DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Wal-Mart says it will increase wages for roughly 15,400 Iowa workers. The Des Moines Register reports the company announced Monday that workers who were hired before Jan. 1 at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations in Iowa will be paid at least $10 an hour. Employees will see the increase on their paychecks beginning Thursday.

Workers hired after the start of the year will continue to earn $9 an hour, which will increase after completing a skills and training program. There are 69 Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores in the state. Wal-Mart says it’s spending $2.7 billion over two years to fund wage increases and provide better training programs throughout all of its U.S. stores.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports an Audubon County man was arrested today (Tuesday), on alcohol and drug charges. 30-year old Ejay Edmond White, Jr., of Exira, was arrested on a felony OWI 3rd Offense charge, Possession of Controlled Substance Marijuana/1st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. White was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.

And, 44-year old Michael Eugene Boggs, of Atlantic, turned himself in to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday (today), on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for felony Domestic Abuse 3rd/Subsequent offense. Boggs was booked at the Cass County Jail and later released on $5,000 bond.

On Monday, Cass County Deputies arrested 31-year old Benjamin Dean Jameson, of Anita, on a charge of OWI 2nd Offense. Jameson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day (Tuesday) on his own recognizance.

And on Saturday, deputies arrested 21-year old Nicholas Wayne Renner, of Huxley,  on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Renner was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Officials have identified the woman who was killed in a Council Bluffs house fire. The Daily Nonpareil reports the Council Bluffs Fire Department identified 67-year-old Stella Neighbors as the woman who was found dead Friday after fire crews responded to her burning home.

Fire Chief Justin James says Tuesday the woman died of smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is still unknown due to the home’s extensive damage. One neighbor says the victim may have used supplemental oxygen.

Firefighters and police who responded to the fire were unable to immediately enter the home due to the flames. Most of the home’s roof was gone and the back of the house sustained heavy damage.

Police in Council Bluffs say a second man has been arrested in connection with double shooting incident. 19-year old Ben Lein, of Council Bluffs, was sought for questioning in the incident that occurred during Monday evening’s shooting death of 22-year old Anthony Walker, and the attempted murder of 32-year old Patrick Schultz, both of Council Bluffs.

Bluffs Police located Lein this (Tuesday) morning, and upon the completion of an interview with the man, arrested him on three newly obtained warrants for 1st degree Murder, Attempted Murder and 1st degree Robbery.  Lein was also wanted on warrants for an unrelated matter, Escape from Custody and Violation of Probation.

Monday night, authorities arrested 22-year old Wesley W. Correa-Carmenaty, of Council Bluffs, after a traffic stop, during which he threw two guns out the window. One of the weapons was a BB pistol, the other a .40-caliber handgun. Correa-Carmenaty was also charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder in the connection with the incident. He too faces a charge of robbery in the first degree.

Police were called to an apartment in Council Bluffs at around 6:30 p.m. Monday, where they found Walker dead from a gunshot wound to his upper chest. Schultz had already been transported to the hospital by private vehicle for treatment a gunshot wound to his upper left arm. He was reported to be in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries.

Ben Lein

Wesley W. Correa-Carmenaty