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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson
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A Sheriff’s Deputy from Cass County was recognized Wednesday night at a State conference held in Okoboji. Deputy Ben Bartholomew received the “Outstanding Achievement Award” as a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) for the Southwest Region of Iowa. It’s the 5th year in a row he’s won the award, which was presented April 27th during a conference of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB).
Bartholomew told KJAN News there are six DRE Regions (including the Iowa State Patrol, which has it’s own region). The award is given to the DRE who has the most evaluations for impaired drivers, over the past year. This past year, Deputy Bartholomew had 43 interdiction’s, which he says is the same as last year, but nearly twice as much as he had during his 1st year as a DRE 5 years ago, when there were 23. The 43 interventions in each of the past two-years was also the second highest in the State.
Bartholomew described what the duties of a DRE are: He says it’s his responsibility to determine the level of impairment and what type of substance is causing it. He says while there are the usual impairments by illegal drugs like marijuana and meth, there’s been an increase in the number of “Poly-drug” drivers. That’s a person who is impaired by more than one drug. A combination of drugs causes different reactions in a person that makes it interesting for the DRE to observe.
He says taking more than one drug in the same day or within a few hours, it can cause a person’s reactions and health to take drastic turns. “Bart” as he’s known, credits his and his fellow law enforcement officers’ efforts in getting impaired drivers and others off the road. He says it’s a team effort to try and make the roads safe for other motorists.
Police in Creston arrested a man on a Domestic Assault charge, late Thursday morning. 37-year old Demion Garrison, of Creston, was brought to the Union County Jail and later released on $1,000 bond.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A trial has been delayed for a western Iowa man accused of fraudulently billing Medicaid. Online court records say 52-year-old Darren Washington, of Avoca, has pleaded not guilty to charges of theft and fraudulent practice. His Pottawattamie County trial was to have begun Tuesday but now is set to begin May 31.
The Daily Nonpareil reports that Washington allegedly billed Medicaid for services he didn’t perform while working for Health Homes Family Services. Court records say the fraudulent billings totaled more than $13,400.
The Mayor for the City of Exira has resigned. According to a statement issued by Mayor Brenda Bengard, she has had health issues related to stress over City bills, payroll and closing of accounts. Her health began to decline, according to Bengard, after the retirement of Exira’s City Clerk forced her to take on additional duties for the City.
Bengard said she was proud to have served the City and to have been the first woman elected as Mayor of Exira. According to the Audubon County Auditor’s Office, the City of Exira has 60 days to appoint a new mayor, and must publish its intention to appoint a mayor for the vacancy.
The publication must also notify city residents of the right to request a special election by filing a petition.
Police in Council Bluffs responded to a report Thursday evening of a woman who had been shot. Officers who were sent to 3141 Ave. A at around 6:30-p.m., found a woman inside of a Ford Ranger truck. The woman, whose name was not released, had a single gunshot wound to the upper torso.
She was transported to a local hospital. Officers and detectives investigating the incident said at this point it appears that the woman’s wound may have been self-inflected. Authorities say they are not currently looking for any suspects with regard to the incident.
Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT
(IOWA/GEORGIA) — The Iowa Department of Public Safety, Thursday evening, issued an Amber Alert for a missing teenager from Washington County, Iowa. 17-year old Dominique Nicole Lloyd, of Washington, was reported missing to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, April 23rd, and was recently seen in Georgia. She is believed to be with 24-year old Micheal Brad Knuth, who’s also from Washington, and is a registered sex offender in the state of Iowa. Knuth is wanted for violating a no-contact order, involving Lloyd, and failure to comply with the Sex Offender Registry. DPS officials are working with Georgia law enforcement to coordinate efforts in locating Lloyd and Knuth.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The water utility serving a half a million customers in central Iowa including the city of Des Moines says it has switched on its nitrate removal system. Des Moines Water Works CEO Bill Stowe says nitrate concentration in untreated water from river sources is approaching 10 milligrams per liter, the limit the Environmental Protection Agency says is no longer safe for babies to drink.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers attempting to finish up the legislative session are returning to the Capitol after failing to reach compromise on several budget issues, including state funding for Planned Parenthood. Members of the Democratic-controlled Senate and Republican-majority House were expected to meet Friday to try to hash out deals over some bills that will make up the roughly $7.35 billion budget that goes into effect in July.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Texas man accused of helping a lottery computer manager in Iowa collect jackpots from rigged lottery games has given up an extradition fight to face charges in Iowa. Assistant Iowa Attorney General Rob Sand says Robert Rhodes, of Sugar Land, Texas, reported to the Polk County jail Thursday to face lottery fraud charges filed against him last year. Rhodes’ attorney declined to comment on the allegations.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An outgoing regent who is a director for a national furniture company failed to disclose that before its local distributor signed a major no-bid contract with the University of Iowa last year. Mary Andringa abruptly resigned Wednesday from the Board of Regents, one year into her six-year term.
Sheriff’s officials in Union County said Thursday, a man from Mills County was arrested Thursday morning at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Union County warrant. 21-year old Dominique James Schlup, of Hastings, was wanted for Violation of Parole. He was transferred to the authority of Union County and held without bail at the jail, in Creston.
(Updated) — The Iowa Department of Public Safety, Thursday evening, issued an Amber Alert for a missing teenager from Washington County, Iowa. 17-year old Dominique Nicole Lloyd, of Washington, was reported missing to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, April 23rd, and was recently seen in Georgia.
Lloyd is a white female, 5’6”, 130 pounds, blonde hair and blue eyes. She is believed to be with 24-year ol Micheal Brad Knuth, also of Washington, Iowa. Knuth is a white male, 6’1”, 168 pounds, brown hair and blue eyes. The subjects are believed to be in a black 2008 Mazda MZ3 with the Iowa license plates DXL 519. Authorities believe they may be in the Georgia or Florida area.
Iowa Department of Public Safety officials are working with Georgia law enforcement to coordinate efforts in locating Lloyd and Knuth. Micheal Knuth is a registered sex offender in the state of Iowa. He was charged with 3rd Degree Sexual Abuse for an incident on March 13th, 2014, in Washington County, involving a victim between the ages of 14-17. Knuth is wanted for violating a no-contact order, involving Dominique Lloyd, and failure to comply with the Sex Offender Registry.
Anyone with information on their location, is asked to call their local law enforcement.