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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) — The body of a missing Fort Dodge man was found late last night (Monday) in East Lake Okoboji. The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office says at around 11:53 P.M. Monday, deputies were walking the docks and shoreline near the Barefoot Bar when one of the deputies located an object in the water 45 yards from shore and 15 yards east of a dock. The deputies determined that it was a body and contacted the Arnolds Park/Okoboji Dive, team. Upon recovery of the body, authorities identified it as the body of 24-year-old Vincent Harvey who was reported missing on Sunday.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — One of five men accused in a southeast Iowa slaying has been given 15 years in prison. Des Moines County District Court records say 28-year-old Andre Harris was sentenced Monday. He pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy and other crimes. His plea deal called for him to testify against three of the others charged.

The five were charged with killing Demarcus “Peanut” Chew on Sept. 10, 2017, outside his mother’s apartment in Burlington. Another of the five, Antoine Spann, also took a deal and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa’s Attorney General is suing the seller of an ice scraper he says violated state buying club laws. Attorney General Tom Miller says Robert Schermerhorn of Dunedin, Florida sold the “Miracle Scraper” to at least 280 Iowans. Miller says customers who paid 20 dollars for the scraper were unknowingly enrolled in a buying club without their knowledge or consent. He says customers had to call a separate number to cancel the club membership and avoid being charged nine-95 each month.

Miracle scraper

The A-G is seeking an injunction preventing Schermerhorn from selling the scraper and the memberships to Iowa consumers. It also asks a judge to declare the memberships and fees void — and require Schermerhorn to make refunds. He’s also asking for a fine of up to 40-thousand dollars for each separate violation of the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa teenager has pleaded guilty to gang and terrorism charges. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that 16-year-old Justin Gilmore is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 4. His plea agreement says prosecutors will recommend probation and suspended prison sentences for each charge: providing support for terrorism, conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony, criminal gang participation and gang recruitment.

Prosecutor Andrew Olson said Monday that he can’t share more details about the case, including the Mason City locations that were threatened, how they were threatened and whether other people have been charged. A judge ruled in March that Gilmore’s case would not be handled in juvenile court.

(Radio Iowa) — Two prominent politicians from opposing parties held an event Monday to call for approval of the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement. The new deal would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, updating some provisions and changing others. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley appeared at a dairy in Des Moines with Democrat Tom Vilsack, the former Iowa governor who served as President Obama’s agriculture secretary. “When everybody thinks everything in Washington is partisan and there’s an opportunity to stress bipartisanship — and with somebody of Governor Vilsack’s background particularly as secretary of agriculture for eight years in the previous administration, it brings credibility,” Grassley told reporters.

Vilsack is now the president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “It is the hope of the dairy industry and dairy farmers across the US that we get this ratified before the end of the year,” Vilsack said. “We don’t want this bleeding into 2020 and all the political ramifications of that year.” Vilsack says trade tensions with China are an should be the “impetus” or incentive for getting the U-S-M-C-A ratified.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Amy Mayer)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) — A judge has approved a plea deal that imposes two years’ probation and a suspended prison term for an Iowa farmer who appeared on “The Bachelor.” Court records say the judge accepted the plea agreement Monday between Chris Soules and prosecutors. Soules pleaded guilty in November to a reduced charge of leaving the scene of a serious injury accident for the April 2017 crash that killed 66-year-old Kenny Mosher.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Another Iowa Democrat has entered the primary race to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. Mike Franken said in an introductory video Monday that he’s “not afraid to stand up for the proud progressive principles that Iowa Democrats share.” Franken retired from the U.S. Navy as a three-star admiral in October 2017. His career included ship commands and years in senior policymaking, strategy, and planning roles for the Defense Department. He was born and raised in rural northwest Iowa.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque man has pleaded guilty to taking estate money without permission and giving it to charities. The Telegraph Herald reports that 45-year-old Robert Young Jr. is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 21. Court documents say Young had been appointed personal administrator of the estate of Thomas Palmer, who died in 2017. The documents say Young paid off Palmer’s bills and then donated more than $31,500 to charities without a court’s permission.

A traffic stop at around 10:40-p.m. Monday, in Red Oak, resulted in the driver being arrested for OWI. Red Oak Police say officers on routine patrol stopped a vehicle driven by 46-year old Ronda Ruby Porter, of Stanton, and upon further investigation, arrested her for OWI/1st offense. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports crews suspended a search at around 10:30-p.m. Monday for a boater reported missing shortly after 5-p.m. that day. Aistrope says the Sheriff’s Office was contacted about the boater missing at the Goldenrod Boat Access to the West Nishnabota River located near the intersection of Highway 275 and Hghway 333, east of Hamburg.

An unoccupied boat was located approximately 1 mile downstream from the boat access. Hamburg Fire and Rescue, Riverton Fire and Rescue, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa State Patrol, Montgomery County Emergency Management, and the Midwest Regional Dive Team were all called to the scene for assistance.

A search was conducted and was called off late Monday night. As of the last report, the boater had not been located.  Their name will not be released, pending notification of family members.  More information will be released as it becomes available.

Police in Red Oak, Monday, arrested 29-year old Mark Lee Parkinson, Jr., of Red Oak. Parkinson was taken into custody at around 4:30-p.m. for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.