(Radio Iowa) – One man is dead after a Tuesday afternoon shooting outside a downtown Waterloo convenience store. The victim collapsed on a highway median.
Police officers and Waterloo Fire Rescue personnel were called to the 1100 block of Washington Street around 4:30 PM. When they arrived, officials found a male suffering from a gunshot wound lying in the median across from the convenience store. Police say the victim, who has yet to be identified, died from the injury. The shooting happened right after a severe thunderstorm rolled through Waterloo, toppling trees and power lines across the city.

The incident forced officials to close down streets in the area while they gathered evidence. At the height of rush hour, southbound lanes of the U.S. Highway 218 overpass were closed for about three hours. Police are looking for a suspect and asking for the public’s help in the case. Anyone with information should contact Waterloo police.

(Radio Iowa) – A trucker from Eldridge, Iowa has been charged in Indiana with the death of his girlfriend’s four-year-old. Thirty-five-year-old Dylan Diericx (dirks) is charged with a felony count of neglect of a dependent resulting in death. The “News Sun” in Indiana reports Diericx called police in Shipshewana, Indiana on August 19th to report the child was unresponsive in the cab of his semi. The child was taken to the hospital and died. The report says Diericx told police the child was hurt while playing in the cab — but doctors say the child had multiple injuries that were not consistent with what Diericx told them.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office today (Wednesday) released a report on arrests and incidents from the past week. On Wednesday (Aug. 25), 45-year-old Sabrina C. Bobzien, of Ashland, NE., was arrested at around 1:25-a.m., after a Deputy came upon her vehicle, which was stopped in the travel lane on Highway 92 westbound, in Council Bluffs. Upon further investigation, Bobzien was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Her bond was set at $1,000.

At around 1:40-a.m. Tuesday (8/24), 22-year-old David George Mitchell was arrested for Possession of a controlled substance/marijuana – 1st offense, following a traffic stop Kanesville Blvd., in Council Bluffs. Sunday morning, a call to check the welfare of an individual at the Loves Travel Stop in Shelby, resulted in the arrested of a suspicious male, 30-year-old James Gordon Hatella, of Spring Lake Park, MN. He was arrested for being a Fugitive from Justice, and held for another agency.

At around 1:35-a.m. Sunday, 22-year-old Logan Nathaniel Schulze was arrested on a hold for another agency, following a traffic stop on an SUV in Council Bluffs. Saturday night, 26-year-old Alexander Zacchaeus Hillers was arrested in Council Bluffs, following a traffic stop on Old Lincoln Highway. Hillers was charged with OWI/1st offense. Friday night, 32-year old Nikki Mae Brown was arrested following a traffic stop in Carson. She was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense, after a Deputy noticed her several times, her vehicle crossed the center line and fog line of Highway 59, near Dogwood Lane.

Friday afternoon, 32-year-old Benjamin Paul Jones was arrested in Honey Creek for OWI/1st offense, after authorities investigated a reported suspicious vehicle.

(Radio Iowa) – A group has formed with the intent of removing the name Columbus from Waterloo Columbus High School. Group member John McCoy says they are concerned about the history of the explorer Christopher Columbus. “I first became aware of it in the summer of 2020. John Farley, a sociologist, professor, had started a group that was investigating the history of Christopher Columbus. The concern was that the history as taught to us in grade school and high school was not accurate,” McCoy says.

Mccoy says that as they began to research the voyages of Columbus troubling information began surfacing. “This group was concerned that what was not disclosed was the inhuman treatment of Native Americans,” McCoy. The group presented its case to the Cedar Valley Catholic School Board and the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

Waterloo Columbus logo

“The board denied the name change, also said our faith has never been identified holiness with perfection of behavior,” McCoy says. “And we are saying we are not criticizing Christopher Columbus because he wasn’t perfect — it was because he was involved in human slavery. sexual abuse, mutilation, and killing of Native Americans. McCoy says since their request has been denied, the group is looking to raise awareness of the issue.

(Radio Iowa) – A single-vehicle rollover accident Monday morning in rural Emmet County has claimed the life of a Graettinger woman. According to Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens says a 2011 Toyota Tundra was traveling southbound on a county road when it entered the east ditch then struck a field approach before flipping onto its top. The driver, 66-year-old Kim Driftmier of rural Graettinger, was trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by personnel on the scene.

Driftmier was transported to Avera Holy Family Hospital where she later died from her injuries. The Emmet County Medical Examiner’s Office has ordered an autopsy as part of the investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says congress likely cannot ban private companies from requiring Covid vaccinations among employees. Grassley cites the lawsuit challenging a vaccine mandate for staff at a Houston hospital that was dismissed in June. The federal judge said the hospital was making a choice to keep staff, patients and their families safer. “I imagine you’re going to have more employers, both hospital as well as other private employers, mandate it now that FDA has given permanent approval to some of the vaccines,” Grassley says.

Earlier this week, a California senator said she’s looking into how the federal government can encourage more Americans to get vaccinated. Grassley says he’d oppose any mandate. “I would not want to vote to make vaccinations mandatory,” Grassley says.  Grassley, who is 87, tested positive for Covid last November, but the senator says he did not suffer from any of the symptoms of the virus. Grassley was vaccinated earlier this year and has encouraged Iowans to get the shot, calling it the only way to we’ll beat the virus and get back our way of life.

(Davenport. Iowa) – The Department of Corrections reports Justin Antonio McGowan, who was convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter and Going Armed with Intent in Scott County, failed to report to the Davenport Facility as required, Tuesday.  Officials say McGowan is a 34-year-old Black male, height 5′ 8″, and weighs 245 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on May 6, 2021. Persons with information on McGowan’s whereabouts should contact local police.

McGowan

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, learned the County Fire Association had received a Department of Homeland Security grant for the purchase of mobile radios used for communication between departments and the Cass County Communications Center. Former Fire Chief and volunteer firefighter Mark McNees, is the project manager.

The project period and the budget period for the grant started August 23^rd and continues August 22, 2023. McNees said the radios will be distributed to most of the County Fire Departments.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon explained, it’ll bring more County emergency personnel and equipment into the 700-megahertz frequency band, so they can better facilitate communications.

Mark McNees was looking for 100-percent of the matching grant from the Board. It’s possible (American Rescue Plan (ARP) Funds could be used for the purpose. Board Chair Steve Baier said he would look into it. Action on the request for matching funds is expected to take place at a future Board’s meeting.

In other business, the Board set Sept. 14^th as the date for a Public Hearing on amending the Cass County FY22 Budget, which is necessary due to the inclusion of CARES ACT funding. And, the Board approved the appointments of James Stokley, from Anita, to the County Conservation Board, as well as Patricia Ostrus and Ray Ostrus as Franklin Township Clerk and Trustee, respectively, for the remainders of those office terms. Stokley will fill a seat on the Conservation Board until 12/31/2022.

Page County Sheriff’s Deputies, Tuesday, arrested a man at the Pottawattamie County Jail. Authorities say 30-year-old Thomas Jeffrey Engstrand, of Braddyville, was taken into custody on a Page County warrant for Controlled substance violation and Possession of a controlled substance – 3rd or subsequent offense.  He was transported to the Page county Jail and held on $10,000 bond, pending further court appearances.

Thomas Jeffrey Engstrand