(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – A pursuit that began late Monday night in Adair County, ended in Guthrie County with the suspect vehicle crashing, and the driver deceased. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2013 Harley Davidson motorcycle was actively eluding an Adair County Sheriff’s Deputy eastbound on White Pole Road. Guthrie County Deputy Todd Thorn waiting to assist with the pursuit was stopped on Juniper Avenue on the south side of the intersection facing northbound, when the motorcycle veered south from White Pole Road and struck the rear, driver’s side of the Deputy’s 2021 Chevy Silverado on Juniper Avenue.

The operator of the cycle, 30-year-old Benjamin Todd Wilber, of Mora, MN, was thrown from the machine and came to rest in the southeast ditch. Wilber died from his injuries. No one else was hurt. The crash happened at around 12:32-a.m., Tuesday (Today).

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office has released details on a large number of recent arrests.

On August 19th Deputies arrested 33-year-old Richard James Hoeppner of Glenwood on a charge of Child Endangerment. He was arrested at 3:22 a.m. and held on $5,000 bond.

On August 19th at 6:49 p.m. 43-year-old Jeffrey Christopher Potter of Elliot was arrested for Driving While Revoked on Highway 59 and Brothers Ave. He was booked in on $1,000 bond.

On August 20th at 3:24 a.m. 31-year-old Johnny Navarro of Clarinda was arrested at the intersection of Allis Road and Binge Avenue for OWI 1st Offense. He was booked in on $1,000 bond.

On August 22nd at 12:38 a.m. 28-year-old Tyler Steven Gibler of Villisca was arrested at the intersection of Highway 34 and Jabber Road on a warrant for Failure to Appear out of Adams County. He was booked in on $450 bond.

On August 22nd at 1:41 p.m. 28-year-old Tyler Keith Evans of Dexter was arrested at the Shelby County Jail on a warrant for Pr-Trial Revoked. He was booked in on $50,000 bond.

On August 22nd at 4:41 p.m. 18-year-old Hazem Dafaalla Nasralla Sarmin of Omaha, NE was arrested at Pottawattamie County Corrections on a warrant for Eluding and Interference with Official Acts. Held on no bond.

On August 25th at 6:19 p.m. 46-year-old Brent William Michael of Malvern was arrested on a warrant for Driving While Barred on Rains Avenue. Bond was set at $2,000.

On August 26th 30-year-old Jessica Kay Scott of Malvern was arrested on Ridge Drive on a Forgery charge and a warrant out of Nebraska for Violation of Probation. Bond was set at $5,000.

On August 27th at 11:14 p.m. 23-year-old Gabriel Patrick Amburn of Glenwood was arrested on I-29 for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $1,300.

On August 28th at 2:17 a.m. 27-year-old Joan Sebastian Baron-Espinosa of Hialeah, FL was arrested on Highway 34 for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond was set at $1,000.

On August 28th at 3:37 a.m. 42-year-old Brandon James Wilson of Casey was arrested for Eluding on Brother Avenue. Bond was set at $2,000.

On August 28th at 3:38 a.m. 37-year-old Mario Daneris Espinoza-Figuera of Houston, TX was arrested on Hilman Road for OWI 1st Offense. Bond was set at $1,000.

On August 28th at 3:57 p.m. 48-year-old Keith Alan Rowe of Hastings was arrested at the intersection of 310th Street and Meadows Road for OWI 1st Offense. Bond was set at $1,000.

The Council Bluffs Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a wanted subject. The person is described as a Black female, 20 to 30 years old with a mohawk style haircut that is dyed red. If you have any information on this individual please call 712-328-4761.

(Radio Iowa) – Monsoon isn’t a term we hear often in Iowa, but that may be what’s at least partly responsible for our prolonged drought conditions. Heavy rain in the southwestern U-S can draw moisture away from the Northern Plains. Meteorologist Doug Kluck, the climate services director for the National Weather Service Central Region, says that pattern has been spinning away for the past several weeks.

While large portions of Iowa have remained in drought for months, Kluck says long-term weather patterns have been moving more precipitation into the central parts of the country.

Kluck says with another La Nina possible, there is no guarantee that Southwestern moisture will continue.

Predictions are calling for a third year of La Nina, which could lead to a colder-than-normal winter across the Northern Plains.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Auditor of State Rob Sand, Monday, congratulated counties, cities, and school districts across Iowa for participating in the Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program. “The Auditor’s Office is excited to see local leaders share our passion for saving tax dollars,” said Sand. “Collectively, we have the potential to unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in savings for our communities.”

Sand created the PIE program in 2019 to encourage governmental entities to implement cost-cutting measures and spark innovative ideas to save public funds. The PIE program also provides local leaders with tools to collaborate and share their concepts, known as PIE recipes, via the Auditor of State website. “If someone has a great idea on how to save tax dollars, we want them to spread the word,” said Sand. “PIE provides local leaders with an easy, streamlined sharing process.”

In the last year, PIE participation in Iowa has increased by more than 55%. Eighty-four counties and 310 cities submitted entries in 2021, and for the first time, 121 school districts participated. The PIE program has proven so successful, that the Mississippi Auditor of State, a Republican, launched the program in his state. “This shows that when you put people over partisan politics, we all win,” said Sand. 

Auditor Sand congratulates the 2022 PIE winners listed below and thanks them for their participation. He will hand-deliver a pie to officials in each community at a later date.
COUNTIES
Largest County: Polk
Smallest County: Ringgold
Best Performing County: Johnson
Best Performing Largest Fifth County: Johnson
Best Performing Second Fifth County: Clayton
Best Performing Middle Fifth County: Kossuth
Best Performing Fourth Fifth County: Louisa
Best Performing Smallest Fifth County: Ringgold
Most Improved County: Jackson
CITIES
Largest City: Des Moines
Smallest City: Beaconsfield
Best Performing City: Des Moines
Best Performing Largest Fifth City: Des Moines
Best Performing Second Fifth City: Guttenburg
Best Performing Middle Fifth City: Milo
Best Performing Fourth Fifth City: Plainfield
Best Performing Smallest Fifth City: Fostoria
Most Improved City: Gilbertville
COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Largest Community School District: Davenport
Smallest Community School District: Gilmore City-Bradgate
Best Performing Community School District: Hamburg
Best Performing 4A Community School District: College
Best Performing 4A Runner Up Community School District: Bettendorf
Best Performing 3A Community School District: Howard-Winneshiek
Best Performing 3A Runner Up Community School District: Sioux Central
Best Performing 2A Community School District: MFL-MarMac
Best Performing 2A Runner Up Community School District: Missouri Valley
Best Performing 1A Community School District: Hamburg
Best Performing 1A Runner Up Community School District: Belle Plaine

ATLANTIC, Iowa – Cass Health and its affiliate organizations, Monday, announced their 2022 scholarship awardees.

• Julia Smith and McKenzie Waters were both awarded the Cass Health Nursing Careers Scholarship. Smith is working towards her RN degree at Southwestern Community College, and Waters is working towards her BSN degree at Missouri Western State.
• Julia Smith and McKenzie Waters were also awarded the Louie and Elsie Hansen Memorial Scholarship through the Cass Health Foundation along with Hana Holtz. Holtz is pursuing a bachelor of science in biology on the pre-medicine track at Creighton University. 
• Ethan Madsen and Tori Sievers were both awarded the Cass Health Healthcare Careers Scholarship. Madsen is working towards becoming a paramedic at Iowa Western Community College, and Sievers is working towards completing the radiology technician program at Clarkson College.
• The Cass Health Auxiliary awarded two scholarships to Lane Spieker and Mya Gjerde. Spieker is at Iowa Western Community College with plans to eventually study orthopedics, and Gjerde is working towards her BSN at Allen College.

(Radio Iowa) – A Hedrick man faces 20 felony sex abuse charges in Jefferson and Keokuk County. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says 31-year-old Matthew Robert Reynolds was arrested at the conclusion of an investigation which began in the fall of 2018.

Reynolds is charged with five counts of third-degree sexual abuse in Jefferson County and 14 counts of third-degree sexual abuse, and one count of second-degree sexual abuse in Keokuk County. Investigators say the abuse involved his girlfriend, her sister and a babysitter in Fairfield, Hedrick and Sigourney.

Matthew Reynolds

Reynolds is being held in the Keokuk County Jail

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections, Monday, reported 27-year-old Davonte Derrick Moore, who had been convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree in Woodbury County, failed to report back to the Sioux City Residential Treatment Facility as required Friday.

Moore is a black male, 5-feet 6-inches tall. He weighs 240 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on 6/3/2022. Persons with information on Moore’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Davonte Moore

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with Cass County ISU Extension/Outreach report Linda, and the late Larry Shafer, of Cass County, were inducted into the 2022 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, Aug. 21st. Ninety-eight Iowa counties participated this year and selected 133 inductees for their outstanding service and dedication to 4-H. Inductees or their surviving family members were presented a certificate by the Iowa 4‑H Foundation President, Julie McGonegle, State 4-H Program Leader, Debbie Nistler, as they were introduced on stage.

Linda and the late Larry Shafer have been supporters of the Cass County 4-H Program and Cass County Fair for many years, having daughters Jennifer and Amy in fair in 4-H and FFA.  Linda was the Grove Township contact for food stand donations from 1998 to 2012 and again from 2015 to 2019.  She donated her time calling township citizens for donations of food to help keep the food stand stocked. Most recently, Linda has helped daughter Jenny in the static exhibit area on judging day. Linda says fair week is one of the best weeks of the year.  She enjoys seeing friends and watching Cass County’s youth learn so much through the opportunities and fun available to them through 4-H and FFA.

Counties select inductees for their exceptional work in contributing to the lives of 4-H members and the overall 4-H program, said Katie Bateman, Cass County Youth Coordinator. Many inductees serve as club leaders, youth mentors, fair superintendents or fair board members, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach County council members, county youth council members, fair judges, financial supporters, chaperones or ISU Extension and Outreach staff members. The inductees have demonstrated dedication, encouragement, commitment and guidance to Iowa’s 4-H’ers through the years.

Linda Shafer, 4H hall of fame. (Photo submitted)

“We are honored to recognize these special individuals, for their advocacy and dedication to the Iowa 4-H program,” shared Iowa 4-H Foundation Executive Director, Emily Saveraid. “This is a great way to honor the volunteers and staff across the state of Iowa that generously give their time and talents to foster positive partnerships with our 4-H youth,” said Tillie Good, Iowa 4-H staff and volunteer development manager.

The Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame was initiated in 2002 to help commemorate the 100th anniversary of 4-H. A summary of previous honorees was on display at the 2022 Iowa State Fair in the 4-H Exhibits Building.  These summaries are also available at the Iowa 4-H Foundation office in the Extension 4-H Youth Building at Iowa State University. Information about previous inductees to the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame also is available on the Iowa 4-H Foundation website, organized by year and by county. Go to www.iowa4hfoundation.org/ and select “Recognition” then “Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame.”