(Creston, Iowa) – A woman from Creston was arrested at around 6:11-p.m., Monday. Creston Police report 46-year-old Elizabeth Lea Reents was arrested at 900 N. Chestnut Street on a charge of Disorderly Conduct-Loud Raucous Noise. She was transported to the Union County Jail and later released on a $300 bond.

(Poweshiek, County, Iowa) – A crash involving three vehicles in eastern Iowa left one person dead and another injured. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened just before 2-p.m. at the intersection of Highways 6 and 63, east of Grinnell. The Patrol says a 2014 Buick Encore was traveling south on Highway 63 when the unidentified driver failed to stop at the intersection with Highway 6.

The car struck a trailer being pulled by a 2008 Chevy Silverado pickup that was westbound on Highway 6. An eastbound 2011 Volvo semi struck the pickup’s trailer also, when the trailer was pushed into the eastbound lanes. The semi also struck the Buick, which came to rest in the north ditch and caught fire.

The other vehicles also came to rest in the north ditch. The driver of the Buick – who was wearing a seat belt – died at the scene. Their name was withheld pending notification of family. The driver of the semi, 73-year-old Steven M. Crow, of Marengo, was injured and transported by ambulance to the hospital in Grinnell.

The crash remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – Former President Donald Trump kicked off his campaign for the 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Davenport by promising to promote Iowa-made ethanol and to oppose raising the retirement age for Social Security. “We won Iowa twice and unfortunately we’re going to have to do it a second time because something happened,” Trump said as he took the stage. Trump was greeted with chants of U-S-A and got several standing ovations last (Monday) night.

“2024 is the final battle,” Trump said. “…We will evict Joe Biden from the White House.” Trump used a derogatory nickname to describe Florida Senator Ron DeSantis, who is likely to challenge Trump in 2024. Trump also spent a section of his speech talking about the war in Ukraine. He suggested the casualties and destruction have been underestimated and there is a threat of the conflict spiraling into nuclear war.

“Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: ‘I will prevent World War III,'” Trump said, to cheers, “because I really think you’re going to have World War III.” Trump promised as president he’d ban biological men from competing in women’s sports and he called for the direct election of principals by parents. “I will immediately sign a new executive order cutting federal funding for any school that’s pushing critical race theory (or) transgender insanity,” Trump said, to extended cheers.

Trump also said any school should be denied federal funds if they require masks or have a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. As he did during his first official Iowa campaign stop in mid-2015, Trump finished the event by taking questions from the crowd in Davenport’s Adler Theater, then stayed to shake hands and pose for pictures.

(Norwalk, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety report the Norwalk Police Department was contacted March 8, 2023, over concerns for the safety of a child in Norwalk. With the assistance of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), officers began an investigation. On March 9th, law enforcement and professional volunteer searchers located a deceased newborn child along the road in the 5300 block of Delaware Street, in Warren County.

Further investigation revealed that 25-year-old Megan K. Staude, of Newton, gave birth to a baby at home during the last days of February, 2023. With cooperation of Megan’s father, 64-year-old Rodney A. Staude, the baby was left to die and was then disposed of along Delaware Street. An autopsy was conducted by the State Medical Examiner’s Office. The results are still pending.

Both Rodney and Megan Staude were taken into custody and charged with Murder in the 1st Degree. The investigation is ongoing.