ALTOONA, Iowa (KCCI) — Three American flags were burned in an Altoona neighborhood Monday morning. Now, police are asking for people’s help in finding a suspect who is believed to be responsible for it. Officials with the Altoona Police and Fire Departments issued a joint statement saying officers were called to the 300 block of 12th Ave SW and 800 block of 12th Avenue NW for three separate reports between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m. on Nov. 13th.

Police say officers discovered the flags destroyed by fire. Due to the nature of the crime, arson investigators were called for a joint investigation. Police say they don’t know for sure if one person is to blame for all three flags. But, they say the three incidents appear to be similar.

Altoona Police say another American flag was burned on Nov. 6. But they don’t believe it’s related to Monday’s incidents. Police said detectives are actively investigating Monday’s incidents.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines police have made an arrest and identified the victim in a fatal stabbing investigation. Police say they received a report of a stabbing around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Econo Lodge on East 30th Street. Officers say when they arrived, they found 20-year-old Alyssa Anne Maher, of Des Moines, with multiple traumatic injuries. Maher was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where she died.

DMPD detectives arrested and charged Brantlee Austin Gage Rainey, 24, of Des Moines, with first-degree murder. Police say Rainey was found inside the room where the crime happened and had a knife with apparent blood on it. He also matched a witness’s description of the suspect.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The body of a woman was discovered Tuesday morning along a street in Des Moines. Des Moines Police say officers responded around 7:45-a.m. to a report of a dead person found along the 1100 block of Chautauqua Parkway in Des Moines. Authorities believe there is no ongoing threat to the neighborhood. Officials have not released the identity of the person or any additional details concerning the investigation.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on November 9, 2023, to 27 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Distribution of a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine and Cocaine.

According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, law enforcement began an extensive investigation which revealed that Art Eugene Thomas, 35, sold methamphetamine and cocaine. The investigation began in November 2020 when a concerned citizen reported that many individuals came and went from Thomas’s residence and provided law enforcement with security footage. Several witnesses interviewed said that Thomas carried a firearm. At sentencing, the Court found Thomas was a manager or supervisor within the drug trafficking organization based in part on Thomas’s direct connection to an Arizona drug source of supply. In total, Thomas was found to be responsible for approximately 37 pounds of ice methamphetamine.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Thomas will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

(Anita, Iowa) – Following-up on discussion that took place Monday evening in Anita, during the CAM School Board’s regular meeting with regard to the CAM School District’s Facilities, a meeting will be held this evening (Nov. 15th) at the High School in Anita. The meeting at 6-p.m. is open to the public. Superintendent Paul Croghan says the former Facilities Committee and representatives with the SITELOGIQ Architectural Firm will be on-hand to hold a Q&A session.

In other business, the CAM School Board, Monday evening, discussed the District’s Certified Enrollment numbers for 2023 and financial projections.

The CAM School Board approved an Achievement Center Agreement with the Atlantic CSD, Monday.

And, they approved the Corrective Action Plan and authorized the Administration to submit the CAP to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC).

The Board approved: 41-mid-term graduates of the Connections Academy; a Contract with DirectIT for Technology service; The approved Murry Finn as Green Hills AEA Board Election for District 3, and, with regard to local election results, Superintendent Croghan said…

He mentioned also, the CAM Cross Country Team made a presentation to the School Board, Monday, and recapped their season.

He concluded by wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving and harvest, as that wraps-up across the area.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna says a successful post-election audit was conducted of the November City-School election on November 15, 2023. Ballots in Precinct 5 were hand- counted by election officials to ensure they matched the totals reported by the ballot tabulator. The precinct was randomly selected by the Secretary of State following Election Day. The City of Grant Mayor Race was audited. The results matched 100%.

County Auditor Jill Ozuna stated: “The hand count audit shows that our machines tabulate accurately and further restores integrity of our election process. I’d like to thank the county auditors and the election officials and poll workers across the state for their hard work this year,” Secretary Pate said. “We conducted another fair, secure election in Iowa, and these hand-count audits are one more way we ensure the integrity of the vote.”

Every ballot tabulator in Iowa undergoes a public pre-election test to ensure it will count votes accurately on Election Day. Post-election audits are mandatory in all 99 counties following each election.  For the City-School Election, one randomly chosen precinct in each county is required to conduct a post-election audit to verify the machine count.

For more information about election security in Iowa, visit the Secretary of State’s website at sos.iowa.gov. Information about the voting process is available at VoterReady.Iowa.gov. Questions about the post-election audit and other election matters may be directed to the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s roads will be crowded next week as it’s projected to be the fourth-busiest travel week since 2005. If you’ll be heading down the highway to see friends or family for Thanksgiving, Triple-A-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says it could save you plenty of hassles to give your vehicle a preventative check-up now.) “Get your car ready for that road trip,” Ortner says. “You have plenty of time now to get your routine maintenance done, get your tire pressure checked, get your oil changed, get your battery checked.”

Some people like stay organized and on-task by making lists, and Ortner says travel can be overwhelming, so do what you can to plan ahead. “Leave early and allow yourself extra time,” Ortner says.

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“Whether you’re flying or driving, that’s going to be a big key into less stressful travel plans.” You don’t want to be one of “those” relatives at the dinner table, so Ortner suggests you know when to say when to that holiday cheer. “Keep safety on your mind,” Ortner says. “Never drive impaired and make sure, if you do celebrate a little bit too much, take advantage of the options to get home so you do arrive home safely.”

Triple-A estimates travel next week around Iowa and the five other states in our region will be up two-percent, or about 85-thousand travelers, from last year. Of the estimated four-point-three million people in our region who will be traveling at least 50 miles from home, some three-point-eight million will be going by motor vehicle.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill co-sponsored by Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn would block Iran’s access to six billion dollars designated for humanitarian aide. It was part of a recent prisoner swap between the U-S and Iran.  “This bill would provide a surgical strike, as it were, in rescinding the  licenses involving the $6 billion transferred from South Korea to Qatar in September of 2023,” Nunn says, “effectively cutting off Iran’s access to these  funds.” Iranian oil money had been held in South Korean banks since 2019 and the six billion has been transferred to Qatar’s central bank, but it has not been distributed to Iran yet. Nunn says Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world and if that money is released, it would let Iran redirect resources to groups like Hamas.

“This would ensure that those assets don’t flow to Iran and the government of Iran,” Nunn says. Nunn’s bill was among a dozen approved by the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday. Nunn says the bill calls for the U-S to review any transaction — anywhere — that involves transfers of five million dollars or more to Iran.

“In fact, our own Department of Justice recently found that Turkish Halkbank had illicitly transferred approximately $20 billion worth of restricted Iranian funds through a so-called ‘humanitarian exception,’ but none of that was used for the people of Iran,” Nunn says. “Instead, that money was used to directly threaten the United States and train terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas.” Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, says there have been Iranian backed strikes on U-S forces in the Middle East since the Hamas attacks on Israel last month.

(Cedar Rapids, Iowa) – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, reports a Carroll man, 45-year-old Darwin Robinson, Jr., was sentenced last week to more than 5-1/2 months in prison on federal gun and drug charges. Robinson pled guilty July 20, 2023, to illegally possessing a firearm and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Robinson was previously convicted of cocaine-possession and three domestic abuse assaults which prohibit a person from possessing any firearm.

At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed Robinson had prohibitive convictions and was a regular user of methamphetamine while possessing a .40 caliber handgun. On March 22, 2021, law enforcement stopped the vehicle Robinson was driving and officers seized 2 small bags of methamphetamine from Robinson and a loaded .40 caliber handgun from the vehicle. Robinson admitted that he planned on selling some or all of the methamphetamine that was found.

Sentencing was held November 9th in Sioux City Federal Court. United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Robinson to 70 month in prison and five years of supervised release following his imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Robinson remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Carroll, Iowa Police Department, Iowa DCI Criminalistics Laboratory, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – News around the world told of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev’s visit to southwest Iowa, in 1959. Liz Garst was eight years old at the time but she remembers his visit and has stories to tell. Garst will present a program on Sunday, November 19 at 2 pm at the American Legion Memorial Building (the Old Armory), in Atlantic.

The Garst Family has deep roots in the history of Iowa. Based on her family experience in Coon Rapids, Liz tells of agricultural development especially during the mid-century explosion of farm productivity. She tells entertaining stories from her personal memories as an 8-year-old participant. There is a powerful message about the ability of an individual to make a difference.

Liz Garst

Liz manages banking and farming interests for the Garst family. She is the granddaughter of Roswell and Elizabeth Garst the hosts for Khrushcev. She likes to tell a good story. Liz is a volunteer and board member Whiterock Conservancy which is dedicated to finding balance between agriculture, the environment and people.

Her presentation, Sunday, is one of the series of programs sponsored by Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise (ARISE). There is no fee but donations are appreciated. Everyone is welcome. The Building located at 201 Poplar Street, Atlantic is handicapped accessible.