(Adair, Iowa) – Adair Police Chief Brad Wendt is on a paid leave of absence, pending the completion of a criminal investigation into firearms charges. Adair City Attorney Clint Fichter confirmed the Chief’s status, Thursday.

Agents from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed search warrants on Aug. 31^st, at Wendt’s office at City Hall in Adair, gun stores he owns in Anita and Denison, and a rural property in Manning.

To be clear, Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater’s office was not a target of the investigation. Vandewater only became aware of the investigation after it was underway.

(Vilisca, Iowa) – A traffic stop at around 6:30-p.m. Friday in Montgomery County, resulted in a pursuit, and the arrest of a man from Nebraska. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department reports Deputies attempted to stop a black, no-plated Pontiac Grand Am, on Highway 34 near the intersection with T Avenue (Northwest of Villisca), when the driver – identified as 32-year-old Ryan Jennings, of Omaha – sped off, leading to a chase with speeds of around 100-mph.

The car entered a ditch upright near 200th Street and Highway 34. Jennings attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended by Deputies, who detained two other adult passengers in the car. Also located in the vehicle was a juvenile child under Jennings’ care.

Jennings was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and charged with Child Endangerment, Eluding, and Interference with Official Acts. Multiple citations were also issued. The two adult passengers were released at the scene without charges.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Montgomery County K9 Unit, Montgomery County Communications, Red Oak Police, and Red Oak Rescue.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors are slated to meet 9-a.m. Tuesday, Sept.13th, in their Boardroom at the Courthouse, in Atlantic. One of the items on their agenda is to officially accept the resignation of Cass County Auditor Sara Harris, who submitted her resignation to the Board on August 31st.

Harris had been appointed to the position by the Supervisors following the retirement of longtime Auditor Dale Sunderman, in February, 2022. She took over the position in April, and was expected to hold the title of Auditor until the November 8th General Election, but decided to bow out, when a Cass County Republican Nominating Convention was held and selected Kathy Somers as their nominee on August 16th.

In her letter of resignation, Harris stated her last day in office will be Monday, Sept. 12th. She cited in her letter, the decision made by the CCRCC’s “Organized effort,” to remove her “in a referendum against the board of supervisors when they chose to place party loyalty over process and a full capability of doing the job as an auditor.” Harris said also, she could have campaigned, but “The toxic environment fueled with unnecessary drama would remain and the party powers that decided to push [her] out, to no fault of [her] own, will be more inspired than ever to continue their vendetta against the board and by association, [Harris] and [her] family.”

Following formal action on accepting her resignation, the Board, Tuesday, will act to appoint an Auditor to fill the position, until the election. In other business, the Board will act on abating taxes on a parcel located within the City of Anita, and hear a presentation from Don Brown, with Renodry USA, a company that helps to dry out older structures in an effort to remove excess moisture, mold and other causes of masonry and wall issues.

The Supervisors will discuss and possibly act on: using Renodry’s services; DHS approval of leased copier machines, and (if candidates are available), the appointment of Trustees for the Bear Grove (1) and Washington Townships (2).

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A citizen of Mexico who resided in Denison, was sentenced Wednesday to prison, following his plea to a charge of misuse of a Social Security Number. His sentenced was handed-down in Council Bluffs U-S District Court. Authorities say 39-year-old Eric Jimenez Del Carmen was ordered to serve 21 months in prison. following his plea to a charge of misuse of social security number.

In November 2019, Del Carmen applied for employment with Monogram Foods, located in Harlan, by knowingly using a social security number that had not been assigned to him. Del Carmen was able to obtain employment at Monogram Foods as a result of misuse of social security number.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the Social Security Administration investigated the case.

(Radio Iowa) – A unique, free concert experience will be staged in central Iowa next week featuring what’s known as a long-string harp with strings that will extend across a downtown Des Moines street, from a rooftop to a park below.

Andrea Brook is the musician who will be playing the instrument she calls the Sonic Butterfly, a 26-string acoustic, chromatic harp — though she says it doesn’t sound like a traditional harp as you don’t pluck the strings. “Because it’s a harp, each string is just one note,” Brook says. “I run my fingers along the strings, much like you would run your finger around the edge of a crystal glass, creating a longitudinal vibration, and this creates this really beautiful, very cello-viola sound.”

Brook is based in Ojai, California and she’s taken the two-octave instrument she designed to perform in countries around the world. This will be her first Iowa appearance. “I have strung the Space Needle in Seattle, the Grand Theatre in Shanghai, a mountain peak in Malibu, cathedrals in Mexico and Brazil, and many, many other spaces,” Brook says. “I literally run the strings from the stage, out at minimum 60 feet but maybe as far as 1,000 feet, and attach them to whatever it is that I’m transforming into the instrument.”

Andrea Brook and the Sonic Butterfly.

The harp has two resonating chambers that are shaped like butterfly wings, each of which contain a projection screen to create a visual, musical experience. Brass strings will be attached along the roof of the Des Moines Civic Center, stretched over Third Street, and down to the harp in Cowles Commons.

“I’m going to be setting up a stage and then we’re going to run the strings all the way across the street and to the top of the Des Moines Civic Center,” Brook says. “So it’s going to be a fairly large installation. Some of the strings will be as much as 200 feet long and so I think it’s going to be really spectacular.”

For next week’s performances, Brook will be accompanied by a pianist, a violinist and a drummer for all-original music, which she calls “evocative.” “We will do a variety of different things,” Brook says. “There will be solo songs so you get to just experience the harp. There will be pieces where it’s just the pianist and I, or just the violinist and I, and we will have big, full, high-energy full band pieces.”

Seven one-hour performances are scheduled over three days — and all are free. Catch Sonic Butterfly on Thursday, September 15th at 6:30 p.m.; Friday, September 16th at 12 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; and on Saturday, September 17th at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, says the U.S. Supreme Court made a big mistake in overturning Roe v Wade. Republican Brenna Bird says if she’s elected attorney general, she’ll be on the front lines of defending new restrictions on abortion. “I’m 100% pro-life and it would be my job as attorney general to defend the law that the legislature would pass,” Bird says.

Bird says Miller chose not to have his office defend the state when Planned Parenthood sued to block the six week abortion ban Republican lawmakers adopted in 2018. “But in 2021, he defended the waiting period for abortion law until he changed his mind partway through and decided not to defend it anymore,” Bird says. “When I’m attorney general I will do my job and defend the law.” Miller says he did the ethical thing by having private attorneys rather than the attorney general’s office defend abortion restrictions the Republican legislature and governor had adopted.

Miller and Bird. (Iowa PBS photo)

“I’ve represented the state in many ways in cases where I generally disagreed with the policy,” Miller says, “but twice I got to the situation where I thought that given the situation that I couldn’t zealously represent the state — two times out of 40 years — and so I stepped aside.” Miller says he’s opposed to “extreme” abortion policies. “A lot of women feel incredible threats in terms of their liberty and in terms of the freedom to take care of their own medical conditions,” Miller says, “and I support them in that.”

Miller and Bird made their comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa P-B-S.

CRESTON, Iowa – Sept. 9, 2022 – A project to set beams for the new Ashworth Road bridge over Interstate 80 in West Des Moines requires closures of west- and eastbound I-80 between Jordan Creek Parkway (exit 121) and Grand Prairie Parkway (exit 118) and a full closure of Ashworth Road overnights. These closures will now begin on Wednesday night, Sept. 14, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston construction office.

Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10 p.m. until Thursday, Sept. 15 at 5 a.m.

• Full closure of westbound I-80 and closure of the left lane of eastbound I-80 to allow crews to set four beams.

Thursday, Sept. 15 at 10 p.m. until Friday, Sept. 16 at 5 a.m.

• Full closure of eastbound I-80 and closure of the left lane of westbound I-80 to allow crews to set four beams.

During these closures, traffic will follow a marked detour route using Grand Prairie Parkway, University Avenue, and Jordan Creek Parkway. The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Public Safety, today (Friday) said that following an investigation, on September 7, 2022, 42-year-old Chad Ryan Koch, of Indianola, Iowa, was arrested and charged with two (2) counts of Theft 1st Degree and two (2) counts of Fraudulent Practices in Polk County.  All four charges are Class C Felonies.

Authorities say this continues to be an active criminal case, and agents with the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) wish to speak with anyone who has had financial dealings with Koch in an attempt to identify additional victims. Koch was previously a certified police officer who worked in multiple jurisdictions around Central Iowa.

Anyone with information is asked to please contact DCI Special Agent Chris Forsyth at (319) 883-6108 or forsyth@dps.state.ia.us .

A criminal charge is only an accusation, and criminal defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

CASS COUNTY, IOWA– The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports that on Thursday, Sept. 8, the Iowa DNR was notified that a crane overturned into the West Nodaway River approximately 2-3 miles northeast of Massena in Cass County. It was initially reported that approximately 20 gallons of diesel and engine fuel from the crane were spilled.

However, during a follow-up visit today (Friday), DNR staff observed a sheen downstream of the absorbents. DNR staff also found dead and stressed minnows between the bridge collapse and approximately 1/2 mile downstream. Similar conditions were not observed Thursday.

The crane is owned by Mammoet Crane Company, who is working with MidAmerican Energy. MidAmerican Energy and subcontractors responded quickly by placing absorbents in the river.  To date, Clean Harbors has pumped approximately 1,500 gallons of fuel and water from the river. Because of rain chances over the weekend, absorbent booms will be placed in the river every 75 feet between the bridge collapse and the bridge downstream about 1/2 mile. Booms will remain in place for 7-14 days.

Downstream users are advised to stay out of the river. A wrecker is expected to remove the 61-ton crane from the river today. Also, an access road is being built to allow better river access for the clean up company.

The DNR will continue to monitor clean up efforts and consider appropriate enforcement action with Mammoet Crane Company.

(Cass County, Iowa) – In an update to our earlier reports, Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken told KJAN News a bridge that partially collapsed Thursday afternoon northeast of Massena, was due to the operator of a crane taking a short cut to the job site, and crossing the bridge with an overweight load. The driver – whose name has not yet been released – was trapped in the crane cab , but managed to get out. He suffered lacerations to his face and neck. Wolken said the three of the five concrete double-T panels on the Pella Road bridge collapsed, causing the crane – owned by Mammoet Crane Company – to topple over into the creek. The accident happened around one-quarter of a mile east of 765th on Pella Road, at around 3-p.m.

Wolken said the bridge had just been replaced about five-years ago. Replacement panels have been ordered, but with delays in supply and shipping, it will likely be several weeks before the road is re-opened at the scene. Wolken said also, the crane was enroute to one of the South Rolling Hills wind turbine “re-power” project sites, to help with the removal and replacement of certain wind turbine blades. It was NOT permitted to use that route. Wolken said the bridge, like most in the County, had a legal load rate of 80,000-lbs, but the crane was about 120-thousand pounds, and was not being transported on a trailer for load displacement, as it should have been if it were permitted.

Cumberland-Massena Fire and Rescue, Cass EMS, and Sheriff’s Deputies were initially dispatched to the scene, but the incident was handled by a Massena unit, and the others, with the exception of the Sheriff’s Department, were told to disregard. No information has been released (as of this report), with regard to any charges the driver and/or crane company may face, if any.