DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s attorney general has concluded that Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds will not have the authority to appoint a lieutenant governor when she replaces Gov. Terry Branstad. Reynolds is preparing to become governor when Branstad resigns to become U.S. ambassador to China in coming weeks.

Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller said in a legal opinion Monday that Reynolds will assume the duties of an elected governor through January 2019 but won’t have the power to appoint a new lieutenant.

Miller’s office had said in December that it agreed with Reynolds and Branstad that she would have the power to choose a new no. 2. The reversal is likely to infuriate Republicans and could have significant consequences for the 2018 election in which Reynolds is expected to seek a four-year term.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — An inmate who escaped from a western Iowa jail has been captured after crashing a stolen vehicle during a police chase in neighboring Nebraska. Authorities have acknowledged that an inmate, Wesley Correa-Carmenaty, stole a transport van and crashed out of the Pottawattamie County Jail around 11 a.m. Monday. According to media reports, two deputies were shot but were listed in fair condition at a local hospital. A third person was transported to Creighton Medical Center. A report on their condition was not immediately available.

Authorities say the van was abandoned a few blocks away, where the inmate either met an accomplice or carjacked someone’s car. He then drove over the Missouri River into Omaha, Nebraska. It’s unclear whether the inmate was alone and still in the same vehicle when he crashed in Omaha to end the high-speed police chase.

Correa-Carmenaty was being held in the Pott. County Jail on charges of 1st Degree Murder, Attempted Murder, and 1st Degree Robbery. He was scheduled to be sentenced today (Monday).

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests. This (Monday) morning, 24-year old Tanor Devon Jimmison, of Clarinda, was arrested on a Linn County (Iowa) Warrant for Revocation of probation.  Jimmison was arrested at the Page County Courthouse and unable to post the $5000. He remained in the jail pending transportation to Linn County.

And, last Thursday evening, 27-year old Cody Robert Cordell, of New Market, was arrested by Page County Deputies in Clarinda, following a traffic stop. Cordell was charged with Driving under suspension (a serious misdemeanor), Theft 2nd (a class D felony), and Possession of drug paraphernalia (a simple misdemeanor).  He was booked into the Page County Jail and later posted $5000 bond before being released, pending further court appearances.

Jimmison

Cordell

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests took place over the past few days. At around 8:30-a.m. today (Monday), 30-year old Lisa Marie Riskowski, of Exira, was arrested on an outstanding Audubon County warrant for Child Endangerment. The charge stems from an investigation into an incident that occurred in the 300 block of W. Washington Street, in Exira, whereby Riskowski allegedly allowed a registered sex offender to reside at her home where minor children were present. Riskowski was brought to the Audubon County Jail and later released after appearing before a magistrate. Her preliminary hearing was set for May 18th.

At around 12:40-a.m. Sunday, 20-year old Zen Henry Gross, of Atlantic, was arrested in Audubon County for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop. Gross was later released after appearing before the magistrate, with his preliminary hearing also set for May 18th.

20-year old Verlyn Duane Richardson, Jr., of Ankeny, was arrested Saturday night in Audubon County, for Possession of Marijuana/1st offense, two counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Driving While Barred. His arrest was the result of a traffic stop on Highway 71 at Littlefield Drive. Richardson was being held in the Audubon County Jail on $2,000 bond.

And, Friday evening, 32-year old Amanda Sue Wicker, of Harlan, was arrested for Possession of Marijuana/3rd offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The charges stem from a traffic stop on Highway.

(12-p.m. News)

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports a Cass County man was arrested last Wednesday (April 26th), on two counts of Harassment in the 3rd Degree. 27-year old Charles Ray Edwards, III, of Atlantic, was arrested at around 10:30-p.m. by Adair Police in Adair. He was released that same night on $3,000 bond.

46-year old Andre Lamont Sewell, of Stuart, was arrested April 24th by Stuart Police, on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault/2nd offense, following an incident in an apartment complex parking lot involving a female and her children. A Deputy arriving on the scene noted Sewell appeared to be intoxicated and had a strong odor of alcohol coming from him.

And, on April 28th, an Iowa State Patrol Trooper responded to a report a Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup with construction lights on top and a logo on the doors, was all over the road on Interstate 80 eastbound. The vehicle was located the vehicle near the Adair Exit and eventually pulled over at about mile marker 85. The Trooper, who observed the truck swerving all over the lanes prior to it being pulled over, said he smelled an odor of alcohol emitting from inside the truck.

A half consumed bottle of tequila was laying on the front passenger floorboard. The driver, 49-year old Ramon Guerrero Gonzalez, of Des Moines, admitted he has consumed three, 16-ounce beers. The man failed the Field Sobriety Test and a Preliminary Breath Test indicated his blood alcohol level was .183%, or more than twice the legal limit. A test at the Adair County Jail resulted in a reading of .163%. Gonzalez was arrested for OWI/1st offense and later released on $1,000 bond.

Sheriff Vandewater said also, 25-year old Taylor Jay Edelman, of Adair, was arrested April 26th, for Simple Assault. He was later released on $300 bond.

(Corrects to show accident happened Saturday morning…not Sunday)

An accident late SATURDAY morning in Red Oak involving six vehicles caused a total of $16,200 damage, but no one was injured. Red Oak Police responded to the Fareway Store parking lot in Red Oak, at around 11:05-a.m., Saturday. On the scene they determined 80-year old David Howes, of Red Oak, was attempting to park his 2017 Toyota van, when his foot slipped off the brake pedal and stepped on the accelerator pedal.

The van struck a legally parked, unattended 2009 Mitsubishi owned by Michael Nelson, of Red Oak, damaging the right front quarter panel and wheel. The Toyota then struck an unoccupied, legally parked 2009 Toyota SUV owned by Harvey Birkey, of Red Oak. The impact knocked the SUV out of gear, causing it to roll south through the Fareway parking lot and over the curb into a separate parking lot, where the SUV struck a 1999 Plymouth van on the driver’s side rear. The van was registered to Shari Ann Wheeler, of Hamburg.

The impact forced the van to slide into the driver’s rear side of a 2013 Chevy Equinox SUV registered to Chavis Wise, of Red Oak. At the same time, Howes’ vehicle struck a 1997 Chevy pickup in the rear. That vehicle was registered to Tyler Jenning, of Red Oak. The impact pushed the pickup forward into another, seventh vehicle, which was gone before officers arrived. They were told, however, that the 7th vehicle sustained no damage.

No citations were issued since the accident happened on private property.

UPDATE (1:30-p.m.) – A 17-year old Clarinda teen missing since about 8-p.m. Sunday has been located and returned to the custody of her parents. Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports Brandi Novak is safe, and the Clarinda Police Department thanks the public for their assistance.

Original story:

The Clarinda Police Department is asking for your help in locating a white teenage female who was last seen at around 8-p.m. Sunday at her home in Clarinda. 17-year old Brandi Regina Novak is 5-feet 5-inches tall and weighs about 175-pounds. She has shoulder length black hair, which is usually pulled up, brown eyes and glasses.

Brandi was last seen wearing a gray tank top trimmed in red, and blue jeans. If you know her whereabouts, please contact the Clarinda Police Department at 712-542-2194. Officials say foul play is not suspected.

Brandi Novak

Officials with the Atlantic Community School District report the District is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided to all children up to age 18, without charge and are the same for all children, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. The program runs May 31st through August 1st (they will be closed July 3rd and 4th for the holiday)

Meals will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis at the Schuler Elementary School. Breakfast will be served from 9-until 10-a.m., and lunch from 11-to 12:30-p.m.  Participants are asked to enter through the back door of Schuler, and follow the signs.

The Atlantic School District is also in dire need of volunteers to serve meals for one and a half-hours every day, Monday through Friday. If you’re interested, call the Food Service Department at 243-5369, and ask to speak with DeeAnn.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – University of Iowa biomedical engineering students have helped an 8-year-old boy who was born without most of his right arm to ride a bike. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that Jonny Cole was having difficulty learning to ride because neither he nor his father, Douglas Cole, could figure out how to keep him balanced long enough to move a bike forward.

Douglas, a Ph.D. student in linguistics at the University of Iowa, asked the university’s machine shop last summer to help him design and 3-D print an adaptive device that would help Jonny ride. They referred him to the biomedical engineering program, where four students decided to help.

Alicia Truka says the group developed a “one-jointed arm for his bike.” The handlebar attachment helps him balance and steer.

The Atlantic Police Department reports three arrests and  two accidents took place over the past few days. Saturday afternoon, a vehicle driven by Erica Klever, of Atlantic, was traveling north at the stop light from the Wal-Mart parking lot, waiting to turn left onto 7th Street. A vehicle driven by Jackson Heithoff, of Anita, was traveling east on 7th Street and failed to obey the stop light before striking Klever’s vehicle. Klever was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Damage to the vehicles amounted to $14,000.

No serious injuries were reported following an accident Friday morning at the intersection of Highway 6 (7th Street) and 22nd Street. Officials say a vehicle driven by Richard Anstey, of Cumberland, was traveling south on Highway 6 at around 8-a.m., and yielding to northbound traffic to make a left turn onto 22nd Street, when his vehicle was struck from behind. The driver of the other vehicle was identified as Edward Burton, of Littleton, CO. Burton was cited for Failure to Maintain a Reasonable and Proper Speed. Damage from the collision amounted to $8,000.

Atlantic Police arrested 48-year old Kevin Scott, of Madisonville, KY, Saturday. Scott was taken into custody on a Kentucky warrant for Failure to Appear. He was booked into the Cass County Jail. 21-year old Angel Knowles, of Atlantic, was arrested Friday, in Atlantic. Knowles was taken into custody on a Cass County warrant for OWI and booked into the Cass County Jail. And, 47-year old Craig Griffin, of Atlantic, was arrested April 26th in Atlantic, on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear in Court in a Child Support matter. He was also booked into the Cass County Jail.