(Elliott, Iowa) – A trailer being pulled by a pickup was blown-over early Saturday afternoon, by winds gusting upwards of 60-miles per hour. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday (Today), said the accident happened around 12:59 p.m. on Highway 48, west of Elliott.

A 2019 Ford F-150 pickup driven by Kelly Hastings, of Glenwood, was traveling west on the highway and pulling a 2020 enclosed Formula Trailer. Strong wind gusts caused the trailer to sway. and become unhitched from the pickup. The trailer ended-up in the ditch on its top. Because the empty trailer was secured to the pickup by safety chains, the pickup ended up on the north shoulder of the road, facing south.

No injuries were reported. Authorities estimated damage to the trailer at $8,000, while the pickup sustained about $700 damage.

(Massena, Iowa) – Officials with Massena Water Supply have issued a Drinking Water Health Advisory for the City of Massena, due to plugged filter media, which the City is working to replace. Officials say sample results received (4/20/2022) showed manganese levels of 0.49 mg/L. This level is above the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) short-term health advisory (HA) of 0.3 mg/L for infants under 6 months old.

(Carroll County, Iowa) – The drivers of two vehicles were injured late Saturday morning when their vehicles collided southeast of Lanesboro, in Carroll County. The Iowa State Patrol says a 2019 Dodge Ram Big Horn was northbound on Velvet Avenue, and approaching the intersection with 130th Street. A 2022 GMC Sierra pickup was westbound on 130th, approaching the same intersection.

The driver of the Dodge pickup, 31-year-old Alexander Fister, of Lytton, failed to yield before entering the intersection. Both vehicles collided in the intersection before coming to rest, with the GMC coming to rest in the northwest ditch.

Fister and the other driver, 69-year-old Dennis Hardy, of Churdan, were injured and transported to Stewart Memorial Hospital by Carroll County Ambulance. Hardy was not wearing a seat belt. The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

The Stuart Police Department reports Highway 6 (White Pole Rd.) will be closed Sunday, between Dexter and Stuart, from 10:45 a.m. until approximately 1:00 p.m.  The temporary closure is for the Bonnie and Clyde Run. In Stuart Northeast 2nd St. Will be closed as well. 

(Montgomery County, Iowa) – Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the pursuit of two people from Colorado, that began at around 11:18-p.m., in Montgomery County. Deputies tried to stop a vehicle driven by Alexsis Hannah Free, of Ft. Collins, Colorado, near Highway 48 and L Avenue, but she sped away instead. A pursuit which ensued, went north on Highway 48, with speeds at times at or approaching 115 mph.

The vehicle made it’s way into the residential area of Griswold, where a passenger, Rene Telesforo Valdivia, of Fort Collins, Colorado, got out and took off on foot. Deputies meanwhile continued to pursue the suspect vehicle about a half mile longer, before it stopped on Highway 48, in front of the Griswold High School.

Alexsis Free was taken into custody and charged with Felony Eluding. Rene Valdivia was located a short time later in the 800 block of 1^st Street in Griswold and arrested for Interference with Official Acts. Both subjects were transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where Free’s bond was set at $5,000, and bond for Valdivia was set at $300.  Additional charges are expected, upon completion of the investigation.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies were assisted during the incident, by Deputies with the Cass and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Offices, along with the Mills and Shelby County K-9 Units.

(Dallas County, Iowa) – A woman from Waukee was injured during a collision Friday afternoon. The Iowa State Patrol reports the accident happened at around 2:10-p.m. on Hickman Avenue at Southeast Carefree Lane. A 2006 Ford Freestyle van driven by Julie A. Paetznick, of Stuart, was traveling west on Hickman while a 2015 Jeep Renegade driven by 82-year-old Carol A. Neal, of Waukee, was traveling east.

When Neal turned in front of Paetznick’s van at SE Carefree Lane, it was struck by the van, and resulted in Neal suffering from serious injuries. A 2020 Chevy Malibu was stopped at the intersection facing southbound, and was struck by the Jeep. The driver, 50-year-old Jacqueline M. Thompson, of Dallas Center, was not injured.

The Patrol says Carol Neal was transported by Waukee Fire/EMS to Methodist Hospital.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest at around 7:50-p.m., Friday, of a man following a traffic stop. Authorities say 21-year-old Phillip William Currin, of Villisca, was stopped in Villisca and taken into custody for Possession of Marijuana/1st offense. His bond at the Montgomery County Jail was set at $1,000.

Award Winning Projects, Entrepreneurs and Volunteers Honored

April 22, 2022 (Des Moines) – Main Street Iowa hosted the annual Main Street Iowa Development Awards celebration Friday evening at Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines. The program honored the efforts of those who work tirelessly to revitalize Iowa’s downtowns – the heart and soul of communities across the state. The awards honor outstanding accomplishments, activities and people making a difference in the state’s Main Street districts.

This year, 13 projects were selected to be recognized from the 76 competitive nominations submitted. Governor Kim Reynolds and Debi Durham, executive director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and Iowa Finance Authority, presented the honors.

Forty-three leadership award recipients were honored throughout the evening for their significant and inspirational leadership and volunteer contributions to their local Main Street programs. The Spirit of Main Street Award was also presented to the network of 53 local Main Street executive directors for their dedication, creativity and commitment to their local economic development efforts through the challenges of 2020 and 2021.

During the event, eight communities were recognized for reaching new milestones in the amount of private investment in their commercial districts. Grundy Center was recognized for reaching the $2 million benchmark, and Lansing was honored for $3 million in local investment. Colfax, Manning and West Branch each attained the $5 million benchmark. Fort Dodge and Hampton were recognized for achieving $10 million in local investment since being designated as local Main Street programs, and Mason City reached the $50 million benchmark.

Several communities were honored for significant anniversaries for Main Street Iowa program designation during the evening. The communities of Cedar Falls, Spencer and Valley Junction in West Des Moines are celebrating their 35th anniversary this year. Osceola was recognized for 25 years of program participation. The communities of Marshalltown and Mount Pleasant were recognized for achieving 20 years of designation and Chariton, Jefferson and Lansing are all celebrating 10-year anniversaries this year.

More information, and A list of awards presented during the ceremony may be found here: iowaeda.com/UserDocs/documents/IEDA/2022msiawards_winners.pdf

(Avoca, Iowa) – An investigation that began with a sexual assault report from Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, led to the arrest of a man from Avoca and multiple sex abuse charges. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office said Friday (today), 35-year old Zachary David Yost was arrested April 16th.

He faces charges that include: Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child; Sex Abuse in the 3rd Degree (Child Victim) – 1st Offense; Incest, and five-counts of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree.  Yost has since posted a $20,000 cash bond (10% of $200,000) and was released with a pre-trial supervision GPS location device. He was also required to submit a DNA sample.

A hearing in his case was set April 25th at 9:30 a.m.

Note: All criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law. 

(Radio Iowa) – Secretary of State Paul Pate says he’s ready to work with legislators to ensure state law clearly requires Iowans who sign nominating papers for candidates include the date they signed the petition. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled last week errors in the dates next to three signatures on U.S. Senate candidate Abby Finkenauer’s nominating petitions were not grounds to disqualify Finkenauer from the June Primary ballot.

“I did have a different opinion on it. I felt that 200 candidates plus got it right and were able to get the dates and the signatures done correctly,” Pate says, “…but I do respect the fact that the Supreme Court took a different interpretation and my homework now is to work with the legislature so that we spell it out so that it’s much clearer in the future.” In its ruling, the Iowa Supreme Court said just last year the legislature passed a law outlining the specific reasons for rejecting signatures on nominating petitions, but that law did not address missing or incorrect dates on the signature line.

Pate does not expect the state legislature to pass a bill on the subject before it adjourns this year, but he says it’ll be a priority in 2023. Pate says that way the law is clear when 2024 candidates begin collecting signatures on nominating petitions. “Consistency is the first thing. If we’re going to put the date on the petitions, then it should be required,” Pate says. “I think there’s a good case to be made that the dates are important when you’re trying to interpret when they were signed, to verify if those people were actually legitimate voters at the time or eligible (voters), so I think there’s a reason for that.”

Pate made his comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa P-B-S.