This is the last day of a special program conducted by the D-O-T’s Office of Motor Vehicle Enforcement to check the big rigs that roll across Iowa’s highways. Sergeant Blake Wittrock says it’s an international event called “Roadcheck.” “They’re checking brake components, cargo securement, equipment with the truck and the trailer of the vehicles, as well as the paperwork with the driver. So, it’s the complete inspection, the most comprehensive one that we do,” Wittrock says. There is a special emphasis on making sure the drivers are following the regulations for the amount of time they can be on the road. That involves a check of what’s called the E-L-D. “It’s electronic logging device. So it’s the electronic system that’ sin the truck that’s hooked into the engine components, the brains of the truck. They are going to be using that as their log book,” Wittrock says. “And it will record their hours, their mileage, different documents if you will for the trip.”

Wittrock says the electronic devices make it easier for truckers to keep track of their driving — and makes it easier to check on them to be sure they follow the rules. He says commercial drivers can drive 11 hours of driving with three hours to do other tasks in a day, and then at there is a 10 hours off duty in what’s known as the sleeper or rest period.  Another part of the Roadcheck is to work with drivers to educate them on how to spot and report human trafficking. “When we do our inspections or conduct our safety inspections we are advising them what to look for when they are out there because they are in the trucks stops, they are on the road and they see things that we don’t always get to see, and we just encourage their assistance,” according to Wittrock.

Wittrock says drivers are willing to help out and he says it helps build a little camaraderie between the officers and truckers. “When people get inspected they kind of think it’s a bad thing. We’re just looking for compliance,” Wittrock says, “then we can also ask them to help us and work together as a team to combat this issue that’s out there, that’s moving up and down the roadways every day.”  Each driver will be given a Truckers Against Trafficking wallet card which provides them with the Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline 888-3737-888 and some guidelines on what information to report. Wittrock says officers do routine checks of trucks every day, but this is a little more concentrated over a 72-hour period along the major highways.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak, Wednesday night, arrested 37-year old Christopher Michael Lowrance, of Red Oak. Lowrance was taken into custody at around 10:23-p.m. in the 400 block of E. Market Street, for violation of a No Contact Order. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond.

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

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A city in Iowa has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a woman who was mistakenly shot and killed by a police officer. Attorneys for the city of Burlington and the estate of Autumn Steele notified a federal court of the settlement, but details haven’t been released. Steele was shot in 2015 by a police officer who had intended to fire his weapon at a growling family dog.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A five-way Republican primary race for Iowa agriculture secretary remains too close to call with the incumbent apparently just shy of the threshold needed to secure the nomination. Unofficial results indicate Mike Naig is just short of the 35 percent threshold needed to become the GOP’s nominee. However, provisional and absentee ballots still being counted could potentially allow Naig to make up the difference. If he doesn’t, the nomination decision will be made at the state convention June 16.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Democratic congressional campaign took responsibility for erroneous text messages sent to voters directing them to incorrect polling places. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said Wednesday that Abby Finkenauer’s campaign was the source of the texts, which an investigation found to have been sent in error. Finkenauer’s campaign manager apologized and said they never intended to misdirect voters. Finkenauer is the Democratic U.S. House candidate for the 1st District.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Officials say the Miller Riverview Park and its campground in eastern Iowa’s Dubuque will reopen after being closed for weeks due to flooding threats. City officials tell the Telegraph Herald that the park and campground will open Friday morning. The area has been closed for about a month because of high water levels on the Mississippi River.

UPDATE 9:43-p.m.: There were no injuries. the semi was trying to turn around in the median and became stuck.

(Original report) — Another accident was reported on Interstate 80 in Cass County at around 9:35-p.m., Wednesday. The accident involved a semi, and was between the 67- and 68-mile markers eastbound. The semi was said to have been in the median. Unknown injuries or other details late Wed. night.

Firefighters from Minden, Shelby, Neola, Avoca and Harlan Fire and Rescue Departments were called to a residential structure fire at around 2-p.m. Wednesday. According to the Minden Fire Department’s social media post, heavy smoke was observed on approach, and additional resources were requested.  Despite hard and aggressive work by all agencies, the structure experienced heavy fire damage.

Photo from the Minden Fire and Rescue Dept.’s Facebook page.

Fire officials extended their thanks to all the volunteers who gave of their time and work in the hot and humid conditions, and for those who made sure everyone stayed hydrated on the grounds. Additional information about the fire was not immediately available.

The Council Bluffs Police Department reports a man was arrested Wednesday afternoon following a high speed pursuit and a crash. Authorities say 31-year old TJ Lebaugh, of Council Bluffs, was charged locally with eluding, reckless driving, and no proof of insurance. He was also wanted on Federal charges. The incident leading to his arrest began at around 3-p.m., Wednesday, as officers with Iowa Adult Probation and the U-S Marshall’s Service (USMS) began to follow Lebaugh near the Walgreens Store on Madison Avenue and Bennett Street. They followed him for a short time before he fled in a 2002 Pontiac Bonneville at a high rate of speed on Interstate 80 westbound, from Madison Avenue.

TJ Lebaugh

Lebaugh left I-80 at the South Espressway and turned north. Council Bluffs Police attempted to deploy stop sticks in an attempt to deflate the car’s tires, but Lebaugh evaded the device at 23rd Avenue and the South Expressway. He headed north on the Expressway at a high rate of speed. As an officer deployed stops sticks and 19th and the South Expressway, Lebaugh slammed on his brakes and slid into the back of a 2017 Dodge Durango driven by 50-year old Julia Santon, of Council Bluffs. Her pickup was pushed into the back of a 2001 Chrysler mini-van, driven by 74-year old Carolyn Brown, of Council Bluffs.

Lebaugh’s vehicle also struck the mini-van. He then fled to the west but was quickly apprehended by officers. No injuries were reported to Lebaugh or Santon. Brown was transported by Council Bluffs Fire to Mercy Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Labaugh was booked into the Pott. County Jail by the US-MS.

Rescue crews in Cass County were called to an accident on eastbound Interstate 80 at the 69.5 mile marker, Wednesday night. According to dispatch reports, a car was pinned under a semi partially in the median. Anita Rescue, Wiota 1st Responders and Medivac Ambulance, along with Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies and Iowa State Patrol were on the scene. The accident was reported at around 8:15-p.m.  One male subject was reported to be trapped in the vehicle and injured. A medical helicopter (Midwest Air) was requested and arrived on the scene to transported the victim to an undisclosed hospital in Omaha. Traffic was stopped and temporarily re-routed while the helicopter was on the scene. Emergency crews were at the crash site until about 9:20-p.m. Traffic began to flow eastbound on the shoulder of the road, at around 9:25-p.m.

No other information was immediately available.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A 54-year-old man known as the “Double Hat Bandit” has pleaded guilty to robbing banks and credit unions in seven states. Shayne Carson said in his plea agreement filed in federal court in Utah Friday that he stole from 18 banks from Oregon to Iowa. The crime spree went from October 2016, until shortly before his arrest last September. In many of the robberies, Carson is believed to have worn two hats — typically a beanie over a baseball cap. Several robberies took place at banks inside grocery stores.

Carson said he frequently told bank tellers he had a gun and demanded they hand over money in their till. Officials believe the handgun was a fake. The plea deal stipulates that he will be sentenced to between 12 and 15 years in prison. Sentencing is set for Aug. 15.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Democratic congressional campaign took responsibility for erroneous text messages sent to voters directing them to incorrect polling places. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said Wednesday that Abby Finkenauer’s campaign was the source of the texts, which an investigation found were sent in error. Finkenauer’s campaign manager says they never intended to misdirect any voters.
Finkenauer is the Democratic U.S. House candidate for the 1st District, but some texts went to voters outside the district.

The campaign says “a few dozen people” received incorrect information. The campaign sent a second text asking them to check their polling place. On Wednesday, the Finkenauer campaign apologized for any confusion caused to voters. Pate, a Republican, encouraged candidates to always include an attribution statement in messages sent to voters.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, Wednesday night, set the rules for how the public forum portion of City Council meetings will be handled. The unwritten mandate follows a time of public comment during the May 16th City Council meeting, whereby two local business owners got into a verbal sparring match with Jones, and Councilperson Kathy Somers over proposed business incentives and the prospect of grants being provided instead of loans.

Atlantic City Council meeting, 6-6-2018

Jones said anyone wishing to address the Council at future meetings should fill out an online form indicating the topic you wish to talk about, and submit the form to City Hall prior to the next meeting. Persons will have two minutes to speak, but if the discussion on a particular subject is redundant, the speaker will be asked to sit down and let someone else speak who has reserved their time. You will come to the podium, state your name, where you are from and the subject matter.

If something comes up during Council discussion on a matter that you do not understand, you will be required to raise your hand and come to the podium when called on. Atlantic resident Bill Saluk said the incident that occurred during last months meeting was inappropriate, but he questioned the two-minute rule. Saluk said “It seems like the function of government should be to be responsive to its citizens and that [the time constraints and answers] seems to make it much more complicated to be able to express your opinion and get anything done.” He also questioned the validity of unwritten rules and the legality of enforcing them when there is no written procedure.

Jones said the time can be adjusted, but again, if the discussion is repeated over and over, the speaker will be asked to take a seat. As for the City Council, Jones said if they have a question during the Public Forum part of the meeting, he suggests it would be best if “They refrain from asking questions,” but they may still ask. He added that no action can be taken by the Council on a particular matter during the public forum. Any action would have to come on the heels of a recommendation from whichever committee is assigned to tackle certain matters.

Thomas Schroeder, one of the business persons who was at the May 16th meeting, asked when the online form to be available and how soon an issue may be addressed by the Council. Mayor Jones said the form should be available on the City’s website in a couple of days, and the issue or concern may be addressed after it’s brought before the appropriate committee. That could take anywhere from two-weeks to a month. Schroeder was in a meeting with Dave Jones with regard to business incentives. That meeting was the topic of the aforementioned May 16th heated discussion, during which Schroeder and his business partner Tayla Kamies alleged Jones pushed them toward other incentives instead of the Economic Development Revolving (EDR) Loan fund.

Councilman Chris Jimerson suggested that if the Mayor or any Council Member meets with a citizen or business owner on official City business, another Council person or and/or the Mayor should be present, to act as a witness to the discussion. That, he said, would alleviate any contradictory statements being made by City officials.