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2 charged in alleged Creston sex abuse case

News

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Two people are accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in Creston. KCCI-TV in Des Moines reports 19-year-old Isabel Pettit and 29-year-old Dennis Simmerman are facing numerous charges, including sexual abuse. Criminal complaints in the case were filed last week. Court records say Pettit allowed Simmerman to sexually abuse the girl and that she knew he was a sex offender. Both Pettit and Simmerman are set to appear in court late next week for their preliminary hearings.

Simmerman was previously accused of abusing a child back in 2017 in Clarke County. Those charges were dropped after the county attorney at the time failed to show up for a plea hearing. Court records show Simmerman was charged again with the same crime a year later.

In 2019, Simmerman pleaded guilty to one count of enticing a child. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison but was paroled in 2021. In February 2022, he violated the sex offender registry and received a two-year probation.

Iowa water group sues NE Iowa county over digester zoning decision

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Decorah, Iowa) – A citizens group has filed a lawsuit against the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors alleging an improper public hearing and inconsistent application of the county zoning plan, following a decision to grant a zoning change for the operation of an anaerobic digester. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports in June, Winneshiek landowners submitted an application to rezone an approximately five-acre portion of land from agricultural to industrial use to facilitate two 2.5 million gallon digesters. The digesters would convert manure from Full Bohr and KG4 dairies in Ridgeway into natural gas and pump it into a nearby pipeline.

James Larew, an agent for the citizens group, Driftless Water Defenders, and the attorney who prepared the petition, said the clean water advocacy group spoke against the digester project at the board of supervisors’ meeting Aug. 5th, claiming they pose a “serious threat to clean water,” and that should have been considered by the board of supervisors.

Anaerobic digesters are a controversial waste management tool. Proponents argue they turn an already existing waste product into usable fuel. Opponents see it as an excuse to grow herd sizes and exacerbate existing environmental challenges with concentrated animal feeding operations. Despite public concern and a lack of recommendation from the county zoning commission, supervisors voted 3-2 to rezone the parcel.

A proposal by two northeast Iowa dairies to use an anaerobic digester has sparked a lawsuit. (Photo by Lance Cheung/U.S. Department of Agriculture)

The lawsuit, filed Aug. 30 in the county’s district court, takes issue with the decision and process at the Aug. 5th public hearing.  At the hearing, County Auditor Benjamin Steines explained that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources controlled the construction permitting for the project, and therefore the role of the county was merely to decide on the zoning issue. The anaerobic digester would need industrial zoning to operate as intended and process the manure into gas. The proposed digester would produce energy equivalent to 1.5 million gallons of gas, per year, according to Planning and Zoning Commission minutes from the applicant’s presentation, July 9th.

Chair of the Board of Supervisors Dan Langreck repeatedly interrupted public comment to reiterate that comments were to pertain to the zoning request and not the merits or consequences of digesters. Langreck shut down requests from Supervisor Shirley Vermace to “calm it down” and to “stop censoring the public.” The lawsuit against the board alleges it denied the public full and fair opportunity to be heard. The lawsuit also argues the decision is inconsistent with the Winneshiek County Comprehensive Plan. The county zoning commission noted the same reason in its July 16 decision to deny the request for zoning change.

Minutes from the zoning commission meeting show commissioners were also concerned with the possibility of leaks from the project and at having a limited amount of time to evaluate the project. The Zoning Commission report was not provided to Winneshiek residents who attended the hearing, though County Zoning Administrator Tony Phillips told Capital Dispatch that anyone could have requested the document.

The petition asks the court to set aside the board’s decision to rezone and that the board turn over any documents and correspondence between the county and applicants.  The Department of Natural Resources issued air quality construction permits for the project on Tuesday, and the Winneshiek County Board of Adjustments approved a Conditional Use Permit for the project Sept. 3.

Voters to determine the fate of an IWCC Bond Measure in November

News

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Voters in 13 area counties served by Iowa Western Community College will have an opportunity to vote on funding for the expansion and renovation of some the college’s facilities in November. On the ballot, will be a $55 million bond issue, the proceeds from which – if approved by the voters – would allow for the construction of a new diesel and automotive technology center on the college’s Council Bluffs campus, which has seen increased enrollment, and now needs more space in which to operate because classes are at full capacity.

Iowa Western President Dr. Daniel Kinney has said the welding, CDL and Diesel Tech programs are all full, while other career and technical programs are near capacity.

The bond measure would also allow for renovations at Iowa Western’s Clarinda and Atlantic Centers, which are also running out of space for training labs. Kinney has said the bond will not increase your property taxes, since some of their other bonds are expiring soon. The same tax rate currently in effect would continue, if the bond measure passes.

The measure to be found on the ballot during the November 5th General Election asks “Shall the Board of Directors of the Iowa Western Community College (Merged Area XIII) in the Counties of Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $55,000,000 to provide funds to construct, furnish, and equip a new academic building and renovate, remodel, and improve existing buildings within the Merged Area XIII?”

Red Oak woman arrested on an Assault charge

News

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports a woman was arrested on an assault charge Friday evening. 31-year-old Jennifer Lynn Sweany, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 5:40-p.m., in the 1800 block of E.  Summit Street, for Assault Causing Bodily Injury. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Pottawattamie County man arrested early Saturday morning (9/14) in Montgomery County

News

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Pottawattamie County was arrested early this (Saturday) morning, following a traffic stop. 39-year-old Michael Anthony Hollinger, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody at around 1:44-a.m. near Highway 34 and Boxelder Avenue. Hollinger was charged with Driving Under Suspension. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $491.25.

Elk sited in eastern Iowa earlier this week

News

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) — A Johnson County Sheriff’s Office deputy was in for a big surprise this past week. KCRG reports that wWhile on a route early Monday morning (Sept. 9th), the deputy happened upon an elk running down Shannon Drive near West High School in Iowa City. In a Facebook post, the sheriff’s office says the elk has been spotted at other locations in Iowa City.

Screenshot from Johnson County S/O in-car video of an Elk

According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, elk were native to Iowa but left as the state was settled. DNR officials estimate less than 10 are in the state. Elk is also a protected species in Iowa and cannot be hunted.

Fans & players honor 2024 IA graduate/football player who died in an Indiana plane crash

Sports

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

On a night when multiple numbers took South Hamilton High’s football field, there’s one digit that was on the mind of many — six. That’s the same number of times South Hamilton High’s principal rang the bell just before the game against Roland-Story in honor of 19-year-old Owen Renaud, a class of 2024 graduate and senior captain of last year’s football team who died in a plane crash last week. Renaud was one of four people who died.

Many fans — even from the opposing team — were dressed in white as a tribute to Renaud. Shirts in his honor were made available for free, with people leaving donations that would go toward the Flying High Scholarship Fund. Renaud’s family started the fund, which will be used to help kids that need it.

Anyone who would like to donate to the scholarship fund can do so via Venmo: @Michelle-Oskvig.

National Sports Scores from Friday, 9/13/24

Sports

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE

Final Kansas City 8 Pittsburgh 3
Final Toronto 4 St. Louis 3
Final Cincinnati 8 Minnesota 4

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Final Detroit 1 Baltimore 0
Final Tampa Bay 3 Cleveland 1
Final N.Y. Yankees 5 Boston 4
Final Oakland 2 Chicago White Sox 0
Final Houston 5 L.A. Angels 3
Final Seattle 5 Texas 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Final Washington 4 Miami 1
Final N.Y. Mets 11 Philadelphia 3
Final Atlanta 6 L.A. Dodgers 2
Final Colorado 9 Chicago Cubs 5
Final Milwaukee 2 Arizona 1
Final San Diego 5 San Francisco 0

TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Final (14)Kansas St. 31 (20)Arizona 7

WNBA

Final Minnesota 83 Chicago 66
Final Seattle 83 Dallas 81
Final Las Vegas 78 Indiana 74
Final Washington 72 Atlanta 69
Final Connecticut 88 Phoenix 69

 

Saturday’s National Sports Schedule (9/14/24)

Sports

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(All times listed as Eastern)

INTER LEAGUE BASEBALL

Kansas City at Pittsburgh 1:05 p.m.
St. Louis at Toronto 3:07 p.m.
Cincinnati at Minnesota 7:10 p.m.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Boston at N-Y Yankees 1:05 p.m.
Baltimore at Detroit 6:10 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Cleveland 6:10 p.m.
Oakland at Chi White Sox 7:10 p.m.
Houston at L-A Angels 9:38 p.m.
Texas at Seattle 9:40 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Miami at Washington 4:05 p.m.
N-Y Mets at Philadelphia 4:05 p.m.
L-A Dodgers at Atlanta 7:20 p.m.
Chi Cubs at Colorado 8:10 p.m.
Milwaukee at Arizona 8:10 p.m.
San Diego at San Francisco 9:05 p.m.

TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL

(24)Boston College at (6)Missouri 12:45 p.m.
Arkansas St. at (17)Michigan 12 p.m.
(13)Oklahoma St. at Tulsa 12 p.m.
(16)LSU at South Carolina 12 p.m.
(4)Alabama at Wisconsin 12 p.m.
(9)Oregon at Oregon St. 3:30 p.m.
Tulane at (15)Oklahoma 3:30 p.m.
(18)Notre Dame at Purdue 3:30 p.m.
Ball St. at (10)Miami 3:30 p.m.
(12)Utah at Utah St. 4:30 p.m.
(5)Mississippi at Wake Forest 6:30 p.m.
UTSA at (2)Texas 7 p.m.
N. Iowa at (23)Nebraska 7:30 p.m.
(1)Georgia at Kentucky 7:30 p.m.
Kent St. at (7)Tennessee 7:45 p.m.

 

Area High School Football Scores from Sept. 13, 2024

Sports

September 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Shenandoah 55 Nodaway Valley 14

Treynor 20 Clarinda 6

Red Oak 30 West Central Valley 22

IOWA CLASS 8-PLAYER

Sidney 44 Griswold 24

CAM 66 East Mills 24

Fremont-Mills 60 Stanton-Essex 22

Collins-Maxwell 28 Coon Rapids-Bayard 20

Lenox 42 Bedford 14

Southeast Warren 30 East Union 2

Boyer Valley 53 West Harrison 0

Woodbine 72 Newell-Fonda 6

Ar-We-Va 42 Siouxland Christian 0

IOWA CLASS 8-PLAYER NON-DISTRICT 

Audubon 72 Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 0

IOWA CLASS A

Madrid 28 Mount Ayr 6

Earlham 40 IKM-Manning 18

ACGC 42 Panorama 11

Riverside 34 South Central Calhoun 21

Woodbury Central 47 Logan-Magnolia 14

Tri-Center 56 West Monona 6

11-PLAYER NON-DISTRICT 

Harlan 38 Glenwood 22

Lewis Central 30 ADM 27 (OT)

Underwood 40 St. Albert 13

Atlantic 21 Greene County 17

Ballard 55 Creston 28

Carroll 45 Denison-Schleswig 3

Kuemper Catholic 41 AHSTW 33

East Sac County 42 Missouri Valley 0

Grand View Christian 40 Southwest Valley 22

Abraham Lincoln 35 Des Moines East 6

Thomas Jefferson 42 Storm Lake 38