(Radio Iowa) – Sergeant Alex Dinkla, the spokesman for the Iowa State Patrol, says there’s been a huge increase in traffic fatalities in Iowa this year. “As of today (Monday), we are at 363 fatalities. That’s 33 higher than it was last year at this same exact time,” Dinkla says. “We continue to see fatalities go on the rise. It’s alarming to all of us.” Dinkla says an initial review appears to show an increase in fatal accidents involving vehicles that are drifting out of their lane. “What is that telling us? That driver is doing something to go into that lane that’s distracting them, making them not see something,” Dinkla says.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 27 states have laws that make it illegal for motorists to handle a cell phone while driving. “We have pushed for a hands free law and we are going to continue to push for that because here at the State Patrol we do believe there will be a reduction in crashes and fatalities if Iowa can get that hands free law passed and make oure state a safer place to drive,” Dinkla says. State troopers say it’s difficult to enforce the Iowa law that bans texting while driving because it is still legal for someone to have a cell phone in their hand while driving. Last year the Iowa Senate overwhelmingly voted to require hands-free or voice activated technology for making calls while driving in Iowa, but the bill stalled in the House.

Nearly 330 million people in the United States have a cell phone and a report from the National Conference of State Legislatures suggests at any given moment 800-thousand vehicles are being driven by someone using a hand-held phone.

In an update to our previous reports, Council Bluffs Police say a homicide suspect, 27-year-old Mensah OLLOWAY was booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail on charges unrelated to the Homicide that occurred on 12-17-2023. OLLOWAY’S current charges are Serious Assault, Aggravated Assault and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Homicide case is still being actively investigated and detectives are continuing to interview witnesses and gather evidence. Further updates will be provided as they become available.

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(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – A man from Nebraska is being sought in connection with the shooting and death Sunday night, of a western Iowa man. Council Bluffs Police report 27-year-old Mensah Olloway, of Omaha, is suspected in the shooting of 62-year-old Gary Fredrick, of Council Bluffs.

Officers were dispatched to 127 Harrison Street in Council Bluffs at around 6:38-p.m., Sunday, following a report of a possible shooting that had just occurred. When Officers arrived, they found Gary Fredrick laying on the floor, suffering from what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds. Fredrick was treated at the scene and then transported to the UNMC in Omaha, where he died from his injuries a short time later.

Initial information indicates Fredrick arrived at the residence, and after a short time a disturbance broke out. During the disturbance, witnesses saw Olloway produce a hand gun before he allegedly fired several rounds at Fredrick. Olloway then ran from the scene and as of the latest report, had not been located.

Information is still being gathered on this incident. If you have any information on possible whereabouts of Olloway please contact the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-328-4765 or Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday), issued a report on arrests that occurred over the past two weeks.

On December 1st: Chelsea Jean Birtwell, age 30, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop in Harlan. Birtwell was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substances, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Controlled Substance 2nd Offense, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability, and Fraudulent use of Registration; and, Albert Alexander Johnson, age 38, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop in Harlan. Johnson was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

On Dec. 2nd: Ian Austin, Hill, age 19, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop in Harlan. Hill was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substances, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Controlled Substance Marijuana 1st, and Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability.

On the 4th of December: Albert Alexander Johnson, age 38, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County Warrant for Willful Injury. Johnson was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

The following day,  Joshua James Hendon, age 30, of Panama, was arrested following an investigation. Hendon was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Simple Assault. And, on the 6th, Cristian Daniel Ruiz Chanchavac, age 33, of Harlan, was arrested following an investigation. Ruiz was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault.

On Dec. 8th: Dustin Allen Hansen, age 35, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop on Hwy 59 & Hwy 37. Hansen was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while Revoked.

On the 12th: Kerry Wayne Lincoln, age 52, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on active Shelby County Warrants. Lincoln was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with 3 counts of Failure to Appear.

On the 14th, Shelby County Deputies arrested: Megan Ericka Hunt, age 28, of Council Bluffs, following an investigation. Hunt was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Child Endangerment, and OWI 1st; June Louise Christensen, age 63, of Harlan, was arrested following an investigation. Christensen was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance, Possession of Controlled Substance Marijuana 1st, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Child Endangerment; Camryn Rose Casebeer, age 18, of Harlan, was arrested following an investigation. Casebeer was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance, Possession of Controlled Substance Marijuana 1st, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Child Endangerment; also arrested Dec. 14th, was Ethan Michael Jeffery Christensen, age 18, of Harlan, was arrested following an investigation. Christensen was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Keeping Premises or Vehicle for Controlled Substance, Possession of Controlled Substance Marijuana 1st, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Child Endangerment.

Note: Criminal charges are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – Can poinsettias kill you? There’s a long-standing rumor about the red-and-green flowers traditionally associated with Christmas being deadly if eaten, but registered nurse Tammy Noble, at the Iowa Poison Control Center, says that’s simply an urban legend that is not true.

“Poinsettias have had a bad rap over the years,” Noble says, “but we’ve found that they’re not as toxic as what we thought 50 years ago.”

One study found that a child would have to eat as many as 500 poinsettia leaves to become poisoned, but aside from that, Noble says the leaves taste terrible so no one would likely ever eat a lethal dose of them. They’re a lovely plant, she says, and they shouldn’t concern you.

“We know that swallowing some of the leaves can cause mild upset stomach,” Noble says, “but it’s okay to have poinsettias in your house or to give to family members who are in nursing homes. They’re low risk.”

Other plants that may appear in your house during the year-end holidays could pose a more significant threat. Noble says to take care with holly berries and mistletoe as they -can- be poisonous.

If you have a question or concern, call the Sioux City-based Iowa Poison Control Center anytime at 1-800-222-1222.

The poinsettia is native to Mexico and dates back centuries to when the Aztecs cultivated them to be more like trees that grew to be ten feet high. Seventeenth-century Franciscan priests in Mexico used poinsettias in nativity processions, the first recorded use for a Christmas celebration, though they weren’t called poinsettias then. That didn’t come until Joel Robert Poinsette introduced the plant to the U.S. in 1825 while he was the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. The plants were later named to honor him.