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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Red Oak, Iowa) – (Corrects location of incident to Elliott) A report of shots fired at a residence in the 100 block of Oak Street, in Elliott, Saturday night, resulted in the arrest of a man from Griswold. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies responded to the scene at around 10:16-p.m., in Elliott Upon investigation, Deputies arrested 42-year-old Justin Michael Strong, of Griswold, for: Assault with a dangerous weapon – an Aggravated Misdemeanor; Reckless Use of a Firearm – a Simple Misdemeanor; Possession of a firearm by a Prohibited Person – a Class-D Felony; Dangerous weapon used in a Crime – an Aggravated Misdemeanor, and Interference with Official Acts – a Simple Misdemeanor.
Justin Strong was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – A Kentucky Derby watch party in Iowa City on Saturday was about more than horses and hats—it was a fundraiser to support nurses in a field with a lot of burnout and turnover. KCRG says specifically, the money raised will support the nurses who work on the 11th floor of the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital with pediatric oncology patients. It’s a tough job, and so the money goes to keeping up morale.
The American Nurses Association said a 2020 survey indicated almost two-thirds of nurses experience burnout. According to the most recent staff engagement survey at Children’s Hospital, 33% of staff reported that they have an unreasonable amount of job stress.
The nurses on the 11th floor face particular intensity and stress. Crystal Walter, with Northwestern Mutual, said, “The turnover rate because of—pediatric oncology is very difficult. And with COVID, there was just a lot of burnout and stress. And so it was very difficult for them to keep nurses on that floor particularly.”
The company started the fund after winning a grant.
(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report a man from Cass County (IA) was arrested Saturday, on an Assault charge. 39-year-old Michael Scott Stafford, of Griswold, was arrested just before 7-p.m., at 3rd and Elm Streets, in Red Oak. Stafford was charged with Domestic Assault/2nd Offense-causing bodily injury – an Aggravated Misdemeanor. Stafford was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held without bond.
(Des Moines, Iowa) – A letter to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from more the five-dozen Iowans from 18 counties, are asking state agencies for a formal investigation of an “unprecedented” fertilizer spill that in March killed 750,000 fish in a Southwest Iowa river. The Gazette in Cedar Rapids reports 63 people signed onto the letter asking for the DNR to pursue “penalties and civil actions,” including referring enforcement to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, which can pursue bigger fines. Signers of the letter include people from Cass, Clayton, Crawford, Dallas, Guthrie, Greene, Johnson, Linn, Mitchell, Montgomery, Muscatine, Page, Polk, Pottawattamie, Story, Warren, Wayne and Winneshiek counties.
(View a copy of the letter HERE)
Around March 9, someone at the NEW Cooperative in Red Oak left open a hose valve that leaked about 265,000 gallons of liquid nitrogen fertilizer into a drainage ditch that went to the East Nishnabotna River. An employee noticed the spill March 11 and alerted the Iowa DNR.
The Gazette reports Neil Hamilton, a Drake University emeritus professor of agricultural law, wrote in the letter dated April 29th, “The extent of this pollution event is unprecedented and requires the attention of all Iowans. The devastation of life in over 50 miles of the river, including the death of 750,000 fish as reported by your dedicated staff, is difficult to even comprehend.”
New Cooperative spill (File photo from the Iowa DNR)
In addition to seeking higher penalties for offenders, the letter asks the Iowa DNR to work with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to review rules about agricultural chemical storage to see if they are adequate to protect waterways.
Pottawattamie County, Iowa – Assessments on damage across Pottawattamie County continue, following the severe weather events of April 26th. Assessments are a continual process but are beginning to validate the full scope of the tornado damage.
Current estimates (as of May 4th, 2024) include some level of damage experienced by owners of 302 homes and businesses in the county. Early projections estimate the destruction as totaling approximately $20,916,438 worth of damage, with an estimated $12,213,237 worth of property damage in Minden, including some estimates to county or municipal infrastructure.
Property damage by the numbers, excluding public infrastructure (As of 5/4/24):
Pottawattamie County, Iowa – Assessments on damage across Pottawattamie County continue, following the severe weather events of April 26th. Assessments are a continual process but are beginning to validate the full scope of the tornado damage.
Current estimates include some level of damage experienced by owners of 302 homes and businesses in the county. Early projections estimate the destruction as totaling approximately $20,916,438 worth of damage, with an estimated $12,213,237 worth of property damage in Minden, including some estimates to county or municipal infrastructure.
Property damage by the numbers, excluding public infrastructure (As of 5/4/24):
Multi-Agency Resource Center Brings Service Providers Together for Disaster Survivors
Over twenty human service agencies came together in Minden on Saturday, May 4th, for the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC). The MARC operates as a one-stop shop assistance center for disaster information and service delivery. Assistance is available for a variety of needs including health and mental services, temporary housing, legal services, and more.
The MARC is open to all Pottawattamie County residents impacted by the tornado outbreak, and will operate again on Sunday, May 5th.
Efforts to establish future MARCs are being coordinated, with possible locations in Crecent, Treynor, and Council Bluffs.
Infrastructure Stabilization Continues in Minden
Power has been restored to all homes and businesses capable of receiving in Minden. The State of Iowa partnered with the City of Minden to obtain contract services for a temporary water treatment plant and a debris removal contract that will expedite recovery.
Installation of the temporary water treatment plant began Friday, May 3rd. Officials are hopeful the plant is fully operational in the coming days. State contracted work for debris removal in Minden will begin Monday, May 6th.
Other Resources Available to County Residents
Free tree debris drop-off site. Only vegetative debris will be accepted. Loads including scrap metal, lumber, and other material will be denied.
Currently, all communities in the county have received sufficient donations of household items. Disaster survivors can access these resources from multiple locations.
How Can I Help?
Officials continue to express gratitude for the incredible support received since the disaster. Volunteer groups have offered an incredible resource over the last week. To place volunteers where they’re most needed, officials are asking individuals interested in assisting to use the volunteer portal at sharegoodiowa.org. Agency partners will connect with volunteers and orchestrate efforts.
Needs for individuals and families vary greatly as they navigate the process to recovery. Monetary donations allow flexibility in meeting these needs. The Community Foundation for Western Iowa has established a Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund to support areas impacted throughout the region. A separate fund has been established for the community of Minden. Avenues to give to these funds are available at GiveWesternIowa.org.
Report Damage
With the governor’s request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration, Pottawattamie County officials are emphasizing the importance of residential and business property owners submitting their damages to the Pottawattamie County Emergency Management website. The reports provide vital information that support the request for federal assistance to homeowners and business owners. The damage reporting portal can be accessed at pcema-ia.org. survivors can access these resources from multiple locations.
(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston say no injuries were reported following a collision between a motorcycle and an SUV Friday evening. Authorities say a 2006 Jeep Liberty SUV driven by 66-year-old Debra Jean Hunderaker, of Creston, had pulled into a parking lot off of Sumner Street, then began to exit. Hunderaker said the sun was in her eyes, and she didn’t see a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by 67-year-old Rickie Allen Klos, of Afton.
The SUV then turned back into the driveway, and as it was pulling in, was struck on the driver’s side door, by the motorcycle. The accident happened at around 6:50-p.m., Friday.
Klos told Creston Police he saw the SUV pull out, then thought it was stopping on the side of the road. When he attempted to pass the SUV, the vehicle turned in front of him towards the driveway.
Damage to the SUV was estimated at $1,000. The motorcycle sustained $5,000 damage. No citations were issued.
One person died and another was injured during a crash that occurred late Friday night, in Mills County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 34 between mile markers 1 and 2, at the same time a 2019 KIA SUV was traveling eastbound. The motorcycle and SUV collided head-on at around 11:10-p.m., resulting in the death of the motorcycle operator, 39-year-old Jacob Otto Saxer, of Bellevue, NE.
The driver of the SUV was identified as 25-year-old Leeva Unique Kitchens, of Sidney (IA). Kitchen was transported by Glenwood Rescue to the Bellevue Hospital.
The State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office and Nebraska State Patrol.
(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies were dispatched at around 12:10-a.m. today (Saturday), to the 500 block of E. 4th Street, in Villisca, for a reported assault in progress. Following an investigation, Deputies arrested 39-year-old Kevin Bradshaw, of Villisca, who was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault (by) impeding the flow of air/blood, and Assault causing bodily injury.
Kevin Bradshaw was being held without bond, in the Montgomery County Jail.
(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – More than 43% of all Iowa nursing homes do not meet upcoming federal mandates on staffing levels, a new national report shows. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the report also indicates 21 Iowa care facilities each cycled through three to five nursing home administrators during 2023. Using newly published data collected by the federal government, a nonprofit advocacy group called the Long-Term Care Community Coalition issued a detailed report this week outlining the staffing levels at every Medicare-certified nursing home in the nation during the fourth quarter of 2023.
The report compares actual staffing levels with the Biden administration’s new rule mandating specific staffing levels in Medicare-certified nursing homes. That rule requires the presence of a registered nurse 24 hours per day, seven days a week in all facilities, as well as 3.48 hours per day, per resident of total nursing-staff time. The rule will be phased in over the next five years and includes exemptions and waivers for facilities in rural areas that are making a good-faith effort to meet the new mandates.
The coalition’s report shows that 6 in 10 of all U.S. nursing homes would have met the new nurse-staffing standard of 3.48 hours in the fourth quarter of 2023. Iowa homes fell below the national average, with 56.5% of them meeting the new standard.
The report indicates the Iowa homes with the lowest nurse staffing levels in the fourth quarter of 2023 were Arbor Springs of West Des Moines, Midlands Living Center of Council Bluffs, Linn Haven Rehab & Health Care of New Hampton, Pleasant Acres Care Center of Hull, Northbrook Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center of Cedar Rapids, Crest Haven Care Centre of Creston and Aspire of Perry. All reported less than 2.5 hours of total nursing care per resident, per day, according to the report.
A separate set of data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services indicates that 14% of Iowa’s 422 nursing facilities were cited for insufficient staffing in fiscal year 2023. That’s more than double the national average, which was 5.9%.
The report also highlights a problem in many nursing homes nationwide: high staff turnover, which disrupts continuity of care and leads to errors by workers who aren’t familiar with residents’ needs. The Iowa homes with the highest rate of nursing-staff turnover, ranging from 85% to 100%, were Risen Son Christian Village of Council Bluffs, Sunrise Retirement Community of Sioux City, Wesley Acres of Des Moines, Arbor Springs of West Des Moines, Dunlap Specialty Care, Azria Health Park Place of Des Moines, Sunny Knoll Care Centre of Rockwell City, and Montezuma Specialty Care.
The report also identifies the Iowa nursing homes that had the highest number of administrators who left employment with the facility during 2023. The Elmwood Care Centre of Onawa and Heritage Specialty Care of Cedar Rapids, are each reported to have had five administrators who left the facility in 2023. Azria Health Park Place of Des Moines, Sunny Knoll Care Centre of Rockwell City, Crest Haven Care Centre of Creston, Cedar Falls Health Care Center, Premier Estates of Muscatine, Westwood Specialty Care of Sioux City, Casa De Paz Health Care Center of Sioux City, Wesley Park Centre of Newton, and Garden View Care Center of Shenandoah each are reported to have had four administrators leave during the year. Ten other Iowa nursing homes had three administrators leave during the year.
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Waukee man was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for production and possession of child pornography.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Michael Alan Jagim, 52, created and produced child pornography, using secreted video recording devices. On December 14, 2021, after receiving a cyber-tip, law enforcement officers conducted a search of Jagim’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. A forensic analysis of these devices found multiple videos of child sex abuse material, including videos created by Jagim, for a total of 3,620 images. Jagim was also ordered to pay $28,123 in victim restitution.
After completion of his prison term, Jagim will be required to serve ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Jagim was also ordered to pay $10,200 in special assessments.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Waukee Police Department, the Urbandale Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.
This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
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