More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Nearly three-hundred people have signed up to attend the 2016 Iowa Arts Summit this Friday in Des Moines. Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs director Mary Cownie  says people from 90 Iowa communities have registered. “Two years when we launched the Iowa Arts Summit as a statewide convening for Iowa’s arts community, the response was overwhelming,” Cownie says, “so this year we will build on that success with local, state and national voices converging.”

The day will allow artists and non-profit groups that work on cultural projects throughout the state to network, learn about success stories in other communities and get fundraising tips. “We’re also excited to add a touch of Hollywood to this year’s summit…presenting a session track for Iowa filmmakers featuring Sarah Pearce, the managing director of the Sundance Institute,” Cownie says, “as well as Iowa native and University of Iowa alum Andrew Steele who is the creative director of the website ‘Funny or Die.'”

Steele grew up in Iowa City and is a former Saturday Night Live writer. He won an Emmy in 2002. Dozens of artists will be doing “pop up” exhibits during the event. More than 50 sculptures created by Waterloo’s Youth Art Team will be on display. Cultural experiences in Iowa cities and communities help keep and attract young professionals, according to Cownie.

“It’s not only the 9-5, because if they know they’re going to get a job, they look at public schools. They may look at public safety, but they also want to know: ‘What am I doing to do?'” Cownie says. “‘Where am I going to take my kids? What am I going to do with my spouse or partner?'”

On Friday, during the summit, Cownie plans to release new data about the impact of the arts on Iowa. Registration is still open for the conference. (Register online at https://iowaculture.gov/arts/get-involved/iowa-arts-summit)

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Creston say a woman residing in the 300 block of N. Sumner Avenue has reported an incident of vandalism. Authorities say sometime between July 24th and 25th, a person or persons unknown shot out the back passenger window of the victims’ vehicle. The damage was estimated at $150. The incident remains under investigation.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Former Cass County Health System (CCHS) CEO Todd Hudspeth has entered a voluntary Guilty plea to a Forgery charge in Buena Vista County District Court. As part of a plea agreement reached Monday (Aug. 1^st), Hudspeth was sentenced to two-years probation, ordered to pay a $750 civil penalty, and must submit a DNA sample.

Hudspeth was charged with Forgery in January after he presented a $10,000 check with a forged signature at Storm Lake MetaBank. He said the check was deposited into a checking account to pay for his son’s college expenses. Hudspeth later acknowledged he had made a poor decision in endorsing a disbursement check that included his name, and that of his ex-wife. Hudspeth admitted that he took “A foolish shortcut to expedite” the process of transferring funds for his son’s expenses.

A felony Forgery charge was also filed in Cass County, in May, based on the Forgery case filed by the Storm Lake Police Department. Hudspeth had entered a written plea of Not Guilty in his Cass County case.  A waiver for his preliminary hearing in Atlantic was submitted on May 24^th.

Hudspeth was fired from his position with the Cass County Health System last month.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an incident of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Authorities say at around 10:50-p.m., Monday, officers were called to Roberts Park in the 900 block of N. 25th Street, where a 17-year old female was allegedly attacked by a male. The victim was able to get away from her attacker and run to a nearby residence. The attacker fled on foot.

The suspect is described as being a white male, approximately 40-55 years old wearing a black shirt and jean shorts. He’s about 6-feet 3-inches tall, and weighs around 200 lbs. The suspect was last seen running east bound in the 1000 blk
of N. 25th St.

The case is being investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with information in reference to this case is urged to contact (712) 328-4728 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP (7867).

Additional information is expected to be released later this morning with regard to a single-vehicle accident that happened near Walnut, Monday evening. According to the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, the male driver of the vehicle was transported by Walnut Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, after the van they were in left a curve on Highway 83 at a high rate of speed, south of Walnut. The van entered a ditch and impacted an embankment on the east side of County Road M-47, before coming to rest.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says two men were arrested on drug charges early this (Tuesday) morning. 27-year old Kyle Wayne Pack and 29-year old David Andrew Strange, both of Red Oak, were arrested at around 2:42-a.m. following a traffic stop near the intersection of Highway 34 and Locust Avenue, in Adams County.

Pack and Strange both face Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, charges. Strange was also charged with Possession of Meth. Both were brought to the Adams County Jail.

An investigation conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies in Montgomery County into the theft of UTV’s and other machines, resulted in the arrest of two men for possession of stolen property, with additional charges pending. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said Monday, 29-year old Jessie Fitzwater, of Villisca, and 32-year old Kale Briner, of Grant City, MO., were arrested in connection with the incidents. Authorities say additional arrests are possible, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Fitzwater was arrested Friday evening, in Grant. Briner was arrested in Villisca Saturday evening. Officials say at around 1:43-a.m. Friday, deputies investigated in the northeast part of Montgomery County, the location of a John Deere Gator reported stolen from Adams County. When they came into contact with the machine at about 110th and V Avenue, the person operating the UTV led deputies on a short pursuit ending in a corn field. The suspect, later identified as Fitzwater, took off on foot but was apprehended without further incident, just after 7-p.m., Friday.

Additional information in the case led to the search for Kale Briner, who was already wanted on various charges out of Ringgold County, Nodaway County, MO., and Grant City, MO. He was also a suspect in numerous burglaries. Saturday evening, deputies went to Briner’s residence in Villisca. When he saw them, Briner took off on foot and disappeared. A perimeter was set up and a K-9 search conducted. The K-9 unit located Briner hiding under a tarp next to some vehicles. After initially resisting arrest, Briner was taken into custody.

Deputies made contact with the tenant of the property and discovered multiple stolen and believed to be stolen items, located in a garage. The suspected stolen items were seized and taken into evidence for identification. Sunday, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office followed-up on information involving a golf cart stolen from Taylor County, and as a result, the cart was recovered at a  residence in Adams County, at around 12:15-a.m., Sunday.

Agencies involved in the investigation include: The Montgomery, Adams, and Taylor County Sheriff’s Offices, with assistance from deputies in Cass and Fremont Counties.

Hillary Clinton campaigned in Omaha late Monday afternoon, vowing to push for an upgrade to the nation’s electrical grid if she’s elected president — to better distribute the power generated by wind turbines. “I know because I’ve seen them in the crowd. There are a few people from Iowa here today and your neighbor Iowa is already getting one-third of its energy from clean energy, primarily wind energy,” Clinton said. Clinton says the wind industry is part of a “diverse economic development” strategy that keeps small town America going.

“They’re also giving farmers extra income for hosting the turbines on their farm and they are taking abandoned factories and actually assembling the wind turbines, putting people to work in Iowa to produce the energy in Iowa,” Clinton said, to cheers. Clinton is calling for more federal investment in the nation’s aging infrastructure, like electric transmission lines, as well as bridges, roads and water treatment systems.

Clinton spoke to a crowd at Omaha North High School late Monday afternoon, then attended a private fundraiser. It was held at the home of Susie Buffett, the daughter of investment guru Warren Buffet.

(Radio Iowa)