The Iowa State Patrol in association with the Montgomery County Attorney’s office have filed charges against an Essex woman, in connection with a crash late last year that claimed the life of two Cumberland children. 18-year old Karli Jo Brown, of Essex, was arrested Tuesday on two-counts of motor vehicle homicide and one-count of serious injury by a motor vehicle, with regard to a November 28^th crash that resulted in the deaths of 5-year old Maliki Todd and 4-year old Alex Todd. The children’s mother, 25-year old Nina McNeese, was injured in the crash.

The accident occurred on Highway 48 in a no-passing zone. Officials say Brown was southbound on Highway 48 when she attempted to pass two vehicles. He car collided head-on with McNeese’s vehicle, at the crest of a hill.

In the complaints filed against her, prosecutors allege Brown operated a motor vehicle in a reckless manner which intentionally caused the deaths of the two children and resulted in serious injury to McNeese. She was also cited for allegedly speeding, texting while driving, and passing in a no-passing zone.

Brown was taken into custody Tuesday, but later released on $10,000 bond. Her preliminary hearing was set for May 10^th in Montgomery County Court. If convicted on the charges, Brown faces a total of up to 25-years in prison and/or fines of up to $30,000.

Time is running short to purchase your tickets to enjoy a meal on Mother’s Day with world renowned opera singer and Iowa native, Simon Estes. Greenfield Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ginny Kuhfus says tickets for the meal with Estes….which follows his concert May 8^th , at the Nodaway Valley High School…cost just seven-dollars. The concert begins at 3-p.m. in the school gymnasium.

Tickets for “Premiere seating,” which puts you right up front by the stage, are $20. General admission tickets are $10. Estes will, of course perform during the concert. And, he’s bringing some people along with him to make the event even more enjoyable. Kuhfus says some area students will be on the stage as well.

The 32-member Simon Estes Music High School Choir from Capetown, South Africa will be there, along with students from the Nodaway Valley High School, Adair-Casey and Orient High Schools.

Kuhfus says Estes’ visit to Greenfield is part of his ’ 99 county “Roots & Wings tour,” which combines his performances with school assemblies. Proceeds from the sales of tickets will benefit efforts to restore the E.E. Warren Opera House in Greenfield, and the Simon Estes Iowa Educational Foundation, which provides scholarships to aspiring young Iowa artists.

Kuhfus says work on the Opera House is progressing nicely, thanks to a 1.2-million dollar grant the Chamber, Main Street and Development Corporation received in August, 2010. The I-Jobs grant will allow the project to be completed by February, 2012.

Tickets for the meal with Simon Estes must be purchased by this Friday, April 28^th.  Tickets for the meal and/or concert can be purchased in person at the Greenfield Chamber Main Street Office, or by calling 641-743-8444.

Image from Ryan's FaceBook page (used w/his permission)

An Iowa National Guardsman from Cass County is one of several soldiers credited with the recent capture of a highly sought insurgent financier in Afghanistan’s Paktia province. The Army says the arrest of the unnamed insurgent came April 17th near Gardez. The man was among four men in a car that was stopped during a sweep performed by members of the Guard’s 1-168th Battalion, the Afghan National Army and the local police.

Members of the battalion’s D Company identified the suspect using photos and other evidence. Sgt. 1^st Class Ryan Johnson, from Griswold, told a Des Moines Register reporter the insurgent’s capture equates to taking the legs off of a table one-by-one. Eventually, he says, The whole thing’s going to collapse.” Johnson said the financier was “One of those legs, and now the table is wobbling.” Ryan is on leave from the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, while serving on active duty in the military.

The Army says the operation also uncovered two homemade bombs. At one point, insurgents lobbed four mortar rounds and fired rifles at guardsmen who were trying to pull an armored truck out of the mud. The soldiers tracked the firing to a house, where Afghan officials arrested five people who allegedly had gunpowder residue on their hands. The mortar tube was not found, but Guard leaders declared the overall operation a success.

Company D Commander, Capt. Kent Greiner said “We’ve definitely taken the wind out of the sails of the insurgents for a while.” He added that they’re “Striking a nerve with them, and we’re going to keep striking that nerve to see what happens.”