(Glenwood, Iowa – August 22, 2022) – (updated/Radio Iowa) – The former city clerk in a small southwest Iowa town has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing money from Silver City accounts. Forty-four-year-old Artema Madeline Gray pleaded guilty to first-degree theft – a Class C Felony. An investigation found she made over 42-thousand dollars in personal purchases on the city’s credit card and overpaid herself nearly 11-thousand dollars. State Auditor Rob Sand’s office conducted the special investigation that was released this spring.

The special investigation covered transactions in Silver City from May of 2017 through April of 2021 and found Gray used city money to pay her CenturyLink bills and may have pocketed money from city fundraisers. According to the Mills County Attorney’s Office, Gray was sentenced after current and former officials from Silver City spoke about the financial impact on the town of 245 residents.

Mills County Attorney, Naeda Elliott, said she would like to thank the Mills County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Auditor’s Office for their help and dedication to bring justice to the residents of Silver City.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports numerous arrests took place from July 31st through August 20th. Beginning with the most recent arrests:

On Aug. 20, 48-year-old Dan Christensen, of Atlantic, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct and Public Intoxication. On the 19th, 21-year-old Curclund Vanaernam, of Atlantic, was arrested for Operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent. On the 18th of August, 31-year-old Samuel Martinez-Alverado, of Atlantic, was arrested for simple assault. There were two arrests August 16th: 18-year-old Alaina Abild was cited into court for Shoplifting (5th Degree Theft), and released at the scene. And, 25-year-old Weneity Seker, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intox., and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

On August 9th, Atlantic Police arrested 53-year-old Jeffrey McCoy, of Atlantic, on a Cass County warrant for OWI/1st offense. The previous day, 20-year-old Jordan Mullins, of Atlantic, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. On the 6th, 45-year-old Jason Tasto, of Atlantic, was arrested for Theft in the 5th (Shoplifting). On Aug. 5th, Atlantic Police arrested 25-year-old EJ Stephen, of Atlantic, for Public Intox.

And, there were two arrests on July 21st, in Atlantic. 31-year-old Kenneth Bliss Johansen, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense, and 42-year-old Kantauo Mark, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While License is Barred.

All of the subjects with the exception of Alaina Abild, were booked into the Cass County Jail and later released.

(Radio Iowa) – Union representatives and managers of the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in southeast Iowa have reached agreements, avoiding a strike at the facility.  Ten unions represent workers who make ammunition for the U.S. Defense Department at the sprawling site near Burlington. The three year contract for Iowa Army Ammunition Plant employees expired on Friday at midnight. According to Forbes magazine, workers at the plant make some of the components for missiles that have been shipped to Ukraine.

A Teamsters representative who spoke to the magazine said union members do dangerous work for the military. An explosion at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in 2006 killed two workers and destroyed a building on the property.

ATLANTIC, IOWA – Officials with Cass Health in Atlantic say they are pleased to welcome Emily Wittrock, Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP), to the team of providers at Atlantic Medical Center, RHC. As a board-certified family nurse practitioner, Wittrock will provide care to patients of all ages. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the National Society of Leadership and Success. Previously, she earned a life-saving award from the Iowa Heart Association and is a DAISY Award Winner.

Wittrock says “I wanted to be a provider since I was in elementary school. I have always wanted to work in rural health care, because I have always felt so supported by this community. I am excited to give back and build relationships with my patients and grow as a provider, and I feel really fortunate to be working with so many established, knowledgeable providers at Cass Health.”

Emily Wittrock, ARNP

Emily Wittrock graduated with an Associate’s of Science in Nursing in 2015 from Southwest Iowa Community College. In 2017, she completed her Advanced EMT training at Mercy College of Health Science. The following year, she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Governor’s University. Most recently, she completed her Master of Science in Nursing from Clarkson College in 2021. Wittrock has work experience in cardiac/telemetry units, ICU, medical/surgical hospital units, emergency medicine, surgery, behavioral health, and hospital medicine. Over the last several months, Wittrock has worked on the hospital medicine team and in AMC Rapid Care, both areas where she will continue to work on an as needed basis.

Wittrock and her husband Josh are life-long residents of Anita, and they have one son named Westen. She is a member of Anita Town and Country and the Anita Volunteer Fire Department.

To make an appointment, please call 712-243-2850.

(Radio Iowa) – A new survey finds as many as three out of four Iowa households that rely on private well water may be at risk for unhealthy nitrate levels. The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach survey found just 10 percent of well owners tested their water quality in the last year, as it is not required by state law. Jamie Benning is the assistant director for Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension at I-S-U. “What that tells us with the amount of, or the frequency of their monitoring, or testing, along with some other behaviors is that 73% of well owners in Iowa are at risk for nitrate exposure,” Benning says, “because they haven’t tested in the last two years.”

Benning says about 33 percent of well owners are considered to be at the highest risk because they also haven’t installed filters to remove nitrates and don’t seek alternative sources of drinking water. Even though it’s not required by the state, Benning says people should regularly test their well water to make sure it’s safe to drink.  She says, “Put it on your calendar, maybe around your birthday, maybe ahead of the holidays, a time that you’ll remember and treat it like any other health action that you take.”

It’s estimated about 7.6-percent of Iowa households use well water.

(reporting by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – A ticket purchased in northeast Iowa was just one number short of winning a 99 million dollar Mega Millions prize. The ticket purchased at a Casey’s in the town of Ossian matched five numbers — but missed the Mega Ball — that would have resulted in the jackpot win for Friday’s drawing. The ticket holder will still get a one million dollar prize when they bring it in to Lottery Headquarters. It was the only ticket in the drawing to come that close to the jackpot.

No one had all the numbers, so the jackpot will increase for Tuesday’s drawing. (Estimated 116 million as of Monday)

(Radio Iowa) – The Republican running for state auditor says he blew the whistle on profiteering in a state agency, but State Auditor Rob Sand’s office hasn’t launched an investigation. Todd Halbur, the former chief financial officer of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, sued the State of Iowa after he was fired in 2018. “Unfortunately I became a whistleblower for them overcharging you on all of your liquor purchases,” Halbur says, “so at that point, we need to take action because it’s an illegal and unbusinesslike activity that the auditor’s office has a role on.”

Shortly after Halbur sued the Reynolds Administration in 2019, a spokesman for the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division called Halbur’s allegations untrue. Private companies manage the sale of beer and wine to Iowa retailers, restaurants and bars, but the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division is the wholesaler for liquor. “We need to get the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division out of the booze business for the State of Iowa and the taxpayers,” Halbur says.

Halbur made his comments on the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair. Sand’s campaign manager says Halbir had a record of mishandling taxpayers’ money, but misstating asset values by hundreds of thousands of dollars three years in a row at the Alcoholic Beverages Division. If Halbur believes the state should have ended its wholesale liquor system, Sand’s campaign manager says Halbur should have been lobbying the Republican governor and Republicans who’ve been in charge of the legislature.

(Radio Iowa) – As Iowa schools prepare to open for fall classes, parents are urged to make sure their children are up to date on their vaccinations. Dr. Nathan Boonstra, a general pediatrician with Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, says in addition to the state-required shots, parents should also get their children vaccinated against COVID-19. Boonstra says that’s because some children do get very sick from the virus in rare cases.

Boonstra says parents should double check with their child’s pediatrician this year as many families have missed recent routine physical examinations due to the pandemic.

Kids as young as six months of age can be vaccinated against COVID.

(reporting by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Modale, Iowa) –  A motorcycle crash at around 9:50-a.m. Sunday, south of Modale, claimed the lives of man and a woman from Omaha. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office reports the crash happened on Austin Avenue near 307th Place. The wreck was discovered by a passing motorist, who called 911.

Investigators said a 2015 Harley-Davidson motorcycle ran off Austin Avenue and went into a ditch. It stopped in a bean field. The crash victims were identified as 51-year-old Louis J. Velasquez, and 52-year-old Karin L. Velasquez. Authorities have not yet determined who was driving the motorcycle and when the crash occurred.

DAVENPORT, IA – Arnordo Corderrel Turner, age 34 of Davenport, was sentenced on Thursday, August 18, 2022 to 65 months in prison for Bank Robbery. Following his imprisonment, Turner was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. On June 16, 2021, Davenport police officers were dispatched to the Ascentra Credit Union for a reported bank robbery. Officers identified Turner as the robber. Turner passed a note to a teller requesting that they “put all the money on the counter.” The teller provided Turner with $1,155. Officers located Turner nearby and he admitted robbing the credit union. Turner pleaded guilty to the charge on February 22, 2022. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, IA – Ricky Pulley, age 39, of Iowa City, was sentenced on Friday, August 18, 2022 to 87 months in prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. Following his imprisonment, Pulley was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. Iowa City police officers were dispatched to a residential neighborhood on a report of shots fired. Surveillance video showed Pulley in a Chevrolet Equinox firing shots toward a dark-colored SUV. Pulley then crashed the Equinox into a snowbank and fled but was located hiding nearby. Officers recovered spent shell casings inside the Equinox and the discarded firearm on a deck of a home. Pulley was under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana at the time and has prior felony convictions, prohibiting him from possessing firearms. Pulley pleaded guilty on February 17, 2022. U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa City Police Department investigated the case.