United Group Insurance

Cardinals place Jaime Garcia on 15-day DL

Sports

July 6th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis left-hander Jaime Garcia has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a groin strain. Garcia, who missed his previous scheduled start, suffered the injury running the bases on June 24 at Miami. Garcia is 3-3 with a 1.69 ERA in seven starts.

Left-hander Tim Cooney has been recalled from Class A Peoria and will start on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. He was 6-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 14 starts at Triple-A Memphis. Garcia threw a side session on Saturday and came back sore.

 

Iowa early News Headlines: Monday, July 6th 2015

News

July 6th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

COUNCIL BLUFFS ,Iowa (AP) — Council Bluffs Police say a bullet someone fired into the air wounded a 7-year-old boy who was watching fireworks with his grandparents. When the boy started crying and complaining about shoulder pain Saturday night, his grandparents initially thought he’d been hurt by fireworks. But while treating the wound, the boy’s grandmother discovered a .223 caliber bullet in the wound, which was about ¼-inch deep. The boy was treated at a local hospital and released.

FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) — A 25-year-old inmate who escaped from the Iowa State Penitentiary Sunday morning was recaptured several hours later in Illinois. The Iowa Corrections Department says Justin Kestner was arrested by the Illinois State Police roughly 100 miles from the prison in Fort Madison, Iowa.

LANCASTER, Wis. (AP) — An Iowa girl has drowned during a family gathering on a Wisconsin island on the Mississippi River. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office says 2-year-old Bryle (BRIGH’-lee) Morgan of Waterloo, Iowa died early Sunday at an Iowa City hospital.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — After 50 years of marriage, one Iowa woman found the perfect gift for her husband: a kidney. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports Jan Maulsby donated one of her two kidneys to her husband Mike on Thursday. Family members say both are recovering well after the surgery. Mike Maulsby has been undergoing dialysis treatments for about a year while waiting for a kidney donation, but that takes an average of three to five years.

Des Moines man arrested in Stuart on a robbery charge thanks in-part to special law enforcement training

News

July 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater credits a deputies’ special training in information gathering and sharing in making an arrest last week. Vandewater says at about 1:25 p.m., Tuesday June 30th, an Adair County Sheriff’s Deputy and Detectives from the Des Moines Police Department arrested 33-year old Johnny Saenz Jr., of Des Moines, at the Phillips 66 Food Mart on the south side of Interstate 80 in Stuart. Saenz, was charged with Robbery in the First Degree and is being held in the Polk County Jail. He is alleged to have robbed the First Class Credit Union in Des Moines on June 24th.

Vandewater says in early April this year, he sent a deputy to a two week L.E.I.N, or Law Enforcement Intelligence Network, school. While knowing the deputies’ being away from his local duties for that length of time is a bit of a burden for a small office, the Sheriff said they had needed to “bite the bullet” for a long time. They made some scheduling adjustments and made it work.

The primary goal of LEIN is information sharing. The deputy who arrested Saenz had just come back to work after having been off a week on vacation. Another deputy and the Greenfield Police Department had contact with Saenz in the middle of the preceding week in Greenfield. The LEIN-trained deputy learned of this, and while going through his LEIN information, he learned that Saenz was a suspect in the First Class Credit Union Robbery.

The LEIN deputy then contacted Des Moines Detectives and they initiated an investigation into Saenz’ current location, which culminated in his arrest in the Phillips 66 Food Mart parking lot. Vandewater says “The arrest of Saenz validates my belief that we have long needed to send a deputy to LEIN school. The criminal element is highly mobile and our ability to communicate and share information effectively and efficiently with other agencies is critical in the 21st century”.

For more information about L.E.I.N, go to http://www.dps.state.ia.us/intell/lein/index.htm

Pham hits 1st MLB homer and drives in 3, Cards top Padres

Sports

July 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rookie outfielder Tommy Pham homered, doubled and drove in three runs, leading Lance Lynn and the St. Louis Cardinals over the San Diego Padres 3-1 Sunday. The Cardinals improved to a majors-best 31-11 at home with their second successive win following a four-game losing streak. San Diego has lost five of seven.

Pham was called up from Triple-A Friday and starred in his third big league start. He hit his first homer, a two-run drive off Ian Kennedy (4-8) in the third. Pham doubled home Lynn in the fifth. Lynn (6-4) gave up three hits and one unearned run in seven innings. He also doubled and singled for his first career multihit game and scored twice.

Lynn struck out eight and retired 11 in a row at one point. He has not lost in his last six starts. Kevin Siegrist recorded his fourth save in six chances. Closer Trevor Rosenthal was unavailable after pitching in three successive games.

 

Iowa 2-year-old drowns during gathering on Wisconsin island

News

July 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

LANCASTER, Wis. (AP) — An Iowa girl has drowned during a family gathering on a Wisconsin island on the Mississippi River. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office says 2-year-old Bryle Morgan, of Waterloo, Iowa, died early Sunday at an Iowa City hospital.

According to the initial investigation, the child’s family was preparing for a group picture on an island on the Wisconsin side near Waupeton, Iowa, late Saturday afternoon. Bryle’s mother took her back to the boat to retrieve an item. When the mother got out of the boat, the girl was missing. Bryle was found moments later under a boat in the water.

Detective Rick Place says Bryle was wearing a life jacket before the incident, but it was removed for the group picture. He says there’s no indication of foul play.

Fatal hit and run near Logan Saturday night

News

July 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

One person is dead following a hit-and-run accident late Saturday night, near Logan. The Logan Herald-Observer says according to Logan Police Chief Aaron Brensel, officers were on patrol when they saw debris and clothing on Highway 127 at around 11-p.m., Saturday, near the north exit of the Logan-Magnolia High School. An investigation resulted in the discovery of a woman’s body. The female was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene. Her name was being withheld, pending notification of family.

KETV in Omaha reports the accident happened nearly half an hour after the town’s fireworks show, which was near Logan-Magnolia High School. Neighbors said someone pulled out of the high school parking lot, erratically spinning the car’s tires at about the time the woman was struck and killed. Residents who watched the scene said at first it appeared the driver appeared concerned, but fled northbound out of town.

The Police Chief said authorities identified a suspect and impounded the vehicle, but there’s no word on any arrest. The Iowa State Patrol is conducting an investigation into the incident, with assistance from the Logan Police Department, Harrison County Sheriff Office, the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office, and Logan Fire and Rescue.

Accident in Creston Sat. night

News

July 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

An accident in Creston Saturday night resulted in $3,500 damage, but no one was injured. Authorities say a 2011 Chrysler Town and Country van was traveling east on West Adams Street at around 10:15-p.m., and had stopped because of traffic congestion at the intersection with North Lincoln Street, when the van was hit from behind by a 2010 Honda Insight.

The driver of the car, 27-year old Amanda Jean Putzier, of Creston, told authorities she didn’t notice the van, driven by 34-year old Corey Wayne Bisgard, of Ankeny, had stopped. The woman accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake when she got too close, the action of which resulted in the collision. There were no citations issued.

Cubs activate Soler from 15-day DL, send Szczur to Triple-A

Sports

July 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs activated outfielder Jorge Soler from the 15-day disabled list in time for Sunday’s game against the Miami Marlins and optioned outfielder Matt Szczur to Triple-A Iowa.

Soler is hitting .265 with four home runs and 19 RBIs in 49 games. He sprained his left ankle June 1 at Miami and was placed on the disabled list two days later. Soler played a four-game rehab assignment at Iowa, going 2 for 13 with three walks and one RBI.

Szczur is batting .211 with one home run and eight RBIs in 32 games.

Inmate escaped from Iowa’s maximum security prison is captured

News

July 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

An inmate who escaped from the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison this (Sunday) morning, was captured about 100 miles away, south of Geneseo, Illinois.

Justin James Kestner

Justin James Kestner

The Department of Public Safety notified the facility of his capture after 10 a.m., the officer said.

Iowa Department of Corrections spokesperson Fred Scaletta says 25-year-old Justin Kestner had been last seen at 1:30 a.m. during the routine count of the inmates. He was discovered missing at 4:45 a.m. Kestner is serving a 10 year prison sentence stemming from a 2009 theft charge out of Woodbury County. He robbed a Sioux City convenience store.

(WQAD/Radio Iowa)

Council Bluffs child hit by stray bullet during fireworks celebration

News

July 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Police in Council Bluffs say a stray bullet fired from a distance during 4th of July celebrations late Saturday night apparently came down a struck a 7-year old boy in the shoulder. Authorities say officers were called to the 2600 block of Avenue J at around 10:30-p.m. Saturday, to assist medics who were treated the boy.

Upon arrival, officers established the 7-year old had been outside in his driveway watching the neighborhood fireworks with his grandparents when he began crying and complaining of something hitting him in the right shoulder area.  His grandmother noticed a small amount of blood and thought that a firework had struck him. She took him inside to clean him up and calm him down when she discovered a bullet had worked its way out of the wound.

The wound appeared to be about one-quarter of inch in diameter and depth on the child’s right clavicle.  The bullet is believed to be a .223 caliber round which had been fired into the air and came down on the child as he was watching fireworks.  Judging by the size and depth of the wound, authorities say they believe the round was fired into the air a good distance away and had slowed considerably prior to striking him.

The child was taken to the hospital by his grandparents where he was treated and released. The Council Bluffs Police Department is once again warning the public against shooting firearms into the air in a celebratory manner. If anyone has any information regarding this incident please contact Crime Stoppers at (712)328-STOP.