SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A federal judge is planning a trial to determine whether Iowa’s sex offender treatment program is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Mark Bennett said in an order Wednesday that he hopes to set the two-week trial for Nov. 28. The case concerns sex offenders who completed prison sentences but are locked up at a state institution in Cherokee for treatment, based on findings that they’ll likely reoffend.

They’ve argued the program is unconstitutional because it doesn’t give them adequate treatment, and that they’re essentially serving life sentences because few offenders complete it. Testimony from employees has confirmed staffing shortages and cutbacks in treatment.

Bennett says the trial will determine whether the program violates constitutional standards, is punitive rather than therapeutic, and is the least restrictive way to treat sex offenders.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says four people were arrested on separate charges this week. On Tuesday, 42-year old Shelly Ann Lamkins, of Tabor, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault and Child Endangerment. That same day, 48-year old Scott Timothy Hall, of Emerson, was arrested on a warrant for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Bond for both subjects were set at $5,000.

On Wednesday, deputies in Mills County arrested 33-year old Keith Alan Wilson, II, of Glenwood, on a warrant for OWI/2nd offense, Reckless Driving and two counts of Failure to Maintain Control. His bond was set at $1,000. Also arrested Wednesday, was 54-year old Jona Lee Gatlin, of Malvern. Gatlin was charged with Criminal Trespass. Bond was set at $300.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were injured during separate accidents this week. Monday afternoon, Charlotte Herman, of Glenwood, was transported to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, after she lost control of her 2013 Ford as she was attempting to make a right turn from southbound 221st Street onto 225th Street. Her vehicle went off the road and hit a street marker sign. It then continued on the grass and hit a utility pole before rolling over a retaining wall and coming to rest on its left side.

The second accident happened Tuesday, when vehicles driven by Latressa Price, of Omaha, and David Shaughnessy, of Bellevue, NE, collided near a saddle and tack shop at 18818 Bunge Avenue. Officials say Price was attempting to pull out of a drive onto Bunge Avenue. She stopped and failed to see any approaching vehicles before continuing her turn. As she pulled away from the drive, her 2006 Honda was hit on the left side by a 1996 Ford, driven by Shaughnessy.

Both drivers suffered injuries in the crash. Shaughnessy was transported to Jennie Edmundson Hospital by Glenwood Rescue. Price was taken to an unknown hospital by personal vehicle. Authorities say she was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County say a man from Lorimor reported this week, that someone had entered his storage shed and stolen 100-pounds of copper wire, an electric drill, a battery charger, hand tools and wrenches.  The theft happened sometime over the past few days. The loss was estimated at $550.

And, a rollover accident Wednesday night in Union County resulted in one person being sent to the hospital. Sheriff’s officials say 27-year old Tara Lynn Mickael, of Creston, was driving a 2002 Buick LeSabre near the intersection of East and North Streets, in Creston, when she lost control of the car.

The vehicle entered the west ditch and flipped over, ending up on its top. The accident happened at around 8:30-p.m., Wednesday. Authorities say excessive speed was to blame for the accident. Mickael was transported to the hospital by private vehicle. She was cited for Driving While Suspended.

The Council Bluffs Police Department’s K9 “Willy” has received a bullet and stab protective vest. Officials say the vest was made possible thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Willy’s vest was sponsored by Walter and Corinne Marlowe of Alexandria, VA and is embroidered with the sentiment “This gift of protection provided by Vested Interest in K9s,Inc”.

Council Bluffs Police Dept. K9 “Willy” wears his new vest. (CB/PD Facebook page photo)

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, MA whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 1,700 protective vests, in 49 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 1.6 million dollars. All vests are custom made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, MI.

There are unconfirmed reports of a tornado derailing several cars of a freight train early this (Thursday) morning in western Iowa, yet, that’s among very few twisters spotted in the state so far this year. Meteorologist Craig Cogi, at the National Weather Service, says the spring and summer months have been relatively quiet in Iowa the past three years.

“Typically through this time of the year, we see about 17 or 18 tornadoes and the last three years, we’ve been right about 12 tornadoes,” Cogil says. “Certainly, we’ve been behind the curve as far as that goes and I don’t think anyone is going to complain.”

While last year had a slow start, there were eventually 58 tornadoes reported statewide. Cogil was asked if there’s a reason why the number is again so low this year. “No, not really,” he says. “It’s just the pattern that we get in and it’s just not been conducive for tornado development during the spring and early summer the past few years.”

Cogil says Iowans need to be watchful for the potential for severe weather now and through the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. “We’re going to see a couple of different systems move across the Midwest,” he says. “Particularly, we’re looking at tomorrow, on Thursday, the potential of severe weather across much of Iowa in addition to the threat of tornadoes. People just need to watch the weather and look for updates.”

See the forecast for your area at weather-dot-gov.

(Radio Iowa)

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

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Police in Creston, Wednesday night, arrested 28-year old Jullian Allison, of Creston, on a Union County warrant for Contempt of Court. The warrant was for Failure to Appear on a Child Support matter. Allison was being held in the Union County Jail on $2,000 bond.

The area’s top news at 7:07-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the Midwest’s manufacturing sector is lackluster while agriculture and energy are slipping into negative territory. Goss blames too much government regulation for the sluggish productivity he’s seeing in Iowa and across the nine-state region.

“You’ve got this bailing out of solar energy companies, the war on coal, all this,” Goss says. “Now, we’ve got a new regulation that if you make less than $47,400, you’re entitled to overtime. These are really bad interferences from the federal government.” Gasoline prices are starting to creep up in advance of the busy travel holiday just ahead, but Goss says pump prices would have to get a lot higher before there’s an outcry.

“We got accustomed to prices between $3 and $4 a gallon and now we’re seeing it much lower than that, depending on where you buy it,” Goss says. “You’d have to see it approach $3 a gallon to get any negative response from the consumer.” The average price for a gallon of gas in Iowa is $2.25, which is up a nickel since a week ago. The national average is $2.30. Goss says the price hike isn’t big enough to have any impact on Memorial Day weekend travel plans.

“The consumer is doing reasonably well, it’s the businesses, profitablity,” Goss says. “We’re in a profits recession now. Profits are negative. The growth has been negative over the last three quarters.” Goss predicts an interest rate hike this summer of perhaps a-quarter percent. Over the next few months, he says the economy is more likely to move “sideways,” not up or down.

(Radio Iowa)