SIOUX CITY, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — Woodbury County leaders hope voters will approve building a new $50.3 million jail on the outskirts of Sioux City. The new larger jail would replace a building built in 1987 that is dealing with a number of mechanical problems. Consultants have identified $22 million in upgrades that are needed in the current jail’s heating and cooling system.

County Supervisor Keith Radig says it makes sense to invest in a new facility instead of repairing the current jail. Voters will decide March 3 whether to build a new 110,000-square-foot jail that could house 440 inmates. The current jail holds roughly 230 inmates.

 CEDAR RAPIDS – The Iowa Dept. of Corrections reports 24-year old Elijah Malik Hayes, who was convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree in Scott County, failed to report back to the Larry A Nelson Residential Center as required this weekend.

Elijah Hayes

Hayes is a 24-year-old black male, height 6’0″, and weighs 187 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on January 14, 2020. Persons with information on Hayes’ whereabouts should contact local police.

The Audubon School District’s Board of Education will hold a Special Meeting 6-p.m. Monday (Feb. 24), in their Boardroom at the High School. The only action item on their agenda comes during the “Communications and Updates” segment, when the Board will present its opening Bargaining Proposal to the Audubon Education Association.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Des Moines say they’ve arrested three teens suspected in a spate of robberies carried out after the victims agreed to meet up with people they met online. Police say they noted several similarities in a rash of robberies reported between Feb. 7 and Feb. 13 and were soon able to identify suspects. On Friday, detectives executed search warrants at two Des Moines residences, and police say evidence connected to the robberies was recovered. Police say three suspects were then arrested at a local high school. Police say two 16-year-old boys and a 17-year-old boy have been charged with robbery.

ROCK PORT, Mo. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Omaha District says work crews have closed the final breach of a Missouri River levee in the far northwest corner of Missouri that broke open during massive flooding last year. The break just southwest of Rock Port was one of several along the levee section that saw thousands of rural acres submerged and a section of Interstate 29 and other roads in the region damaged and closed to traffic. The Corps says crews will continue restoring the levee section to its pre-flood height. Crews have been scrambling to make repairs ahead of spring and the likelihood of renewed flooding along the river in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Democratic Party is agreeing to recount the tallies in about two dozen of more than 1,600 precincts as part of the ongoing process to resolve the weeks-long question of who won Iowa’s tarnished presidential caucuses. Campaign officials for former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders asked for a combined 23 precincts to be recounted after the state party invited campaigns to request recounts in light of results of a recanvass which showed Buttigieg finishing a tiny fraction of a percentage point ahead of Sanders in the delegate equivalency.

The second house fire in a week to affect a residence near Villisca took place late Friday night, south of Villisca. According to reports, a home at 1372 Highway 71 was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived a short time after 10:40-p.m.

Water tanker trucks from Clarinda and Stanton were called to assist crews from Villisca, with several trips being made between the department to keep the tankers filled. Highway 71 was closed to traffics in the area so those trucks could make it to the scene unencumbered. Also on the scene were the Red Oak and Villisca’s EMS units, Montgomery and Page County Sheriff’s Deputies, officials with the Rural Water District, and MidAmerican Energy.

The home was a complete loss. No injuries were reported. Firefighters were at the scene for about three-hours and 15-minutes, with activities wrapped-up by around 2-a.m., Saturday.  A cause of the fire had not been determined as of the latest report. The State Fire Marshall’s Office was contacted to complete the investigation.

You may recall, that at around 8:15-p.m. on February 14th, Villisca Fire & Rescue were paged to 3269 260th Street, also for a working residential structure fire. No injuries were reported with that blaze, which remains under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Des Moines say they’ve arrested three teens suspected in a spate of robberies carried out after the victims agreed to meet up with people they met online. Police say they noted several similarities in a rash of robberies reported between Feb. 7 and Feb. 13 and were soon able to identify suspects.

On Friday, detectives executed search warrants at two Des Moines residences, and police say evidence connected to the robberies was recovered. Police say three suspects were then arrested at a local high school. Police say two 16-year-old boys and a 17-year-old boy have been charged with robbery.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Red Oak Police report two men were arrested early Friday morning, after authorities received a report of shots fired in the 600 block area of Riverview Avenue, on the southwest side of Red Oak. The initial call that came in a little after 12-a.m. Friday, made it sound as if there had been an exchange of gunfire at that location. A preliminary investigation determined 36-year old Neil Todd Batten, of Red Oak, and 25-year old Kendall Brian Kuhlman, of Glidden, got into a verbal confrontation that escalated into the discharge of weapons.

Authorities say Kuhlman, who is Batten’s ex-brother in law, fired a round from a .20-gauge shotgun, into the air. Batten then fired three rounds from a .12-gauge shotgun, which was loaded with bird shot, into the driver’s side door of a 1998 Ford Explorer, which caused the driver’s side door window to be blown out, and the driver’s seat head rest and door panel to be riddled with birds shot. Police said “Fortunately, Kendall Brian Kulhman was not inside the [vehicle]…and was not hurt.”

Kuhlman retreated to the east of the residence, while Batten went back inside the home at 604 Riverview Drive. Both men dialed 9-1-1 to report the incident, which started over some text messages involving “family dynamics.” Batten faces felony charges that include Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Assault while participating in a felony, as well as misdemeanor charges of Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon (Aggravated misdemeanor), and Reckless use of a firearm (Simple misdemeanor). He was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail. Kuhlman faces simple misdemeanor charges of Reckless Use of a Firearm, and Interference with official acts. His cash bond was set at $300.

Red Oak Police were assisted at the scene by deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Police in Red Oak, Friday night, arrested 45-year old Jason Ludwig Reents, of Clarinda. Reents was taken into custody for Public Intoxication. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail, and held on a $300 bond.