An Ellis Middle School student, who allegedly started a disturbance at a bus stop, claims he was struck by a bus driver.

Thursday, October 12, 2000

An Ellis Middle School student, who allegedly started a disturbance at a bus stop, claims he was struck by a bus driver.

According to an Austin Police Department report, the incident was reported 2:50 p.m. Wednesday, while students were waiting to board bus vehicles outside the school.

The report indicated the driver attempted to intervene when a verbal argument escalated between two males and a female.

The driver apparently exited the bus and grabbed whom he believed to be the instigator of the verbal argument and asked his name, according to the report.

The boy alleged he was slapped in the face by the driver.

The incident was reported to EMS officials and now the Austin Police Department will investigate.

Incidents at AHS, Pacelli

An Austin High School faculty member saw an apparent altercation between two male students, that ended with one of them flung into a wall and a 3-foot wide hole created.

According to an Austin Police Department report, the teacher reported the incident to the AHS police liaison officer.

The students were identified and when questioned they admitted "horsing around" had caused the vandalism.

No further action is contemplated except to seek restitution for the damages caused by the teenagers.

In another AHS incident, a teacher reported a male student came into a classroom at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, smelling of marijuana and with discoloration of his eyes and other indications of disorientation.

The AHS liaison officer was notified and the student questioned. When the youth emptied his pockets, a baggie containing a substance believed to be marijuana and a pipe were discovered.

The youth denied smoking marijuana on school property, according to the police report.

In an unrelated school matter, Pacelli High School officials reported the fifth incident of windows broken across Fourth Street NW from AHS.

The total estimated damages was placed at $250.

Burglary attempted

DEXTER – The Mower County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an attempted burglary at Dexter Foods.

According to the report the attempts occurred sometime between 7 p.m. Tuesday, when the store closed, and 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The investigation revealed two separate attempts were made to enter the store through a rear door.

No entry was gained, but an estimated $550 damages was reported.

Grass fire concerns told

Two grass fires have prompted concerns about dry conditions.

Tom Kasel was chopping corn Tuesday afternoon when he made a turn in a field and struck a rock. A spark apparently started a grass fire which was extinguished by the Adams Volunteer Fire Department.

Later Tuesday, Denny Roy Winfield reported a similar harvest incident near the city of LeRoy, where a spark may have ignited a load of corn stalks.

A neighbor, Tom Hovde attempted to extinguish the fire, when Winfield pulled into his place, but the LeRoy Volunteer Fire Department was needed to completely extinguish the blaze.

Mower County Sheriff Barry J. Simonson urged everyone to exercise caution, during the extremely dry conditions in order to avoid grass and other fires.

No charges filed

The investigation continues into the discovery of cocaine and marijuana, drug paraphernalia and an estimated $8,800 in cash at the Alaskan Bar in downtown Austin.

The discovery was made early Tuesday morning, when a tenant, who lives in an apartment above the bar at 111 Second Ave. NE saw the door to the bar ajar.

Austin Police Department officers were called to the scene. The first search of the bar for possible intruders resulted in the discovery in a downstairs office, where a door was open and a light on. The drugs were found in plain sight on a desk.

Denia Stevens arrived at the scene and agreed to secure the building until police could consult with a supervising detective to make a formal search. Denia Stevens, ex-wife of owner John "Jay" Stevens, but not a co-owner of the bar, agreed to secure the bar until the formal search could be conducted.

When police returned with a detective, as well as the Mower County Sheriff’s Department’s canine unit, the discovery of drugs was confirmed and more drugs, as well as the cash in a plastic garbage bag near the desk, was also made.

As of press-time, no arrests had been made and the bar remains open while the investigation continues.