A jury in Pottawttamie County, Monday, handed-down a “guilty” verdict against a Council Bluffs man in connection with the January 14th, 2011 stabbing death of 39-year old Tammy Rocha. 47-year old Clarence Woolsoncroft was found guilty of second-degree murder and two lesser crimes. 

He had faced charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery and conspiracy, but after eight hours of deliberations, jurors only found him guilty of second-degree murder, false imprisonment and willful injury causing serious injury. Second-degree murder carries a mandatory 50-year prison sentence. A mandatory minimum time of 70 percent of the sentence – or 35 years – must be served before being eligible for parole. The jury decided Woolsoncroft was not guilty of conspiracy. 

Woolsoncroft’s Attorney, Joseph Reedy said the jury’s decision would be appealed. Sentencing in the matter is scheduled for June 6th. 

Rocha was stabbed multiple times in January and found in the street near 35th Street and Fifth Avenue in Council Bluffs. Woolsoncroft, in a taped interview with Council Bluffs police detectives, said he took Rocha to a residence on Fifth Avenue on Jan. 14, because Lisa Reeves – who also faces murder charges – told him she would “make it worth his while.” He said he assumed she meant she would give him drugs or money. Woolsoncroft told investigators that he never saw anyone stab Rocha after he drove her to the scene of her death. 

Both Lisa Reeves – whom prosecutors allege stabbed Rocha – and her father, Bryan Reeves, face similar charges in the incident. Their trials are scheduled separately at a later date.

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad has ordered all flags in Iowa be flown at half-from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, in honor of Staff Sgt. James Justice, 32, of Grimes, Iowa.

Gov. Branstad has cleared his public schedule on Wednesday in order to attend the funeral service.

Staff Sgt. Justice was killed during a small arms fire exchange with enemy fighters in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan on Saturday, April 23, 2011.

The Governor’s directive applies to all U.S. and state flags under the control of the state. H.R. 692, signed in 2007, requires federal government agencies in the state to comply with the Governor’s Executive Order that the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff in the event of the death of a member of the Armed Forces.

Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

The U.S. flag flown over the state Capitol on the day of the funeral will be presented to Staff Sgt. Justice’s family at a later date, along with a proclamation honoring him.

A Central Iowa restaurant is the home of Iowa’s Best Burger in 2011. Officials with the Iowa Beef Industry Council said today (Monday), “The Rusty Duck” in Dexter was selected by a secret panel of judges as the top location in the state to get a hamburger.

The restaurant was one of 275 nominated from across the state for the IBIC’s and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association contest. The field was whittled down to 10 finalists, which included the Coon Bowl Two in Coon Rapids, and the Farmer’s Kitchen, in Atlantic.

The Rusty Duck’s owner Brad Waldron is also the cook for the 90-seat bar and grill. He says 80-percent of his time is spent preparing hand-pattied beef at the restaurant. Waldron buys choice boxed beef and cuts his own steaks. The trim from the top loin and sirloin goes into the grinder and becomes ground beef for his burgers, which he forms into a 14- or 8-ounce size.

For having the Best Burger in Iowa, The Rusty Duck received a plaque and media prize package. This was the second year the IBIC and ICA have sponsored the contest. Last year’s winner was the Sac County Cattle Company, in Sac City.

The Atlantic City Council this week will hold the first reading of an ordinance dealing with the outside sale of alcoholic beverages, and the second-reading of an ordinance amending the wastewater fee schedule.

An ordinance entitled “Outdoor Alcohol-Beverage Garden” is being proposed by the Chamber of Commerce, because it was inadvertently left out of the RAGBRAI ordinance the Council had adopted earlier. An amendment to the current ordinance is being prepared for the council’s consideration during their meeting Wednesday evening, at City Hall.

And, the Council will act on approving the second-reading of an ordinance which amends the wastewater fee schedule. The first reading was approved during their last meeting. The ordinance does not change the current rate structure, and would have a uniform impact on all customers. If approved after the third and final reading, the rate increase would generate an additional 11.5-percent in revenues from sewer charges. The revenues will be used to help pay for the new, $15-million dollar wastewater treatment plant, which is currently under construction.

Under the proposed plan, the minimum charge, or base sewer rate, would go up three-dollars per month, and the usage charge for water used in excess of 3,000 gallons per month, would increase 50-cents per thousand gallons, from $5.00 per thousand, to $5.50 per thousand.

City Administrator Doug Harris is expected to recommend the council stay with the current rate structure for both residences and businesses, and not restructure it for businesses that use a large amount of water, such as car washes, because of the amount of time it would take to restructure the rates. He will likely recommend the Council undertake a rate study in Fiscal Year 2012 to determine if there is a more fair and equitable rate structure.