Montgomery County Law Officers conducted a traffic stop on Monday and arrested 21-year old Dustin James Danick of Red Oak. Officers stopped Danick in the 500 block of N. 7th Street and upon investigating charged him with possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended. Danick was transported to the Montgomery County Law Center and held on $300 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press
MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) – Severe weather in eastern Iowa has caused significant damage in the city of Muscatine and injured one person. The National Weather Service says a spotter reported a tornado on the ground around 3:30 p.m. yesterday on the north side of the city near Highway 61. A survey team will inspect the region today to determine if the damage was caused by the reported tornado. Reported damage includes overturned semi-trailers and buildings with roofs blown off. There are no reports of fatalities.

SOLON, Iowa (AP) – There have been reports of multiple tornadoes in eastern Iowa. The National Weather Service says a confirmed tornado was located near Solon shortly before 3 p.m. yesterday. There are reports of a confirmed tornado six miles southwest of Mechanicsville as well as one near Stanwood. A tornado was later reported southeast of Olin moving northeast at 40 mph.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad is defending his decision to veto some funding for public safety pensions and mental health services. He says he vetoed a provision backed by the General Assembly to put about $91 million into the public safety retirement fund because he wants to see changes to the system. He also vetoed a plan to provide $13 million to counties for mental health services as they transition to a new regional system.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines has another option for paying off nearly $40 million the courts say it owes utility ratepayers who were charged excess franchise fees by the city. Gov. Terry Branstad last week signed a bill that permits the city to ask voters to OK an increase in the fee charged electricity and gas customers of MidAmerican Energy to 7 1/2 percent from the current 5 percent. The Legislature passed the measure as part of a larger government funding bill.

The Cass County Extension Service is inviting youngsters who have completed 4^th through 8^th grades to participate in a STEM Explore day the that YMCA in Atlantic on Thursday, June 27th.  STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.  Cass County Extension Program Coordinator Kate Olson says the youngsters will participate in several hands-on projects.   The event begins at 9:00 am and will be finished by 3:00 pm.  Olson hopes to open the eyes of children to the opportunities in the sciences.   The event is free, but registration is required by the end of the day Tuesday, June 25^th.  Lunch, snacks and a t-shirt will be provided.  Registration is limited to 50 and forms are available at the extension office or the YMCA.

Heavy rains, flooding and high winds caused a bit of damage Monday morning.  Storms packing winds of up to 70 miles per hour were reported in a number of locations.  The heavy rains have caused some low-lying areas that were already threatened by recent rains to swell as creeks and streams couldn’t hold the added water.  Flooding at the Atlantic little league complex caused a problem for those who park their cars in the lot and commute to the Menard’s Shipping Warehouse at Shelby.  You can see in the picture that people are trying to get to some of the cars in waist-deep water to move them out of harms way.  High winds were reported in several locations….58 mph at the Atlantic airport, 60 mph in Audubon and 75 mph in Harlan.  The winds caused considerable tree damage.  There was a report of a barn blown over north of Atlantic and a semi blown on its side on Highway 141 in Greene county.

Audubon County Sheriff Todd Johnson reports that deputies arrested 48 year old James Fredrick Barratt of Audubon Friday, June 21st around 10:30 pm during a traffic stop on Highway 71 and Broadway Street in Audubon.  Barratt was charged with Operating While Intoxicated, second offense.  Barratt was booked at the Audubon County Jail and released.

On Saturday, June 22nd at about 4:00 am deputies were called to a single vehicle accident on County Road M-66 neat Kimballton.  49 year old Jeffery Wear of Omaha was southbound when he started to fall asleep.  He crossed the center line and put his 2001 Kia into the ditch.  The vehicle sustained 15-hundred dollars in damage.  Wear was not injured.  He was charged with Operating without a valid license and failing to maintain control.

w/Jim Field

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One person was arrested at the scene of a break-in at the Southwest Iowa Theatre Group’s (SWITG) Park Playhouse in Shenandoah, Sunday. According to Shenandoah Police, 19-year old Gabriel Joel Hanes was taken into custody on charges of Burglary 3rd, Criminal Mischief, and Theft 5th. He was arrested after a SWITG member came to open the theatre at around 10-a.m. Sunday, and discovered one of the main lobby doors ajar and glass almost entirely shattered. Police did a sweep of the theatre but found nothing at first. A second sweep by a crime scene technician resulted in the discovery of Hanes hiding in a partially obscured dressing room. The suspect was transported to the Page County Jail.

A deer in the  road was said to have been the cause of an accident late Sunday night in northern Montgomery County. The Sheriff’s Office says a 2006 GMC Sierra k-2500 pickup driven by Justin W. Swartz, of Grant, was traveling east on 110th Street just west of W Avenue at around 9-p.m., when the vehicle topped a hill and came upon several deer. Swartz swerved to miss the animals and lost control of the truck, which entered the north ditch and overturned before coming to rest on its top.

The accident wasn’t discovered until just before midnight. Rescue personnel from Grant Fire and Rescue searched the area, but could not locate the vehicle’s driver. Swartz, who was not injured during the crash, had walked to his residence, where he was located a short time later.

A bicyclist who was reported missing today (Sunday), was found dead in Taylor County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, volunteers searching for 58-year old Gerald O. Williams, of Lenox, discovered the man’s body just off of Taylor County Road J-10, east of Lenox, near Vail Avenue. An investigation determined Williams was struck by a 2009 Chevy Malibu at around 9:15-a.m. Saturday, and died at the scene. The incident remains under investigation.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – An Iowa couple mourning the death of a twin in the womb has sued a doctor and an Omaha hospital for not heeding their wishes to preserve the fetus for baptism, cremation and memorial service.  The Omaha World-Herald reports that Jill and Victor McCall have sued the doctor and Methodist Women’s Hospital in west Omaha.
 
The lawsuit says the hospital and its staff violated a 2003 state law that requires every hospital maintain a written policy for the disposition of remains of a stillborn. The law also says a parent has the right to direct the disposition of a stillborn’s remains within 14 days of delivery. The McCalls say that did not happen with their stillborn, whom they named Robert Thomas. His twin, Michael, survived and is now 2.