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Bluffs man wanted on Child Endangerment & other charges is arrested in CA

News

May 21st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A western Iowa man wanted on Child Endangerment and other charges, was arrested Friday in California. Captain Todd Weddum with the Council Bluffs Police Department reports, in October 2016, Council Bluffs police detectives began to investigate 72-year old Frank French, of Council Bluffs, on allegations of abuse committed upon his teenage daughter.

In January 2017, a felony arrest warrant for French was signed, charging him with:

  • 4 counts of Child Endangerment – resulting in bodily injury
  • 2 counts of Child Endangerment – without no injury
  • Neglect or Abandonment of a Dependent Person
  • and False Imprisonment.

On May 19th, 2017, French was located and arrested in San Bernardino County, California, where he is being held as a Fugitive from Justice. Proceedings will soon begin to have French extradited back to Iowa. Details of the case, including those documented in the arrest warrant affidavit, will not be released by the Council Bluffs Police Department until French arrives back to Pottawattamie County, where he will be served with the warrant and notified of the allegations he faces.

Posted in News |

Don Avenson, Iowa’s longest-serving House Speaker, has died

News

May 21st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

An influential figure in Iowa politics for more than four decades has died. Former House Speaker Don Avenson, of Oelwein, died of a heart attack on Friday. He was 72. Avenson was the Democratic Party’s unsuccessful nominee for governor in 1990 and he’d been statehouse lobbyist ever since. Avenson served eight years as House Speaker, the legislature’s most powerful post. No other speaker has had a longer tenure. Jerry Fitzgerald struck up a friendship shortly after the two were elected to the Iowa House nearly 45 years ago. Fitzgerald says Avenson was “a towering figure” with shrewd deal-making skills.

Fitzgerald was with Avenson when he died. The two had been vacationing. They were driving through Nebraska when Avenson suffered a heart attack. Republican Terry Branstad, who defeated Avenson in the 1990 race for governor, issued a written statement Saturday, calling Avenson a “strong and effective legislator…who cared deeply about…the people of Iowa.”

Avenson steered the Groundwater Protection Act through the legislature in 1987 as well as a bill that dramatically reorganized the executive branch of state government. Avenson was an avid outdoorsman and a voracious reader of non-fiction. Several years ago, Avenson tracked down every book about the Lewis and Clark Expedition that was still available in print and he read each one.

Avenson is the father of three adult children as well as grandchildren. He and his wife Diane were married in 1964 and have made their home in Oelwein. He joined the family business after college and became president of Oelwein Tool and Die Company in 1984.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in News |

Regional Sports Brief, 5/21/17

Sports

May 21st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Christian Arroyo’s two-run double broke a scoreless tie and the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 in 13 innings on Saturday night. Arroyo’s double off the wall in left field scored Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford. Giants starter Jeff Samardzija threw eight innings, scattering five hits and striking out eight.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins postponed their game against the Kansas City Royals because of rain, prompting a doubleheader to finish the series. The team made the announcement about an hour before the scheduled first pitch on Saturday afternoon, with the forecast predicting uninterrupted rain in the area for the rest of the day. The Twins and Royals will play a straight doubleheader on Sunday, with one admission for fans.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have made a trade with St. Louis for first baseman Matt Adams, hoping he can help fill the void left by injured star Freddie Freeman. The Cardinals sent Adams and cash to Atlanta for minor league infielder Juan Yepez. The deal came Saturday. The Cardinals also activated outfielder Stephen Piscotty from the disabled list. He’d been out with a strained right hamstring.

 

Posted in Sports |

Iowa early News Headlines: Sunday, May 21st 2017

News

May 21st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:30 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state of Iowa will give Flexsteel Industries more than $2 million as part of a $10 million bid to keep the furniture company’s plant in Dubuque and save most of the site’s more than 200 jobs. The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Economic Development Authority board approved a $2.1 million incentive package for Flexsteel on Friday. That includes a $1 million forgivable loan and more than $1 million in tax credits and refunds.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As expected, the Iowa Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a man sentenced last year to up to 10 years for sexually abusing a teenage boy. Friday’s decision by the Iowa Supreme Court came after state prosecutors last month took the rare step of asking it to reverse 61-year-old Doug Lindaman’s conviction. The Iowa Attorney General’s Office made the move after finding the Charles City man was allowed to represent himself at his trial without knowingly waiving his right to have an attorney.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Federal prosecutors say 41-year-old Mitchell Eugene Obrecht, of Carter Lake, was sentenced Friday. Prosecutors say Obrecht pleaded guilty in January to an indictment charging him with possession of child pornography in September 2015. The charge resulted from an investigation into the posting of a video and an image, each depicting child pornography, on a social networking site.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Des Moines are investigating a shooting that sent one person to a hospital. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that the shooting happened Saturday morning on SE Third Street. One person was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Police tell KCCI that an arrest has been made and that investigators believe the shooting was a domestic violence incident.

Posted in News |

Woman killed by a train when her car gets stuck on RR tracks in SE Iowa

News

May 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

The driver of a car that got hung-up on railroad tracks early Saturday morning in southeast Iowa died, when her vehicle was struck by a train. The Iowa State Patrol says 24-year old Alysabeth Loise Ferneau, of Burlington, died at the scene of the crash at around 3:35-a.m. on 165th Street, in Burlington at the BNSF crossing.

Officials say her 2008 Chevy Impala was northbound on 145th, north of U-S Highway 34, when the vehicle dropped-off the crossing to the west and became stuck. An eastbound Burlington Northern-Sante Fe train struck the car, which came to rest on its side on the tracks, west of the crossing. The train came to rest on the eastbound tracks.

The accident remains under investigation.

Posted in News |

2017 State Track Team Scoring

Sports

May 20th, 2017 by admin

Women – 1A – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored

1) Sigourney 48

2) Maple Valley-A-O 46

3) Danville 45.5

4) East Mills 36

5) Pekin 34

6) Logan-Magnolia 32

7) Clayton Ridge 24

8) Sioux Ctrl, SR 23

9) AGWSR 21.5

10) HM-Sanborn 20.5

11) Grundy Center 19

12) North Butler 18

13) Fremont-Mills 17

13) Sidney 17

15) Montezuma 16

16) Springville 15

16) Alburnett 15

18) Bedford 14

19) HLV, Victor 13

19) Lake Mills 13

21) Maquoketa Valley 12

22) Clarksville 11

22) East Union, A 11

22) New London 11

22) Central, Elkader 11

26) West Fork, S 10.5

27) Lawton-Bronson 10

27) Meskwaki Settle 10

27) Rockford 10

30) Gehlen Cath, L 9

30) Edgewd-Colesburg 9

30) Bishop Garrigan 9

33) W Sioux Hwardn 8

33) Janesville 8

33) Iowa Valley, M 8

33) Akron-Westfield 8

33) Lamoni 8

33) Saint Ansgar 8

39) Manson NW Web 7

40) Griswold 6

40) Cent Lyon, RR 6

40) Earlham 6

40) Marquette Cath 6

44) Don Bosco, G 5

44) E Buchanan, W 5

46) Colo-Nesco 4.5

47) Kee, Lansing 4

48) Mount Ayr 3.5

49) Nodaway Vall 3

49) B-G-M, Brook 3

49) Lynnville-Sully 3

49) Graet-T/Ruth-Ayr 3

53) West Hancock 2

53) Central City 2

53) Nwood-Kensett 2

53) N Linn, TM 2

53) Tripoli 2

53) Riceville 2

59) North Iowa, BC 1

59) Wapsie Val, F 1

59) Hudson 1

 

Women – 2A – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored

1) Cascade, WD 65

2) Mid-Prairie, W 58

3) Pocahon Area 44

4) Monticello 42

5) Madrid 34

6) Western Christ 31.3333

7) Aplntn-Parksbg 30

8) Pella Christian 25

8) W Marshall, SC 25

10) North Cedar, S 22

11) Albia 21.3333

12) Davis County, B 19

13) Alta/Aurelia 18

14) Unity Chrst, OC 17

15) Panorama, P 16

15) Sioux Center 16

15) W Central Valley 16

15) N Fayette Val 16

19) Sumner-Fredrksbg 15

20) PCM, Monroe 11

20) Louisa-Musc 11

22) Boy-Hul/Rock Val 10

22) Tipton 10

22) OA-BCIG 10

22) Sheldon 10

26) Clarke, O 9

26) West Branch 9

28) South Hardin 8

28) Jesup 8

28) Underwood 8

31) Osage 7

31) Van Meter 7

31) Beckman, D 7

31) Anamosa 7

35) ACGC 6

35) Camanche 6

35) Cent Decatur, L 6

35) Denver 6

39) Cherokee, Wash 5

39) New Hampton 5

39) Central Sprngs 5

39) Treynor 5

43) Okoboji, Milford 4.33333

44) Sibley-Ocheyedan 4

45) Bellevue 3

45) Mediapolis 3

45) Shenandoah 3

45) KP-WC 3

45) AHSTW 3

50) Emmetsburg 2

50) S Winn, Calmar 2

50) South Cent Cal 2

50) Eagle Grove 2

54) MO Valley 1

54) Columbus, CJ 1

 

Women – 3A – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored

1) Assumption 93

2) Pella 77

3) Wahlert, Dub 49

4) Decorah 47

5) Benton Comm 44

6) Crestwood 30

7) Bishop Heelan 27

8) ADM, Adel 25

9) Carlisle 23

10) Mt Vernon 20

10) North Polk, A 20

12) Union, LaPorte C 19

13) Grinnell 18

14) Gilbert 16

14) S Tama Cty, Tama 16

16) Center Point 14

16) Humboldt 14

16) Solon 14

19) Spencer 13

19) Harlan 13

19) Washington 13

19) Boone 13

23) Norwalk 12

24) Creston 10

24) Knoxville 10

24) Marion 10

27) Greene County 8

27) Winterset 8

29) Oskaloosa 7.5

30) Charles City 7

30) Central DeWitt 7

32) SB-Luton 6

32) Xavier, CR 6

32) DC-Grimes 6

35) Denison-Schlswg 5.5

36) MOC-FV 5

37) W Delaware 4

38) Clear Crk-Amana 3

38) Maquoketa 3

40) Waverly-SR 1

40) Fort Madison 1

40) Independence 1

40) Chariton 1

 

Women – 4A – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored

1) Waukee 116

2) IC, West 89

3) SE Polk 56

4) Linn-Mar 44

5) Cedar Falls 41

6) Dowling C, WDM 37

7) WAT East 36

8) Pleasant Valley 31

9) CB, A Lincoln 26

10) Johnston 22

11) DUB Senior 20

12) Indianola 18

12) SC, West 18

14) North Scott 17

15) Ankeny 15.3333

16) Urbandale 14

17) CR Washington 13

18) SC, East 11

18) Ankeny Cent 11

18) Bettendorf 11

21) Valley, WDM 10

22) Ottumwa 9

23) Ames 8

23) WAT West 8

25) CR Jefferson 7

26) Lewis Central 6.33333

27) DSM, Hoover 6

27) DVPT, Central 6

27) DSM, East 6

30) Epworth, WD 5

31) DUB Hempstead 4.33333

32) IC, City High 4

33) CB, T Jefferson 3

34) Muscatine 2

34) DSM Lincoln 2

34) Fort Dodge 2

37) SC, North 1

37) Mason City 1

 

Women – WC – Team Rankings – 4 Events Scored

1) Sheldon 40

2) W Central Valley 32

 

Men – 1A – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored

1) Lisbon 89

2) Pekin 45

3) Cent Lyon, RR 43

4) Sigourney 37

5) Hudson 36

6) Saint Ansgar 33

6) AGWSR 33

8) North Union 26

9) B-G-M, Brook 25

10) Fremont-Mills 23

11) Lynnville-Sully 22

12) Lake Mills 20

13) Lone Tree 18

13) St. Albert, CB 18

15) Audubon 16

15) Wapsie Val, F 16

15) Earlham 16

18) Montezuma 15

19) Lawton-Bronson 14

20) Boyer Valley 12

21) Clayton Ridge 11

22) C-Wheatland 10

22) Ridge View 10

22) West Fork, S 10

25) Nodaway Vall 9

26) West Hancock 8

26) N Linn, TM 8

26) HLV, Victor 8

26) Don Bosco, G 8

26) W Sioux Hwardn 8

31) Twin Cedars, B 7

31) Maquoketa Valley 7

33) W Harrison, M 6

33) Midland, Wyoming 6

35) George-Little Rk 5

35) West Central, M 5

35) WACO, Waylnd 5

35) Dunkerton 5

35) Winfield-Mt. U 5

35) CR-Bayard 5

35) Grundy Center 5

42) Akron-Westfield 4

42) Nwood-Kensett 4

42) Gehlen Cath, L 4

42) Edgewd-Colesburg 4

46) Central, Elkader 3

46) Turkey Val, JJ 3

46) Mount Ayr 3

49) N Mahaska, NS 2

49) Keota 2

51) Sidney 1.5

51) Ar-We-Va, W 1.5

53) Griswold 1

 

Men – 2A – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored

1) KP-WC 61

1) Madrid 61

3) Albia 52

4) Beckman, D 34

5) Dike-NH 29

5) Anamosa 29

7) Kuemper Cath 23

7) Northeast, GL 23

9) Aplntn-Parksbg 22

9) Treynor 22

11) Ogden 20

11) AHSTW 20

13) Camanche 19

13) N Fayette Val 19

15) Mid-Prairie, W 17

16) S Winn, Calmar 16

16) Cascade, WD 16

18) Cherokee, Wash 15

19) Western Christ 13

19) Sibley-Ocheyedan 13

19) Denver 13

22) Regina, IC 12

23) Cent Decatur, L 11

24) Unity Chrst, OC 10

24) Boy-Hul/Rock Val 10

26) DSM Christian 9

26) East Sac County 9

28) Garner-Hay/Vent 8

28) Pleasantville 8

28) Jesup 8

28) New Hampton 8

28) Southeast Valley 8

28) Monticello 8

34) Oelwein 7

35) Davis County, B 6

35) Wilton 6

37) Okoboji, Milford 5

37) PCM, Monroe 5

37) W Lyon, Inwood 5

37) South Cent Cal 5

37) Panorama, P 5

37) BCLUW 5

43) Sioux Center 4

43) Alta/Aurelia 4

43) Emmetsburg 4

43) Hampton-Dumont 4

47) Woodward Acad 3

47) Waukon 3

47) Sheldon 3

47) Forest City 3

47) Clear Lake 3

52) S Hamilton, J 2

52) Tri-Center, N 2

52) E Marshall, L 2

52) Clarinda 2

56) Osage 1

56) Van Meter 1

56) Central Sprngs 1

56) North Cedar, S 1

56) Underwood 1

 

Men – 3A – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored

1) Marion 69

2) Mt Vernon 58

3) DC-Grimes 45

4) SB-Luton 40

5) Carlisle 39

5) Boone 39

7) Mt Pleasant 38

8) W Burlington/ND 36

9) Glenwood 33

10) Wahlert, Dub 32.75

11) Central DeWitt 30

12) Spirit Lake 24

12) Center Point 24

14) Algona 23

15) Gilbert 22

16) Oskaloosa 18.75

17) Decorah 17.75

18) Pella 16

19) West Liberty 14

19) Solon 14

21) Spencer 11

21) Ia Falls-Alden 11

23) Grinnell 10

24) Norwalk 9

25) Atlantic 8

26) Harlan 6

26) Crestwood 6

28) Perry 5

28) Bond-Farrar 5

30) Nevada 4.75

31) W Delaware 4

31) S Tama Cty, Tama 4

31) Vinton-Shellbrg 4

31) Xavier, CR 4

31) Winterset 4

36) LeMars 3

37) Bishop Heelan 2

37) Saydel 2

37) Benton Comm 2

37) Waverly-SR 2

 

Men – 4A – Team Rankings – 19 Events Scored

1) Valley, WDM 73

2) Waukee 69

3) Epworth, WD 54

4) Cedar Falls 48

5) WAT West 42

6) Ankeny Cent 41

7) Linn-Mar 38

7) Dowling C, WDM 38

9) IC, West 35

10) CR Kennedy 32

11) Bettendorf 30

12) Johnston 29

13) Pleasant Valley 25

14) DVPT, North 21

15) Prairie, CR 20

16) Ames 16

16) Urbandale 16

18) DVPT, Central 14

19) IC, City High 13

19) Lewis Central 13

19) SE Polk 13

22) CR Washington 12

22) Indianola 12

24) CB, T Jefferson 6

25) DUB Hempstead 5

25) DSM, East 5

25) Muscatine 5

28) DUB Senior 4

28) Ottumwa 4

30) DSM, Roosevelt 3

31) Ankeny 2

 

Men – WC – Team Rankings – 4 Events Scored

1) Bond-Farrar 32

1) SE Polk 32

3) Roland-Story 31

4) Lisbon 17

5) Lawton-Bronson 14

6) Fort Madison 12

Posted in Sports |

Cotton lays out broad vision in Iowa speech

News

May 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton says he’s not in Iowa laying the groundwork to run for president, but is touching on familiar themes of those who have. He told about 100 Iowa Republicans at a fundraiser Friday night in Council Bluffs he “loves Iowa so much I married a woman born here,” referring to his wife Anna, who was born in Sioux City.

But, besides the typical Iowa pandering, Cotton laid out a broader vision. He called for the national unity that followed the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Cotton, who was elected in 2014, noted Republican President Donald Trump’s victory, but grouped it generally with GOP wins in November that he attributed to general dissatisfaction with Congress and the federal government.

Yet despite those wins, Cotton called on his audience to aspire to better days.

Posted in News |

Postal worker gets probation for mail theft in Iowa

News

May 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former U.S. Postal Service worker in northwestern Iowa has been sentenced to probation for stealing items from the mail he was supposed to deliver. Federal prosecutors say 42-year-old Kirk Baird, of Sergeant Bluff, was sentenced in a Sioux City federal court Friday.

He pleaded guilty in March to one count of theft of mail by a postal service employee. At his plea hearing, Baird admitted that from August to October, he removed cash and gift cards from items in the mail at least 22 times. Baird had originally faced up to five years in prison without the possibility of parole.

Posted in News |

Des Moines police investigate shooting that injures 1

News

May 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Des Moines are investigating a shooting that sent one person to a hospital. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that the shooting happened Saturday morning on SE Third Street. One person was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Police tell KCCI that an arrest has been made and that investigators believe the shooting was a domestic violence incident. Witnesses told the television station that a man tried to flee on foot after the shooting, but was caught and arrested.

Posted in News |

2 Montgomery County arrests reported Friday

News

May 20th, 2017 by Jim Field

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two separate arrests on Friday.

At 11:04am Officers arrested 35-year-old Kendra Mary Fry of Red Oak on a warrant for Theft 5th Degree. She was later released on $30 bond.

At 4:50pm Officers arrested 30-year-old Nathan Al Ward Jr. of Red Oak in the alley of the 300 block of Joy Street. Ward Jr. was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order. He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

Posted in News |