Police in Council Bluffs are asking for your help in locating a wanted, dangerous fugitive. Authorities say 29-year old Jamie Kennedy, of Council Bluffs, should be considered ARMED and DANGEROUS, and should not be approached. At around 10:30 this (Tuesday) morning, Council Bluffs Police Officers working with Federal Officers were in the area of 26th and Ave F looking for Kennedy.

Fugitive Jamie Kennedy

Officers located him parked in a driveway in the 2600 block of Avenue F. His vehicle was parked in front of another vehicle, in the driveway.  When Officers confronted Kennedy, he intentionally drove around a parked pickup and rammed a Council Bluffs officer’s car numerous times.  The officer was out of his vehicle and was taking cover behind his car at the time.

A “HELP AN OFFICER”was called and numerous other officers proceeded to the scene.  Kennedy was able to drive over a fence and push the officer’s car out of the way. Council Bluffs and Federal officers pursued the vehicle.  The vehicle went the wrong way over the I-480 bridge into Omaha.  CBPD Officers exiting at 10th and Dodge, did not see the vehicle come off the Douglas St. ramp.

Nebraska law enforcement officers located the vehicle Kennedy had been driving, abandoned near Northridge and Ida Streets in Omaha.  No injuries officers were injured during the incident. There was significant damage done to a fence at the property and to the officer’s car.

Additional warrants are being applied for Jamie Kennedy’s arrest stemming from the incident this morning. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Jamie Kennedy are encouraged to contact 9-1-1 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328- STOP (7867)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Board members of an insurance program for Iowa’s municipal governments are rethinking their long-standing practice of holding public meetings at resorts in other states. Directors of the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool have faced criticism since The Associated Press reported last month that they have long held meetings once a year at getaway destinations in Florida and Michigan. Those trips have cost pool members tens of thousands of dollars and made the meetings inaccessible to the public. The pool provides insurance to hundreds of counties, cities and other local government agencies.

Board chairman Jody Smith says the board is not planning to meet in Florida in February but that members may still attend an annual insurance conference there. He says the board has gotten a refund for the $1,000 deposit that it had put down to reserve a Michigan resort for its August 2020 meeting. Smith says the location of that meeting will be determined early next year. Smith had previously defended the Michigan meetings.

SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — Attorneys for a child who was sexually assaulted by a teacher at an Iowa school have announced a $650,000 settlement paid by four school districts. Spirit Lake attorney John Sandy says the settlement was agreed to by the school boards of Sibley-Ocheyedan, Sioux City, Akron-Westfield, and Mediapolis districts. The lawsuit stemmed from the case of Kyle Ewinger, who was convicted in February of sexually abusing a student at Sibley-Ocheyedan. Prosecutors say Ewinger was a coach and teacher at the school in 2015 when he was found sleeping in his classroom beside a 10-year-old boy and fired.

Ewinger also was convicted in Nebraska last year of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old boy and is serving decades in prison. Sandy says Ewinger was first suspected of inappropriate behavior with a student at Mediapolis in 2004, but the school district agreed not to report the behavior in exchange for his resignation. Sandy says Ewinger later taught at the Akron-Westerfield and Sioux City districts, which also didn’t report concerns.

Today (Tuesday, October 22), during a regularly scheduled public meeting, the Mills County Board of Supervisors agreed to proceed with Phase 2 of the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program property buyouts for properties located in the flood-affected areas of unincorporated Mills County, Iowa.

Phase 1 identified forty (40) residential properties that will be pursued for buyout. Phase 2 will consist of one-on-one discussions with the remaining thirty-nine (39) property owners, based upon criteria adopted by the Board of Supervisors, to determine the best course of action for all parties. The discussions will be held by the Mills County Board of Supervisors in the Board of Supervisors’ room at the Mills County Courthouse.

The Board has set aside October 29, 2019, between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.; October 30, 2019, between 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.; and October 31, 2019 between 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to conduct the individual discussions. The Mills County Auditor’s Office will be contacting the remaining eligible property owners to schedule an appointment with the Mills County Board of Supervisors.

The Board is aware that these times may not be convenient for everyone and expressed their willingness to accommodate all eligible property owners to engage in these discussions. If these set times are not convenient the Board will make other arrangements at the convenience of property owners.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office is asking for your help in locating a man suffering from Dementia, who was discovered missing from a residence about two-miles northwest of Clarinda. 68-year old Dale Allen Hodtwalker was reported missing at around 8:30-a.m. today (Tuesday), from 1905 P Avenue, in rural Clarinda. Mr. Hodtwalker is about six-feet tall, and weighs around 140 pounds. He has grey hair, a grey beard, and blue eyes, and was last seen in the residence, wearing a grey or blue t-shirt, grey and black Pajama pants and white socks. Family members said that Hodtwalker is unstable on his feet and walks with a severe limp. He also can’t speak and can hardly hear.

Dale Hodtwalker

Family members at the residence said that no shoes or coats are missing from the residence. The Page County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of the property. Page County Emergency Management arrived and a search of the area residences / outbuildings within a mile radius was conducted. At this time Clarinda Fire Department, Clarinda Ambulance Service, and a private citizen with an airplane joined the search. Page County’s K-9 Lucas and handler were also called out to search. Montgomery County Emergency Management was then contacted and came to the scene to deploy a drone to search from the air also.

An extensive search of the area was underway over the noon hour. The photo to the right is the most recent photo, however family members have said that Hodtwalker’s beard and hair are completely grey in color at this time. Anyone with any information about Hodtwalker or his whereabouts is asked to contact the Page County Sheriff’s Office 712-246-5193, Pagecomm Dispatch 712-542-1419, or their local Law Enforcement agency.

The Atlantic Police Department has released a report on arrests dating back to Sept. 21st. Most recently, three people were arrested last Saturday, in Atlantic:

• 55-year old Michael Nielsen, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Theft in the 4th Degree.
• 51-year old Dana Charles, and 56-year old David Charles, both of Atlantic, were arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Meth) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

On Oct. 16th, 24-year old Tyler Osborn, of Atlantic, was arrested for Operating a vehicle without the owners’ consent, and Driving While Barred. On Oct. 12th, 45-year old Dan Christensen, of Atlantic, was arrested for Harassment in the 2nd Degree, and 31-year old Justin Cooley, of Atlantic, was arrested for Theft in the 3rd Degree. On Oct. 11th, 18-year old Tyzha Clark, of Gilbert, and 18-year old Novita Haygood, of Des Moines, were arrested in Atlantic for Burglary in the 2nd Degree.

Oct. 9th, 45-year old Dan Christensen, of Atlantic, was arrested for  Disorderly Conducts and Public Intoxication. On Oct. 5th, 19-year old Corbin Loudermilk, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Child Endangerment, and 39-year old April Zarbano, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI/1st offense.

On Sept. 29th, 22-year old TK Narios, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Violation of Probation, and 30-year old Andrew Nickum, of Adair, was arrested for Assault Causing Bodily Injury. 33-year old Tony Mack, of Atlantic, was arrested Sept. 25th, for Public Intoxication, and 32-year old Aaron Ihnken, of Atlantic, was arrested Sept. 21st, for Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Theft in the 5th, Simple Assault, and Trespassing/1st offense.

All subjects were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School Board, Monday night, went over the 2019-20 Certified Enrollment numbers, and approved an Early Retirement Plan for the 2019-20 School Year. Superintendent Trevor Miller told KJAN News the Certified Enrollment numbers are essentially unchanged from last year. Miller said their actual count – which school funding from the State is dependent on – was 422.3, down from 427.21, or down 4.91 students this year. He said actual number of “Butts in seats” (students the District is serving), is 372.9, compared with 377.41. That’s a decline of roughly 4.51 as of Oct. 1st. Miller said they actually gained five students after the count was certified, so they are about where they thought they would be.

He said they would probably be down 10 or 11 student next year because of graduation. They’ve set their budget over the past few years in anticipation of the drop. The Board also approved the District’s Certified Annual Report (CAR). Miller said the good news is that their General Fund is up $300,000 from the start of last year to the end of last year, which was also factored into the budget.

In other news, the Exira-EHK Board also approved an Early Retirement Plan. They will offer 75% of salary for Certified and Classified Staff. 11 personnel are eligible, who if they elect to take Early Retirement, will received 75% of their salary next July, A meeting will be held next Monday to plan and set the dates for eligible staff. After that, those personnel have 45 days to make their decision, which allows the District the opportunity to begin the search for replacement staff. Miller says about three-or four veteran teachers who have served the District for anywhere from 25-to 30 years, and the District wants to reward them for their time.

Miller also reminds District patrons to get out and vote during the City/School Elections, on Nov. 5th.

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) — A hearing to determine whether key evidence can be used against a man charged in the killing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts has been delayed. Cristhian Bahena Rivera is charged with murder in the July 2018 killing. Prosecutors acknowledged last week that officers didn’t read Rivera his rights during an interrogation before Tibbetts’ body was recovered.

A court official says a hearing scheduled for today (Tuesday) to decide if the information from that interrogation could be used to rebut testimony was postponed because a defense lawyer’s parent has died. It will be rescheduled. The 25-year-old man is scheduled for trial in February. Prosecutors allege Rivera stalked Tibbetts while she was running near her hometown of Brooklyn, stabbed her to death and dumped her body in a cornfield.

Members of the Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will hold a Work Session 5:30-p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 23rd), in the High School Media Center. No action is expected. The Board will discuss a Facility Project Update, Financial Update, and Planning. Superintendent Steve Barber will remind the Board as well, of notable, upcoming dates, including:

• City/School elections on Nov. 5th
• The Annual Organizational Meeting 5:30-p.m. Nov. 19th
• And the IASB Delegate Assembly & School Board Convention, set for Nov. 20th & 21st.

PEOSTA, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa city council has accepted the resignation of their mayor despite his request that they let him remain in office. The Telegraph Herald reports that Larry Mescher quit in an email sent Oct. 13 to the Peosta council members. It was sent just days after a contentious council meeting and follow-up work session on Oct. 11 regarding a proposed study on moving City Hall offices from Peosta Community Centre to the city’s new police station.

On Oct. 15, however, Mescher sent another email, saying that in haste “and a bit of anger, I sent out an email that I resign. I would like to apologize and ask that you allow me to rescind my previous email.” On Monday night, the council said no. Council Member John Kraft said the city needed its leader to step up when the city hits tough times and then told Mescher: “Unfortunately, I feel you jumped ship.”