DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa lost nearly $1.2 million from its operation of a business campus in Des Moines, according to university budget information. University officials said the decision to close the former AIB College of Business is due to reductions in state support, The Des Moines Register reported. Since the 2016 fiscal year, the Iowa Legislature has cut UI’s budget by $16 million.

The university announced last week the decision to sell the campus’ seven buildings and permanently furlough 33 full-time staffers whose positions aren’t directly tied to student instruction. Some employees may be reassigned to other positions at the university, officials said.

The university’s cuts will save the school nearly $3.6 million, officials estimated. Students who attend classes at the campus will either move to a downtown center or take their courses online, officials said.

The university took possession of the nonprofit institution in 2016. The merger was described as a gift to the university. The terms of AIB’s gift agreement say the property could be sold if the school’s officials determined that operating the campus was “no longer feasible for economic or other reasons.”

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A judge is allowing an appeal to move forward in the case of an inmate seeking to prove his innocence in the 1986 slaying of a western Iowa girl. District Judge Jeffrey Larson signed an order Monday denying the state’s request to dismiss the postconviction relief action filed by inmate Daniel Harris.

The ruling means Harris’ lawyers can seek discovery and the case will proceed toward a hearing in which they’ll ask for a new trial. Harris was convicted in the 1986 stabbing and beating death of 16-year-old Kristina Nelson in Council Bluffs. His attorneys are seeking new proceedings and forensic testing that they believe will prove he was framed. A new witness has come forward with an affidavit that implicates two other suspects in the slaying.

A state lawyer had urged Larson to summarily dismiss the matter without further proceedings.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The health care system for Nebraska and western Iowa veterans has ordered machines to help deaf or blind veterans contact the federal Veterans Affairs Department. The VA’s Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System said last week that it’s ordered teletype machines, one of which will be placed in Omaha’s VA hospital, the Omaha World-Herald reported. The new devices will be tested beginning Friday, according to VA spokeswoman Jennifer Scales.

The VA for years has distributed teletype machines for free to help deaf, hearing-impaired or blind veterans make text-based calls from their home telephone lines. But some haven’t been able to schedule appointments or order medicine with the VA because the agency has lacked machines to answer if a veteran calls for help.

Nebraska Sen. Carol Blood contacted the director of the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, B. Don Burman, and other VA officials in Washington after learning about the communication difficulties for local veterans who are blind and deaf. She even wrote to President Donald Trump.

“Often (veterans) have a simple question they need to ask and must trek to the hospital,” Blood said in a letter. “Nebraska-Iowa veterans deserve better.” Burman recognized that the VA “is lacking in some areas where the hearing-impaired might be needing care from our system.” The VA is looking into creating a call center to communicate with deaf and hearing-impaired veterans across the region, he said.
Blood said she’s pleased that the agency has responded to her concerns.
“Within six weeks, we got action,” she said. “They realized it was a pressing issue.”

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports several arrests. Sunday night, 24-year old Joshua Bartholomew Mills, of Oakland, was arrested following a traffic stop. Mills was taken into custody in Oakland on a warrant for OWI/1st offense. 29-year old Katrina Deloris Pape, of Avoca, was arrested Sunday night in Avoca, on a warrant for Theft in the 4th Degree. 47-year old Denise Ann Suedkamp, of Avoca, was arrested just before 1-a.m. Sunday on I-80, for OWI/1st offense.

Sunday evening, 21-year old Hunter Bass, Wayne Cubrich, of Omaha, and 23-year old Ashley Jean Nixson, of Carson, were arrested following a traffic stop on the south side of Underwood. Cubrich was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, after 2.9-grams of a green leafy substance was found in a clear plastic bag, and two glass pipes were located. Nixson was charged with Unlawful Possession of Prescription Medication (a pill bottle with Clozapine and Lorazepam pills).

As mentioned last week, 18-year old Colton James Fineran, of Norwalk, was arrested in Neola, Friday, following a high speed pursuit the began with an attempted traffic stop of a 2008 Docati motorcycle. Fineran was arrested for Eluding, Reckless Driving and Driving While Barred. 25-year old Oadi Alsaede, of Staten Island, NY, and 21-year old Justin Kim Joonkyum, of Bayside, NY, were arrested on drug charges, following a traffic stop on I-80, during which seven-pounds of marijuana oil was  found in two glass jars hidden inside backpacks in their vehicle.

Last Thursday, 25-year old Jacob Ryan Craft, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a felony charge of Burglary in the 2nd degree, for breaking and entering

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports 67-year old Jack Douglas Sprouse, of Honey Creek, was sentenced last Friday to 15 months in prison for Bank Fraud.  Sprouse was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay restitution in an amount of $236,023.54.

According to the plea agreement, Sprouse was the owner of Business Security Software Systems. Beginning at least as early as January 2013, until May of 2016, Sprouse, on behalf of the company, submitted false information to First National Bank of Omaha to ensure the continued distribution of money from a business loan to the company.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Monday, says four people were arrested over the past few days. 25-year old Robert Eugene Cabello, of Omaha, was arrested Friday at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a warrant for Probation Violation. His bond was set at $10,000. Also arrested Friday, was 34-year old Cindy Lynn Swanson, of Glenwood, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Bond: $300.

Saturday afternoon, 36-year old Aaron Lee Gillespie, of Boyton Beach, FL , was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree.  Bond: $300.

On Monday (7/16), 41-year old Gabriel Angel Rodriguez, of Omaha, was arrested on a warrant for Eluding, Interference with Official Acts and Reckless Driving. Bond: $2,600.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports 53-year old Mark Elmer Steil, of Bridgewater, was arrested July 8th, in Bridgewater. Steil was taken into custody by order of the court, to serve a minimum of 30 days in jail or until ordered release by the judge.

The Creston Police Department released details on a recent arrest and theft. On Sunday, July 15th at 12:30pm Officers arrested 39-year-old Patrick Hankins of Knoxville, IL at 804 West Taylor Street in Creston. Hankins was cited for Possession of Paraphernalia and released on a promise to appear.

On Friday, July 13th a Creston resident reported that sometime between Thursday and Friday someone took two tires off his boat trailer that was at his residence. A Watercraft trolling motor was also taken about a month prior. The loss was estimated at $300.

w/Chris Parks.

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Ramon Gonzalez

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports an arrest on Sunday night. The Fremont County K-9 Unit arrested 19-year-old Irineo Ramon Gonzalez in the 200 block of Clay Street in Sidney. Gonzalez was arrested after trying to hide from authorities in a relative’s residence. Gonzalez was taken into custody without further incident on a valid Fremont County warrant for Violation of Probation. Gonzalez was transported to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center and held on $10,000 bond.