(Radio Iowa) — The former Wing Commander of the 185th Air National Guard Refueling Wing has been promoted to Brigadier General and given new duties. Former Colonel Larry Christensen received his star in ceremonies at the 185th Sunday afternoon. “This wasn’t just about me. This was about my team and the people I have around me. The Midwest work ethic is alive and well today,” Christensen says. “The 185th Air Refueling Wing is a fully operational unit that travels all over the world pretty much all year round. It shows, because this is the third year that we’ve won the outstanding unit award.”

Brig. General Larry Christensen.

Christensen was presented his promotion by Major General Moe Sauley, a longtime friend.  “If you look at his biography and the jobs that he has held around the wing — he is the most well-prepared person I have seen to become a general officer,” Sauley says.  Christensen talks about his new duties. “I’ll be the chief of staff down at the Joint Force Headquarters in Des Moines. I’ll still be representing the 185th here in Sioux City, the 133rd in Fort Dodge and the 132nd in Des Moines,” Christensen says.

Christensen is a Sergeant Bluff native who began his military career as a fighter pilot. He has flown the U.S. Air Force A-7 Corsair, the F-16 Falcon and the KC-135 Stratotanker.

An eastern Iowa man has been charged with first-degree murder for a shooting that killed his nephew. The Quad-City Times reports that 51-year-old Brian Francisco Duque, of Riverdale, was being held without bond at Scott County Jail. Authorities say they were called to a house shortly before 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Sheriff’s deputies attempted to revive 32-year-old Terry Warner, but he had already died from his wounds. According to an arrest affidavit, Duque was arguing with Warner, his nephew who also lived at the house. Duque allegedly grabbed a 9-millimeter handgun from his bedroom and shot Warner once.

(Radio Iowa) — A central Iowa man may face stiff fines after killing six trumpeter swans. Acting on a tip, the Iowa DNR sent a conservation officer to Paul Errington Marsh, near Ankeny, on Friday where the officer witnessed a man shooting a trumpeter swan. As the officer approached, the man shot a second swan and had several others dead nearby. The DNR says 28-year-old Loai Abdulal, of Ankeny, says he mistook the swans for geese. Abdulal’s shotgun was seized and if convicted, he’ll face a $1,500 civil penalty for each of the six birds.

Officials in Marion are moving forward with plans to build a new city library with public funding. The Gazette reports that city council members authorized city staff Thursday to work with a bond lawyer and start a public notice process for issuing up to $7 million in debt to help finance the project. Advocates say the expanded space is badly needed to meet growing demand. The city’s action comes after years of debate and false starts.

A traffic stop at around 1:40-a.m. Sunday in Pottawattamie County, resulted in the arrest of a man from Nebraska.  23-year old Domingo Lopez, of Omaha, was stopped on Highway 6 and 340th Street, for speeding 84 in a 55 mph zone. Lopez had no ID. He was transported to the Pott. County Jail and charged with Open Container/Driver. He was also held for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) once an interpreter was able to help identify Lopez and determine his immigration status.

And, a traffic stop Friday evening in Council Bluffs on a vehicle with no front plate and an unreadable rear license plate, resulted in the arrest of 36-year old Zachary John Morrison, from Grant. Morrison was being held in the Pott. County Jail on a HOLD for another agency.

(Radio Iowa) — Several Democratic presidential candidates were in Iowa over the weekend, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who ended four-day swing through the state with a town hall in Indianola on Sunday. Sanders said his Medicare For All proposal will be better for middle class Americans than those of his Democratic competitors.  “For all my critics who don’t want to take on the healthcare industry, you go tell your constituents that Bernie’s proposal will cost the average American worker $1,200 a year. Their proposal will cost $12,000 dollars a year,” Sanders says. “I think we got the better deal here.”

Sanders spent much of the town hall taking questions from the audience. Natalie Harwood, of Windsor Heights, attended the event and says she and her spouse caucused for Sanders four years ago. While they started this year undecided, Harwood says they’ll support Sanders again in 2020.  “Every issue that matters to me, other candidates equivocate on it, cave on it, walk comments back,” Harwood says. “Like, ‘Oh, I co-sponsored Medicare For All but, just kidding, I don’t think it’s actually a priority.’ Or, ‘I think a public option is fine.’ It doesn’t really feel like they understand what people are facing.”

Harwood says healthcare is one of her top issues in the presidential race. There are 56 days until the first-in-the-nation Iowa Caucuses.

(Reporting by Clay Masters, Iowa Public Radio)

An eastern Iowa man has been charged with first-degree murder for a shooting that killed his housemate. The Quad-City Times reports that 51-year-old Brian Francisco Duque, of Riverdale, was being held without bond at Scott County Jail. Authorities say they were called to the house shortly before 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Sheriff’s deputies attempted to revive the unnamed shooting victim, but the victim had already died from his wounds.

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

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The Creston Police Department reports several recent arrests. At around 3-a.m. Sunday, 21-year old Kendrick Davis, of Creston, was arrested on charges of Theft in the 2nd  and Burglary 2nd Degrees. Davis was later released from the Union County Jail on a $15,000 bond. At around 10:15-a.m. Sunday, 37-year old Becky Bochniak, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Suspended. She was released from the Union County Jail on a $300 bond. Sunday afternoon, 45-year old Douglas Stevens, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Barred. He was released from the Union County Jail on a $2000 bond. And, Sunday evening, 35-year old Leslie Smith, of Mount Ayr, was arrested in Creston for Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs and Driving While Suspended. He was released from the Union County Jail on a $1300 bond.

43-year old Jeffrey John Henkelman, of Osceola, was arrested Sunday afternoon in Creston, on a warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree along with urinating/or defecating in Public. He was later released on a $300 bond.

46-year old Jay Rains, of Creston, was arrested Saturday evening, for Public Intoxication. He was later released on a $300 bond. Friday night, 52-year old Craig Cottrell, of Creston, was arrested for Simple Assault. He was released on a Promise to Appear.

Creston Police received five reports of break-in’s and/or vandalism over the past few days. This past Friday: a Creston man reported that during the overnight hours of Thursday into Friday, someone broke into his residence and stole DVDS, a 24 inch TV, 2 DVD players. Estimated loss of $420; The Casey’s store on New York Ave. in Creston reported to Police Friday, that recently someone had vandalized the West Side of the building with Orange Spray Paint. Estimated damage of $50;  and, a Creston woman reported that during the overnight hours Thursday into Friday, someone entered the garage at her residence in the 700 block of N. Poplar in Creston, and stole a Dewalt Radio and Dewalt Air Compressor. The loss was estimated at $450.

And, Saturday evening, a Creston man reported to Police that someone had entered his home in the 300 block of S. Vine Street, and stole a handgun that was in a locked case. The loss was estimated at $200.

Authorities say a man has drowned in northwest Missouri while attempting to retrieve a boat that was adrift on the Missouri River. The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the victim as 30-year-old Benjamin Hirner, of Mokane, MO. The patrol says he went into the water Friday just north of where the Nishnabotna River flows into the Missouri River in Atchison County. A Nebraska Air National Guard helicopter flew him to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was pronounced dead. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources also assisted at the scene.