A Union County man was cited Sunday, for leaving the scene of a property damage accident in Creston. In information released Thursday, Creston Police said a 2008 Chevy Equinox was legally parked in the 200 block of W. Swan Street, facing north. A 2003 Chevy Malibu driven by 26-year old Matthew Hamm, of Creston, was traveling north on N. Maple Street at around 3:30-p.m., when the vehicle ran a stop sign at the intersection with W. Swan Street.

Officials say Hamm was driving too fast for conditions, and was unable to stop. His car hit the SUV on the passenger side, causing a total of $3,600 damage. Hamm failed to report the accident within the time required, and was cited for the offense.

(Radio Iowa) Republicans at the statehouse have settled on sending Iowa’s K-through-12 public schools 36-and-a-half MILLION more in general state aid for the next academic year. Representative Cecil Dolecheck, a Republican from Mount Ayr, outlined details during House debate.

Democrats say even if there’s another batch of money later, THIS decision setting per pupil spending means property taxes will go up in 137 school districts with lower enrollment this year compared to last. Representative Eric Gjerde, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says it’s the wrong move.

Representative Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says it will be a double-whammy to property owners in Cedar Rapids, Marshalltown and other school districts that were hit by the derecho and have fewer students this year.

Republicans say it would be irresponsible to withdraw money from the state’s budget surplus for schools as that money may be needed next year if the state’s economy doesn’t rebound from the pandemic. The G-O-P’s plan for general state spending on schools has cleared the House and will be taken up in the Senate next week.

(Radio Iowa) – Two senators who helped launch the state’s medical marijuana program have begun working on a bill that would significantly reduce the fee for the state-issued card given to Iowans who qualify for the program. Senator Brad Zaun, a Republican from Urbandale, says his main aim is to make the products more accessible to more Iowans.

The bill would lower the cost for a medical cannabis card from one-hundred dollars a year to just 10 dollars every other year.

The bill would dramatically reduce the fees paid by the companies that are licensed to grow, produce and sell medical marijuana products in Iowa. Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, says the fees have to cover the 700-thousand dollars it costs a state agency to oversees the program.

Bolkcom says he totally supports the state tax deduction for the businesses that’s included in the bill, so they can write off expenses. Bolkcom and Zaun have voted to move the bill out of a Senate subcommittee, but that’s just the first stop in a lengthy process that both senators expects will lead to changes in the bill.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is defending her relaxation of mask wearing and other coronavirus reduction measures, even as public health officials warn against ending the measures when a new more contagious variant of the virus is spreading in the U.S. Reynolds says lower hospitalizations and other measures prompted her to lift the partial mask mandate and limits on crowd sizes. She says she trusts Iowans to do the right thing. Iowa reported 1,035 new confirmed cases on Wednesday and 29 additional deaths, increasing the state’s death toll to 5,174. Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota epidemiologist, says opening up now gives the U.K. variant a chance to spread quickly in the U.S.

HAMBURG, Iowa (AP) — The southwestern Iowa town of Hamburg has finally gotten federal approval to raise its flood protection levee. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday announced it had approved the city’s plan to raise the levee by about 8 feet. The decision comes nearly 10 years after the Corps scrambled to help the town of about 1,200 temporarily raise the levee, which saved it from devastating floods that year. But once the floodwaters subsided, the Corps insisted that the work be undone, and the town was later inundated by historic flooding in 2019. Hamburg will provide between $7 million and $8 million to raise the levee.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police have announced the arrest of a man for the shooting death last April of a Des Moines woman. Police said in a news release Thursday that Antonio Markez Hodges has been charged with first-degree murder and intimidation with a dangerous weapon in the death of 33-year-old Catherine Bobbitt. Police called to an area just blocks southwest of the Drake University campus on April 3 found Bobbitt suffering from a gunshot wound. She was taken to a hospital, where she died. Police say that witness statements and video evidence led them to develop Hodges as a suspect in the case. He was arrested on Feb. 1 at a home in Des Moines and charged this week.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — A 37-year-old man has been charged in a shooting in Marshalltown that left a man dead and another injured. Robert Thomas was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the March 2020 death of 22-year-old Johnqwez Deanthony Lewis. Another man, 27-year-old Devonte Allen Brooks, was injured. Thomas was charged with attempted murder in Brooks’ shooting. Police said Thomas was already being held in the Marshall County Jail on unrelated charges. He remains in custody pending an initial court appearance. Police said the investigation into the shooting is continuing.

The Council Bluffs Police Department said Thursday night, they were contacted by the Cedar Falls Police Department regarding their agency locating the two missing persons. Jennifer Reilly and daughter Luna Gallegos, were reported to be in good condition. The father of the child will be taking custody, and Jennifer Reilly will be treated at a Cedar Falls hospital for mental health reasons.

(Original Story)

Police in Council Bluffs are asking for your help in locating a missing woman and her child. A little after Noon, Thursday (Today), Officers were called to a home in the 3000 block of 2^nd Ave, in Council Bluffs, regarding a missing 2 year old. When Officers arrived, they spoke to the calling party, the child’s father, who stated that the 26-year old Jennifer Reilly, had left the residence late last night with their daughter, 2-year old Luna Gallegos, and he has not heard from them since.

Luna Gallegos

Jennifer Reilly & Luna

Family members are concerned for their safety due to recent delusional comments made by Reilly. Officers are looking to locate both mother and child to check their physical and emotional welfare.

Luna Gallagos was last seen wearing a long sleeve Elsa shirt and blue snowflake pajama pants; Jennifer Reilly is a 26 year old white female with brown hair cut into a Mohawk, no other clothing description. They left the area in a gold 2003 Honda Accord with Nebraska Plate WHS-165. Anyone with any information on their possible whereabouts please contact 911 in your area.

The Council Bluffs Police Department submitted an Amber Alert application on this incident to the State but it did not meet the requirements for an alert at this time.

Guthrie County Sheriff Sheriff J. Marty Arganbright reports his deputies responded Wednesday to  a domestic disturbance at the Firefly Creek Ranch located at 2345 Redwood Road rural Guthrie Center.

Robert James Fuller (Guthrie Co. S/O photo)

As a result of an investigation into the incident, 43-year old Robert James Fuller was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault 1st Offense.

While investigating the domestic disturbance, law enforcement observed drug activity taking place inside of Fuller’s apartment. A search warrant was executed on Fuller’s apartment and property. As a result, approximately 1.5 ounces of methamphetamine, marijuana, evidence indicating drug dealing/sale, and three firearms were recovered from the apartment.

In addition, Fuller was charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Greater than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine (Class B Felony), Possession of a Controlled Substance – Marijuana 1st Offense, Keeping a Premises for Controlled Substance Usage, Drug Tax Stamp Violation (Class D Felony), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Fuller was released Thursday after posting a $40,000 cash or surety bond.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the investigation by the Panora Police Department, the Panora Fire Department, Iowa Department of Natural Resources – Law Enforcement Division, and the Guthrie County K9 Unit. Sheriff Arganbright said in a press release, “This significant seizure of methamphetamine and firearms demonstrates the commitment of the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office to keep Guthrie County safe.”

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts has chosen an Iowa state government official to serve as the next director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation. Ricketts has appointed John Selmer, director of the strategic performance division of the Iowa Department of Transportation. Selmer, of Story City, Iowa, has served in his current job since 2012. Selmer has served in the Iowa agency for 31 years in a variety of roles, including administrative jobs.

He spent nearly a decade as a district engineer. Ricketts says Selmer played a role in rebuilding Iowa’s roadways after the 2019 floods and knows how to overcome major challenges. He says Selmer also has extensive experience in field operations and has excelled in central office leadership as well.

Police in Council Bluffs are asking for your help in locating a missing woman and her child. A little after Noon, Thursday (Today), Officers were called to a home in the 3000 block of 2^nd Ave, in Council Bluffs, regarding a missing 2 year old. When Officers arrived, they spoke to the calling party, the child’s father, who stated that the 26-year old Jennifer Reilly, had left the residence late last night with their daughter, 2-year old Luna Gallegos, and he has not heard from them since.

Luna Gallegos

Jennifer Reilly & Luna

Family members are concerned for their safety due to recent delusional comments made by Reilly. Officers are looking to locate both mother and child to check their physical and emotional welfare.

Luna Gallagos was last seen wearing a long sleeve Elsa shirt and blue snowflake pajama pants; Jennifer Reilly is a 26 year old white female with brown hair cut into a Mohawk, no other clothing description. They left the area in a gold 2003 Honda Accord with Nebraska Plate WHS-165. Anyone with any information on their possible whereabouts please contact 911 in your area.

The Council Bluffs Police Department submitted an Amber Alert application on this incident to the State but it did not meet the requirements for an alert at this time.

Missing subject’s vehicle

(Updated 7:45-a.m. 2/12) – The Union County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday, said one person was seriously injured during a head-on crash Tuesday afternoon. Authorities say at around 1:21-p.m., 30-year old Harley Stonehocker, of Lorimor, was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado southbound in the 100 block of Redwood Avenue, when he crested a hill and collided head on with a vehicle driven by 53-year old Monica Headings, of Lorimor, who was northbound in a 2016 Jeep Cherokee.

Union County deputies investigated the crash and determined that both Stonehocker and Headings were traveling in the middle of the roadway at the time of the collision and the roadway was 100% snow covered. Headings stated she was looking at some cows in a fenced area when the vehicles collided. Airbags deployed in both vehicles. Stonehocker refused medical treatment. His vehicle was a total loss with a damage estimate of $12,000. Headings suffered incapacitating injuries. She was extricated from her vehicle and flown by helicopter to Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, for treatment of serious injuries. Her vehicle was a total loss with damage estimated at $15,000.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Iowa State Patrol. The Afton Fire Department and first responders performed the patient extrication and assisted GRMC paramedics.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday, said there were four recent arrests. Early this morning (Thursday), 46-year old William Roger Hardy, Jr., of Oakland, was arrested at a residence in the 300 block of Hill Street in Oakland, for Domestic Abuse Assault-1st offense/causing injury. On Wednesday, 30-year old Colby Jacob Schueman was arrested at Highway 6 and Hackberry Road. He was charged with OWI/3rd or subsequent offense.

Authorities say 77-year old Gary Wayne Wendelin was arrested Wednesday night for OWI/1st offense, following an investigation into a property damage accident at 310 N. Elm Street, in Avoca. Wednesday afternoon, 37-year old Sean Patrick Gifford was served with a warrant at the Pott. County Jail. The warrant was for Violation of Probation.

And, Tuesday afternoon, an investigation into a call about a parking problem in Crescent, resulted in the arrest of 43-year old Timothy James Doggett. He was taken into custody on a warrant out of Colorado, for being a Fugitive from Justice.