More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two men who shot at each other in downtown Cedar Rapids are claiming a legal shield from prosecution under Iowa’s “stand your ground” law. The Des Moines Register reports that Michael Hodges Jr., of Cedar Rapids, and Zevon Johnson, of Urbandale, have pleaded not guilty and say the law passed last year makes them immune from prosecution. Security video shows them exchanging gunfire Jan. 28 outside a downtown Cedar Rapids bar and restaurant. Johnson was wounded; Hodges was not.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder. The law says a person doesn’t have to retreat before using deadly force if he or she thinks his or her life is being threatened.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a woman was found intoxicated in her Des Moines home after her 8-year-old son wandered to a neighborhood gathering. Polk County Court records say 35-year-old Morgan Brown-Edmundson is charged with three counts of child endangerment and is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 2nd. Neighbors called police Sunday after the boy showed up at a neighborhood gathering. He told adults there he was worried about his mom because he couldn’t awaken her. Officers found her asleep and intoxicated and a 6-year-old child and a 2-year-old passed out or sleeping. A criminal complaint says the 8-year-old told officers his mom regularly makes him and his siblings ingest sleeping pills and other medicines to make them sleep during the day.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports four people were arrested on drug charges, Monday. At around 10:24-p.m., Deputies arrested three people at the Viking Lake State Park campground. 19-year old Christopher Bermejo-Pimentel and 18-year old Manuel Carrillo, both of Waterloo, were arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. And, 21-year old Juan Daniel Jaime-Hernandez, also of Waterloo, was arrested for Possession of drug paraphernalia. Jaime-Hernandez was cited into court and released at the scene. Bermejo-Pimentel and Carrillo were transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where their bonds were set at $1,000 each.

And, 55-year old Bruce Warren Fitzwater, of Villisca, was arrested at around 6:34-p.m. in the 800 block of N. Broadway in Red Oak. He was charged with Possession of drug paraphernalia and held on a $300 bond. At the same time and location, 63-year old Jeff E. Mendenhall, of Corning, was arrested for Driving While License Revoked. His bond was set at $1,000. Deputies were assisted during the traffic stop by the Montgomery County K9 Unit.

At around 11-p.m. Monday, 39-year old Becky Jo Brace, of Red Oak, was arrested in the 100 block of W. Coolbaugh Street, in Red Oak. She was charged with Unlawful use of a credit card, and theft in the 5th Degree. Brace’ bond was set at $2,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Parole has granted work release to a woman convicted in 2004 of fatally shooting her husband and leaving his body in a bedroom for more than a year. The Des Moines Register reports 50-year-old Dixie Shanahan Duty, of Defiance, was granted work release earlier in June.

Duty acknowledged killing her husband, Scott Shanahan, but said it was in self-defense. She argued her husband had battered and verbally abused her. A jury convicted Duty of second-degree murder, a conviction that carried a sentence of 50 years. Shortly before leaving office Gov. Tom Vilsack commuted her sentence so she only had to serve a minimum of 10 years before being eligible for parole.

When she begins work release, Duty will be able to leave a work release center for a job. Corrections Department spokesman Cord Overton says the center could later recommend that she be paroled. The parole board would make the final decision.

As of Monday, she remained in the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville, east of Des Moines. Prosecutors say Duty used a shotgun to kill her husband while he slept in August 2002. She told people he’d left the community.

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Parole has granted work release to a woman convicted in 2004 of fatally shooting her husband. The Des Moines Register reports 50-year-old Dixie Shanahan Duty, of Defiance, was granted work release earlier in June. Duty acknowledged killing her husband, Scott Shanahan, but said it was in self-defense. A jury convicted Duty of second-degree murder, but shortly before leaving office Gov. Tom Vilsack commuted her sentence, making her eligible for parole after 10 years.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A city in southeastern Iowa has agreed to pay $2 million to the family of a woman who was mistakenly killed by a police officer. The settlement between the estate of Autumn Steele and the city of Burlington was reached earlier this month. An attorney for the estate announced the dollar amount on Monday. The disclosure of police video of the incident wasn’t part of the settlement. The estate’s attorney, Dave O’Brien, says the family wants the video released but the city is refusing.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a 36-year-old Des Moines man was killed in a weekend motorcycle crash in nearby Pleasant Hill. The Des Moines Register reports that Timothy Cooper was riding in Pleasant Hill around 7 a.m. Sunday when he lost control and was thrown from his motorcycle. Pleasant Hill police say speed was a factor in the crash. Cooper was launched over a fence and found more than 500 feet from his motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — Officials have recovered the body of a fisherman who went missing in southeast Iowa. KTVO reports that a local boater found the body of 79-year-old Richard Lewis Mart in the Des Moines River around 8:30 a.m. Monday. His body was found just north of the Blackhawk Road Access, northwest of Omaha.

Police in Council Bluffs, Monday night, were sent to the Cottonwood Apartment Complex at 802 N. 34th Street, for a report of a robbery. The dispatch went out at around 8:52-p.m. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the 30-year old female victim from Omaha, who stated she was robbed at gunpoint by two black males in the parking lot. The suspects left the area on foot and officers were unable to locate them.

The victim suffered minor injuries. One suspect was said to be about 5’6” tall with short afro hair, and was wearing a red shirt and jeans; the second suspect was about 6’0” tall, thinner build, and also wore a red shirt.

If anyone has any information that would be helpful in this case, please contact the Criminal Investigations Division at (712)328-4765 or, to remain anonymous, (712)328-STOP.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board met Monday evening during a regular session, with Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm updating the members on various ongoing projects and Summer programs. Stasshelm said a search for someone to fill the part-time position of Park Foreman has ended, and the quality of the responses was less than he expected.

He said he had “Some poor applications. People weren’t following instructions,” especially with regard to providing a resume’ and cover letter. “Some didn’t have a cover letter. Some had a cover letter addressed to a different employer. Moms applying for their kids.” He said fortunately, long-time City employee, Ron Flory, who has worked as an operator at the Wastewater Treatment Plant for over 35-years, expressed interest in the position.

Stasshelm said with the poor quality of resumes for the position and with Flory willing to step away from his wastewater treatment plant duties, he closed the position to any further applicants and talked with the City Attorney Mark Bosworth, City Administrator John Lund and City Clerk Barb Barrick, all of whom agreed he would be a perfect fit for the job. He said Flory would be taking a big cut in pay to $15 an hour part-time, but he’s okay with that. He said also, that while Flory is “Overqualified” for the position, he’s going to be a fantastic addition to the Department. Staashelm said Flory is highly organized and safety conscious. He’ll start on July 1st and average out to 1500 hours per year.

In other business, Staashelm said work continues on the Schildberg Recreation Area Shelters. One is up, but does not have a roof yet, thanks to the stifling heat and humidity. They hope to install that soon. The other (west) shelter is being constructed, with the concrete pads having been poured, including an ADA accessible pathway. The columns are in-place and within a couple of weeks the roof will be installed and electrical hook-ups ready by no later than July 13th, weather permitting.

Also, work on the east side playground will continue, as weather allows. And, there’s been more participation in Summer children’s programs this year, including tennis and the swim team. There are six softball teams, and the pickle-ball courts at Sunnyside are very active on the weekends, according to Staashelm.

He said also, attendance is up at the Sunnyside Pool, the number of passes sold are up (measured in family and single units), and concessions are up. Revenue since the pool opened are at $15,000, which is remarkable, according to Staashelm, considering the short amount of time it’s been available for use since the season opened a few short weeks ago.

A committee of three individuals conducted a recount Monday afternoon of the ballots in Wards 4 and 5 and the Absentee votes, at the request of District 3 Supervisor candidate Dana Halder. Auditor Dale Sunderman reports the results changed very little, with Halder gaining one vote and Hartkopf losing one.

Hartkopf was the unofficial winner pending a canvass of the recount results by the Cass County Board of Supervisors tomorrow (Wed., June 20th), during the Cass County Board of Supervisors meeting. (Only Republican candidates ran during the Primary.)

The recount results from Monday, June 18th are as follows:

Dana Duane Halder – 158 votes          following the June 12 canvass:       157

John Hartkopf       – 160 votes                                                                 161

Linda Templeman   – 103 votes                                                                   103

Halder has stated he intends to run for the District 3 Supervisor’s seat again, in November, possibly as a non-partisan/Independent candidate.