A central Iowa man was flown by LifeNet helicopter to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, following an accident early this (Saturday) morning two-miles east of Avoca on Interstate 80 in Pottawattamie County. The Iowa State Patrol says 49-year old Christian John Zobel, of Des Moines, was traveling east on I-80 at around 6-a.m., when his 20100 Harley Davidson struck a deer. The cycle toppled onto its left side and continued into the south ditch, while Christian came to rest in the eastbound lanes of traffic. The Patrol’s report did not indicate if he was wearing a helmet, and a report on his condition is not currently available.

w/ Chris Parks

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No charges were filed following a case of apparent criminal trespassing and mischief Friday night, in Villisca. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says they received a report at around 9:05-p.m., about an incident which occurred at 111 west High Street, in Villisca, whereby it was determined that a pickup occupied by two young men had stopped in front of the residence.

One of the males got out of the pickup and entered the yard, grabbed a “Stephens for Sheriff” sign, yanked it out of the ground and threw it onto the grass. That same person returned to the pickup, which then took off. The Sheriff’s Department says the residents saw the act of Criminal Mischief take place, and managed to locate the suspects.

Officials say the resident spoke with the unidentified parties allegedly involved in the incident, and told them to stay off their property. Those same individuals were then observed by the resident leaving Villisca. The political advertisement did not appear to have been significantly damaged, and the residents declined to press charges.

A Nebraska man was sentenced Thursday in U-S District Court to 3-years in prison for failing to register with the sex offender registry in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. District Court Judge Ronald Longstaff also ordered 42-year old Randall Jo Haggart to serve a three-year term of supervised release following incarceration.

On March 27th, 2012, Haggart entered a guilty plea to failing to register with the sex offender registry in Iowa. Haggart has been required to register as a sex offender since 2003. From December, 2010, up to and including July 6, 2011, Haggart resided in Council Bluffs, without registering with the sex offender registry in Pottawattamie County.

The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshal’s Service, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the southern District of Iowa reports a Council Bluffs man was sentenced Thursday to 16-years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetmine. Senior District Court Judge Ronald Longstaff also ordered 30-year old Felipe Hernandez to serve a five year term of supervised release following incarceration. Hernandez plead guilty on February 2nd, to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the amount of 500 grams or more.

During June and July of 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, Police Department, working the South West Iowa Narcotics Task Force, investigated a group of individuals for selling methamphetamine in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. The investigation resulted in the arrest of Hernandez, and the seizure of three kilograms of methamphetamine, two loaded handguns, and cash.

The investigation was conducted by the Omaha, Nebraska, Police Department, the SWIN Task Force, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies arrested a couple of people this week. On Tuesday, 28-year old William Daniel Mendez, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Mendez was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was being held on $10,000 cash bond. 

On Thursday, 40-year old Daniel Dale Laws, of Atlantic, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear for a Child Support Hearing. Laws was taken to the Cass County Jail, and he was released on his own recognizance later that day.

And, officials say an Anita man arrested May 19^th following a domestic incident during which a shot was fired, remains in the Cass County Jail. 39-year old Michael Wayne Luke, of Anita, faces charges that include Intimidation with a Weapon, and Aggravated Misdemeanor charges of Reckless Use of a Firearm and Domestic Assault 2^nd Offense. He was being held in the jail on $12,500 bond.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following a rollover accident early this (Friday) morning, southeast of Marne. Officials say the accident happened on Marne Road near the intersection with 580th Street, at around 6:45-a.m.   A 1991 Ford Bronco owned and driven by 20-year old Lucas Kristen Nelson, of Marne, was traveling north when it went onto the grassy median area as Nelson attempted to avoid a deer. The SUV went across and into the south ditch, before rolling onto its top. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $3500.

As you make out your list of things to take on your holiday camping trip, don’t put down “firewood.” The U-S-D-A is trying to warn people of the danger of spreading the emerald ash borer. Sharon Lucik oversees the emerald ash borer program and says the destructive pest hides in firewood and hitchhikes to new territory. “When people inadvertently move infested firewood from one place to another, they are spreading the beetle,” Lucik says. “What we’re trying to get people to do, is instead of transporting firewood, we want them to buy firewood at their destination. When they get to their campground, when they get to their destination, buy it then.”

The agency has declared this “Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week.” Lucik admits loading up a few logs to take along for the campfire is a habit that’s tough to break.
“We’ve been traveling with firewood for so many years, it’s almost an innate right to take firewood with you when you go camping,” Lucik says. The emerald ash borer was first discovered in North America in Michigan in 2002. “And since that time, it has been detected in 15 states,” according to Lucik. She says Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois all have infestations.

The larvae of the beetle was discovered on an island in the Mississippi River off Allamakee County in May of 2010. “Even though we have been surveying for the pest in Iowa, we have not found any other sightings of it. So to date, the state only has the one county that is known to have an emerald ash borer infestation,” Lucik says. She says the pest moves very slowly and the best way to stop it from spreading is to not help it along by moving infested firewood. Officials estimate Iowa has some 88 million ash trees. Many cities have already identified the ash trees and some have cut them down as a preventative measure to keep the ash borer from spreading.

(Dar Danielson/Radio Iowa)

Republican Congressman Steve King opened a campaign headquarters in Ames this week — the city where his Democratic opponent, Christie Vilsack, moved last year to launch her run in Iowa’s new fourth congressional district.

Congressman Steve King

King says he has a solid base of support in conservative northwest Iowa, so he’s been focused on introducing himself to people in the 20 counties that are part of the new district that he’s never represented before.  “And the communities that are new and those who present the greatest challenges are Fort Dodge, Mason City and Ames,” King says, “in ascending order.”

King’s visit to Mason City this week featured a confrontation with someone who called King a “professional liar.” “No,” King said, adding: “You’re done.” The man was escorted from the room by police. Democrats also blasted King for comments he made this week in Pocahontas. King suggested the best immigrants to the country are those who are like “bird dogs” with an “aggressive…frisky” demeanor. While the new fourth district is not as heavily Republican as King’s current congressional district, it still has a sizable Republican voter registration edge with about 40-thousand more Republicans than Democrats. And some areas like Story County where Democrats have held an advantage in the past have seen margins narrow.

Cory Adams is chairman of Story County Republicans. “The Democrats only have…less than 600 voters over us and we’re going to do our best to find 601 Republicans,” Adams says. King in the past has relied on a core of volunteers to run his reelection campaigns and his son has served as campaign chairman.

Christy Vilsack

This year — with the well-financed challenge from former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack — King has raised more money and hired two of Governor Branstad’s aides to work on his campaign.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)