear they must make drastic cuts during this transition period. The Legislature approved changes to Iowa’s system last May, shifting from a county-based system to a regional approach in which counties pool their money.

The new approach should minimize differences between urban and rural areas, but county officials say until the regional system is fully implemented in 2014, they may be able to reach fewer of the estimated 150,000 Iowa residents with mental health issues.  That’s because before the redesign, counties used 50 percent of their budgets to provide the local match for Medicaid. Now that the state provides the local match to Medicaid, local governments see mental health as an area to reduce spending.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Governor Terry Branstad says he doesn’t expect to see any significant changes to Iowa’s gun laws. Speaking yesterday during a taping of the public television program, “Iowa Press,” Branstad stressed his support of the second amendment. President Barack Obama this week proposed a major overhaul of the nation’s gun laws, including renewing a ban on assault weapons, limiting high-capacity ammunition magazines and requiring background checks for all gun buyers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Women’s magazine publisher Meredith Corporation has cut 60 jobs, half in New York City and seven in Des Moines. Company spokesman Art Slusark says the layoffs represent less than 2 percent of the company’s 3,400 workers. The company releases second quarter results on January 24th.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The state Board of Educational Examiners wants more time to discuss a proposal that would let business and military leaders become Iowa school superintendents. A work session is planned for early March following Thursday’s board meeting. Iowa Education Department staffers also were asked to prepare other proposals for creating alternative paths for superintendents.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – A preliminary federal report suggests that icy conditions will be among the factors checked by investigators trying to determine what caused the fatal crash of a medical helicopter in northern Iowa. KIMT TV in Mason City reports the document released Wednesday didn’t include any conclusion about the crash cause. The pilot and two others on board died on the night of January 2nd.

(Updated 2:50-p.m. THE FOLLOWING ADVISORY HAS BEEN CANCELLED….)

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a Wind Advisory for western Iowa. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY (FRIDAY) UNTIL 3-P.M. FOR:  AUDUBON, CRAWFORD, CARROLL AND SAC COUNTIES, AND UNTIL 6-P.M. FOR: CASS, ADAIR, ADAMS, DALLAS, GUTHRIE, MADISON, RINGGOLD, TAYLOR AND UNION COUNTIES.

South to southwest winds will be sustained at 25 to35-miles per hour this afternoon, with gusts to around 45. The strong winds will cause difficult driving conditions for high profile and lightweight vehicles. Use extra caution on the roads. Lightweight objects will also be blown around.

The Iowa State Patrol reports one person suffered serious injuries during a rollover accident this (Friday) morning, in Mills County. 31-year old Justin Knuckolls, of Pacific Junction, was flown from the scene of the crash at 287th and 286th Streets by LifeNet helicopter, to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Knuckolls was ejected from the 1999 Ford Ranger pickup he was driving, when the vehicle went out of control at around 8:15-a.m., left the road and rolled over. Knuckolls was not wearing a seat belt.

Officials say accident happened as the pickup was rounding a curve in the road, which may have been slippery due to frost or black ice, although the report did not specifically indicate if road conditions played a role in the crash.

Cass County Veteran’s Affairs Director Mitch Holmes says a ceremony to be held Monday afternoon in Atlantic, will honor a local store manager, for helping support the National Guard and Reserves.

The “Patriot Award”.

Dale Breuer, store manager for the Atlantic Fareway, will receive the Patriot Award on Monday from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) organization. The presentation is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the store, located at 301 Poplar St.

The award will be presented by Jerry Hansen, ESGR Area 2 chairman and ombudsman. Breuer was nominated by Fareway employee Christopher Kinney, who also serves with the 1168^th Transportation Company of the Iowa National Guard.

The Patriot Award recognizes employers for their outstanding support of National Guardsmen and Reservists through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.

The ESGR is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972 to develop and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service. It advocates relevant initiatives, recognizes outstanding support, increases awareness of applicable laws, and resolves conflict between service members and employers.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says four people were arrested over the past few days. Three men were arrested for violating the terms of their probation. They include: 22-year old Cory James Almquist, of Pacific Junction, 70-year old Charles Conrad Kruse, of Glenwood, and 37-year old Darren Douglas Bartley, of Malvern.

Bartley was allowed to post 10-percent of his bond ($500), and was released pending a court date. Kruse posted a $5,000 bond and will appear in court at a later date. Almquist remained in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond.

And, on Wednesday, deputies in Mills County arrested 42-year old Troy Daniel Smith, of Emerson, on a warrant out of Montgomery County for 5th degree theft. Smith was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office and held on $300 bond.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County say a frosty road was to blame for a rollover accident late Thursday  night near Glenwoood. Authorities say a 2007 Kia driven by 47-year old Mary Finn, of Glenwood, was traveling north on 221st Street, about 6-miles north of Glenwood, when it came upon a frost-covered section of the road and spun out of control. The car slid off the road at around 11:15-p.m. and hit a culvert, before rolling over. No injuries were reported.