Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department report officers were dispatched at around 1:15-p.m. Saturday, to 1100 South Shore Drive to the Missouri River boat ramp, where a vehicle was found partially submerged in the river.

They located a 4-door vehicle in the water, stuck by the ice and snow. Council Bluffs Fire Department personnel were able to check inside and found it unoccupied. Arrow Towing successfully pulled the vehicle out of the water after about 3 hours.

The vehicle, a silver Dodge Intrepid, was determined to have been stolen out of Fremont, Nebraska. Authorities said they do not know why the vehicle was in the lake nor is there any suspect/driver information at this time.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker says having been a big city mayor distinguishes him from his rivals for the 2020 Democratic nomination. Asked during a campaign stop in Marshalltown what separates him from fellow Sens. Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, he said it’s that he’s “run something.”

Booker was mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013 before being elected to the U.S. Senate. He says the experience running a troubled urban center during a financial crisis would help him as president.

Harris, a senator from California, was attorney general of her state for eight years before her 2016 election to the Senate. Warren, a Massachusetts senator, was a law school professor and a leading advocate for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau before entering the Senate.

ASBURY, Iowa (AP) — Hundreds of water-soaked library books in eastern Iowa are in a deep-freeze while officials figure out how to save the publications. The Telegraph-Herald reports the books were damaged Feb. 1 when a pipe burst in the Dubuque County Library’s branch in Asbury. Officials estimate about 10 percent of the branch’s 18,000 books became soaked.

When books get wet, they must be frozen within hours to prevent the growth of mold. The books were first moved to a refrigerated semi-trailer provided by Hy-Vee, which could accommodate the books for a few days. About 50 volunteers then carried the books to another trailer provided by Hirschbach Motor Lines, a Dubuque-based transportation company.

“I am ecstatic that they stepped up to help,” Library district Director Michael Wright said. “It didn’t surprise me that much. I know we live in a terrific community where people want to help.” Wright said some of the books will be dried with fans, some might go to a specialized freeze dryer and some will be thrown away.

Crews were making repairs at the library, and Wright said it probably will remain closed through February and maybe longer. Kyle Alexander, operations manager at Hirschbach, said it took some work to make the trailer available, but he’s happy the company could help.

“Whenever you lose an asset, there are some adjustments you have to make,” he said. “But this was a high priority. It was very important for us.”

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Two men have been arrested after being accused of leading police in northern Iowa on a chase reaching speeds of more than 100 mph in near-blizzard conditions. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports the chase happened Thursday night after a Cerro Gordo County sheriff’s deputy tried to stop a car reported as stolen.

Officials say the car fled through the town of Clear Lake as high winds whipped up fallen snow and caused blizzard-like conditions. Poor road conditions caused the driver to crash west of Clear Lake.
Police say 31-year-old Jared Scott Schneckloth, of Clear Lake, was charged with felony car theft, driving under suspension, speeding 100 mph in a 45 mph zone and several other counts.

Twenty-six-year-old passenger Dylan Patrick Dimig, of Schleswig, was charged with misdemeanor interference with official acts.

A former Cass County Attorney who was appointed by Governor Kim Reynolds as Fourth District Judge for Cass and eight other area counties in January, was sworn-in Friday afternoon at the Cass County Courthouse. Iowa Supreme Court Justice Susan Christensen, from Harlan, administered the Oath of Office to Michael Hooper in a ceremony held in the Courtroom at the Courthouse.

His appointment and swearing-in marks the first-time in recent years that a District Judge will have an office at the courthouse. Judge Hooper received his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and his law degree from Creighton University Law School.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, on Feb. 1^st, appointed Vanessa Strazdas, a private practice attorney from Omaha to fill Hoopers’ vacated Cass County Attorney seat. Strazdas, a member of the Iowa Bar, is a National Merit Scholar with a degree in Computer Science from the University of NE at Omaha.  She graduated with honors from Creighton Law School, where she concentrated her studies in Litigation and Criminal Law.  

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

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The National Weather Service this (Saturday) morning, said they are still tracking two winter systems to impact Iowa through Tuesday. The first one still to bring light snow to much of Iowa late tonight through Sunday. Some light freezing drizzle may mix with with the snow as precipitation ends late Sunday.

A stronger winter storm system is then slated to impact Iowa Monday into Tuesday. Precipitation is expected to spread across Iowa Monday as a light wintry mix, then change to snow Monday evening and continue into Tuesday. Moderate to heavy accumulations of snow are more likely across the northern half of the state. Uncertainty still high with snow amounts given uncertainty in the track and strength of this system. Northwest winds will increase across the state Tuesday and be strong and gusty through the day into Tuesday evening. This will allow for blowing and drifting snow. Travel may be difficult across the state Tuesday with snow-packed roads and significantly reduced visibilities possible.

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A single-vehicle accident Friday afternoon in eastern Iowa’s Bremer County claimed the life of a woman from Illinois. The Iowa State Patrol reports 19-year old Julia Walters, of Morrison, IL., was driving a 2007 Ford Focus northbound on U-S Highway 218 at around 2:54-p.m., Friday, when the vehicle went out of control at mile marker 196.

The car entered the median and rolled over before coming to rest in the median. Walters – who was not wearing a seat belt – was ejected from the car and died from her injuries. Her passenger, 21-year old Michaela Hibbard, of Sterling, IL., was wearing a seat belt. She was transported by Waverly Ambulance to the hospital in Waverly.

The crash remains under investigation.

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

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Monticello man has been sentenced to prison for robbing an eastern Iowa bank on his birthday. Federal prosecutors say 46-year-old Joseph Kripner was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids to five years in federal prison. Authorities say he robbed the Security State Bank in Springville on his birthday, June 1, getting away with nearly $4,000 after showing his handgun to a teller. Kripner’s distinctive tattoos helped authorities zero in on him.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker is stressing a theme of social justice on the first visit of his presidential campaign to Iowa. Booker told a crowd in a church basement Friday that denying health care coverage was like denying civil rights. Booker was opening his inaugural Iowa event using the rhetoric reminiscent of the civil rights movement to distinguish himself early in the race.

CENTERVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Law enforcement officials have testified that it took them several hours to find the body of a slain Iowa hunter after he was reported missing. The Daily Iowegian reports that Appanoose County Deputy Jonathan Printy testified Friday in the murder trial of Ethan Davis that he was the first officer to respond in the early morning hours of Nov. 24 after 31-year-old Curtis Ross was reported missing. Davis is charged with first-degree murder in Ross’ death.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Two Iowa landlords who say they were falsely accused of stealing a tenant’s washer and dryer are suing a detective and prosecutor for false arrest and malicious prosecution. The Linn County attorney’s office dropped felony charges against the men after neighbors testified that they didn’t witness any theft as police claimed. Brian Darling and Frank Massingham have filed a lawsuit accusing Prosecutor Jerry Vander Sanden and police officer Justin Boecker of violating their rights.

A man being held in the Cass County Jail was arrested last week on two Guthrie County felony charges. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says Matthew Ross, of Marne, was transported February 3rd to Guthrie County where he appeared before a magistrate with regard to two counts of Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree – both Class B felonies.

Matthew Ross

After making his appearance before the judge, Ross was released on his own recognizance. The case was investigated by the Stuart Police Department.

On February 1st, Jerome Boblett, of Coon Rapids, was arrested on a charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was arrested following a traffic stop on Highway 141, east of Bagley. Additional charges are pending. The Guthrie County K9 was utilized on this traffic stop. On February 2nd, Payden Willms, of Guthrie Center, was stopped for a traffic violation. Willms was cited and released on an Operating While Intoxicated 1st Offense Charge.

On February 4th, Joseph Reynolds, of Stuart, turned himself into the Guthrie County Jail to serve a thirty-day mittimus. His initial charges were weapons and drug related. And, on February 8th, Mark Doyle, of De Soto, turned himself into the Guthrie County Jail to serve two days of his seven-day mittimus. His initial charge was an Operating While Intoxicated 2nd Offense.