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MYRNA F. AKERS, 81, of Brayton (Svcs. 11/30/2019)

Obituaries

November 26th, 2019 by Jim Field

MYRNA F. AKERS, 81, of Brayton died Monday, November 25th at her home. Funeral services for MYRNA F. AKERS will be held on Saturday, November 30th at 2:00pm at the Exira Christian Church in Exira. Kessler Funeral Home in Exira has the arrangements.

Family visitation will be held on Friday, November 29th from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Kessler Funeral Home in Exira.

Burial will be in the Oakfield Cemetery, east of Brayton.

MYRNA F. AKERS is survived by:

Children: Craig Akers of Brayton. Mary Beth (Bill) Stephens of Auxvasse, MO.

2 Grandchildren

Other Relatives and Friends.

Group that helps run Powerball says it is a ‘private entity’

News

November 26th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa-based nonprofit governed by dozens of state lotteries says it is a “private entity” and not subject to the open records law. The Multi-State Lottery Association said Tuesday that a legal review has determined it does not have to disclose its recent settlement of a lawsuit that sought millions of dollars in damages. The group helps run the Powerball game and others.

The Associated Press requested a copy of the association’s agreement with Larry Dawson, an Iowa man who won a $9 million Hot Lotto jackpot in 2011. Settlements involving government bodies are public records in Iowa. But lottery association general counsel Patricia Lantz says the group “has operated as a private entity” since the 1980s. She says it provides the public information when possible but that the settlement agreement is confidential.

Dawson’s lawsuit contended that his jackpot would have been $16.5 million bigger if the association’s information security director, Eddie Tipton, hadn’t rigged the previous prize. Tipton is serving prison time for rigging several jackpots worth millions of dollars dating back to 2005.

Attorney: 2nd Iowa sex offender says therapist exploited him

News

November 26th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An attorney says a second patient at a program for Iowa’s most dangerous sex offenders is accusing its former treatment director of encouraging an improperly close relationship. Attorney Jason Dunn said Tuesday that he’s representing Daniel Roe, a convicted rapist who is a patient at the Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders in Cherokee.

He says Roe fell in love with Shannon Sanders, an unlicensed psychologist who was the program’s treatment director until September. Roe is alleging that Sanders encouraged those feelings during treatment, including allowing him to write sexually explicit stories that featured a character based on her. Dunn says Roe feels victimized.

Dunn also represents sex offender Jeffrey Goodwin, who has alleged that he was willing to kill for Sanders. He says he intends to file suit on their behalf. The Iowa Department of Human Services forced Sanders to resign in September after an investigation found that she violated numerous policies.

The Cherokee police department has said that it’s investigating.

Travel not advised in Shelby County

News

November 26th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and Shelby County Emergency Management are issuing a travel not advised in Shelby County. This is due to the current weather conditions causing slick roads. There have been several reported accidents already. Do not travel unless necessary. If you do need to go out, please drive carefully and if you are involved in an accident dial 911 and remain in your vehicle until help arrives if it is safe to do so. We will continue to monitor weather and road conditions and update as necessary.

Body found in restroom at Council Bluffs Target Store

News

November 26th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Council Bluffs say just after 12:30pm today, Council Bluffs Police and Fire/Rescue personnel were dispatched to the Target store at 3804 Metro Drive, with regard to the body of a deceased adult male inside a restroom. A subsequent investigation revealed that an adult male took his own life. The male’s family has been notified, but his identity is not being released.

Target management elected to close the store while the incident was being investigated. Officials say “The Council Bluffs Police Department does not usually make public comment on suicides, but since this incident generated quite a bit of local press and social media attention, we felt it was best to share this information.”

Council Bluffs police make arrest after body found in sheet

News

November 26th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Police have charged a Council Bluffs man with murder in the death of a person whose body was found wrapped in a sheet near the city’s downtown. Council Bluffs police said Tuesday that officers arrested 36-year-old Dubol Koat on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of William Josephtong Dut.

Koat’s arrest came nearly a month after officers were called Oct. 28 to investigate a body found wrapped in a sheet. Police identified the body as Dut, a 35-year-old resident of Council Bluffs. Police say Koat and Dut were roommates and co-workers. Police haven’t said how Dut died.

VERA LUCILLE “LUCY” HECKMAN of Guthrie Center (11-30-2019)

Obituaries

November 26th, 2019 by Jim Field

VERA LUCILLE “LUCY” HECKMAN of Guthrie Center died Monday, November 25th at New Homestead in Guthrie Center.  Funeral services for LUCY HECKMAN will be held on Saturday, November 30th at 10:00 am at the First United Methodist Church in Guthrie Center.  Twigg Funeral Home in Guthrie Center has the arrangements.

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Visitation will be held on Friday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the funeral home.

Burial in the Union Cemetery in Guthrie Center.

Condolences may be left at www.twiggfuneralhome.com.

Gov. Reynolds extends harvest and propane proclamations

Ag/Outdoor

November 26th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Today (Tuesday), Gov. Kim Reynolds extended two proclamations relating to the transportation of grain and the hours of service for the delivery of propane. The governor signed a proclamation extending her Sept. 30, 2019, proclamation that allowed vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage and stover to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit, for the duration of this proclamation.

The proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code, by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

The proclamation extends the suspension of provisions relating to the transport of grain to 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2019. The governor also signed a proclamation extending her Oct. 31, 2019, proclamation that temporarily suspended certain regulatory provisions pertaining to hours of service for the delivery of propane. Early winter weather conditions, late harvest, and high demand for petroleum products throughout the Midwest have resulted in low supplies of propane. The proclamation temporarily suspends provisions of Iowa Code § 321.449 pertaining to hours of service for crews and drivers delivering propane.

The proclamation extends the suspension of provisions relating to hours of service for propane delivery to 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 14, 2019.

Iowa farmers set to receive $767 million in trade payments

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 26th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa farmers are set to receive the most government payments to offset damage from the U.S.’s ongoing trade war with China. The Des Moines Register reports Iowa farmers will receive $767 million in payments from President Donald Trump’s $16 billion trade assistance program this year. The Agriculture Department announced a second round of payments under the program earlier this month.

The USDA shows that the other states getting the most federal assistance in this year’s program are Illinois, at $707 million; Minnesota, at $519 million; Texas, at $497 million; and Kansas, at $474 million. Iowa Soybean Association board president Tim Bardole says the additional payments will be helpful, but they won’t cure all the problems farmers are having this year.

Iowa governor highlights turkey industry at turkey pardon

News

November 26th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has pardoned two tom turkeys, continuing a longstanding Thanksgiving tradition celebrating Iowa’s turkey industry. The male birds named Benjamin and Franklin will live at Living History Farms in Urbandale, a 500-acre open air history museum that demonstrates three centuries of Iowa farm life.

Reynolds held the annual event Tuesday at Terrace Hill, the governor’s residence, where she says she’ll spend thanksgiving cooking for her family. Several family members, including grandchildren, petted the turkeys after Reynolds read the proclamation freeing them from becoming a thanksgiving meal.

Iowa ranks seventh in U.S. turkey production, turning out more than 12 million turkeys annually on 130 farms. The state is fifth in turkey processing with plants in Storm Lake and West Liberty.