Police in Red Oak arrested a Pottawattamie County man on warrants charging him with Forgery and Theft in the 2nd degree. 53-year old James Joseph Skow, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 9-a.m. today (Monday) at the Pott. County Jail. He was transported back to Red Oak and held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 cash bond.

FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Department of Labor is aiming to prepare offenders to become productive citizens when they leave prison. Executive officer at the Iowa State Penitentiary, Rebecca Bowker, says the program will allow inmates to gain skills that will make it easier to adapt and succeed in a trade when they leave prison.

The Daily Democrat reports that inmates can learn cooking, housekeeping or cabinet making through the program. The cooking and housekeeping programs are also services used within the prison. Bowker says there are 39 offenders involved in the program and that the number of participants continues to grow.

Police in Glenwood arrested a local man Sunday on warrants charging him with Forgery and Theft. 32-year-old Herman Lewis, of Glenwood, was taken into custody on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Forgery, and two Mills County warrants for Forgery and Theft 2nd Degree. He was also charged with providing false identification information. Lewis was being held in the Mills County Jail on $10,300 bond.

This (Monday) morning, Glenwood Police arrested 19-year-old De’one Denson, of Glenwood, for domestic abuse assault. Denson was being held without bond, pending and appearance before the magistrate.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says one person was hurt during an accident that took place at around 10-a.m. Sunday, south of Harlan. Officials say a 2003 Jeep driven by Khrystyne Napolitano-Gustafson, of Harlan, was traveling west on 800th Street and came to a stop at the intersection with Highway 59, but then turned into the path of a northbound 1997 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Shirley Jensen, of Audubon.

After the vehicles collided in the intersection, the Jeep came to rest in the intersection, while the pickup came to rest in the east ditch. Napolitano-Gustafson was transported by Medivac Ambulance to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan for treatment of minor injuries. Jensen was checked-out at the scene, but refused treatment.

Both vehicles sustained major damage. Napolitano-Gustafson was cited by deputies for Failure to Yield.

The Sac County Sheriff’s Office reports two people have been charged with burglary in connection with a rural Odebolt burglary that took place on or about March 2nd. Authorities say 30-year old Todd Allan Grimsman, of Carroll, and 41-year old Julie Ann McManigal, of Manning, were charged with Burglary in the 3rd degree. The pair were arrested by authorities in Ida County following a traffic stop.

During an investigation, deputies located items taken from a residence at 3450 Ida Avenue, in rural Odebolt. The pair admitted their involvement in the burglary to an interviewer from the Sac County Sheriff’s Department, who questioned them at the Ida County Jail, where Grimsman and McManigal remain held.

The spotlight on concussions in sports has started a conversation about brain injuries from the local to the national level, but the Iowa Department of Public Health says thousands of people who aren’t on the playing field suffer brain injuries each year that go untreated. The department’s Maggie Ferguson says this is Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month in Iowa and they want people to know the symptoms of a brain injury.

“It’s important that people understand that first of all — we have been hearing a lot about concussions and a concussion is a brain injury — I think people just think of it as having their bell rung or seeing stars. But definitely those are consistent with symptoms of a brain injury, so it’s important to know if you are experiencing those symptoms, you should be checked out by a medical professional,” Ferguson says. The violent hits are the focus of attention for causing concussions in football, but Ferguson says you could suffer one from a simple slip on a wet floor in your home.

“Falls are the number one cause of brain injuries in Iowa,” Ferguson says. Ferguson, the I-D-P-H’s Brain Injury & Disability Program Manager, says there are several symptoms that you should recognize. “Initially people might experience a headache, they could be a little confused, they could have balance problems or disiness, feel a little sluggish, maybe foggy, also might experience some vomiting or be bothered by light or noise,” Ferguson says. “For some people there might be loss of consciousness…that’s not always something that might happen.” She says it’s important if you experience such symptom that you get checked out before you go on about your daily routine.

“You never know how long those symptoms could last, and not having it checked out and continuing on with activities as normal could actually make your situation worse,” according to Ferguson. Blows to the head are a common cause of the brain injury — but not the only cause. “People don’t even need to necessarily hit their head directly, just being shaken around,” Ferguson says, “having a blow to the body is enough to have your brain juggle around inside your skull and cause some injury.” Ferguson says victims of brain injury can have changes in thinking, language, or even general emotions, that are often missed, and that’s why they call it the “silent epidemic.”

“Brain injury can happen to anybody….like I said, falls are the number one cause of brain injury. We see it being the number one cause in the very young and the very old. So, across the board it is something we should be concerned about,” Ferguson says. For information on prevention and resources available regarding brain injuries, you can visit the Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa’s website at: biaia.org, or visit the Iowa Department of Public Health’s website at: idph.iowa.gov/brain-injuries.

(Radio Iowa)

A man from Nebraska was arrested for Reckless Driving Saturday night for driving the wrong way on Interstate 80 in Adair County, two-miles west of Stuart. The Adair County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy stopped 57-year old Scott James Noell, of Omaha, at the 91 mile marker, as he was traveling west in the eastbound lanes, at around 8:50-p.m.  Noell was sentenced to time served and released Sunday night.

Two people were arrested last week on drug charges, in Adair County. The Sheriff’s Office says 21-year old Mariah K. Carbine, of Winterset, was arrested by Stuart Police March 1st. The woman was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine – 1st offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was released on $1,000 bond later that day. And, Stuart Police arrested 22-year old Tyler Eugene Worthington, of Winterset, March 1st as well, for Possession of Meth/1st offense, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Violation of a Temporary Restraining Order. He was later released on $1,000 bond.

And, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports 59-year old Reginald Allen Sickles, of Greenfield, was arrested Saturday night for OWI/1st offense. Sickles was later released on $1,000 bond.

One person died in a single-vehicle crash Sunday morning, in Adair County. The Adair County Sheriff’s Office says the driver of a 2000 Chrysler Town and Country mini-van that crashed about nine-miles east of Greenfield off Highway 92, is believed to be an adult male from the State of Indiana. The victims’ name was being withheld though, until a positive identification can be made by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner.

The accident was reported a little after 7-a.m., Sunday. Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports upon arrival by emergency personnel, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was located underneath the van and was later pronounced deceased at the scene by the Adair County Medical Examiner.

Upon investigation, it was determined the vehicle was traveling eastbound on State Highway 92. For reasons unknown, the van veered off of the roadway and entered the north ditch. After traveling some distance, the vehicle left the ditch and became airborne. The momentum of the minivan caused it to roll sideways again when came into contact with the roadway. The driver was ejected from the minivan as it rolled and became trapped underneath the vehicle as it came to a rest.

The accident remains under investigation. The Adair County Ambulance, Greenfield Fire Department, Orient Fire Department and an Adair County Sheriff’s Deputy assisted at the scene.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency says participating businesses, and fire station in the County, should keep their “FIRE DANGER” signs in the HIGH category for the next few days, as record temperatures and breezy conditions will create near RED FLAG (extreme fire danger) conditions, especially between 11-a.m. and 6-p.m. each day.

Any open burning that can be moved to the early morning or late evening hours, will reduce the potential for fires to rapidly spread. The next update will be Thursday morning.