Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) said late Wednesday night, that the former President of the LeClaire Firefighter’s Association was arrested Wednesday on a Theft charge, following an investigation into a string of suspicious financial transactions discovered within a bank account held by the northeast Iowa group. Shawn Ream faces a charge of 2nd Degree Theft in connection with the alleged crime. Ream was being held in the Scott County Jail.

An investigation into his alleged activities began Tuesday, when the Le Claire Police Department requested assistance from the DPS and DCI’s Major Crime Unit.

Police in Council Bluffs arrested a 49-year old man following a more than 2  and a 1/2 hour standoff, Wednesday night. Authorities say Carl Galvan was taken into custody at around 10:50-p.m. after surrendering peacefully. He was brought to Mercy Hospital and put on a Police Hold. No injuries were reported.

The stand-off began after Council Bluffs Police were called to 802 Avenue H at around 8:10-p.m., in reference to a barricaded male who wanted to harm himself.

Carl Galvan

Upon arrival, Officers established communications with the man, who was identified as Galvan. Galvan was wanted on valid warrants through Pottawattamie County for Domestic Abuse. He advised Officers he had barricaded the door, was armed with a butcher knife and he did not intend to cooperate.

Uniform Officers set up a perimeter and established communications with Galvan until Council Bluffs Police Negotiators and the Emergency Services Team arrived on scene. After Police Negotiators were advised Galvan was exiting the residence and intended to surrender, the Emergency Services Team took him into custody. Only minor damage occurred to a window and a door, during the incident.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Fair says the opening acts for singer Meghan Trainor’s canceled grandstand performance will now be the main act for a free show. Fair organizers said Wednesday afternoon that Charlie Puth and Life of Dillon will perform Aug. 22 at the grandstand. The announcement comes one day after Trainor, the artist behind the hit “All About That Bass,” said she couldn’t complete her tour due to a vocal cord problem.

More than 8,500 tickets had been sold for Trainor’s show and they will be refunded. Organizers did not provide additional information about the decision to make the revamped performance free.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reported Wednesday, the arrest on Tuesday of 22-year old Daylan Gene Kleen, of Walnut. Kleen was taken into custody on a charge of Driving While Barred. He was released later that day on his own recognizance.

And on Sunday, 24-year old Callyn Scott Vincent Pollock,  of Anita, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear and a charge of Driving While Revoked (Serious). Pollock was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released on his own recognizance, Monday.

A collision between a motor home and an SUV in southern Iowa’s Warren County Wednesday morning claimed the lives of two people, including a boy from Ringgold County. The Iowa State Patrol says 9-year old Eric M. Fuller, of Kellerton, and 72-year old Karen K. Handy, of Indianola, died in the crash that happened just before 9-a.m., at the intersection of Warren County road G-76 and Highway 69.

Eric Fuller was a passenger in a 2000 GMC Jimmy driven by 47-year old Kimberly R. Fuller, also of Kellerton. Also injured in the crash was 10-year old Lillian J. Fuller, of Kellerton, and Rodney M. Shoup, of Moore, OK. Kimberly and Lillian Fuller were transported by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, where the woman was last reported to be in critical condition and the child in serious condition.  Authorities say Shoup did not require hospitalization.

The Patrol says a 2005 Freightliner Motorhome driven by 54-year old Keith F-C Hutton, of Newcastle, OK, was traveling west on G-76 and ran the stop sign before hitting the SUV which was traveling north on Highway 69. After the impact, both vehicles continued westbound before coming to rest on the road. The accident remains under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Four school districts in southeast Iowa have filed a lawsuit against an Indiana company, claiming that tablet devices sold to the districts are faulty. The Des Moines Register reports the lawsuit was filed by attorneys representing the Albia Community School District, the Keokuk Community School District, the Van Buren School District and the West Burlington Independent School District.

The districts say they bought nearly 3,000 tablets from CurriculumLoft, a Columbus, Indiana-based software company, in 2013. The tablets were designed for students to complete homework, tests and other classroom activities. The lawsuit claims the tablets have technology glitches, are slow and have low battery life. District administrators say the company has refused to give refunds.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A top state official says Iowa is providing better mental health care after an overhaul of the system, though critics question the recent closure of two state-run mental health institutes. Department of Human Services Director Chuck Palmer told an advisory board Wednesday that Iowa’s mental health system was serving more people and providing more modern care. The effort to remake the system began in 2011 and was implemented last year.

Gov. Terry Branstad has been criticized for halting funding for two Iowa mental health institutes this year. The Des Moines Register reported Wednesday that a third patient from one of those centers died after being moved to a private nursing home.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating a homicide. Officials say just before 7-a.m. today (Wednesday), the Pottawattamie County 911 center received a call from a person who said he was outside the home of his employee, 55-year old Robert R Schendel, who resides at 706 Mynster Street. Schendel had not shown up for work as usual, and the employer was requesting a welfare check.

55-year old Robert R Schendel (Council Bluff P-D photo)

Uniformed officers arrived at the residence and were unable to get a response so entry was made. Officers located Schendel inside the home. The man was dead from several gunshot wounds. Schendel’s vehicle, a 1988 Gray Dodge Caravan bearing Iowa License plate BGZ696, was missing.

The Criminal Investigation Division was called to the scene, and while the death was in the early stages of investigation, the incident was being treated as a homicide. An autopsy has been scheduled for Thursday in Ankeny. Anyone with any information about the crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

A joint investigative effort between the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and the Atlantic Police Department into illegal drug activities in Cass County has led to numerous arrests. Taken into custody on August the 4th were the following individuals:

• 26-year old Brittiny Christina Marie Sampson, of Atlantic. Sampson was arrested for Conspiracy to Deliver Methamphetamine (a Class-C Felony).
• 32-year old Jacob Michael Leary, of Atlantic. He was arrested on a felony charge of Delivery of Methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a Public Park.
• 33-year old Ryan Michael Paul, of Atlantic. Paul was arrested on felony charges of Ongoing Criminal Conduct, Delivery of Methamphetamine, Delivery of Methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a Public Park, Possession of Methamphetamine 3rd or Subsequent Offense, and Sponsoring a Gathering where Illegal Drugs are Used. He also faces misdemeanor charges of Prohibited Acts and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
• 29-year old Albert Alexander Johnson, of Atlantic, was arrested Aug. 4th on a felony charge of Conspiracy to Deliver Methamphetamine.
• 46-year old Richard Dean Fineran, of Atlantic, was arrested on felony charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine, Sponsoring a Gathering where Illegal Drugs are Used, and a misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge.

On Tuesday, August 11th, authorities arrested 21-year old Jessica Lee Mack, of Atlantic, and 29-year old Tony Lee Mack, of Atlantic. Both face felony charges of Conspiracy to Deliver Methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a School. On Wed., Aug. 12th, 53-year old Clayton Wade Schmitt, of Atlantic, was arrested on a felony charge of Delivery of Methamphetamine.

The suspects who remained in the Cass County Jail as of Wednesday afternoon include: Brittiny Sampson, Jacob Leary, Albert Johnson, and Richard Dean Fineran,  who were being held on $50,000 bond, each. Ryan Paul was being held on $100,000 bond. Tony Mack’s bond was set at $10,000, while Clayton Schmitt was being held on $25,000 bond. Jessica Mack was released on August 11th on her own recognizance.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers are expected to produce 13.7 billion bushels of corn this year, down 4 percent from last year’s record. It will be the third highest annual production on record in the U.S. Farmers are expected to harvest 81.1 million acres, down 2 percent from a year ago.

The USDA monthly crop update released Wednesday says Iowa, the nation’s top corn producer, expects to harvest 2.43 billion bushels, up 2.8 percent from 2014. Nebraska’s corn production will increase 3.8 percent to 1.66 billion bushels. Illinois corn production will fall nearly 15 percent.

Soybean production is forecast at 3.92 billion bushels, down 1 percent from last year. Production will drop 2.5 percent in Illinois, the nation’s leader. Iowa production will increase 2 percent.