DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Texas health and human services official has been named the new director of the Iowa Department of Human Services. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says Thursday she appointed Kelly Kennedy Garcia to head the department that oversees the state’s Medicaid program, mental health centers and child welfare services. Garcia is now the deputy executive commissioner at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. She oversees programs with more than 700 employees and a $1.4 billion budget.

Kelly Garcia

Iowa DHS has more than 4,000 employees and a $7 billion budget. Garcia previously managed the Texas Medicaid program and once served as a senior adviser to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry. She will begin Nov. 1. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Iowa Senate. Former DHS Director Jerry Foxhoven was ousted from the job in June for reasons Reynolds has not fully disclosed. Foxhoven claims it was because he questioned a pay arrangement for a staff member he thought might be illegal. He’s filed a $2 million wrongful termination claim.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five arrests took place over the past week. Wednesday afternoon, 70-year old Stephen Craig Tasto, of Malvern, was arrested at the Cass County (NE) Jail on a Warrant 2nd Degree Theft. And, 26-year old Paul Eugene Whitmore, of Omaha, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail on a warrant for two counts of Failure to Appear. This past Monday afternoon, 27-year old Brittney Marie Hunter, of Omaha, NE, was arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and four counts of Child Endangerment. Early Sunday morning, 40-year old Robert Matthew Justice, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving While Barred.

On August 29th, 64-year old Robert Charles Carlson, of Omaha, was arrested at the Douglas County, NE., Jail,  on a warrant for Failure to Appear.

Mills County authorities said also, that on Aug. 30th, 48-year old Meril Naumowicz, of Tabor, was driving a 2018 Dodge eastbound on Highway 34 at around 2:05-p.m.  Mills county dispatch received multiple 911 calls about her vehicle being all over the road, and striking multiple cones in the construction zone. Before law enforcement could find the vehicle, it struck the guard rail at the 8-mile marker of Highway 34, and became disabled. Naumowicz was transported to Jennie Ed by Glenwood Rescue.

Last Saturday, 47-year old Timothy Rife, of Logan, was driving a 2016 Harley Davidson southbound on Highway 59 at around 1:53-a.m. As he approached the intersection with Kroon Avenue, Rife saw a herd of cattle were on the roadway. When he swerved to avoid hitting the cattle, his cycle toppled onto its side. Rife was transported to The University of Nebraska Medical Center, by Red oak Rescue.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials have unveiled a blue 300-pound bronze statue of a troll that now sits below the popular Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge spanning the Missouri River from Omaha to Council Bluffs, Iowa. Omar the Troll — short for Omaha Metro Area River — was introduced during a news conference Wednesday. The 4-foot troll with a toothy grin now greets visitors from atop a concrete cottage set up on a mulched area by one of the bridge’s pillars.

The sculpture is the brainchild of tourism group Visit Omaha and has been in the works for three years. The idea behind his creation is to keep visitors excited about the riverfront bridge. Deborah Ward with Visit Omaha tells the Omaha World-Herald that “every bridge needs a troll.”

DES MOINES, IA— The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Donor Network launched a new organ, eye, and tissue donor registry on Wednesday, September 4th. The new registry makes it possible for Iowans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors when obtaining a hunting, fishing or fur harvester license. The new registry was created after Governor Kim Reynolds signed “Logan’s Law”, a bill named after 15-year-old Logan Luft. Logan, of Charles City, passed away in 2017 and saved many lives by becoming an organ and tissue donor. The Luft family worked with Representative Todd Prichard and Senator Waylon Brown to craft the bill, which passed unanimously in the Iowa House and Senate.

In addition to creating a new way for Iowans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors, “Logan’s Law” also requires donation education be included in all hunter education courses. Iowa Donor Network has developed new educational videos about the donation process that Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be incorporating into all hunter education courses. Links to the new videos are below.

Currently, 74% of adults in Iowa are registered organ, eye and tissue donors. Until now, the majority of Iowans registered to be organ, eye and tissue donors at the DMV or online at IowaDonorNetwork.org.  In the United States, there are more 113,000 people on the transplant waiting list and an average of 22 people die each day because there are not enough organs available. The new registry, through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, will make it even easier for Iowans to register as donors and help Iowa Donor Network increase the donor registry and decrease the transplant waiting list.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a Nebraska woman was arrested following a traffic stop at around 10:20-p.m., Wednesday, in Council Bluffs. The driver, 31-year old Samantha Page Jay, of Omaha, was arrested on a hold from another (Unspecified) agency, and transported to the Pott. County Jail.

The Council Bluffs Police Department reports one person was arrested on kidnapping and other charges, Monday night. Authorities today (Thursday) said 28-year old Michael Brandstrom, of Council Bluffs, was arrested following an investigation that began at around 8:36-p.m. Monday, when officers were called to 1100 Marshall Ave. in Council Bluffs, for a missing 4 year old female. Officers arrived and after a short time located the juvenile when Michael Brandstrom brought her out of his apartment and turned her over to officers.

Michael Brandstrom

Brandstrom told police he found the girl her outside, and brought her to his apartment to keep her safe. As the investigation continued it was determined that Brandstrom had kept the juvenile in his apartment for over an hour without calling police. Detectives at the scene interviewed Brandstrom and found many concerning issues with his story. Brandstrom’s apartment was searched and a cell phone was examined. Detectives found several nude photos of the juvenile female on the phone.

At that time warrants, were applied for and issued for Brandstrom’s arrest on charges of Kidnapping 3rd and Lascivious Acts with a Child. After he was arrested, Brandstrom was transported to Pottawattamie County Jail. Officials say the investigation is still open and additional charges may be pending.