A traffic stop early this (Thursday) morning in Montgomery County resulted in the arrest of a Stanton man on a charge of Driving While Barred. Sheriff’s officials say 26-year old Richard Dean Pierce III, of Stanton, was arrested at around 1:45-a.m. at the intersection of north 1st and Corning Streets, in Red Oak. Pierce was transported to Montgomery County Corrections and held on $1,000 cash bond.

Two teens from Council Bluffs have been arrested in connection with at least 18 separate incidents of criminal mischief/vandalism. The incidents, which involved bricks being thrown through the windows of vehicles in Council Bluffs, occurred between Nov. 26th and 29th. Council Bluffs Police Sgt. Dave Dawson says a 17-year old and a 14-year old from Council Bluffs were arrested this week on felony Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree charges. The teens were later released to their parents with appearances to be scheduled in Juvenile Court.

Dawson says a tip from a citizen led to the teens’ arrests. On Nov. 29th, the citizen reported seeing a green, 1990’s model Dodge Dakota pickup occupied by two white males, driving recklessly on the east side of Council Bluffs. One day earlier, a victim of theft in the same area saw the same vehicle, and was able to provide authorities with a license plate number.

On Dec., 2nd, a uniform patrol officer found the suspect’s vehicle and identified the driver and only occupant as a suspect in the case. The 17-year old admitted during an interview with detectives, that he was involved in the vandalism spree. He also implicated the 14-year old, who was also interviewed and admitted to his role in the crimes.

Sgt. Dawson said it was important to note that the cases were solved in large part, due to observant citizens who took the time to report what they saw and provided critical leads. He said also those tips, combined with the hard work of police officers and detectives, resulted in the arrests and eventual prosecution of the individuals involved.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Thousands of students at Iowa’s three public universities could graduate without seeing their tuition increase once. The Iowa Board of Regents voted Wednesday to freeze tuition for resident undergraduate students for the third straight year, provided that lawmakers approve a funding increase for the universities next spring. Governor Terry Branstad says that would be a “historic” achievement.

Regent Larry McKibben said a third straight freeze will help families who are struggling to afford higher education. If the freeze sticks, in-state students who graduate in May 2016 will have paid the same base tuition all four years: $6,678 at University of Iowa and $6,648 at Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

The board raised tuition by 1.75 percent for nonresidents and students in graduate and professional programs.

Parents of children suffering from mental illness rallied at the Statehouse Wednesday. Tammy Nyden,  of Iowa City, is chairperson of a statewide children’s mental health committee of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “There are so many services that do not exist in Iowa and without them, our children are not safe to themselves and sometimes to others,” Nyden said. State legislators last year approved $6 million for the Iowa Department of Human Services to help some 9,000 Iowans with mental and physical disabilities who are on waiting lists for services. Nyden said while she’s grateful for the funding, it’s made little difference.

“It was honestly too little, too late,” Nyden said. “The year before, $8.7 million was vetoed and neither of those amounts would have paid down the waiting list. The $6 million…we have found out, halfway in to this fiscal year, very little, if any of it has been applied. If it were fully applied to the waiting list, it would only be reduced some 20-percent.” A spokesperson for the DHS said the agency will be ramping up their efforts soon the speed up access to services for Iowans with mental illnesses. Nyden has a 12-year-old son who has been on a waiting list for services for two years. One problem with improving services, according to Nyden, is the general public’s lack of understanding of mental illnesses. She said many people are afraid to speak with her about the subject or blame parents for the child’s condition.

Many of these children do have mental illness from trauma, but many of them were simply born with a brain disorder, like my son,” Nyden said. “You’re born with Tourette’s syndrome, he didn’t do anything to deserve what he has to live through every day.” Around 30 people gathered for Wednesday’s rally at the Statehouse in Des Moines.

(Radio Iowa)