JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — The adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard has announced his plans for retirement. A National Guard news release says Maj. Gen. Tim Orr intends to step down effective May 1 after 10 years as the Iowa Guard’s commander. He was named to the post by then Gov. Chet Culver in March 2009. Brig. Gen. Stephen Osborn will serve as the interim adjutant general.

Brig. Gen. Osborn

Maj. Gen. Tim Orr

Orr enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard in 1978 while still a senior at Boone High School and rose through the ranks.

Red Oak Police, Thursday night, arrested a man wanted on a Page County warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree (loss less than $200). 19-year old Brandon Kyle Beckstead, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 10:50-p.m. and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $300.

The Iowa Dept. of Transportation reports flood waters are beginning to recede in some flooded areas around Iowa. However, just because water may no longer remain on the roadway that does not mean the roads are ready to be opened to traffic. There are several stages the Iowa Department of Transportation must go through to make sure roadways are safe for you to travel.

Depending on the extent of damage caused by floodwaters, the recovery process may take anywhere from a few days to several months. As soon as floodwaters recede, the Iowa DOT is working as diligently as possible to move through the recovery process and reopen the roadway.

The following is a list of roads currently closed due to flooding and what the recovery process is:

• I-29 in both directions, MILE MARKER 0-10 Between the Missouri State Line (near Hamburg) and the Iowa 2 interchange (south of Percival) – Water over the roadway
• I-29 in both directions, MILE MARKER 10-25 Between the Iowa 2 interchange (South of Percival) and one mile north of Bartlett – Debris on the road, cleanup in progress.
• I-29 in both directions MILE MARKER 25-35 Between one mile north of Bartlett and the U.S. 34 interchange (near Glenwood) – Testing & inspecting of the road & structures’ ability to handle traffic.
• I-29 in both directions MILE MARKER 55-61 Between North 25th Street in Council Bluffs and the I-680 interchange (near Crescent) – Testing & inspecting of the road & structures’ ability to handle traffic.
• I-29 in both directions MILE MARKER 61-71 Between the I-680 interchange (near Crescent) and the I-680 interchange (near Loveland) – Testing & inspecting of the road & structures’ ability to handle traffic.
• I-680 in both directions MILE MARKER 0-3 Between the I-29 interchange (Old Mormon Bridge Road near Crescent) and I-680 in Nebraska (Mormon Bridge) – Testing & inspecting of the road & structures’ ability to handle traffic.
• U.S. 34 westbound MILE MARKER 0-4 Between the Nebraska State Line and the I-29 interchange (near Pacific Junction) – Debris on the road, cleanup in progress.
• U.S. 275 in both directions MILE MARKER 0-2 Between the Missouri State Line and Iowa 333 (near Hamburg) – Testing & inspecting of the road & structures’ ability to handle traffic.
• Iowa 2 in both directions MILE MARKER 0-10 Between the Missouri River bridge at the Nebraska State Line and U.S. 275/ Fremont County Road J-46 (near Sidney) – Water on the road, waiting for the water to recede before cleanup and inspection.
• Iowa 333 in both directions Between I-29; Fremont County Road J-64 and U.S. 275 (near Hamburg) – Water on the road, waiting for the water to recede before cleanup and inspection
• Iowa 4 in both directions Between Palo Alto County Road B-53 and U.S. 18 (one mile south of Emmetsburg) – Water on the road, waiting for the water to recede before cleanup and inspection
• Iowa 141 in both directions Between Woodbury County Road K-64 (near Hornick) and Iowa 31 (near Smithland) – Testing & inspecting of the road & structures’ ability to handle traffic.

Barriers blocking access to roads will remain in place until the road has been deemed safe for traffic. If you see a barricade, don’t drive around it. Just because a road looks safe, doesn’t mean it is safe. While some structural damage to the road surface is very visible, damage to the ground underneath the road may be more difficult to see. Barricades are in place to protect you from hurting yourself, damaging your vehicle, and potentially causing further damage to the road. If you are a resident or property owner and need to get to your property, your county emergency management office can help coordinate safe access. For the latest in flooding information and recovery resources, go to https://floods2019.iowa.gov/

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — After this spring’s massive flooding along the Missouri River, many want to blame the agency that manages the river’s dams for making the disaster worse, but it may not be that simple. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says much of the water that created this month’s flooding came from rain and melting snow that flowed into the river downstream of all the dams. At the same time, massive amounts of water filled the reservoirs and some had to be released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa House has overwhelmingly approved a resolution that seeks to amend the state constitution and restore voting rights to felons who complete their sentences, but it’s only the first step in a long process. The House on Thursday voted 95-2 to approve the resolution and send it to the Senate. If approved by the Senate and passed again by the Legislature in 2021 or 2022, it would go to voters. The proposal is a priority of Gov. Kim Reynolds, but it could face opposition in the Senate.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa House has unanimously approved a bill that would increase the penalties for animal mistreatment. The measure approved Thursday by a vote of 96-0 moves to the Senate. The bill heightens the criminal penalties for animal abuse and neglect, animal torture and abandonment. It exempts farm livestock and some wild animals. Animal welfare advocates have long considered Iowa among the worst states for mistreatment of animals in puppy mills.

DAWSON, Iowa (AP) — An Oskaloosa man charged in the stabbing death of a college basketball player in Oskaloosa will go to trial next month after a judge rejected his “stand your ground” defense. Television station KCCI reports that the judge on Tuesday denied 24-year-old Luke VanHemert’s argument that he was defending himself when he fatally stabbed 22-year-old Marquis Todd in March 2018. VanHemert’s trial is set to begin April. 9.

A mock collision took place this (Thursday) afternoon on the grounds of the Atlantic High School. The exercise was conducted as part of the “Every 15 Minutes” program, which takes place today and tomorrow. The national recognized program serves to educate, demonstrate and personalize the consequences of driving distracted and/or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It’s the third time the program is being presented to Atlantic High School Juniors and Seniors, with the last time being in 2017.

According to statistics, every 15 minutes, someone in the U-S dies as the result of an alcohol-related collision. This year, nearly 12,000 alcohol and distraction-related deaths are likely to take place. Those dangerous driving habits often begin in the teen years, according to officials. Today’s (Thursday’s) program began with “The living dead,” and students being removed from the classrooms every 15 minutes. They were given a t-shirt, their faces painted white, and cell phones collected. The students were then returned to the classroom with instructions not to talk or otherwise communicate with other students.

At around 2:30-p.m., all Juniors and Seniors proceeded to the designated site of a mock collision on the school grounds, to observe the scene and the role of EMS personnel, fire and law enforcement. A medical helicopter, the County Coroner and local funeral home personnel were also involved. In the scenario, an alcohol-impaired teen driver portrayed by 17-year old Corri Pelzer, was driving a vehicle that crossed the center line and struck another vehicle, driven by another teen.

In a simulated ejection, 16-year old Bailey Riesgaard was pronounced “dead” at the scene. Life flight transported Nathan Behrends, the driver of the second vehicle, to CCMH, where he too, “died” from his simulated injuries. Sarah Schorle and Cyle Renaud had additional roles as injured passengers in the Pelzer vehicle, and were transported to the hospital for simulated treatment.

Failing the field sobriety test, Pelzer was “arrested,” and transported to the Cass County Courthouse, where she was processed to await her “Sentence.” At around 4-p.m., the “victims” and remainder of the “living dead,” were transported to the Cass County Courthouse to observe a mock trial and sentencing of the DUI offender. During the “trial,” the “victims’” families gave statements and attorneys represented their “clients” in front of Judge Michael Hooper. Pelzer was sentenced to two, 25-year terms in prison, to be served concurrently, for two counts of Motor Vehicle Homicide.

At around 5-p.m., the “Living Dead” were returned to the High School for an overnight retreat, with the parent retreat at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church from 7-until 9-p.m. Highlighting the students’ retreat is the personal testimonies of an Audubon woman whose son died after an evening of celebrating a friends’ wedding, and the video of a man who is serving a 50-year sentence at the Clarinda Correctional Facility for causing the deaths of four motorcyclists in August, 2010.

On Friday, there will be a Memorial Service/School Assembly, beginning at 8:30-a.m. Refreshments for students, parents and guests will follow, along with a question and comment period.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests occurred Wednesday: 25-year old Joshua Blake Anderson, of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation; 46-year old Timothy John Strakevicius, of Glenwood was arrested for Theft in the 2nd degree; 24-year old Rajaah Ramonn Jones, of Omaha, was arrested Wednesday for Criminal Mischief in the 2nd degree, and 30-year old Michael Patrick Corcoran, of Plattsmouth, NE., was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 1st degree, as well as Trespassing in the 1st.