The 13 candidates running for governor who gathered at a forum this past week agree there is a need for more long-term care options for mentally ill Iowans. Three of the candidates support reopening the state-run Mental Health Institutes in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant. Nearly all agree the insurance companies managing care for Medicaid patients have created “chaos” for those dealing with a mental illness. John Norris of Des Moines was one of the seven Democratic candidates at the event. “The governor needs to admit failure,” Norris said. “That’s a part of being a leader.”

Republican Governor Kim Reynolds recorded a brief video message that was played during the event. “Today, Iowa’s mental health system is serving more Iowans in more modern ways, with better services in more local home and community settings than ever before,” Reynolds said. Former Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Andy McGuire, a doctor who’s running for governor, scoffed. “I don’t know what state she’s living in, but it’s not the state I’m living in,” McGuire said.

Nate Boulton is a state senator from Des Moines who’s also seeking the Democratic nomination for governor. ““We have a serious mental health crisis in this state and we need to have serious conversations about answers,” Boulton said. Boulton would reopen the state Mental Health Institutes. Democrat Fred Hubbell says the emphasis should be on boosting community-level services. “Mental health shows up differently in every family, in every neighborhood, in every community,” Hubbell said.

Brent Roske, an independent candidate for governor, says it’s time for a single-payer health care system that will cover treatment for mental illness. “We need to look at this as something that we expect, just like police, fire, K-12,” Roske said. “It’s a benefit of citizenship and it has to be addressed now.” The forum opened with a moment of silence, to recognize Iowans who are struggling with mental illness or an addiction. Jake Porter of Council Bluffs, a Libertarian running for governor, told the crowd that “years ago” he contemplated suicide. “None of this is going to change until we address the stigma behind addressing mental health,” Porter said.

More than four-hundred people attended the forum on Tuesday night. It was organized by The Des Moines Register and hosted by Des Moines University and the Iowa Hospital Association.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Council Bluffs say several vehicles sustained damage overnight Friday into early this (Saturday) morning. Officers responded to the 600 Block of South 1st Street for a report of a vehicle with a broken window. Upon arrival in the area several vehicles were located with broken windows. The preliminary investigation revealed several vehicle windows had been shot out with some type of projectile. The vehicles were located primarily on South 1st Street in the 200-600 block. The damage was listed at over $500.

Police say if your vehicle has been damaged in the area mentioned, call the Council Bluffs Police Department’s non-emergency line at 712-328-5737.  An officer will come to the scene and make a report. If you wish to make a report over the phone call 712-326-2501. The incidents are still under investigation. If you have any information or may have witnessed the incident please call crime stoppers at 712-328- STOP (7867). As always any information is appreciated.

A man and woman were arrested on Theft and Trespass charges Friday, in Montgomery County. Sheriff’s Officials say 18-year old Wyatt Dean Baldwin, and 24-year old Kimberly Lenn Williams, both of Villisca, were arrested following incidents in the 100 block of 4th Avenue, the 600 block of E. 6th Street, and the 200 block of S. 5th Avenue, in Villisca. At those locations, the suspects allegedly took several Christmas decorations. Multiple decorations were recovered. Baldwin was arrested on three counts each of 5th Degree Theft and Trespass, while Williams was arrested on one count each of 5th Degree Theft and Trespass.

If you are missing any items from the Villisca area, contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Two people were arrested on drug charges early this (Saturday) morning, in Adams County. The Sheriff’s Office reports at around 12:30-a.m., Adams County Deputies observed a vehicle pull into the Casey’s General Store parking lot after closing hours. Upon making contact with the vehicles’ occupants, Deputies detected an odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle. A probable cause search was conducted, during which three marijuana pipes and a meth pipe were found in the possession of the driver, Kaylie Hudson, of Red Oak. A passenger, Jason Aherns, also of Red Oak, was found to be in possession of a clear plastic baggie containing a substance believed to be meth, and a meth pipe. Deputies also located several prescription medications in the trunk that did not belong to the vehicles’ occupants. In addition to the Possession charges, Kaylie Hudson was charged with unlawful possession of a prescription drug.

And, following a traffic stop at around 10:30-p.m. Friday in Adams County, Wendy Kinyon, of Corning, was taken into custody for Driving While Revoked in association with previous OWI charges.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A detective says an Iowa mother on trial in the starvation death of her 16-year-old daughter sent ranting texts saying she hated her children and calling them “worthless.” The Des Moines Register reports that a West Des Moines police detective testified about text messages sent to others by 43-year-old Nicole Finn. She’s pleaded not guilty to murder, kidnapping and child endangerment in the death of 16-year-old Natalie Finn.

TOLEDO, Iowa (AP) — For a second time, a man has been found guilty of murder in the 2000 disappearance of his fiancé. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that a judge on Friday found 51-year-old Tait Purk guilty of second-degree murder for the death of Cora Okonski, whose body has never been found. In May, an Iowa County jury convicted Purk of murder in the case, but a judge found the verdict wasn’t backed by evidence.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Forest City School board has accepted the resignation of an elementary school teacher placed on leave following racial comments about high school basketball players aired in an online broadcast. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that the board unanimously approved Friday the agreement with third-grade teacher Holly Jane Kusserow-Smidt. Kusserow-Smidt was heard Nov. 28 agreeing with an announcer who referred to boys he believed to be Hispanic because of their names as “foreigners.”

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A Denison man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for a car crash that led to the death of a teenage girl. The Sioux City Journal reports that Ramon Hernandez was sentenced Friday in Crawford County District Court for his convictions on vehicular homicide, three counts of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor and five other counts. Authorities say Hernandez and three others escaped the crash on Jan. 19 into the Boyer River, but 15-year-old Yoana Acosta died.

A collision between a car and and SUV Friday night in Council Bluffs, resulted in one injury and damage to a home. Council Bluffs Police report the driver of a 2005 Chevy Cavalier, 18-year old Katelyn Dewaele, of Council Bluffs, was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of a 2010 Jeep Liberty, 19-year old Mariah Yagow, of Norfolk, NE., suffered minor injuries, and was cited for Disobedience to Signs and Signals.

Officials say at around 9:20-p.m., Friday. emergency personnel responded to the area of North 30th St and Ave A in Council Bluffs, for a personal injury crash in which a vehicle struck a house. Investigators concluded that Yagow was driving her SUV north bound on 30th St. at Ave A, when she failed to yield the right of way, from the stop sign at 30th and Ave A.

Her SUV drove into the path of Cavalier, which was traveling west bound on Ave A. The two vehicles collided in the intersection sending the Jeep Liberty into the residential structure at 3000 Ave A, causing damage.  Building inspectors were called out to assess the damage to the residence.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A detective says an Iowa mother on trial in the starvation death of her 16-year-old daughter sent ranting texts saying she hated her children and calling them “worthless.”

The Des Moines Register reports that West Des Moines police detective Chris Morgan testified Thursday and Friday about text messages sent to others by 43-year-old Nicole Finn. She’s pleaded not guilty to murder, kidnapping and child endangerment in the October 2016 death of 16-year-old Natalie Finn. Natalie weighed just 85 pounds at the time of her death.

Morgan says Nicole Finn wrote in a March 2016 text, “They are worthless. I can’t stand them.” Morgan says Finn sent another text to her son after Natalie’s death saying she’d messed up.

The prosecution rested Friday. Finn’s defense team will present its case Monday.

Thanks to a wetter-than-normal year, water releases from the reservoir system which regulate the Missouri River are being cut back for winter, but not as drastically as normal. The U-S Army Corps of Engineers is preparing the river for the season ahead. The Corps’ Mike Swenson, one of the Missouri River Water Management Office team leaders, says the overall goal is to prep reservoirs to handle runoff from rain and snowpack melting in the spring.

Swenson says, “The whole idea is just to continue to monitor throughout the year and make adjustments as necessary to make sure the reservoir system is in good shape to handle that runoff.” Releases at Gavins Point Dam will drop to 21,500 cubic feet per second. That is higher than the normal drop of between 12,000 and 17,000 cubic feet per second. Last year, the Corps dropped releases to 18,000 cubic feet per second at the beginning of winter, then lowered them to 17,000 C-F-S later during the winter months.

“It’s still a lower release than we have during other times of the year, but it’s just slightly higher for the winter,” he says. Swenson says the higher levels will have multiple impacts. “With the higher winter release, that does provide some benefits to hydropower, a little bit more winter energy produced,” Swenson says. “It typically helps out the water intakes below the reservoir system.” He says the higher water should also help prevent ice jams this winter.

(Radio Iowa, w/Thanks to Brent Martin, Nebraska Radio Network)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Forest City School board has accepted the resignation of an elementary school teacher placed on administrative leave following racial comments about high school basketball players aired in an online broadcast.

The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that the board unanimously approved Friday the agreement with third-grade teacher Holly Jane Kusserow-Smidt, who will receive her full contracted salary for this school year.

Kusserow-Smidt was working as a radio producer for station KIOW on Nov. 28 when she was hear laughing and agreeing with announcer Orin Harris, who referred to Eagle Grove boys he believed to be Hispanic because of their names as “foreigners” and saying they should “go back where they came from.”

Both Harris and Kusserow-Smidt were fired from the station. In her resignation letter, Kusserow-Smidt apologized to board members, administrators and students and the communities of Forest City and Eagle Grove.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A Denison man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for a car crash that led to the death of a teenage girl. The Sioux City Journal reports that Ramon Hernandez was sentenced Friday in Crawford County District Court for his convictions on vehicular homicide, three counts of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor and five other counts. He had faced up to 109 years in prison.

Authorities say Hernandez drove through a farm field with four teenagers in his car before it plunged into the Boyer River on Jan. 19. He and three of the others reached safety. The body of 15-year-old Yoana Acosta, of Denison, was found a week later on Jan. 26.

Hernandez must serve 10 years before he’s eligible for parole.