A problem with steering was to blame for an accident late Saturday morning in Montgomery County, that sent two women to the hospital. According to sheriff’s officials, a vehicle driven by 80-year-old Maxine Mary Wilkinson, of Emerson, was traveling west on Highway 34, when the steering wheel began to shake. The motion caused Wilkinson to lose control of the 1986 Pontiac, which went into the south ditch and came to rest.

Wilkinison, and a passenger in her car, 92-year-old Ruby Dorothy Warren, of of Emerson, were both transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital to be checked for possible injuries. Damage to the car was estimated at $2,000. The accident happened a little before 11-a.m. Saturday, just past the intersection of Highway 34 and Evergreen Avenue.

A South Dakota State Trooper, and native of Elk Horn, Iowa, has left the hospital after spending more than eight-weeks recovering from traumatic brain injury that occurred when a suspected drunk or impaired driver he was pursuing, tried to run him over. Television Station KELO reports Trooper Andrew Steen went home Friday.

Trooper Andrew Steen leaves the hospital (Photo via Facebook/KELO)

The incident which caused his injuries occurred at a Sioux Falls, SD strip mall on Oct. 17th. In addition to the brain injury, Steen suffered a severely broken ankle.

He hobbled out of the hospital with the assistance of crutches and into a waiting vehicle, but stopped to thank everyone who had been praying for him, and sending well wishes over the past eight weeks. Dozens of South Dakota Highway Patrol troopers waited at the hospital to escort the Steen family home. The head of the Highway Patrol, Col. Craig Price,  says he looks forward to having Steen back on duty.

During the first few weeks of his hospitalization, Steen’s parents weren’t sure if their son would ever be able to walk, talk or even function on his own again. Family credits prayer, the doctors and an outpouring of support from the community for the trooper’s quick recovery. A Facebook page “Praying for Andrew Steen” set up to follow his progress, has garnered more than 13,600 “Like” since its inception.

w/Marissa Hovde

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Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a Council Bluffs woman has been accused of encouraging her 13-year-old son to fight a schoolmate.  The Council Bluffs Nonpareil reports 31-year-old Alisha Hazen was arrested Thursday. She faces charges on felony child endangerment, serious assault and contributing to delinquency of a minor.

Police say they received complaints about a YouTube video that allegedly shows Hazen encouraging her son to punch a 12-year-old boy at Kreft Elementary School in November. Police say Hazen later punched the other boy in the face after her son was struck in the face and head.
The newspaper reports the video has received several hundred views.

Hazen was released from jail after posting a $2,000 bond.

The Chief of Police in Clarinda reports two people were arrested this past week, and a stolen vehicle was recovered. Chief Keith Brothers says his officers arrested 23-year old Dakota Jim Smith, of Clarinda, at around 8:30-p.m. Wednesday. Smith was taken into custody on an outstanding Page County District Court warrant for Revocation of Probation. Smith was being held in the Page County Jail on $10,000 bond, pending an initial appearance before the Page County Magistrate Court.

At around 9:30-.am. Thursday, police officers responded to the Hy-Vee Food Store, in Clarinda, with regard to an alleged shoplifter store personnel were detaining. Taken into custody on a Simple Misdemeanor theft charge, was 53-year old Dale Ray Viether, of Clarinda, who allegedly stole from the store a magazine valued at $6.49.Viether was processed and released on his own recognizance pending an initial appearance before the Page County Magistrate Court.

And Monday morning, Dec. 10^th, a Clarinda resident reported that her 2000 Buick Lesabre had been stolen earlier that morning from the woman’s residence on South 12^th Street. The vehicle was found abandoned that same day in the morning in the 500 block of North 8^th Street. The incident remains under investigation.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a central Iowa man was arrested Friday night at a residence in Shenandoah. Officials say 32-year old Carl Alfonso Sellers, of Des Moines, was taken into custody at 1101 West Thomas Street on an outstanding warrant for Parole Violation. And, 21-year old Cassandra Rodriguez was arrested for Interference with Official Acts.

The pair were brought to the Page County Jail and booked in. The arrests were conducted during a joint effort between the Page County Sheriff’s Office, Shenandoah Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of information provided by the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force.

A Stuart man was stopped on a traffic violation on Thursday by Guthrie County Police. Kirk Blackford of Stuart,  was stopped on Redwood Avenue, a half mile north of Highway 44 near Panora. During that time, Guthrie County Deputies discovered approximately 138 grams of Marijuana. Kirk was arrested for OWI/1st Offense, Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana, Drug Tax Stamp and Drug Paraphanalia.

Officers responded to a report of a deceased person on Friday at 608 Frankfort Street in Stanton.  Upon arrival, the Montgomery County Police determined that James M. Guffey, 72, was dead as the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Sheriffs Office was assisted by the County Coroner and Stanton Rescue.

Officials in Harlan discussed at length the Hotel/Motel tax at a Personnel and Finance Committee meeting Thursday. The meeting in the City Council Chambers was held to as a means of moving forward discussion of the tax money, and how it can be handled. City Attorney Joe Lauterbach presented his report regarding 4 questions on the tax and then gave a recommendation to the committee. The questions ranged from the City’s responsibilities with the money to the 20% administration fee going to the Chamber of Commerce.

Lauterbach told the Committee and the public in attendance that they must move forward, Lauterbach1: “The last thing I ever want to see is the City and Chamber at loggerheads. I am moving on and I can look back at this thing. I’ve been the City Attorney 1991 and having them at loggerheads makes no sense at all. I think you have to work things out and move forward.” He also spoke about the detriment this is doing to the community. “We are trying to sell Harlan and Shelby County to people who want to be involved. When they see the Chamber and the City at odds with one another, are they going to come around here? The less negative vibes we created at these meeting, the better off we will be as a county and community.”

Jerry Henshied was in attendance and gave his input on the 20% fee. “Anytime you have a tax you have to have someone to administer it. The property tax is Terry Cox and he administers it. Somebody has to take care of the tax and do something with it. The state road tax, if it says for roads, of course it is for roads. But someone has to over see it. For tourism, someone has to over see it. Is someone supposed to do this for nothing? I mean it is incidental to it.”

Shelby County Chamber Director Dawn Cundiff told the Committee there is a lot of time spent on how to use the tax. “I really think there is a lack of knowledge on how much time it really does take. The Chamber has been taking care of this for the lifetime of the Chamber. Everything we do, whether it be retail or business there is that for tourism, as well as signage, marketing and advertising.” After more discussion, Lauterbach made a recommendation to the Committee.

“What I’m saying is go forward and fix it. If you don’t like the way the ordinance was written, then fix it. If we are going to continue to administer this and you are going to give us the $70,000 over the next 10 years or whatever it is per year, we are going to take 20 percent. Then the City Council says we aren’t going to do this, and then they amend the ordinance and we move forward. That is what I am suggesting.” The Committee then agreed to not go back and ask for reimbursement on the previous Hotel/Motel Tax money.

The next motion was made by Committee member Dave Miller: “I think the ordinance as passed is a little open ended. I would like to see more finite detail on that. I would like to see more details in it. That would be my recommendation. I would like to encourage a motion that we place the disposition funds on hold to the Tourism Committee until we have a lot more in depth ordinance in place.” The motion was approved by the Committee. Before the ordinance can be re-written, the Harlan City Council and the Shelby County Supervisors must approve the minutes from the Personnel and Finance Committee Meeting Thursday. Both organizations will meet on Tuesday, December 18th.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)