Five suspects in a stolen vehicle were apprehended following an armed robbery at Wings America truck stop near Avoca, Wednesday morning. Tom Bruun, Motor Vehicle Captain with the Iowa Department of Transportation, told KJAN News a broadcast went out at around 8:30-a.m. with regard to the robbery. A man from Alabama who was at the truck stop, was robbed by a person displaying a silver revolver. The robber got away with $70 in cash.

DOT Enforcement Officer Brian Rink saw the suspect vehicle, a 2011 BMW stolen from Polk County, as it was traveling on Interstate 80 near Highway 173. Rink conducted a “High Risk,” felony traffic stop with assistance from Cass County Sheriff Darby McLaren and Atlantic Police Officer Dustin Piekin. Numerous other Atlantic P-D officers, deputies, along with a Dept. of Narcotics Enforcement Officer and an Iowa State Patrol Trooper arrived on the scene after the initial traffic stop, to offer assistance.

Afterward, a warrant was obtained to search the vehicle, during which, the revolver was recovered. Bruun says five subjects, three juveniles and two adults, were arrested. All five were from the Des Moines metro area. Avoca Police arrested the adult connected to the armed robbery, and the juvenile for driving the car. The three  juveniles ages 15, 16 & 17 were cited before being released to their parents.  The DOT’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division was handling the case of the stolen vehicle.

No names have been released.

The weekly monitoring program that tests waters at the state park beaches is now into its fifth week. The coordinator of the program, Mary Skopec, says there’ve been some good early results. “So far this year we haven’t seen any of the blue-green algae toxins — that’s a good thing,” Skopec says. “We had regular bacteria impairments, we’ve had a number of rainstorms bringing bacteria into our lakes. Heavy rains early in the season are not unusual, but some of the levels we have seen have been pretty high.” Skopec says they did see some high bacteria levels in the Great Lakes region in northern Iowa, which is not common.

“We normally don’t see very high levels of bacteria at the Okobojis, and last week they got hit pretty hard. So we saw a number of advisories at beaches where we normally don’t see that,” Skopec says. The heavy downpours that have been popping up create problems as the water runs off quickly. “If we see very heavy rains it’s hard for the ground to absorb a lot of that water and we do see the bacteria being washed off from the landscape into the beach and the bacteria levels spiking. So, that certainly is a driver, those heavy rains that we’ve had this year,” Skopec explains. She says the good news is sunshine following the heavy rains helps kill off the bacteria. Skopec says the blue-green algae can pose a larger problem.

“Because they are a toxin and the illnesses can be more severe — including things like respiratory distress where people have a hard time breathing,” according to Skopec. “We do see pet issues as well with the blue-green algae, so it is a little bit or concerning than the bacteria which tends to be a little stomach upset and some diarrhea, which is uncomfortable but not nearly as severe as the blue-green algae illness that you might see.”\

You can go online and see a map of the weekly testing results at the Iowa D-N-R website. http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water-Quality/Water-Monitoring/Beaches

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs today announced it has awarded 119 grants totaling more than $1.2 million to organizations, people and projects in 40 communities that strengthen quality of life and cultural vitality in Iowa.

Local projects that are being supported include:

• Creston: $10,000 Art Project Grant: Arts will partner with Creston High School and artist Jordan Weber to design and paint a public mural in Creston.
• Elk Horn: $10,000 Art Project Grant: The Museum of Danish America will present The Whimsical World of Bjørn Wiinblad, an iconic Danish artist in the 20th century active throughout Europe and the United States.
• Greenfield: $2,500 Cultural Trust Stability Grant: Warren Cultural Center will receive funding to support the stability of the organization with a Part-Time Development Director.

“With these investments, we continue to partner with artists and organizations who are making our communities more culturally vibrant and attractive to people who want to live and work in our state,” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Mary Cownie said. “We congratulate our grant recipients and encourage all Iowans to experience and enjoy the arts in Iowa.”

In total, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs awarded $1,271,257 in grant funding through its Iowa Arts Council division for art projects, artist fellowships, programs, operating support, and strategic planning/fundraising. Grant categories include the following:

• Art Project Grants
• Artist Fellowships
• Cultural Leadership Partner Art Project Grants
• Cultural Leadership Partner Operating Support Grants
• Cultural Trust Stability Grants

With today’s announcement, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs continues to preserve and promote Iowa’s collective heritage and unique sense of place while investing in people and projects that cultivate creativity, foster economic growth and enhance the cultural identity of local communities. More information about the grant programs is available at www.iowaculture.gov.

The Glenwood Police Department report the arrest of a homeless woman on Tuesday.  Officers arrested 37-year-old Wendy Meadows for Disorderly Conduct.  She was taken to the Mills County Jail and held on $300 cash bond.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Creston Police Department reports one arrest on Tuesday evening. At 5:30pm officers arrested 31-year-old Jackie Marler of Sharpsburg at 1104 N Cherry Street in Creston on a Union County Warrant for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  Marler was also charged with Possession of Marijuana and was also held on a Taylor County Warrant.

Marler posted $6,000 bond for the Union County charges and is being held in the Union County Jail awaiting transfer to Taylor County.

The Red Oak Police Department reports three arrests overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

Early this morning at 1:04am officers arrested 53-year-old John Michael Hudson of Hastings for Driving While Suspended. He was arrested at the intersection of West 2nd Street and West Reed Street and was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center where he was also charged with Possession of Contraband in a Correctional Facility, a Class D Felony.  Hudson is being held on $5,000 cash bond.

Also on Tuesday evening at 8:59pm Red Oak Police arrested two individuals on theft charges. Officers arrested 24-year-old Makayla Dawn Hudson and 24-year-old Angela Georgia Bradfield of Edmond, OK for 5th Degree Theft.  Both individuals were arrested at Hudson’s home at 1660 E Summit Street in Red Oak.  They both were taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $300 bond each.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department, Tuesday night, updated a report they filed Monday night, with regard to two women wanted in connection with an incident of alleged theft that resulted in an accident. Authorities said active warrants were issued for the arrest of 52-year old Michelle Kuhl and 27-year old Amanda Wilson, both of Council Bluffs. The nature of the charges are not being publicly released prior to the womens’ arrest.

Amanda Wilson

Michelle Kuhl

Police are also seeking to check the welfare of the child who was taken from the hospital prior to receiving treatment.

The incident resulting in the arrest warrants began when one of the women allegedly took a package off the front porch of a residence, sometime before 9-p.m., Monday. When the homeowner confronted the suspect, they jumped into an SUV occupied by a female driver and a small child. The SUV was struck broadside at the intersection of 25th and Avenue E by a Chrysler Minivan. The impact flipped the SUV flipped onto its top.

The occupants of the SUV (later identified as Kuhl and Wilson) were transported by Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue to Jennie Edmundson Hospital, but they fled prior to police arriving to question them. The driver of the the van, 63-year old Dianne Tuttle, of Council Bluffs, and the occupants of her vehicle, were transported to Mercy Hospital’s E-R. None of the injuries were considered life threatening.

As with any wanted party, the public is asked not to contact either of the woman who have warrants issued for their arrest. Instead, your should notify local law enforcement if they are sighted. Anyone with information on the location of Kuhl or Wilson is asked to call Council Bluffs Crime Stoppers at 712‐328‐STOP (712‐328‐7867).

Police in Council Bluffs have made an arrest in connection with another residential burglary, the second reported in as many days. Officials say at around 7:47-p.m. Tuesday, officers were sent to 2437 2nd Avenue in Council Bluffs on a report of an assault. Officers arrived and met with the victim, Mariah Crouse of Council Bluffs, who stated that while sitting on her couch inside her home a male with a blue bandana over his nose and mouth entered her residence by way of the unlocked rear storm door.

Once inside the home the male grabbed Crouse by her face and pushed her head into the back of the couch demanding that she give him her cell phone. Crouse yelled for the suspect to leave her home and she refused to give him her phone. The suspect did not see that Crouse had a guest over and was startled when the guest told him to take her phone and leave. The man then ran out of the house in an unknown direction.

Officers were told by Crouse that she recognized the suspect as a neighbor, and that he resides at 2435 2nd Avenue. Officers went to this address and located the male in a room. He was identified as 24 year old Landon Finger, of Dubuque. Finger was eventually identified by the victim as being the same male who came into her home and assaulted her. He was arrested and taken to Pottawattamie County Corrections and booked in on a Burglary 2ne degree charge.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold a work session Wednesday evening in the High School Media Center. On their agenda for the 5:30-p.m. meeting, is acceptance of resignation from Washington 3rd Grade Teacher Katie Gaughan, discussion with regard to the District’s Technology Plan, as presented by Technology Coordinator Roger Warne, and a closed session for a formal evaluation of Superintendent, Dr. Michael Amstein.