(Carroll, Iowa) – A collision early this (Thursday) morning, north of Carroll claimed the life of a woman from Auburn, Iowa. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 26-year-old Lorraine Haley Wuebker died, when the 2007 Chevy Equinox SUV she was driving, crossed the center line of Highway 71, she was heading southbound. The vehicle struck a northbound 2022 International semi head-on. The semi was driven by 64-year-old Edward Peterson, of Sioux Falls, SD. The accident happened at around 5:51-a.m.

Following the impact, the SUV came to rest  in the west ditch. The semi came to rest in the east ditch. Wuebker died at the scene. She was wearing a seat belt. Peterson was not injured.The Patrol says weather and road conditions may have been a contributing factor to the crash, which remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s unemployment rate increased two tenths of a percent to three-point-one percent in November. Iowa Workforce Development Director, Beth Townsend says the drop was due to more lost jobs than new people entering the workforce. “Unfortunately, more people were unemployed — but the difference this month with people moving from employed to unemployed — but that we did not see a drop in the labor force. So that means those folks are still continuing to look for work and remained in the labor force, which is good for employers who have been looking for help,” Townsend says.

Townsend says several sectors saw job losses. “Trade and transportation utilities lost about 11-hundred jobs, we saw, professional and business services lost one thousand jobs, finance and insurance, lost 800 jobs, education, health care and social assistance lost 700,” she says. “And we saw a slight decline in manufacturing of 300 jobs, which is the first decline we’ve seen in manufacturing over the last year.” Townsend says there were the gains in leisure and hospitality jobs — one of the areas hardest hit in the pandemic — and construction added one-thousand jobs. Townsend says the increase in unemployment is not good news — but the overall outlook for those who are looking for a job remains very positive.

IWD director Beth Townsend.

“It also indicates that we’re not immune from what’s going on nationally, you know, inflation, supply chain issue, those kinds of things are going to have and continue to have some impact here in Iowa,” Townsend says. Townsend says Iowa’s labor force participation rate is five-and-a-half points above the national rate — but is an area they want to improve. “We still are below where we were pre-pandemic by about two points. And so what we want to do is get those folks who dropped out of the labor force during the pandemic back to work back into the workforce, help them find those jobs or the training that they need to get the jobs that they want. That’s kind of what we’re focused on,” she says.

While there’s a lot of talk about people who retired during the pandemic — that’s not the most important group that needs attention. “I think what we really need to focus on is getting the younger folks who dropped out of the workforce back into the workforce,” Townsend says “So young men…18 to 24. How can we get them from wherever they are, interested in working again.”

The total number of working Iowans decreased by 34-hundred in November — but remains more than 48-thousand more than one year ago.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Quinn Matthew Sorensen, age 23, of Missouri Valley, was sentenced on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, to 168 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Transportation of a Minor and Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Sorenson will be required to register as a sex offender. He was ordered to 12 years of supervised release following his release from prison.

In March 2022, a school resource officer at Millard West High School was provided information from other students that a female freshman student was dating Sorenson. Sorensen was corresponding with several teenage girls at the high school through text messages and Snapchat. Sorenson picked up one female student in Omaha, Nebraska and transported her to his apartment in Missouri Valley. Sorenson encouraged high school freshmen to date him and engage in sexual acts. Sorenson also provided students alcohol and marijuana.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case and the Missouri Valley Police Department assisted in the execution of a search warrant.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Hector Javier Torres Tapia, age 32, a Mexican citizen, formerly of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, to 18 months in prison following his plea of guilty to illegally reentering the country.

On May 21, 2022, Torres Tapia came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following on a traffic stop by the Council Bluffs Police Department. ICE Officers arrested Torres Tapia three days later. In 2015, Torres Tapia was convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Nebraska District Court for Douglas County.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.

DES MOINES, IA – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an indictment on December 14, 2022, charging Adair Chief of Police Bradley Wendt with unlawfully obtaining and possessing machine guns. According to unsealed court documents, Wendt, age 46, exploited his position as the Adair Chief of Police to acquire 10 machine guns purportedly for the official duties and responsibilities of the Adair Police Department, but later resold several of those machine guns at a significant profit. Wendt also acquired 13 machine guns for his Denison-based gun store, BW Outfitters, through false statements to the ATF that the machine guns were being demonstrated for future potential purchase by the Adair Police Department.

Wendt also exploited his position as the Chief of Police to obtain 10 machine guns for Williams Contracting LLC, a federal firearms licensee operated by his friend, Robert Williams, age 46, of Manning. Williams solicited false documentation from Wendt indicating the Adair Police Department wanted a demonstration of each of the machine guns for future potential purchase by the Adair Police Department.

Between July 2018 and August 2022, Wendt sought to demonstrate or purchase approximately 90 machine guns for the Adair Police Department, which serves a town of less than 800 people. Wendt and Williams hosted public machine gun shoots, where they charged patrons money to shoot machine guns registered to their gun stores and the Adair Police Department. Wendt and Williams intended to stockpile machine guns to later sell at a personal profit.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said “Brad Wendt is charged with exploiting his position as chief of police to unlawfully obtain and sell guns for his own personal profit. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who violate their oath of office to enrich themselves.”
“This case demonstrates the importance of ATF’s vigilance in regulating federal firearms licensees and bringing to justice those who willfully circumvent federal law in favor of personal profit and abuse public trust. Today’s indictment is the result of seamless collaboration by ATF and our law enforcement partners,” said Fred Winston, Special Agent in Charge, ATF – Kansas City Field Division.

Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to make false statements and defraud the ATF. Wendt is charged with 18 counts of making a false statement to the ATF and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. Williams is charged with three counts of making a false statement and aiding and abetting a false statement to the ATF. The indictment may be viewed here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/press-release/file/1558036/download.

If convicted, Wendt faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years. Williams faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The investigation remains ongoing.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikaela Shotwell and Ryan Leemkuil are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

(Guthrie County, Iowa) – A teenager suffered suspected minor/non-incapacitating injuries, during a rollover accident this (Thursday) morning, in Guthrie County. According to the sheriff’s office, a 2008 Chevy Colorado pickup driven by 16-year-old Colby T. Waltz, of Bagley, was traveling north on County Road P-28, south of 230th, when the vehicle went out of control. The pickup entered the southbound ditch, and rolled. The accident happened at around 8:17-a.m.

Colby Waltz – who was wearing a seat belt -was transported from the scene to the Guthrie County Hospital by his parent. Authorities said the road was covered with a sheet of ice/frost, and that the teen was driving too fast for conditions. No citations were issued. Damage to the pickup was estimated at $10,000.

(Radio Iowa) – The U-S Justice Department is asking a judge to sentence an Iowa man to more than five years in prison for his role in the U-S Capitol riot. Video showed Doug Jensen of Des Moines leading a group of rioters toward the U-S Senate chamber. In September, a jury found Jensen guilty of five felonies. His sentencing is scheduled for tomorrow (Friday). In a letter to the court, a Capitol Police inspector said there would have been tremendous bloodshed if an officer hadn’t diverted Jensen away from the chamber where senators were meeting.

In another January 6th case, a woman from Des Moines who was scheduled to go on trial yesterday (Wednesday) has pleaded guilty to illegally entering the Capitol. The trial for Deborah Sandoval’s son is underway. Salvador Sandoval of Ankeny faces a dozen charges. Prosecutors say he assaulted four D-C police officers during the 15 minutes he was inside the Capitol.

(Radio Iowa) – The odds of most Iowans having a white Christmas are increasing by the minute. While the holiday is still ten days away, the snow falling across much of the state today (Thursday) will be followed by very cold weather, so whatever falls now will likely stick around at least until December 25th. Meteorologist Jim Lee, at the National Weather Service, says the expected snow accumulation amounts vary across the state. “The highest amounts will be up in northern Iowa, where we’re looking at probably in the range of about three or four inches, give or take a little bit,” Lee says. “Down towards central Iowa, we are expecting, depending on where you are, probably in the one-to-three inch range, with the higher amounts, of course, being a little bit further north.”

Almost all of Iowa will see at least some snow today, though the southern few tiers of counties may only get flying flurries. “We’ll probably have some lingering snow into tomorrow and tomorrow night in northern Iowa, but any additional amounts look pretty light,” Lee says. “As far as temperatures, unfortunately, it’s not going to get warm again for quite some time. The daily high temperatures for the next several days range in the teens north to mostly 20s south, and then once we get into next week, it could get even colder.”

I-80 WB / I-29 NB (Near South Expressway) 12/15/22

When put on the spot, Lee was hesitant to make a prediction about what percentages of the state may, indeed, have a white Christmas. “Ha! Now that’s a question I can’t quite answer today, certainly in terms of percentages, but it does look like whatever snow we get out of this system is going to have a hard time melting,” Lee says. “Certainly, anywhere that gets a couple inches or more today stands a pretty decent chance of having it hold out for next week, especially up in the north.”

According to the Iowa Storm Chasing Network, Iowans who live along and north of Highway 20 have a 61-to-75% chance of having snow on the ground on December 25th, based on climatology, while areas between Highway 20 and Highway 30 have a white Christmas probability between 51-to-60%. ISCN says, based on historical data, from Highway 30 to Highway 34, there’s a 41-to-50% chance, while from Highway 34 to the Missouri border, there is only a 26-to-40% probability of a white Christmas.

(Omaha, Nebraska) – Officials with the Cass and Audubon County Community Foundations have announced that applications are now being accepted from organizations providing charitable services in Cass or Audubon County. As part of this spring grant cycle, approximately $130,000 in each county is available to support Cass and Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects. The deadline to apply for funds through the online application process is February 1, 2023.

Beginning today (December 15), application details, a fact sheet, and a link to the application form can be found online by selecting Audubon County or Cass County, under the County Listing at www.swiowafoundations.org. Applications will only be accepted through the online system.

This cycle of grants is made possible through the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program and is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license. Only organizations providing services in Cass or Audubon County are eligible to apply in their respective counties only. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) public charity, a local municipality, or a fiscally sponsored project.

The Community Foundations in Cass and Audubon Counties aim to improve the quality of life in those counties, by supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. The objective of the grant program is to fund projects that will have a lasting impact in the counties. Both Community Foundations will entertain requests for capital and program support. General operating support will only be considered for one-time, non-recurring circumstances that improve the capacity of the organization to fulfill its mission.

Please contact Sunni Kamp (sunni@omahafoundation.org) or Sydney Calcagno (sydney@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458 with application-related questions. All completed grant applications will be considered at the March board meeting, with applicants being notified of funding decisions by the end of March.

Advisory board members of the Cass County Community Foundation are: Chair, Kristi Burg of Massena; Vice Chair, Gaylord Schelling of Atlantic; Secretary/Treasurer, Sue Hunt of Atlantic; Sandy Bierbaum of Griswold; Justin D. Hockenberry of Anita; and Mike Tibken of Anita. Advisory board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are: Chair, Steven B. Hansen of Audubon; Vice Chair, Pat Kaiser of Audubon; Secretary/Treasurer, Megan Wagner of Audubon; Gina Benton of Exira; Dr. Bob Blomme, DVM of Audubon; Travis Nelson of Exira; and Donna Olson of Kimballton.