The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa said today (Monday), two southwest Iowa men were sentenced Friday in U-S District Court, to a combined 21 ½ years in prison for their participation in a conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeld says 45-year old Robert Gene Ott, Jr., of rural Imogene, and 24-year old Christopher Nicholas Smith, of rural Glenwood, received their sentences from Senior United States District Court Judge Ronald E. Longstaff.  Robert Ott, Jr. was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment, plus five (5) years of supervised release following his imprisonment, and ordered to pay $100 to the Crime Victim Fund. The Judge sentenced Christopher Smith to 90 months imprisonment, plus 3 years of supervised release following his imprisonment, and also ordered him to $100 to the Crime Victim Fund. Both men were ordered to remain in the custody of the United States Marshal pending designation of the Federal Bureau of Prison facility at which each will serve his sentence. 

On April 28th, 2011, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ott, Smith and four other persons with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and associated charges in what has been referred to as “the Fisher Farm Case”. Each of the defendants had previously appeared in Federal Court in Council Bluffs and pled guilty to their respective role in the conspiracy. The “Fisher Farm” is an acreage located in rural Mills County where an estimated 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) of pure methamphetamine was manufactured by several people from at least February of 2003, to May of 2011.  

Persons involved in the conspiracy were responsible for the theft of substantial quantities of anhydrous ammonia in southwest Iowa and for the purchase of pseudoephedrine from several stores in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri, all of which were used to manufacture methamphetamine. In sentencing Christopher Smith, the Judge noted that under the federal sentencing guidelines, Smith was eligible for what is referred to as a “safety valve” reduction in his advisory sentence due to his lack of criminal history and the presence of other factors contained in the federal sentencing guidelines. 

Others previously sentenced in connection with the case were: Kirk Jason Hardman, Trent James Fischer, Jennifer Mae Biggerstaff, Timothy Earl Bendt, and Paul Leon Foster. Another person, Andru Alan Fisher is awaiting sentencing in the case.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says he’s confident the Iowa Supreme Court will support his right to veto funding for Iowa Workforce Development offices, calling it a key test of gubernatorial authority.Branstad used his line item veto power to reject $3 million to pay for running Workforce Development offices around the state. Instead, the state has installed computer terminals at libraries and other spots where people can access employment services. A lawsuit charged that Branstad exceeded his authority, and last week a Polk County judge agreed.Speaking at his weekly news conference Monday, Branstad expressed confidence, saying he’ll seek an expedited Iowa Supreme Court review of the decision. Branstad says it’s an important marker for deciding how far the governor can go to control spending.

Officials with the Lenox Police Department report a Red Oak woman was arrested last week on a 4^th degree theft charge. The arrest of 20-year old Desiree Willis was the result of an investigation into bad checks allegedly written to the Lenox Computer Store. Willis was transferred to a Taylor County Deputy and was transported to the Taylor County Jail.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A thief or thieves broke into an equipment room at Headid Park in Sioux City and stole the Little League’s utility vehicle. The vehicle was stolen one night last week. Headid Little League board member Tim Scherle says the vehicle is used to prepare the fields for the 375 Little Leaguers who play at the park.The vehicle was valued at $6,500.

Scherle says people shouldn’t steal from anyone, “but to take something from a Little League park was pretty disheartening, pretty upsetting, actually.”

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports today (Monday), an Imogene man was injured during a rollover accident last Tuesday (Dec. 6th).  Jacob Orr was traveling south on Highway 59 in a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am, when the car went out of control and slid across the intersection with 160th Street. The vehicle entered a ditch and rolled once, coming to rest on its wheels. Orr was transported to the Shenandoah Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (8.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The future of the Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, will be determined during a meeting early this (Wednesday morning). The CCMH Board of Trustees are slated to meet at 7:30-a.m. in Conference Room 1, to vote on whether the facility should remain open or other options. 

Options to be considered when the Trustees meet this morning, may include eliminating the mental health unit entirely, or downsizing it from 8- to 4-beds. The smaller facility would be relocated to the Special Care Unit after remodeling is complete. Hospital officials have said even if the BHU is relocated, it would still cost $250,000 per year to operate. 

An audit report showed the facility lost more than $344,000 in Fiscal Year 2011, and used-up more than $500,000 in funding.

The Red Oak Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association, Incorporated, has received a donation of more than $75,500 from the estate of a local woman. According to reports, the bequeath comes from the estate of Doris Allquist, which also contributed to other local nonprofit groups and organizations. Funds from the donation will be used for the Association’s free smoke detector program, the goal of which is to place a working smoke detector in every home in the Red Oak area. The detectors are available at the Red Oak Fire Department.

Three people from Carroll, two men and a teenager, were injured Saturday evening in Sac County, during a collision between two pickup trucks. The Iowa State Patrol says the drivers of both trucks, 27-year old David Bloyer, and 46-year old Richard Wallace, along with a passenger in his vehicle, 13-year old Jacob Wallace, were injured in the crash, which happened at around 5-p.m. Saturday, south of Auburn.

Officials say a 2004 Chevy pickup driven by Bloyer was traveling south on Highway 71, when the vehicle went out of control due to the icy road and blowing snow. The vehicle crossed the center line of the road and hit a 2011 Chevy pickup driven by Wallace. Richard Wallace was flown from the scene by air ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. David Bloyer and Jacob Wallace were transported by ambulance to the Carroll Hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries. All three of the crash victims were wearing their seatbelts.