Officials with the Harlan Police Department report a woman was arrested last Saturday on an assault charge. 52-year old Roxanne Marie Poorker, of Avoca, was arrested following a call about a disturbance in the 1000 block of 7th Street, in Harlan. She was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with assault, as well as public intoxication.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two, recent arrests. Today (Tuesday), 28-year old Marshall Orin Arms, of Shelby, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear in court for a citation. His bond was set at $1,000. And, Monday evening, 33-year old Brandon Heath Smith, of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant for 2 counts of Violation of Probation. Bond was set at $10,000.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 31-year old Craig Steven Mumm, of Anita, was arrested April 30th on numerous charges. They include: Domestic Abuse Assault; Possession of Marijuana 1st Offense; Possession of Alprazolam/Clonazepam – 1st Offense; Reckless Use of a Firearm; and, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Mumm was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $4,000 bond. On Sunday, May 6th, Mumm was again arrested. The latest charge was for Violation of No Contact Order. Mumm was released the following day on his own recognizance.

Hundreds of friends and family of Jake Wilson attended a candlelight vigil in La Porte City last (Monday) night to show their support for the autistic 16-year-old, exactly one month after he disappeared. Wilson went for a walk April 7th near Wolf Creek and didn’t return home. Thousands of volunteers and law enforcement officials have spent countless hours looking for him and have turned up nothing. La Porte City resident Danielle Gasco helped organize the vigil in a field along Wolf Creek as part of the healing process for the community. “This was essential,” Gasco says. “To have this gathering for everyone, was part of the process to what has happened, what we’ve come so far with doing, and where we’re still going. This isn’t the end.” Gasco says the vigil was held to show support for Wilson’s family and friends, and to serve as a reminder that the search and investigation into his disappearance is continuing.

“We are going to go until he’s found, standing on that firm foundation that we will be unified until he’s brought home,” Gasco says. “It’s determination and an appreciation for each and every one of us to keep fighting.” Gasco says she was overwhelmed – but not surprised – by the number of people who attended the vigil. “It’s breath-taking. We’re one,” Gasco says. “The community has come together time and time again, over and over again. They’ve united. When I say that they’re one mind, one accord of La Porte City is just that.” Gasco says its frustrating not knowing what happened to Wilson, despite the efforts of all the volunteers and professionals who have spent time over the past month trying to figure out where he is.

“It’s hard to move on. It’s hard to have every step of your day without thinking about it at some point,” she says. “There’s no closure and it’s hard to process. It takes every ounce of every effort to have that emotional balance subside and live in La Porte (City) without any answers. It’s urgent that we know (what happened to Wilson).” Investigators continue to do daily searches of Wolf Creek and the nearby Cedar River, but La Porte City Police Chief Chris Brecher says the search effort was halted for a couple of days because of flooding. Brecher says when the water recedes, public volunteers may be called out again to recheck some areas after they dry out.

(Radio Iowa)

PLYMOUTH, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a person died when a train struck a tractor at a rural crossing in northern Iowa’s Worth County. Mason City station KIMT says the crash was reported about 8 a.m. Tuesday at a spot northeast of Plymouth. The name of the person killed and other information about the crash haven’t been released.

(UPDATE 11:45-a.m.) — Officials with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office said today (Tuesday), an investigation into animal neglect in the County is underway, the results of the investigation will determine if criminal charges will be filed. The investigation began at around 9:30-a.m. Sunday, when Pottawattamie County deputies were dispatched to 44625 Lombardy Road, in reference to an animal neglect complaint. Upon arrival deputies found three deceased and several malnourished dogs. Deputies contacted Pottawattamie County Animal Control and the Midlands Humane Society to assist with the investigation.

During the initial investigation, the resident was identified as 35-year old Dustin Young, from Hancock. Authorities learned Young was operating Young Gunz Kennel,  dog breeding and training business at his residence. As a result of the initial investigation, approximately 40 dogs were removed from the scene. As of late Tuesday morning, approximately 10 dogs were missing. Approximately 20 dogs have been returned to their owners. Others are in the process of making arrangements to pick up their dogs.

Investigators are continuing to work with the dog owners to obtain information needed to further the investigation. The Sheriff’s Office is working closely with Pottawattamie County Animal Control and the Midlands Humane Society to ensure that the dogs are getting necessary treatment.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County said today (Tuesday), that a man wanted on warrants charging him with two counts of Neglect or Abandonment of a Dependent Person, turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office, late Monday morning. After the warrant was confirmed, 35-year old David Isaiah McCormick, a transient, was arrested on the Felony charges. He was transported to Pott. County Corrections and turned-over to Corrections staff.  And, 21-year old Chase Daniel Green, of Council Bluffs, was arrested late Monday night, was arrested following a traffic stop for an expired registration and for driving while barred/Habitual Offender. Green was booked into the Pott. County Jail.

It was four years ago this month that online videos of people taking part in the Ice Bucket Challenge became viral hits across Iowa and nationwide, raising record amounts of money for A-L-S research. Josh Nuss, executive director of the Iowa A-L-S Association, says the ripple effects of that widely successful media blitz are still being felt. “Most people know what ALS is now,” Nuss says. “On the research front, since the Ice Bucket Challenge, we’ve been able to actually triple the amount of funding we’ve been able to put into research and that’s shown across the board in a lot of the research studies going on. Last year, the first treatment in over 22 years was approved by the FDA to treat ALS.”

In the challenge, people were videotaped pledging to donate money to the charity while dumping buckets of ice water on their heads and calling out others by name, challenging them to do likewise. As unlikely as it sounds, the campaign was a huge success and it’s had a lasting impact. “There’s a lot of young people getting involved with research as well,” Nuss says, “whether they have a personal connection or they were involved in the Ice Bucket Challenge and that led to them wanting to help find treatments and a cure for ALS.” A-L-S stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It’s relatively rare and only afflicts about 250 Iowans. Like cancer, A-L-S comes in many forms and can rob a person of their voice well before it claims their life. Nuss says an innovation was announced just last month called Project Revoice.

“As somebody progresses and they lose the ability to speak, before they lose that ability, we’re encouraging them to voicebank through ProjectRevoice.org and when the technology is available at the end of this year, they’ll actually have their voice and be able to speak through their device,” he says. A-L-S is a motor neuron disease which usually attacks both upper and lower motor neurons and causes degeneration throughout the brain and spinal cord. Once diagnosed, life expectancy is usually only two-to-five years. Learn more at www.alsiowa.org.

(Radio Iowa)

A new policy the Iowa legislature approved on its final day would force statewide elected officials and members of the legislature to use their campaign funds rather than tax dollars for “self-promotion.” Representative Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, encouraged her colleagues to pass the policy. “This would restrict the spending of public money for paid ads or promotions bearing name, likeness or voice of that person from mass mailings; radio, TV, newspaper, internet ads or promotions or an exhibit display at the fair,” Hinson says.

The governor and other elected officials have had booths at the Iowa State Fair for years.”Currently, I believe they are using taxpayer dollars for the displays and for the space as well,” Hinson says.

If the governor approves this new policy, that will end for the 2018 Iowa State Fair.
The new policy also is likely to bar Republican Governor Kim Reynolds from appearing in ads planned this fall to promote the “Future Ready Iowa” program. Democratic State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald will no longer be able to appear in ads promoting the state’s College Savings Iowa program. Representative Marti Anderson, a Democrat from Des Moines, opposes the idea.

“This section would cause these elected officials to have to pay for things that are even part of their duty,” Anderson said. “…People have the right to know and see their elected officials and to hear directly from them.”

Hinson says it’ll be up to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board to enforce this new policy. It means Secretary of State Paul Pate might have to reimburse the state if any fliers from his office about voter registration contain his name or photo. Democrats say the stickers on every gas pump in the state that have the written name of Iowa’s secretary of agriculture may have to be removed. Hinson is unmoved by those arguments. “This applies to anybody, regardless of party,” Hinson says.

The Ethics Committees in the Iowa House and Senate will police members of the legislature who are accused of using tax dollars for self-promotion if the governor approved this new policy. It was inserted in a catch-all budget bill that cleared the legislature last Saturday.

(Radio Iowa)

Airmen and soldiers from the Iowa National Guard are in the nation of Kosovo this week as part of a two week exercise being conducted with the Kosovo Security Force. Major Brandon Cochran of the 132nd Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard in Des Moines says around fifty Iowa Guard members are working in a variety of areas with their Kosovo counterparts as part of the U-S Military, European Command’s State Partner Program. He says there’s the Sister State Initiative, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, communications, mission support and security police. “If you have a life experience that you can share with someone else — there’s a nexus point for you within the state partnership program,” Cochran says.

Captain Marty Hogan of Sioux City’s 185th Air Refueling Wing says clinicians are working in the class room and participating in field training with members of the Kosovo Security Force medical clinic. Hogan says they are working with the medical corps to move them toward their NATO certification. Hogan says the annual exercise dubbed “Eagle 6” with the Kosovo Security Force is building continued cooperation and strong relationships. “This is two-and-a-half years of blood, sweat and tears, lots of phone calls, a lot of extra work, a lot of time after work,” Hogan says. ” But when you come over and you see completion of the exercise, or you see growth in what they accomplished last time, that’s always a huge thing.”

The group also includes members of the Army Guard’s 831st engineering company from Middletown, Iowa who are working with the K-S-F honing construction skills. The operation is taking place in Kosovo through May 14th. The Iowa National Guard has been working with Kosovo as part of the state partner program since 2011.

(Radio Iowa)