(Brooklyn, Iowa) – A collision between a semi tractor-trailer and a farm tractor, Monday evening in Poweshiek County, left the driver of the semi dead and the tractor driver injured. The accident happened at around 6-p.m. on County Highway V-18.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2007 Kenworth semi driven by 68-year-old Garland Alan Roth, of Grinnell, struck the rear of a grain wagon being pulled by John Deere 8520 tractor. The tractor was being driven by 72-year-old Charles E. Griffith, of Brooklyn. Both vehicles were traveling northbound. Following the collision, the the semi came to rest on its side in the west ditch. The farm tractor remained on the highway.

Roth died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt. Charles Griffith was transported by private vehicle to the hospital in Grinnell. The accident was under investigation.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a man from Mount Vernon, Washington. 22-year-old Brian James Bell, was sentenced Friday, September 30, 2022, to 66 months (5 1/2 years) in prison, following his plea in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, to a charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

In June 2021, Bell was involved in a traffic accident on Interstate 29. Law enforcement arrived on the scene and observed Bell carrying a backpack away from the accident site. A During a probable cause search of the vehicle and backpack, law enforcement located 97 grams of methamphetamine and two loaded firearms.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Pottawattamie Sheriff’s Department and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A man from Pottawattamie County was sentenced last Friday in Council Bluffs District Court, on drug charges. 58-year-old Scott Paul Polinski, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

In October 2021, Polinski was on parole with the State of Iowa Fourth Judicial District Probation and Parole Department for prior distribution of methamphetamine convictions. Officers received information that Polinski was selling methamphetamine out of his home. Officers went to Polinksi’s address to complete a home visit and speak with Polinski. Officers located 264 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia related to distributing illegal drugs.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, Fourth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services Probation and Parole Department, and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Small non-farm businesses in 14 Iowa counties and neighboring counties in Minnesota and Nebraska are now eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced Director Tanya N. Garfield of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West. These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought in the following primary counties that began Aug. 2, 2022.

Primary Iowa counties: Harrison, Humboldt and Kossuth;

Neighboring counties: Crawford, Emmet, Hancock, Monona, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Pottawattamie, Shelby, Webster, Winnebago and Wright;

Neighboring Minnesota counties: Faribault and Martin;

Neighboring Nebraska counties: Burt and Washington.

“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster and businesses directly impacted by the disaster,” Garfield said.

Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

“Eligibility for these loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 3.04 percent for businesses and 1.875 percent for private nonprofit organizations, a maximum term of 30 years and are available to small businesses and most private nonprofits without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” Garfield said.

By law, SBA makes Economic Injury Disaster Loans available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared this disaster on Sept. 26, 2022.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance in drought disasters.

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The deadline to apply for economic injury is May 26, 2023.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports two men were arrested Saturday night in Stuart, following a incident at a motel.  Stuart Police arrested 21-year-old Jayson Omar Perez, of Monte Alto, TX, and 27-year-old Fernando Becerra, Jr., of Weslaco, TX, for Willful Injury causing serious injury, after they allegedly assaulted a woman by hitting her with beer bottles and once she was on the ground, continued to kick and hit her. Perez was also wanted on warrants from Hidalgo County, TX, for three counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Both men were being held in the Adair County Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond, each, with Perez being held while awaiting an initial appearance on the Texas warrants.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports also:

• 32-year-old Stephanie Danielle Klos, of Creston, was arrested at around 1:53-a.m. Saturday in Adair County on a Union County warrant, and transferred directly to the custody of Union County Deputies.
• Late Friday morning, 38-year-old Kristin Nicole Ladd, of Greenfield, was arrested at Ridge View Park and Highway 25, for “Simulated Public Intoxication,” 1st offense. She was released later that same afternoon, on a $300 c/s bond. Ladd had previously been arrested on Sept. 28th, for OWI/1st offense. She was released the next day on a $1,000 c/s bond.
• A little after 1-a.m., Friday, 50-year-old Christopher Scott Partlow, of Menlo, was arrested by Police in Adair, for OWI/2nd offense, after his breath alcohol content (BrAC) registered .116%. Partlow was cited and later released.
• 64-year-old Debrea Jo Dukes, of Fontanelle, was arrested for OWI/1st offense last Wednesday night, in Greenfield, after she tested at .106% for intoxication. She was released with a citation.
• Three other individuals were cited and later released in Adair County:
  • 38-year-old Zackary John Richardson, of Greenfield, was arrested Sept. 25th for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop. He tested at .221% for intoxication.
  • 32-year-old Joshua Christopher Matthew Naujock, of Greenfield, was cited Sept. 26th for Trespassing
  • and, 39-year-old Nicole Irene Leusink, of Greenfield, was arrested Sept. 26th, for Disorderly Conduct, after allegedly hitting a person several times, with her fist. Leusink was released with a citation, later that same evening.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and Democratic challenger Deidre DeJear are both talking about a Reynolds campaign ad that briefly features a Missouri congresswoman. Reynolds recited part of the ad script to the crowd at her fundraiser this past weekend. “When you’re watching the news and you see what’s happening, you have to wonder: Has the rest of the country lost its mind?” Reynolds asked.

Twenty-four hours later, DeJear talked about the ad at an Iowa Democratic Party fundraiser. “When I first saw the ad, I’ll be honest — I was like: ‘Oh! She’s got a real cute look alike for me,’” DeJear said, drawing laughter from the crowd. “I lean in and realize it’s a congresswoman from another state, a congresswoman who on that specific issue in that ad, we have a difference of opinion.”

The woman in the ad is Cori Bush of St. Louis, a Black Lives Matter activist who has called for defunding the police. Reynolds did not mention DeJear’s name during her speech this weekend. “She won’t stand with law enforcement when it matters,” Reynolds said, after referring to DeJear as “my opponent.”

DeJear has said she opposes calls to defund the police. DeJear urged Democrats who have opposing views on the concept to unite behind all Democratic candidates. “We are not going to allow anybody to divide us, despite the differences of opinion,” DeJear said late Sunday afternoon at the Iowa Democratic Party’s fundraiser.

There are 36 days left in the 2022 campaign.