The DNR said Wednesday, it was investigating an anonymous complaint about runoff from a cattle feedlot about three miles southwest of Carson, in Pottawattamie County. DNR field specialists identified two sources of runoff, Cyclone Cattle and a facility owned by Aaron Vorthmann. Both are cattle open feedlots. With DNR’s advice, the producers successfully stopped runoff from each facility.

Previously, an unknown amount of runoff flowed from each operation into the same field, then into a grass waterway before reaching an unnamed tributary of the Nishnabotna River. DNR staff will continue to monitor the situation, including any impacts on water quality or aquatic life. DNR will consider appropriate enforcement actions.

Anyone who notices a spill or fish kill should call the DNR’s 24-hour emergency response line at 515-725-8694.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says recent rain and the greening-up of brush and grassy areas, has allowed the grassland and field fire danger index rating in Shelby County to be moved to “Low.”

Seivert says “I would like to thank everyone for their cooperation with this program. It is very unique in Iowa. It allows us to keep the public up to date on conditions which could otherwise be a surprise, when burning brush and cleaning up after the winter. We have shown this program reduces the number fire calls. The process of calling in your controlled burn, works very well. We will begin this, again, as the drying out for harvest occurs this fall.”

Police in Council Bluffs have identified the operator of a motorcycle that crashed Tuesday night during a pursuit. Officials say 18-year old Lance McCormick, of Carter Lake, died at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs following the crash that happened at around 10:19-p.m. Authorities are still looking for the driver of the other motorcycle involved.

According to Bluffs Police, the pursuit began when an officer with the Iowa Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Enforcement (MVE) Division attempted to stop two motorcycles on Big Lake Road, near the Pottawattamie County Jail. Both motorcycles eluded the officer and drove westbound on Nash Blvd at a high rate of speed. McCormick, who was driving a 2006 Yamaha, lost control of the motorcycle approximately 3 blocks west of the intersection of 16th Street and Nash Blvd.

The motorcycle went over the curb and stuck a fence separating the city street from the interstate. McCormick was ejected from the motorcycle. The second motorcycle fled the area. The MVE Officer witnessed the crash and immediately stopped and rendered aid. McCormick was not wearing a helmet. He had no identification on him, and the motorcycle was reported to have been stolen.

A hit and run accident was reported to Red Oak Police on Wednesday at 10:31am at the intersection of Highway 48 and Highway 34.  Upon arrival Officers spoke with Sarah Nicole Behrens who was driving a 2003 Dodge Stratus northbound on Highway 48 and stopped at the intersection with Highway 34 behind a semi-tractor trailer.  The Semi, which had a maroon cab and silver box trailer, backed into Behrens’ Dodge and then proceeded eastbound on Highway 34 without stopping.

Red Oak Police Officers and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies were not able to locate the semi-tractor trailer and damage to the Dodge Stratus was estimated at $4,000.

Red Oak Police announced the arrest Wednesday of 21-year-old Tyler Christian Palmer of Red Oak for Driving while Revoked.  Palmer was arrested at 12:40pm at the intersection of N. 6th and E Corning Street.  Palemer was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 cash bond.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers is warning business owners about the IRS phone scam that’s making rounds at both residences and businesses. Brothers said Businesses in Clarinda are receiving pre-recorded phone calls stating the IRS needs the owner to call back immediately at the number provided.

Brothers called the number and quickly determined the person he was speaking with was in a “Boiler room”-type call center in a foreign country. The Chief warns persons receiving these types of calls, NOT to return them. They are NOT from the IRS, and furthermore, the IRS would not conduct business in that manner.

The IRS handles matters through personal, confidential mail.

Sheriff’s deputies in Cass County arrested an Anita man Monday on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault (a Serious misdemeanor). 33-year old Ancherson Alvios William was taken to the Cass County Jail and released Tuesday on $1000 bond.

And, deputies responded to a two-vehicle accident this (Wednesday) morning, about two-miles east of Atlantic. Officials say the collision happened at around 7:30-a.m. on White Pole Road, at the intersection with 650th Street. A 2003 Ford Mustang owned and driven by 21-year old Tayler Michael Murphy, of Anita, was westbound on White Pole Road when it was struck by a 2007 Buick Terraza owned and driven by 62-year old Jacqueline Kay Stetzel, of Audubon. Stetzel was traveling east on White Pole Road and attempting to turn left onto 650th Street when the accident occurred. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicles amounted to $8.500.

Deputies cited Stetzel for Failure to Yield.

Police in Red Oak say a woman was arrested this (Wednesday) morning, in connection with an investigation into the Oct. 21st, 2015 burglary at the Red Oak Eagles Lodge. 29-year old Katie Marie Pierce, of Red Oak, faces a charge of Burglary in the 3rd degree.

Officials say video and other evidence was examined, that led investigators to suspect  Pierce was involved in the crime. The woman was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

MACY, Neb. (AP) – The White House says the Obama administration has raised the federal share of public aid for the Omaha Tribe’s recovery from the 2011 Missouri River flooding. A news release sent Wednesday says the level has been raised to 90 percent of the total eligible costs from 75 percent. It’s unclear why the aid was increased.

Hundreds of thousands of acres of land were flooded along the Missouri River in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri in 2011 after heavy spring rains and a giant mountain snowpack forced massive releases from upstream dams. The Omaha Indian Reservation lies primarily in northeast Nebraska but extends across the Missouri River into Monona County, Iowa.

Governor Terry Branstad says the board that governs the state’s three public universities will have to deal with a “shortfall” in state taxpayer support, but he’s urging caution as the panel considers how much tuition rates should rise. “I think they need to be careful and try to keep tuition increases very modest so we continue to reduce student debt,” Branstad says.

The chairman of the Board of Regents says tuition rates for students at Iowa, Iowa State and U-N-I will have to be raised for THIS FALL because of “limited” state funding. Radio Iowa asked Branstad if a tuition increase is the appropriate response to the legislature’s budget plan. “We had an unprecedented three years of no increase in tuition,” Branstad says. “And the increase that we’re looking at is relatively modest.”

Legislators are poised to increase state support of the public universities by about six million dollars for the budgeting year that starts July 1st. That’s 20 million dollars LESS than the universities requested. It’s about TWO million dollars less than Branstad had recommended. Senator Brian Schoenjahn, a Democrat from Arlington, says university officials tell him they’re faced with difficult decisions.

“You will see tuition increases,” Schoenjahn says. “President Leath said: ‘Sadly, we may have to increase our entrance requirements.'” Leath is president of Iowa State University. Schoenjahn says the 26-million dollar state funding boost the universities requested was just to “break even” and deal with inflation. “We have got to reprioritize and make education number one,” Schoenjahn says. “…You grow your way out of a recession, not cut your way out of it and we need to invest in our kids and our future.”

Schoenjahn, however, asked his colleagues to support the “status quo” spending plan for the public universities, as it is the end result of negotiations with House Republicans. Republicans say it’s a “tight” state budget overall, but they were able to find a way to reallocate a bit more to the universities than originally planned. The House has yet to give its final approval to the spending plan for the Regents schools. The Senate passed the bill yesterday (Tuesday).

(Radio Iowa)