(Des Moines, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Polk County say a body recovered from Saylorville Lake was that of a man from Ankeny, who was seen struggling in the water at around 6:30-p.m., before he went under and failed to resurface. The victim was identified as 26-year-old Maximino Jarquin-Garcia. The search Jarquin-Garcia began at the Cherry Glen Boat Ramp. Emergency crews used personal watercraft, drones and boats to search the lake. The man’s body was recovered at around 8-p.m., Thursday.

A press released from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said “The victim had been under water for nearly 80 minutes at the time they located him. At this time, no foul play is suspected; however, the cause of death will not be known until an autopsy is completed by the Medical Examiner.”

Agencies responding to the scene, Thursday, included Ankeny Police and the Army Corps of Engineers, along with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday) reports 32-year-old Marvin Blake Wright, of Omaha, Nebraska, was transported Thursday from Douglas County Corrections to the Pottawattamie County Jail, to address outstanding warrants for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Attempt to Commit Murder, Burglary 1^st, Carrying Weapons, Criminal Mischief 5^th, Discharge of Firearms in City Limits, Domestic Abuse Assault 1^st Offense, Going Armed with Intent, and Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon. Wright was being held in the Pott. County Jail on bond amounting to $71,000.

(Updated/Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court has overturned its previous ruling on the Constitutional Right to Abortion. The Supreme Court reversed its 2018 ruling that the Iowa Constitution creates a fundamental right to an abortion. This ruling came after the Supreme Court reviewed the 24-hour waiting period for abortion that was passed in 2020. Planned Parenthood said the law was not legal under the 2018 court ruling. But the Supreme Court disagreed. The ruling says the Iowa Constitution is silent on the specific terms “abortion” and “pregnancy.” The High Court says there is no support for Planned Parenthood’s reading that the due process clause of the Consitution provides a fundamental protection for abortion.

Governor Kim Reynolds released this statement in response to the Iowa Supreme Court’s abortion ruling: “Today’s ruling is a significant victory in our fight to protect the unborn. The Iowa Supreme Court reversed its earlier 2018 decision, which made Iowa the most abortion-friendly state in the country. Every life is sacred and should be protected, and as long as I’m governor that is exactly what I will do.”

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Ross Wilburn released this statement:
“The majority of Iowans and the majority of Americans believe that abortion should be legal and not subject to the personal whims of a fringe minority. This decision introduces new barriers to accessing care and leaves Iowans exposed to even more attacks on our reproductive freedoms. We are one step closer to a future where Iowa Republicans could have free rein to outlaw abortion and restrict reproductive health care. I know that many of us feel afraid right now, but we have the power to elect Iowa Democrats this fall who will write the protections of Roe into law at both the federal and state level. This fight is not over – and I’m proud to stand alongside the Iowans organizing for a future where our personal freedoms are protected.”

Read the entire 182 page ruling HERE.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – A central Iowa man was arrested this week on two counts of Animal Neglect – Serious Injury or Death, in the case of two puppies who were found emaciated and dehydrated this past week, on one of the hottest days of the year. 32-year-old Nathaniel Darnell Bifford, of Des Moines was taken into custody. According to court documents, Bifford failed to provide the animals with adequate shelter and caused unjustified pain, distress or suffering.

Officials with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL), said “Zeus” and “Kyda” were suffering from starvation, and were rescued just in time. The animals were covered in their own waste. “The dogs were so weak from starvation and dehydration that their legs shook as they walked,” according to ARL officials. “Even scarier,” they said, “we learned that Kyda had been found lying on a balcony in the direct sun with no water, no shelter and no way to get indoors. The heat index was in the hundreds. It was dangerous for any animal to be out, much less a puppy who was already dangerously thin and dehydrated. If she had not been rescued when she was, she easily could have died.”

The rescued dogs & the man who was arrested for Animal neglect. (6/17/22)

(Radio Iowa) – After being pushed to the limit for two years of the pandemic, Iowa’s largest food pantry is seeing yet another significant rise in demand for its services in the past few months. Tamsin Webb, spokeswoman for the Bidwell Riverside Center in Des Moines, says when SNAP benefits were cut in April, they saw a 45-percent increase in clients. “We started to feel it then, but then May was when we really felt a large impact,” Webb says. “There was about a 68% increase.”

She says the pantry served more than 24-hundred people in May of 2021, but the numbers for this May bounded to nearly 41-hundred. During the first week of June, the facility reported a 63-percent increase in traffic from a year ago, and the numbers aren’t expected to go down. The average SNAP benefit for individuals dropped from $2.65 per meal to $1.52. Webb says it’s straining all of their resources. “We’re doing the best we can,” Webb says. “We definitely rely heavily on our volunteers, on donations, on donation and supply drives, because it’s not just helping the patrons come in and get their food that they need and the clothes that they need, it’s also keeping things organized. It’s maintaining our community garden we have, it’s a lot.”

The new stresses may cause clients to see even longer lines and potential food shortages as it becomes increasingly difficult for low-income families to make ends meet. Webb says it’s possible people who used to be regular donors to the pantry are now in need of its services. “With the rise in food costs and gas prices combined with the decrease in SNAP benefits, it’s hit a lot of people really hard and a lot of people have had to make changes and cutbacks in lifestyles,” Webb says. “I wouldn’t be surprised if some people would probably need to use our pantry now, just because money’s tight.”

Founded in 1893, Bidwell is one of 14 pantries that operate under the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) umbrella and provide a food supply meant to sustain families for a three-day period. Clients can receive this three-day supply once per calendar month. You can donate at: bidwellriverside.org/donate

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court is expected to release a key decision on abortion today(Friday). The ruling involves the 24-hour abortion waiting period passed in 2020 and struck down by a lower court last year based on a 2018 State Supreme Court opinion that said Iowa’s Constitution guarantees the right to an abortion. That effectively keeps the Legislature from enacting any restrictions on abortion.

Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has asked the Iowa Supreme Court to overturn that 2018 ruling. Reynolds has appointed a majority of the justices on the High Court since the 2018 opinion.

(Radio Iowa) – Deidre DeJear, the Democratic candidate for governor, says she’s looking for a running mate with government experience. DeJear plans to reveal her choice for lieutenant governor at the Iowa Democratic Party’s state convention tomorrow (Saturday). “It is a critical decision because I’m of the mindset that we’ve got to operate as a team,” DeJear says, “and that person is going to be my teammate and Iowa’s teammate every step of the way.”

DeJear has had roles in several statewide campaigns — including her own race for secretary of state four years ago. She owns a consulting company in Des Moines and has worked with small businesses, non-profits and charities. DeJear says she’s looking for a running mate who has experience from inside government entities. “I have worked alongside government, from the federal government all the way down to the municipal levels, but I’ve been on the outside working
with government,” DeJear says.

“I’d like an individual to balance me with that experience in working within, so that we can truly work collectively as a team as we seek to resolve the challenges that Iowans are facing.”

DeJear made her comments during an appearance on Iowa Press on Iowa P-B-S last Friday. Current Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg was re-nominated to be Governor Kim Reynolds 2022 running mate at last weekend’s Iowa G-O-P state convention.

SIDNEY, Iowa – Funeral arrangements have been made for Fremont County Deputy Austin “Melvin” Richardson, 37, who succumbed to injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle collision on June 14. 

Public Visitation

Friday, June 17, 2022

4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Sidney High School

2754 Knox Rd.

Sidney, Iowa 51652

Funeral Service

Saturday, June 18, 2022

11:00 a.m.

Sidney High School

Burial at Hamburg Cemetery

Law enforcement and fire department honors

Following the service, the procession will leave Sidney High School and travel west on Knox Road.  The procession will then turn south on Bluff Road, entering Hamburg on E Street. It will then travel north on Argyle Street to the Hamburg Cemetery. 

The Richardson family has been humbled by the outpouring of love and support from the community.  Many of community members have asked how they can lend further support. Those wishing to do so can stand along the processional route, with flags, signs and other forms of support. The community will also be able to visit the patrol car display that will be located at the high school during the services.   

Monetary donations can be made at the Malvern State Bank in care of the Jennifer Richardson Support Fund at 404 Main Street, Malvern, Iowa.

Donations for Jennifer and her family will also be accepted at Hilltop Animal Hospital. Gift cards to Casey’s (for gas) and Wal-Mart (for groceries and other needed items) will also be accepted at Hilltop Animal Hospital, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Mills County Sheriff’s Office or mailed to the clinic directly at: 

Jennifer Richardson 
c/o Hilltop Animal Hospital 
422 Main Street 
Malvern, Iowa 51551 

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for Cerro Gordo, Greene, Hardin, Mills, and Pottawattamie counties in response to recent severe weather. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to, and recover from, the effects of this severe weather.

In addition, the proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents, along with the Disaster Case Management Program, for these five counties. The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website at https://dhs.iowa.gov/disaster-assistance-programs. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

The Disaster Case Management Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case managers work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referral to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.

(Radio Iowa) – The 10-year anniversary of the abduction and murders of two cousins from Evansdale in Black Hawk County is approaching. Eight-year-old Elizabeth Collins and ten-year-old Lyric Cook-Morrissey were last seen riding their bikes in Evansdale on the afternoon of July 13th, 2012, and their bodies were found in a Bremer County wildlife area five months later. Elizabeth Collins’ dad Drew said Wednesday it feels like it has been ten years.

“You know, I tried to keep it in perspective, they know that there’s a lot of people that have been waiting for their cases to be solved a lot longer, that have never even got to bury their child, or their loved ones. So I try to keep that in mind that these things take time,” Collins said. He said there have been lots of tips and he knows they are being followed up.” The police have a certain parameter that they work with them. So they have to follow the rules, or they could ruin the case. So it’s just the way it is. So I just gotta take it how it comes,” he said. Collins says his belief that the killer will be found has not wavered.

Collins and Cook-Morrissey. (photo from the Collins Foundation website.)

“I’m very optimistic. I think it’s just a matter of time. You know, you look at advances and technology in the last 10 years, and they’ve gotten to solve quite a few older cases,” he said.”So I just think time is on our side. And technology is on our side. And it’s just a matter of time.” He’s had a lot of time to think about the scenarios and what might have happened to the girls. “I’ve got lots of ideas, but I don’t have the information to go with it or the proof to go with it. So you know, they’re just, it’s just speculation,” he said. He said it is important to keep the story and the search for the killer active.

“You know, we just wanted to come out and let the public know that we’re still looking and we’re still working this case, and that nobody’s given up and that we’re full steam ahead on this. And it’s not slowing down anytime soon. We’re going to keep looking until we find out who did this,” Collins said. He said they are still hoping for that one lead to come in or that one person to come in and tell us what they know. Or he said that person could anonymously let somebody know what happened to help bring this case to a close.

A 100-thousand dollar reward in the case is being offered through Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers. You can call 855-300-8477 (TIPS). The Elizabeth Collins Foundation was also recently established.

https://elizabethcollinsfoundation.org/.