(Radio Iowa) – A Republican leader in the Iowa House says lawmakers need to wait for an Iowa Supreme Court opinion before trying to enact new abortion restrictions. A district court ruling has blocked a 2018 state law to ban most abortions after the sixth week of a pregnancy from taking effect — and Governor Reynolds has asked the Iowa Supreme Court to intervene. House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl of Missouri Valley says the legislature’s next step will be guided by how the court rules. “Until we know what the courts are going to say on that issue, it would be premature for us to actually write legislation that might actually take us backwards,” Windschitl says.

Earlier this week a couple of Republican lawmakers said they intend to introduce a bill this year that would ban all abortions in Iowa. Windschitl says that’s the ultimate goal. “We do want to get to that point where all babies are protected and all moms are protected and we are working through that process,” Windschitl says, “but we don’t want to do something that puts us behind the eight ball again in regards to how the courts are going to rule on the current injunction that’s there, so we have to be a little bit patient with that and see what the courts are going to say and then will move forward appropriately as we get a little better lay of the land.”

Windschitl made his comments this (Wednesday) morning at the Westside Conservative Club’s breakfast meeting in Urbandale. This past summer the Iowa Supreme Court reversed a 2018 decision that said Iowa women have a constitutional right to an abortion, a ruling that let a 24-hour waiting period for abortions take effect. The court is now considering a different lawsuit filed to block a ban on abortions after fetal activity is detected, which is around the sixth week of pregnancy.

(Glenwood, Iowa) –  Officials with the Glenwood Police Department report the arrest on Tuesday, of 26-year-old Trenton Duncan, from Sloan. Duncan was taken into custody for Violation of a No Contact Order. He was being held without bond until seen by a magistrate.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors this (Tuesday) morning, approved a few matters to come before them. First was a liquor license renewal for Carol Ann Root and the 4-H Building. Second was a bid of $25 per mowing, of the Grove Township Cemetery. Mike Mangels bid the same amount he was awarded last year, and will continue throughout the growing season this year.

The Adair County Board approved Family Farm and Agland Credit Disallowances, and the rental of the 4-H Building for $200, for the purpose of a County Safety Day meeting. And, they acknowledged a letter from an appointee to the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority, who is retiring. No action was taken until a potential appointee is spoken with about the position.

In other business, the Board heard from 3^rd District Republican Congressman Zach Nunn’s Regional Office out of Creston. Constituent Service Representative Tracee Knapp introduced herself and officially met each member of the Board and left them with a contact number. She also invited the Board to the offices’ Open House on Tuesday at 1:30-p.m., with the Congressman in attendance.

Nunn’s other regional offices are located in Ottumwa and Des Moines.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – An investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, has resulted in the arrest of three Des Moines residents. Authorities say 52-year-old Lavona Lopez, 29-year-old Dario Ovelry, and 28-year-old Ashly Overly, all pled guilty to one count Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information (a Class D Felony).

The investigation began in January 2021 after the Iowa Insurance Divisions Fraud Bureau received information indicating Lopez had provided false information to an insurer following an automobile accident in Polk County.

The investigation determined Lopez had made false representations regarding the nature of the loss in an effort to secure benefits of the insurance policy. Lopez made false statements to an insurer regarding the facts and circumstances of a motor vehicle collision. The investigation determined Lopez fabricated independent witnesses who provided statements to an insurer in support of Lopez’s version of events. The investigation identified Lopez’s witnesses as her son, Dario Ovelry, and daughter-in-law, Ashly Overy. The investigation determined that neither Dario nor Ashly Overly had been at, or near the scene of the collision nor had they witnessed the event leading up to the collision. Lavona Lopez, Dario Ovelry and Ashly Overly were all charged with Insurance Fraud and warrants were issued for their arrest.

Ashly Overly was arrested on June 17, 2022 and pled guilty to one count of insurance fraud on October 5, 2022. Dario Overly was arrested on June 17, 2022 and pled guilty to one count of insurance fraud on August 26, 2022. Lopez was arrested on November 9, 2022 and pled guilty to one count of insurance fraud on February 1, 2023.

Following their guilty pleas, Lavona Lopez, Dario Ovelry and Ashly Overy received  deferred sentences and were placed on supervised probation for a period of two years. They were also ordered to pay a fine of $1,025 each.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

Des Moines – Former insurance producer Oscar Sanchez of Marshalltown was recently sentenced in Marshall County District Court after pleading guilty to his actions in an insurance fraud scheme. Sanchez pled guilty on December 8th, 2022, to three counts of Insurance Fraud – Fraudulent Submissions (Class D Felony) and four counts of Insurance Fraud-Fraudulent Sales Practices (Class D Felony) following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division Fraud Bureau.

The sentence follows an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau which began in September of 2020. The investigation concluded that Sanchez provided fictitious insurance documents to  multiple individuals in Marshalltown and collected premium payments for insurance policies that did not exist. The investigation also found that, following a derecho, Sanchez collected illegitimate cash deductibles from insureds, which he used for his own personal gain.

Sanchez was arrested on July 26, 2021 and released after posting bond.  On December 8, 2022, Sanchez pled guilty to three counts of Insurance Fraud – Fraudulent Submissions and four counts of Insurance Fraud-Fraudulent Sales Practices.

Sanchez, Oscar

On February 3, 2023, Sanchez was sentenced for the crime of Insurance Fraud – Fraudulent Submission and received a five-year suspended prison sentence, two to five years supervised probation and was ordered to pay a $3,075 civil penalty. Sanchez was also sentenced for the crime of Insurance Fraud – Fraudulent Sales Practice and received a five-year suspended prison sentence, two to five years supervised probation and was ordered to pay a $4,100 civil penalty and $38,070 in restitution.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

Photo courtesy of the Marshall County Jail.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Authorities in central Iowa are asking for your help in locating a Des Moines man went missing early Monday morning (Feb. 6, 2023), and who may be experiencing medical issues. Des Moines Police say 76-year-old Alan Wayne Conley left his north Des Moines home at around 2-a.m. Monday. Conley was driving a metallic beige/tan 2002 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck with damage on the passenger side. The vehicle has Iowa license plate ESF 376. The rear plate was being held on by a green bungee cord, according to family and friends. There is also a dent on the back bumper and a sticker that may be a Harley Davidson logo.

Authorities say Conley has medical issues that impact his awareness and requires medication. Conley is 6’ tall and weighs about 285 pounds. If you have any information about his location, please call your local authorities, or the Missing Person Information Clearinghouse for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, at 515-725-6036.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Sentencing for an Atlantic man facing five felony charges in connection with a Sept., 2022 incident, will take place next week. According to online court records, 54-year-old Edward Allen Davenport waived his rights and through his attorney, entered a written plea of guilty to the charges on February 1^st.

Davenport was charged with Burglary in the 1^st Degree, Assault (with serious injury) while participating in a felony, Willful Injury Causing Bodily Injury, Going Armed with Intent, and Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, all of which are felony offenses. He was set to stand trial in Atlantic on February 28^th. The trial had previously been continued twice before. Davenports remains held in the Cass County Jail on $60,000 bond. His sentencing is set for 9-a.m. Monday, Feb. 13, 2023.

Authorities say at around 2:20-a.m. on Sept. 5, 2022, Atlantic Police were notified an assault had occurred at a residence in the 800 block of Walnut Street, in Atlantic. During an investigation, officers made contact with the victim, who stated they had been assaulted by being struck multiple times with an object.

The victim said shortly after she arrived home, there was a knock at the door. After the door opened, a man entered the residence and began assaulting the victim. On Sept. 6th, Officers made contact with Davenport and arrested him in connection with the incident that occurred the previous day.

(Anamosa, Iowa) — The Iowa Department of Corrections reports it is redesignating the Anamosa State Penitentiary from a Maximum-to strictly medium-security facility. The Anamosa State Penitentiary (ASP) is a maximum/medium security institution that currently houses approximately 950 offenders, both medium- and maximum-security level inmates.  Its current maximum security inmates will now be moved to the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. The department says the move comes as Iowa’s prison population drops. Both the Anamosa prison, with 915 inmates, and the Fort Madison prison, with 721, were over capacity as of Tuesday (Feb.8), according to I-DOC, although not all of Iowa’s nine prisons were. The state’s prison system Tuesday was over capacity by nearly 13.7 percent — that there were 7,946 inmates Tuesday but capacity for 6,990.

The Department of Corrections says the move to a medium security facility will allow them to focus on treatment opportunities for minimum security inmates.

In 2021, two staff members died after an assault at the State penitentiary. The prison has already undergone significant changes to its security following the murders of officer Robert McFarland and nurse Lorena Schulte during an attempted escape.

A review found the prison was overcrowded, understaffed and in need of stricter work assignment policies. Along with the security change, Anamosa and the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility are also swapping wardens. Anamosa prison’s warden, Kris Karberg, will be transferring into the warden position at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility, effective Feb. 17. The current Fort Dodge warden, Nick Lamb, will be transferring to the warden position at Anamosa. Both wardens have multiple decades of experience in security operations and correctional work.

(Radio Iowa) – D-N-R state deer biologist, Jace Elliott, says hunters reported taking more deer this year. “We saw about 109-thousand-600 deer harvested across the state throughout all of our regular seasons, which represents about a seven percent increase to the harvest that we saw in the prior year,” Elliott says. That included 25-hundred deer taken in the new January season that allowed hunters to use any leftover antlerless tags. “We had 20 counties eligible for this hunt this year in Iowa, and 14 of them sold out completely. by the end of that season,” he says, “many of which sold out during the first day.” Elliott says the traditional hunting hotspots held true this year.

“You know, it was pretty typical to what we see, in most years, the southeast and northeast corners of the state were sort of leading the pack in terms of harvest numbers,” Elliott says. “I believe Clayton County — which is always kind of our number one harvest county in the state — maintained that position. But we did see a lot of harvest come out of south-central and southeastern Iowa as well.” Elliott says numbers were lower in western Iowa as they continue to build back from the E-H-D outbreak and floods in the Missouri River valley.

“Twenty-nineteen was a pretty bad year for E-H-D in that part of the state. And there were some other factors that go into the declines they’re seeing — such as river flooding during the fawn season, and, and so on. But E-H-D is certainly part of the puzzle. Fortunately, this year was a very mild year for E-H-D in Iowa,” according to Elliott. There were around seven-thousand deer licenses sold and hunters tagged deer at a rate of 30-35 percent — which is similar to previous years.

“Our deer population model indicates that we’re still on a fairly stable to slightly increasing trend statewide,” Elliott says. “And we’re well within our management objective, which is basically to manage the statewide deer population at the level that it was in the mid-1990s. And we’re more or less there and have been for years.” Elliott says the weather was favorable across the state for most of the deer season, which helped with hunter success.