Iowa State University Police have charged a Des Moines woman with vandalizing several law enforcement vehicles during the Iowa-Iowa State game.

I-S-U police say they were led to 25-year-old Giada Morresi through photos shared on social media and tips after 15 Iowa State Patrol and Story County vehicles were damaged during the game on September 9th. Morresi is facing eight counts of first-degree criminal mischief for damage of more than 10-thousand dollars. And seven counts of second-degree criminal mischief for damage of 15-hundred to 10-thousand dollars.

It’s said the word “Iowa” came from a Native American word for “beautiful land,” and Iowans will be able to showcase some of that beauty through a statewide photography contest. Andy Frantz (FRONZ), executive director of Keep Iowa Beautiful, says they’re seeking entries in the 14th annual contest with the goal of raising awareness of Iowa’s natural and environmental splendor. Frantz says there are five categories.

The pictures people submit seem to get better every year, he says, from breathtaking vistas of waterways to stunning sunsets over tractors in fields. Submitting a photo entry is easy by visiting the website Keep Iowa Beautiful-dot-org.

There are cash prizes up to 500-dollars for the winners and runners up in each category, with “best in show” winners as well. Frantz says they’ve considered using these pictures in a calendar or in some other way, but for now, they’re simply used to promote our state’s spectacular scenery.

There’s a five-dollar fee for each entry to cover the administrative costs of the contest, he says. Entries are now being accepted, while the deadline to enter is December 16th.
keepiowabeautiful.org

A solemn vigil was held in downtown Algona on Sunday night as hundreds of area residents came together to remember the life of Algona Police Officer Kevin Cram. The 33-year-old Cram, who joined the Algona Police Department in 2015, was shot and killed while serving an arrest warrant last Wednesday night. Algona Mayor Rick Murphy addressed those who met in front of the Kossuth County Law Enforcement Center.

Support has been coming in from across the state since the shooting, as many communities used their high school football games on Friday night to raise funds for Officer Cram’s family. Murphy says those efforts are much appreciated as the community mourns the fallen lawman.

Vigil host Bob Jennings recited the Police Officer’s Prayer to end the night.

The funeral for Cram will be held on Wednesday at 10:30 AM in the Algona High School gymnasium. A visitation for the public will be held Tuesday at the Ed and Betty Wilcox Performing Arts Center in Algona from 4-8 PM.

Republican presidential candidate Tim Scott — who represents South Carolina in the U-S Senate — says he’s ready to draw a line in the sand on federal spending, even if it leads to a government shutdown. Scott voted against this spring’s budget deal that set a two-year framework for government spending.

Scott supports the long term goal of making deficit spending illegal by passing a balanced budget amendment to the U-S Constitution. In the near term, Scott says federal spending should return to pre-pandemic levels and that would save half a trillion dollars over the next 12 months.

Scott discussed the looming budget fight in Washington during a weekend appearance at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s fall fundraiser. Scott was interviewed on stage by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird. She asked if Scott had a special lady in his life other than his mother.

Scott, who is 57, is the only unmarried candidate in the G-O-P presidential field. Scott says he’s been getting a lot of questions lately about his dating life after a Washington Post story in which he talked about his girlfriend, but did not reveal her name. On Saturday, Scott told the audience of 12-hundred conservative Christians that as the child of a single mother he knew the consequences of an absent father, and made a commitment to take a different path.

Scott is making stops today in Nevada, Fort Dodge and Mason City.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports six recent arrests. Three people were arrested on separate drug charges:

32-year-old Jordan Pierce Osberg, of St. Paul, MN, was arrested Sept. 11th by Adair Police. He was charges with a drug ax stamp violation and a Felony, controlled substance Violation. Osberg was released two days later on a $5,000 cash or surety bond; 29-year-old Kamron David Polk, of Oakwood, OH, was arrested Sept. 16th in Adair County, by the Iowa State Patrol, near Adair. He was charged with Poss. of a controlled substance/Marijuana-1st offense, and released later on a $1,000 c/s bond; And, 36-year-old Amanda Marie Comly, of Stuart, was arrested by Stuart Police on Sept. 16th. She was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd offense, and Poss. of drug paraphernalia. Comly was released later on a $5,000 c/s bond. Comly was previously arrested Sept. 13th, for Assault with Bodily Injury.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports also, 42-year-old Wendi Nicole Wright, of Stuart, was arrested Sept. 14th, on an Adair County warrant for Probation Violation. Wright was released Saturday on a $1,000 bond. And, 55-year-old Elmer Lee Donaldson, III, of Des Moines, was arrested Sept. 15th in Adair County, by the Iowa State Patrol. He was arrested for Driving while license denied or revoked. Bond was set at $1,000.

Police in Red Oak, Sunday, arrested 20-year-old Steven Lynn Ronfeldt, Jr., for disorderly conduct. Ronfeldt was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

Police in Creston, Saturday, arrested 44-year-old Lela Ann Churchwell, of Creston. Churchwell was taken into custody at her residence, at around 9:30-a.m. She was charged with Disorderly Conduct-Loud Raucous Noise. Churchwell was cited and released from the scene.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department has issued a report on recent arrests and accidents. This (Monday) morning, 24-year-old Kelsie Engelke, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. Engelke was being held without bond until seen by a Magistrate Judge. And, on Saturday, 48-year-old Chad Bruce, of Wahoo, NE, was arrested for OWI 1st offense and Possession of a dangerous weapon. He has since posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond, and was released.

Three separate accidents took place Friday, in Glenwood. Authorities say at around 12:50-p.m., a 1999 Chevy pickup driven by 74-year-old Phillip Ray Brown, of Glenwood, was traveling south on N. Linn Street to head west on 1st. When navigating the turn, a trailer being pulled by the pickup struck a legally parked and unoccupied 2021 Dodge RAM pickup, causing a total of $2,000 damage.

At around 1:30-p.m. Friday, a Hyundai Sonata driven by 68-year-old Peggy Jean Purvis, of Malvern, was leaving the parking lot of the BP Store in Glenwood, when she truck a trailer attached to a parked 2013 Chevy pickup that was at the gas pumps. The damage was estimated at $4,000 altogether.

And, at approximately 7:30-p.m., Friday, a pickup driven by 34-year-old Blake Anthony Starnes, of Malvern, struck the side exit wall of a washbay at the Glenwood Superwash. Starnes said he was towing a trailer through the wash bay when it apparently caught the wall and ripped it down. The entire right exit wall fell down and the garage door was ripped open.

Damage from the accident amounted to $30,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic will meet in their Chambers at City Hall, beginning at 5:30-p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19th. First-up on their agenda, is action on closing certain streets for the 4-p.m. Oct. 14, 2023 Annual Fireman’s Parade. (See the parade route map below)

They are expected to receive a fundraising update from Jeremy Butler with the Splashpad Fundraising Group, and hear the Mayor announce Halloween City-wide Trick or Treating in Atlantic will take place from 5-until 7-p.m. Oct. 31st.

In other business, the Council will act on a Resolution “Approving and Adopting a Revenue Purpose Statement for the Use or Expenditure of Revenues, from a Natural Gas Franchise Fee.” The resolution stipulates the revenue may be used for property tax abatements, building permit fee abatements, and the abatement of other fees for property damaged by a disaster, as defined in the Code of Iowa. If the Council passes the Resolution, it will be submitted to the Iowa Utilities Board for their approval.

The City Council in Atlantic will act on passing the third and final reading of an Ordinance pertaining to the Mayor and City Council’s compensation (as previously reported), the second reading (& waiving of the rules) followed by the third reading of an Ordinance pertaining to the creation of a Parks and Rec Advisory Commission, which was amended to clarify the initial terms of the Commission as being “staggered, with two members serving for 2-years, and three members serving for 1-year. Appointments to the initial terms shall be 2-years for all members.”

(Elk Horn, Iowa)-  The Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School Board is scheduled to meet 6-p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 19), in the Conference Room at the High School in Elk Horn. The Board is set to discuss and/or act on:

• The Nov. 7, 2023 School Board election,
• A request for Allowable Growth for Negative Special Education Balance ($39,913.04),
• and the hiring of: Andrea Halterman – Prom Sponsor; Irene Blazek – Cheer Sponsor; Eleanor Greving – Associate.

They will then entertain a motion to enter a closed session with regard to a personnel matter (as allowed in the Iowa Code), and when they return to an open session, take action on the matter. Another motion will follow, with regard to a requested closed session pertaining to the expulsion or suspension of a student, and a return to open session.