Council Bluffs – Jesse James Baker, convicted of Habitual Offender (Person) in Pottawattamie County, failed to return to the Council Bluffs Residential Correctional Facility as required, Friday.

Baker is a 34-year-old white male, height 5’07”, and weighs 174 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on June 22, 2021.

Jesse James Baker

Persons with information on Baker’s whereabouts should contact local police.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by Valley Boutique on Friday August 6th, 2021 for a ribbon cutting ceremony. Kristin Spriggs-Gile opened a boutique in 2018 in a recently vacant space in her dance company located in Shenandoah. In late 2020, Kristin’s sister, Ricci Spriggs, approached Kristin with the idea of expanding to Atlantic under her dance studio, Dance Atlantic. Kristin took the opportunity, soon remodeling the space and bringing in inventory.

Ambassador’s Pictured Left to Right: Anne Quist, Kathie Hockenberry, Kelsey Beschorner, Grace Garrett, Krysta Hanson, Dolly Bergmann, Ricci Spriggs, Bill Saluk, Ruth Sears, Kristin Spriggs, Kennedy Freund, Laura Heitshusen, Kylie Stanbrough, Dr. Keith Leonard, Bailey Smith.

Valley Boutique opened their doors in Atlantic in May 2021, and offer women’s clothing from sizes small to 2xl. Kristin and her store managers, Laura Heitshusen and Kylie Stanbrough, are passionate about small business in rural communities and are determined to support those small businesses around them in both towns.

Valley Boutique is located at 314 Chestnut St. in Atlantic. For the newest arrivals and information like and follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBoutiqueCo

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest on Friday of 29-year-old Nathan Allen Aldrich of Council Bluffs for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. Aldrich was arrested at the intersection of 5th and Coolbaugh Streets in Red Oak at 11:58 p.m. He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

A motorcycle accident Friday afternoon in Monona County has claimed the life of an Illinois man. The Iowa State Patrol reports 66-year-old Steven Egan, of Joliet, IL, died enroute to St. Lukes Hospital in Sioux City after the 2010 Harley Davidson he was riding failed to negotiate a curve on I-29 northbound at mile marker 125, two-miles south of the Sloan exit. The accident happened at around 4:34-p.m.

Authorities say the after the cycle missed the curve, it entered the median. Egan was ejected from the machine.

(Creston, Iowa) – Customers of SIRWA (Southwest Iowa Rural Water Association) were placed under a drinking water advisory, Friday. SIRWA recommended their customers boil the water before using for drinking, or to use an alternative source, following a problem in the distribution system, which lost pressure, Friday. The system has been repaired, repressurized, and bacteria samples will be collected. The advisory is a precaution until bacterial sample results are available. You will be notified when  the results are available and the advisory is lifted. The system is working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to resolve the situation.

Until the test results come back clear, IT IS RECOMMENDED NOT TO DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. The water may be used for bathing and other similar purposes. If the water is colored, use an alternative source such as bottled water.
For more information, please contact Matt Schultz with SIRWA at 641–782–5744. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426–4791.

When water service is restored, there may be air in your water piping and the water may be discolored. It is recommended to run the first water from a faucet that does not have an aerator screen, such as a bathtub or hose bib. Open the faucet slowly to allow the air to escape. Once the water is flowing, allow the faucet to run until it is clear. The water may be cloudy at first due to air in the water or particles that dislodged as the pipes filled with water. This should clear fairly quickly. If water is cloudy or colored throughout the house and it does not clear after allowing the water to run for several minutes, use an alternative source such as bottled water and contact the person listed above.

(COUNCIL BLUFFS) — Officials with the Regional Water Rural Water Association, Friday, announced the lifting of boil orders for all customers in Pottawattamie County and the remaining customers throughout their service area. Water use systemwide can return to normal use.

However, Regional Water is recommending that customers lifted from advisory status as of Friday, cycle any  automatic icemakers you have before using their ice for human consumption. If you do not have any other guidance from your manufacturer on how to do so, we recommend that you throw out all ice that was made during the boil advisory and let the ice maker run for a full twenty-four-hour cycle; throwing out any ice made during that time before using it normally. If your ice maker comes with different instructions on how to flush it, follow those instructions instead of their provided recommendation.

Further updates from emergency management regarding this incident aren’t anticipated. Regional Water system updates, alerts, and additional information can be obtained directly from Regional Water Rural Water Association’s website at https://www.rwrwa.org/.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports that at around 2:47-p.m., Friday, Deputies were called to a truck stop in Percival (Iowa) for a report of a domestic disturbance in the semi parking lot. While en route, deputies were advised a report of a gunshot being fired at the scene.

Upon arrival, deputies discovered a 28-year-old male, from Tennessee, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The man suffered serious injuries, and was transported to Nebraska Medicine by Lifenet.

Sidney Fire and Rescue and Officers with the Iowa Motor Vehicle Enforcement assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with the call. Charges are pending in the case.

(Radio Iowa) – One of the two inmates accused of killing a nurse and corrections officer at the Anamosa prison in March pleaded guilty today ( Friday) to all the charges against him. Thomas Woodard reached a plea agreement on two counts of first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, attempt to commit murder in the deaths of correctional officer Robert McFarland and nurse Lorena Schulte, the injuring of another inmate. In the hearing streamed by K-C-R-G T-V, Judge Fae Hoover explained to Woodard that he is giving up his right to a trial on the charges

“With regard to the killing of Robert McFarland, I ask you at this time, Thomas Allan Woodard Junior, how you plead to the offense of murder in the first degree: guilty or not guilty?” Hoover asked. Woodard responded, “Guilty.” The judge continued with the second count of murder. “With regard to the killing of Lorena Schulte, a Class D Felony, how do plead, guilty or not guilty?,” She says. Woodard replied “Guilty.”

The judge followed the same procedure for the other counts and Woodard answered guilty to each charge. Under the agreement, he will serve his life sentence in his home state of Nebraska. The judge and attorneys are working on a sentencing date. The other inmate involved, Michael Dutcher, has pleaded not guilty, and waived his right to a speedy trial.

(Radio Iowa) – Green will be a popular color in downtown Waterloo this weekend when Iowa Irish Fest returns. The state’s largest Celtic celebration features an entertainment lineup that includes nearly 20 music groups from across the U.S. and around 50 performances. Festival Director Chad Shipman says organizers are preparing to welcome as many as 50,000 visitors to the Cedar Valley. “We have over 10-thousand tickets out there in people’s hands and we’ve got 70 partner sponsors that have employees, friends, and family that I know are coming out,” Shipman says. “That being said, we’re still short some volunteers. It’s looking good, but we could use some help. If you haven’t signed up online yet please come to the fest and go to the volunteer tent. If you want to work a couple of hours, we can definitely use your help.”

Shipman says it takes around 1,500 volunteers to make the festival run smoothly and around 500 of them are still needed to work at booths, beer tents, and other areas. Iowa Irish Fest was held as a virtual event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shipman says there’s plenty of excitement surrounding this year’s celebration, which is taking place just days after an overnight RAGBRAI stop brought an estimated 20,000 visitors to Waterloo last week. “We’ve got momentum going right now,” Shipman says. “I think everyone is excited about these outdoor events. RAGBRAI was a great success downtown and Experience Waterloo is a big (sponsorship) partner. The Convention and Visitors Bureau office over there supports us. From what it sounds, this is going to be incredible.”

Shipman says several first-time activities have been planned for this weekend’s festival. Among them will be a variety of workshops — some free and others requiring pay-in-advance registration — that focus on the Irish culture. “We’ve got Whiskey and Yoga and we’ve got the Irish Cream workshop. We’ve got Food and Whiskey workshop. We’ve got a new, large Bloody Mary Cedar Ridge Whiskey and Vodka Garden this year. I can go on and on,” Shipman says. “We’ve got a ton of new bands coming in. Some of them we’re able to get across the pond into the U.S., so we’ve got all kinds of Keltic and Irish bands coming from all over the U.S. this year.”

The 15th annual Iowa Irish Fest begins this afternoon and continues through early Sunday evening. Event organizers have launched an Iowa Irish Fest phone app, which is available on the Apple and Google store. The newly developed app allows users to purchase tickets and view the entertainment schedule, among other things.