(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congressman Zach Nunn of Bondurant is leading a bipartisan group that’s sponsoring two bills to crack down on so-called puppy mills. Nunn says responsible dog breeders support closing the legal loopholes that have allowed Iowa to be ranked by the Humane Society as the second worst state in the country for puppy mills. “There’s no reason that Iowa should be at the bottom of this pile,” Nunn says. “More importantly, I think this is something that anyone who’s ever had an animal in their home as a companion animal, a dog specifically, wants to see these animals growing up in this hardship.”

One of the bills, called the Puppy Protection Act, would set standards of care for federally licensed dog breeders — requiring that animals get regular check-ups with a vet, adequate housing and a healthy diet. Nunn points to the case of Daniel Gingerich, who was charged with 120 violations of the Animal Welfare Act after USDA inspectors found dead and malnourished on a property near Seymour. “This idea that you would bring puppies into a confinement facility, stack them multiple crates high (to) urinate and defacate on animals below them and then sell that puppy off to become part of a family member’s home — no livestock farmer would treat their livestock that way,” Nunn says.

The other bill Nunn is co-sponsoring, called Goldie’s Law, was introduced two years ago by Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne, who Nunn defeated last November and Nunn is trying to advance it this year. The bill is named for a golden retriever that U-S-D-A inspectors saw was emaciated, but the agency did not order removal of animals from the Wayne County property until months later, when it was too late to save Goldie. Nunn says the local sheriff, who wanted to act sooner, supports the bill.

Cong. Zach Nunn. (Iowa PBS photo)

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture had notified the farm several times that they were in violation, but never followed up, so this is as much as holding the bad actors accountable as it is the federal government,” Nunn says. “…This is something that we’ve picked up and we’ve expanded on with the Puppy Protection Act just to make sure that there are clear guidelines, so that growers know what they can do, realy sets a best practice out there.” Nunn made his comments this weekend on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS.

More than 500 animals were removed from the Gingerich property in Wayne County in Septemer of 2021. Gingerich, who now lives in Ohio, pleaded guilty to two counts of animal neglect last year.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report the arrest at around 10:15-a.m. today (Monday, April 17), of 30-year-old Maura Elizabeth Jones, of Red Oak. Jones was arrested at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, for Public Intoxication. She was being held on a $300 bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is reporting eight arrests:

Today (April 17th, 2023), Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 47-year-old Anthony Hernandez, of Atlantic, on a warrant for Littering.  Hernandez was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his initial appearance.

On Sunday (April 16th) 28-year-old Shawn Jensen, of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant for Simple Assault.  Jensen was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his initial appearance. And, 44-year-old Rebecca Dreager, of Adair, was arrested Sunday on a warrant for Theft – 1st Degree.  Dreager was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was also booked and held pending her initial appearance.

On April 11th, 22-year-old Curclund VanAernam, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cass County Deputies on a Federal warrant.  VanAernam was transported to the Cass County Jail while awaiting extradition.

On the 9th, 24-year-old Sikfrit Muritok, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.  Muritok was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance. And, 30-year-old Preston Myers, of Anita, was arrested for OWI/2nd Offense, and Driving While Revoked.  Myers was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

On April 8th, Cass County Deputies arrested 47-year-old Steven Gustin, of Adair, for OWI 1st Offense.  Gustin was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

And, on April 7th, 51-year-old Joel Lary, of Massena,  was arrested for Theft 5th Degree.  Lary was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports seven recent arrests. On April 10th, Police in Stuart arrested 53-year-old Petrina Lavonne Lohman, of Saint Regis, MT, following a traffic stop at around 2:20-a.m. on I-80 westbound, for erratic driving. She was subsequently charged with Possession of Meth/1st offense, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. Inside the vehicle, Police found a loaded and chambered .9-mm handgun hidden in the center console. Lohman was released later that same day on a Recognizance Bond.

On April 11th, Adair County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 29-year-old David Allen Brent, of Des Moines, at the Polk County Jail. He was taken into custody on an Adair County warrant charging him with three counts of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree. Brent was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $250,000 cash-only bond. Also arrested April 11th, was 33-year-old Chevy Van Sauer, of Greenfield. He was arrested on a Union County warrant for Harassment in the 1st Degree, and on Adair County charges that include Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia (needles, a scale), and for being a person ineligible to carry a weapon (a knife greater than 5-inches in length was found in Sauer’s backpack, along with the paraphernalia). Chevy Sauer was released April 14th on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Greenfield Police arrested 55-year old Bonnie Ranee Decker and 32-Dillion Cole Savage, both of Lorimor, April 12th, on charges of Theft in the 4th Degree. Both subjects were being held in the Adair County Jail on $1,000 bond, each. On April 13th, Stuart Police arrested 49-year-old John Earl Whitten, of Des Moines, on a Dallas County warrant for Failure to Appear on a Driving Under Suspension charge. Whitten was released on a $300 bond.

And, on April 14th, Adair County Deputies picked up from authorities in Nebraska, 40-year-old Stacy Jean Quakenbush, of Lincoln, NE. She was wanted on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. She was later released on a $2,000 bond.

(Corning, Iowa) – A student of the Southwest Valley School District faces charges and was removed from school, following an alleged threat of violence. In a letter to parents and the public on the Southwest Facebook page, Superintendent Chris Fenster said, “It was brought to my attention late Friday (April 14, 2023) that a threat was made by SWV student of violence. The threat was made on Thursday and was not reported to authorities or myself (Fenster) until after school Friday.

“Upon an investigation between the Adams County Sheriff’s Orffice and myself,” Fenster said “the threat was deemed credible, and the student has been charged and removed from SWV. The failure to report this to either the Sheriff’s Office,” he said, or to Superintendent Fenster, “Is inexcusable and not tolerable; therefore I have taken appropriate personnel action while this matter is being investigated.”

The Superintendent went on to say “I apologize for the egregious lapse in judgment in not reporting this threat. I am thankful that nothing happened and will continue working to ensure our facilities are safe I ask for your support in talking with your child about not making comments of any threatening nature, and if they hear them, to tell an adult immediately.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Hospital officials in Atlantic report Cass Health Auxiliary has teamed up with Jose Madrid Salsa, for a unique fundraiser. The Auxiliary is selling jars of the award-winning salsa now through May 12th. Proceeds from the fundraiser go to support the Auxiliary’s projects, such as purchasing equipment for the hospital and funding scholarships for local healthcare students.

Learn more and order online, at casshealth.org/volunteers, or, you can place your order in person at the Cass Health Gift Shop. Stop by the Gift Shop to taste test several varieties between Tuesday, April 18th and Thursday, April 20th.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Trees Forever spokesperson Dolly Bergmann reports Atlantic Trees Forever Spring tree vouchers are now available. “With the past year,” Bergmann says, “we have had there are many people needing trees this spring. We ask that you limit one voucher per homeowner so more people can get a start replacing trees that were destroyed or being removed.”

Tree vouchers are a great way to help with the cost of a tree to plant. The vouchers are worth $30 off the cost of a tree, and can be obtained at Pymosa Farms, north of Atlantic. There are a limited number of vouchers available. Those at Pymosa Farms can help you determine what kind of tree would work best in the location you would like to plant a tree. It is important to water the trees this spring and during the summer.

Pymosa Farms is located at 50979 Buck Creek Road, Atlantic, but Bergmann suggest calling owner Tim Reavis, at 402-659-1213 before driving out to the farm to ensure someone is available to help you.

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday) reports the identification of human remains that were located at remote location in rural Hamburg, Iowa near the Missouri River. Authorities say on March 20, 2023, at approximately 1-p.m., the Fremont County Sheriff’s was called by an employee of a real estate company that was scouting the property for deer, when he happened upon human remains. Fremont County Deputies and an Agent from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) responded to the scene. Investigators located and seized several items from the scene to include human skeletal remains, car keys and a gym pass were recovered at the scene.

On April 11, 2023, it was determined that the skeletal remains were those of 30-year-old Salvador Agustin Fonseca, of Springfield, MO. It was determined that the keys were to a 2015 Chevrolet Spark.  On March 6, 2022, during the course of a theft investigation a 2015 Chevy Spark was recovered from approximately the 7- mile marker of I-29 northbound. The vehicle came back to an individual out of Springfield, MO. Deputies tried to locate the owner of the vehicle, but he had left his last known address without letting them know where he had gone to. The last know sighting of Fonseca was February 28, 2022, in Springfield, MO.

It is unknown why Fonseca had stopped at that section of interstate, but it appears that he walked west to the Missouri River.  No foul play is suspected in the death. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa DCI, the Fremont County Coroner’s Office and Iowa State Medical Examiners in Ankeny, Iowa.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet 9-a.m. Tuesday, April 18th, during a regular session. Here’s the agenda:

The order of agenda items may change based on when personnel are available and when time allows.
1. Call to order
2. Approve Agenda
3. Approve minutes from the April 11, 2023 meeting.
4. Public Comments
5. Discuss/Approve a three-year contract, in the amount of $4,450 per year for three years, for Cost Advisory Services to obtain reimbursements for indirect costs expended on behalf of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for Cass County.
6. Second presentation by Jared Wyman on Noble Initiative Community Foundation’s $250,000 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund request for Griswold’s housing development
7. Report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken
8. Approve Resolution 2023-12 Appointing Norma Hemphill to the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (SIRHA).
9. Appointments:
• Massena Township Clerk – Shauna Holaday
• Brighton Township Clerk
• Victoria Township Trustee
10. Supervisor Committee Reports
11. Filed Reports:
• Clerk of Court for the month of March
12. Approve claims
13. Adjournment
14. Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Join the meeting electronically:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2899195216?pwd=R0hSa2FOOTh0NUdra1ZSdVhVWHpMUT09
Meeting ID: 289 919 5216
Passcode: 012064
Call In:
312-626-6799, press *9 to indicate you wish to speak.

1. Call to order/conflict of interest statements.
2. Approval of agenda Action Item
3. Approval of minutes April 4th Meeting. Action Item
4. Approval of claims posted April 13th. Action Item
5. Supervisor committee reports
6. Secondary Roads report-Chris Fredericksen
7. Nishnabotna Valley REC Utilities permit-Action Item
8. Recess meeting to open hearing-Action Item
9. Open Public Hearing-Action Item
10. Public Hearing FY2024 Shelby County Budget
11. Close Public Hearing-Action Item
12. Consideration of FY2024 Budget-Action Item
13. Set Hearing date for Fiscal Year 2023 Budget amendments-Action Item
14. Set Hearing Date for Fiscal year 2024 Budget Amendments-Action Item
15. Resolution 2023-25 Moratorium on Wind Energy Construction Permits in Shelby County- Action Item
16. Resolution 2023-26 Moratorium on solar energy Construction Permits-Action Item

17. Adjourn