Steven W. Wells

Sheriff’s Deputies in Page County, today (Friday), arrested a College Springs man, for Driving While License is Barred. Steven William Wells , age 51, was arrested in College Springs and transported to the Page County Jail, where he was being held on $2,000 bond, pending further court proceedings.

MILLVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Officials say two people suffered only minor injuries when the small plane they were in crashed in northeastern Iowa. The Telegraph Herald reports that the crash happened Wednesday afternoon in a snow-covered field just east of Millville in Clayton County. The sheriff’s office says the 1963 single-engine Cessna attempted to make an emergency landing on a county road, but hit a snowbank and overturned.

Officials say the pilot, 44-year-old Joseph Bolton of Peosta, and his passenger, 43-year-old Eric Harbaugh of Russell, Kansas, suffered minor injuries that did not require medical attention.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of stabbing his mother to death in Sioux City last year has been ordered to stand trial. The Sioux City Journal reports that 31-year-old Paul Belk, of Beaufort, South Carolina, was in court Friday for a status hearing, where a judge set his first-degree murder trial for April 20 in Woodbury County. His attorneys have filed notice that Belk will use an insanity defense.

In addition to murder, Belk also faces charges of willful injury and possession of a controlled substance for the April 14 stabbing death of 55-year-old Lisa Belk in her Sioux City home. Police say Paul Belk also slashed his sister in a shoulder, but she has since recovered.

(Noon News, 2/26) – The Atlantic Police Department reports three arrests:

• Today (Friday), 29-year old Cody Christensen, of Atlantic, was arrested on Cass County warrants for Disorderly Conduct, and Assault causing serious injury. He was booked into the Cass County Jail.
• On Thursday, 36-year old Amber Rhodes, of Atlantic, was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree (Shoplifting). Rhodes was cited into court and released.
• And, on Wednesday, 42-year old Shane Seagler, of Massena, was arrested on Cass County warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and False report to a Public Entity. He was booked into the Cass County Jail.

(Radio Iowa) – The Greene County Sheriff’s Department is looking for the man who robbed a bank there Thursday. The robbery occurred at the People’s Bank in Scranton and was reported around 10:40 a-m on Thursday. Police say a man walked in, demanded money, and left with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured during the incident.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two recent arrests. On Wednesday, Feb 24th, 49-year old Stanley Oral Rossell, of Lewis, was arrested for Public Intoxication, Disorderly Conduct, and Interference with Official Acts. Rossell was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance. And, on Feb. 19th, Cass County Deputies arrested 22-year old Tylor Grace Thompson, of Lewis, for OWI/1st Offense. Thompson was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on her own recognizance.

The Iowa Department of Public Heath, Friday, at 10-a.m., reported an additional 714 positive COVID-19 test results returned from the labs since Thursday, for a pandemic total of 362,478. There were 25 additional deaths reported, for a total of 5,463. Locally, there were three more deaths in Cass County, for a pandemic total to-date, of 51, and there was one additional death in Adair County, for a total of 27.

Long-Term Care facility COVID-Outbreaks are steady at 18. Hospitalizations have fallen below 200 for the first time since July 14, 2020. The IDPH says there are 196 persons hospitalized with COVID, compared to 233 on Thursday. COVID patients in an ICU declined also, from 55 Thursday to 46 Friday.

There were 27 COVID patients admitted to hospitals across the State over the previous 24-hours, and 27 patients on a ventilator. Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: 10 people are hospitalized; four COVID patients are in an ICU, there were three people admitted with COVID symptoms, and one person was on a ventilator.

Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is 4.1%. The 7-day average is also 4.1%.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,328 cases; {+5}; 51 deaths
• Adair, 917; {+1}; 27
• Adams, 325 {+0}; 4
• Audubon, 483 {+0}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,161 {+1}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,789; {+2}; 69
• Madison County, 1,536; {+0}; 18
• Mills County, 1,627; {+4}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,039; {+1}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 10,733; {+19}; 141
• Shelby County, 1,201; {+1}; 33
• Union County,  1,262; {+2}; 31

(Radio Iowa) Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says truckers need to be moved up in the line for Covid-19 vaccinations.

The U-S Census Bureau estimates that are three-and-a-half million truck drivers in the country. Hinson says they’re critical to maintaining the food supply and to manufacturers who depend upon the prompt delivery of parts.

However, officials in the State of Iowa have indicated that with a limited supply of shots, only employees who cannot socially distance at their job site will be included. Hinson says she’s interested in finding a way to get truckers on the “essential worker” list. Hinson is in Washington, D.C., where the House is expected to vote on the one-point-nine TRILLION dollar pandemic relief package Democrats have developed.

In January, Hinson announced she’d vote against the package if it included increasing the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour.

The minimum wage increase remains in the House version, however it’s unclear if it will stay in the package when Senators vote on it.