(Ankeny, Iowa) — An Iowa-based convenience store chain known for its pizza is expanding into the Lone Star State. Officials with Casey’s General Stores say the company is acquiring 22 Lone Star Stores in Texas, and incorporating them into its brand. Darren Rebelez, Casey’s president and chief executive officer, said in the news release that all Lone Star employees have been offered jobs.

Casey’s General Stores Inc. opened its first general store in Boone, Iowa in 1968. Casey’s operates more than 2,500 stores in 16 states, primarily in the Midwest, according to its website. It’s the company’s first time expanding into Texas, which becomes its 17th state overall. The transaction is expected to be wrapped up by the end of the month. The retailer finished the first quarter of its fiscal 2024 on July 31st. It plans to add more than 350 stores through construction and acquisitions by fiscal year 2026. Announcing fiscal Q1 results, Casey’s said it was updating its forecast to add at least 150 stores in fiscal year 2024 because of pending transactions.

Casey’s is the third-largest convenience store chain in the country and the fifth-largest pizza chain.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report three recent arrests. Two people were taken into custody early this (Friday) morning:

47-year-old Jeanie Dion Tavoada, of Creston, was arrested a little before 3-a.m. at the Creston Union County LEC (Law Enforcement Center). Tavoada was charged with OWI/1st Offense. Tavoada was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. And, at around 12:15-a.m., 34-year-old Nevin Alan Meisenheimer, of Creston, was arrested at his residence. Meisenheimer was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault-Parent with Same Minor Child. He was taken to the Union County Jail and held without bond until seen by the Magistrate.

Thursday afternoon, 67-year-old Jeffrey Lynn Bandow, of Creston, was arrested at the Walmart store, in Creston. Bandow was charged with Driving while Revoked-Operation without Interlock Device, Driving while Revoked and OWI/1st Offense. He was taken to the Union County Jail and held on a $2,300 cash or surety bond.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa State Patrol reports two separate accidents Thursday in eastern Iowa resulted in injuries to three people. A little before 8-a.m., Thursday, a pickup truck driven by 15-year-old James J. Denning, of Houghton, was traveling east on Lee County Road 103 out of West Point, when a pedestrian, 65-year-old Jayme Boeding, of West Point, crossed the road near 2431 County Road 103, to get to his mailbox.

When Boeding failed to see the approaching pickup truck approaching from the west, he was struck by the vehicle in the eastbound lane of travel. Boeding was transported by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. A report on his condition was not released.

And, at around 4:15-p.m., Thursday, the drivers of two vehicles involved in a collision in Louisa County were transported to the hospital, after one of the drivers – 74-year-old Sharon Jennings, of Mount Union (IA), failed to obey a stop sign at the intersection of Highway 78 east and M Avenue, southeast of Morning Sun. Jennings’ 2011 Honda 4-door collided with a 2014 Ford pickup driven by 14-year-old Zane Veach, of Wapello. Both vehicles came to rest in the southeast ditch.

Both drivers were wearing their seat belts. Jennings was transported by helicopter to UIHC. Veach was transported by private vehicle to a local hospital. The crash remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office, Wapello Rescue & 1st Responders, Morning Sun Fire, Wapello Ambulance and Med Force.

(Radio Iowa) – A court-appointed trustee says a Chicago law firm submitted a shocking, 922-thousand dollar bill for its work as Mercy hospital in Iowa City worked its way through bankruptcy court. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports the trustee has recommended that a judge review the bill to see if it’s reasonable and necessary.

Late last month, the court announced the University of Iowa’s 28 MILLION dollar bid to buy Mercy hospital had been accepted as the best offer. That reversed a previous announcement that the hospital had been acquired by a Texas finance company that was the hospital’s largest creditor.

(Eldora, Iowa [WHO-TV])  — A licensed therapist hired to work with at-risk residents at the Iowa State Training School for Boys in Eldora has been fired as authorities investigate her for allegedly having sex with multiple clients and providing contraband, according to a state official. The Eldora Police Department is investigating the allegations. No criminal charges have been filed.

WHO-TV reports an investigation by the Iowa Appeals and Inspections was launched after a resident was found with a vape pen at the school one week ago. The resident informed staff it came from a therapist at the school who was also providing the contraband to as many as seven residents she was engaging in sexual acts with, the state official said.

Most, if not all the residents involved are minors. The accused therapist was placed on administrative leave and was fired shortly after.

The primary purpose of the State Training School at Eldora is to provide a continuum of supervision and rehabilitation programs, which meet the needs of males adjudicated delinquent, in a manner consistent with public safety, according to the schools website. These services and programs individualize treatment and control the offender for his own benefit and the protection of society.

Adair, Iowa [KCCI] — The Chief of Police in Adair remains on the job while he faces more than a dozen federal charges related to machine guns. The recent court filings explain how the investigation into Chief Brad Wendt unfolded, what city council members knew, and when they knew it. KCCI reports the documents describe interviews the FBI conducted with current and former Adair City Council members and the transcripts of closed-session city council meetings.

The court filings also indicate that on Aug. 31, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at Police Chief Brad Wendt’s gun store in Denison, and the Adair Police Department. Wendt was placed on paid administrative leave shortly after that. And then, on Sept. 14 — two weeks after the FBI searches — Adair City Council members held a closed-door meeting to talk about Wendt. Transcripts show one council member claimed that Wendt admitted he sold guns for much more than he’d paid for them, claiming to do so on behalf of the city.

Another member defended Wendt — saying the chief had “paid for everything” — and had broken no laws.The council held another private meeting on Oct. 26 — to talk about a letter from Wendt’s attorney. The contents of that letter have not been made public. But by the end of that meeting, transcripts show, the council reinstated Wendt, taking him off of paid leave.

Less than two months later, though — on Dec. 14, 2022 — Wendt was indicted on 19 federal charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office accused Wendt of exploiting his position as police chief to buy or try to buy machine guns over a four-year period. Prosecutors say Wendt claimed the guns were for official police duties, but were actually re-sold, stored, or even used at public events where people were charged money to shoot those guns.

Five days after that indictment, the city council again placed Wendt on leave — this time unpaid. Less than a month after that — on Jan. 11, 2023, the city council held another closed-door meeting. Transcripts show Wendt himself was there, and claimed “everybody” on city council knew he was buying the machine guns. Later that night, the council voted to reinstate Wendt for a second time.

Wendt is due in Federal Court Feb. 5 in Des Moines. If found guilty, Wendt could be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years behind bars.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is co-sponsoring a bill that would shift unused COVID-19 funds to help replace Chinese-made communications equipment installed in the U-S. “Last year, U.S. officials confirmed Huawei equipment can intercept not only commercial cell traffic, but also the highly restricted airwaves used by the U.S. military,” Hinson says. “Chinese-made equipment in our networks is an individual privacy, cybersecurity and national security disaster.”

Hinson, a Republican from Marion, is among a bipartisan group in the House co-sponsoring a bill called the Defend Our Networks Act. A similar bill in the U.S. has bipartisan backing. The Biden Administration has prohibited the purchase of communications equipment from Huawei and Z-T-E, businesses that have close ties to the Chinese government. The Federal Communications Commission has banned U-S based networks from using the equipment.

“They also ordered telecom carriers to tear out equipment made by Huawei and ZTE,” Hinson says. “However, it’s estimated there are still about 24,000 pieces of this Chinese-made equipment embedded in our U.S. networks.”

The F-C-C’s “rip and replace” fund — created in 2020 — has reimburses small providers of cell or internet service that replace that Chinese equipment, but it still has about three BILLION dollars in eligible applications that haven’t been fulfilled. “That shortfall means that carriers will have to continuing compromised equipment or rip and not replace, leaving Americans without communications service and this would disproportionately impact rural areas, where many communities have only one carrier,” Hinson says. “That could lead to a total service loss for Americans in some place.”

Hinson says it’s critical to quickly replace Chinese-made products with secure tel-com equipment and ensure Americans have private and secure connectivity.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Utilities Board’s public hearing on Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed carbon pipeline has concluded. Over eight weeks, the Utilities Board convened for 26 days, hearing testimony from over 100 landowners who object to having the pipeline on their property Utilities Board members are letting hundreds of additional public comments be entered into evidence.

Summit waived its right to offer rebuttal witnesses yesterday (Thursday). In a written statement, Summit said the hearing’s conclusion is a critical step forward for its project. Summit’s proposed pipeline would capture carbon emissions from more than 30 ethanol plants in Iowa and four other states.

There’s no deadline for the board to make its decision on Summit’s application for a permit to construct and operate a carbon capture pipeline in Iowa. The board’s three options are to grant the permit, deny it, OR grant the permit with some modifications.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Utilizing surveillance video and other investigative means, Council Bluffs Police Detectives say they have identified a man from Papillion, Nebraska, as a suspect in the assault Wednesday morning, of a woman who was jogging on the River’s Edge Park Service Road, south of the I-480 bridge underpass. Authorities say an arrest warrant has been issued for 25-year-old Dominic M. Henton. He is wanted on one-count of Assault with the Intent to commit sexual abuse.

Henton is believed to be a transient at this time, and may frequent the area of the Riverfront on both the Iowa and Nebraska sides. He is described as being a white male, 5-feet 8-inches tall, 140-pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. The Council Bluffs Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Henton. Please do not approach him but instead contact 911 if his whereabouts are known.

Surveillance images show Henton as he followed Senator Martha McSally eastbound over the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge and then southbound onto the trail. Senator McSally can be seen walking in front of Henton in the photos. One photo depicts Henton in the area before the assault. The fourth photo shows Henton in the area after the assault took place.

Original story follows:

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Police in Council Bluffs are asking for your help in locating a suspect involved in an assault. Authorities say that at around 10:53-a.m., Wednesday, November 8th, Council Bluffs police officers were dispatched to the Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park for a report of an assault. The investigation revealed that a male assaulted the victim, identified as Martha McSally**, as she was jogging on the River’s Edge Service Road South of I-480 bridge underpass.

McSally fought off the attacker and chased him into a dense area of brush near the I-480 bridge. She lost sight of the suspect prior to officers arriving. After a check of the area the suspect was not located.

(Adams County,  Iowa) – Officials with the Corning Fire Department said in a social media post, that on Thursday (Nov. 9, 2023), they were dispatched to a combine fire. Once on scene, it was discovered that the field the combine was in had started on fire as well.

Mutual aid was requested from the Cumberland, Grant, Massena and Villisca Fire Departments. Montgomery County EMA provided aerial drone photos during the incident, as well as assistance with finding hotspots.

No injuries were reported. (Photos via Montgomery County EMA)