The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department reports the arrest Thursday night of 51-year old Donald Richard Anson, from Council Bluffs. Anson was arrested following a reported assault at a residence on Wildwood Road, in Council Bluffs. He was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense – causing injury. Thursday afternoon, Pott. County Deputies served 28-year old Michael Benjamin Seely, of Council Bluffs, with a warrant for Violation of Probation. Seely was being held in the Pott. County Jail when he was served.

Thursday morning, 42-year old Dustin Alan Crisler was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop and 290th and Pioneer Trail, in Pottawattamie County.

(Radio Iowa) – For many years, Iowans have heard about gasoline prices, holiday travel forecasts and vehicle safety reports from Triple-A-Iowa spokeswoman Rose White — who’s retiring next week after nearly five decades on the job. White started at the motor club’s Omaha-Council Bluffs office as a teenager in 1973, just months before the oil embargo and when gas cost 39-cents a gallon. “I was just getting out of high school, going to college at night, and found this very important opportunity at AAA,” White says. “I had no idea I was going to stay there so long. I actually had other ambitions, but fell in love with the company and its mission right away.”

One of White’s first duties was to supply data for AAA’s then-brand-new Fuel Gauge Report which tracks gas price fluctuations across the state and nation. Iowa’s traffic fatality numbers peaked in the 1970s when the annual death toll was often into the 700s. Last year, Iowa recorded 322 traffic deaths, and with the coronavirus pandemic, we’re on track for a record low.  “The advancements that have been made in technology are vastly improved from what we had seen back in the 1970s,” White says. “The newer cars come equipped with all types of new technology, collision avoidance, automatic braking, those are going to help prevent crashes and save lives. It’s very encouraging to see the advancements that have been made.”

Throughout her long tenure, White has worked in the association’s public affairs division, which she’s directed since long before the new millennium arrived. “I have probably done thousands of interviews, some on the national news, one involving Dan Rather, Connie Chung, ‘Good Morning, America,'” White says. “It’s been a wonderful experience, a wonderful journey and I’ll forever hold in my heart all the special moments that have taken place during my nearly-50-year career at AAA.”

It’s exceptionally rare for someone to stay with the same company for so long, and White, who’s now 65, was asked if she had any advice about her professional longevity:  “One of the things is just find a job that you love, and clearly, I did and I feel so very blessed to have been in this position for so long.”

White’s final day on the job is August 1st. She plans to travel more and says she’ll devote more time to her granddaughter.

(Radio Iowa) – Authorities say video from businesses in Dallas, Texas, shows two vehicles with Iowa license plates fleeing the scene of a shooting there in January, and five of the seven suspects are now in custody.  Records released by the Dallas Police Department show three of the people in custody are from Iowa and two are from Illinois. Authorities say two other suspects from Iowa are still on the run. Based on the list of agencies involved, the suspects may be from the Quad Cities and Ottumwa. According to a statement from the Dallas P-D, the video footage shows the suspects outside one of the vehicles before the shooting. Police say their investigation determined the group of three women and four men allegedly traveled to Texas to engage in prostitution and decided to rob a man and woman sitting in a vehicle at a stoplight near a public park in Dallas.)

From the Dallas, TX, police:
Darrell Anthony Rice (B/M/26) of Iowa. (In Custody)
Terrance Donnell Harris (B/M/28) of Illinois. (In Custody)
Lindsey Nicole Berhenke (W/F/27) of Illinois. (In Custody)
Lamonta Omar Payne (B/M/32) of Iowa. (In Custody)
Kayla Jean Hobert (W/F/29) of Iowa. (In Custody)
Gregory Lionel Carter Jr (B/M/29) of Iowa. (At Large)
Ashley Marie Allison (W/F/25) of Iowa. (At Large)

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) — Sioux City’s MercyOne Medical Center has announced the facility will stop delivering babies on September 1st. Spokesperson Jenna Rehnstrom says it was a difficult decision for the hospital and its board of directors to make. “This is the news that resulted after a thorough review, a discernment process, and really a close examination of the local healthcare needs and what is being demanded in our market and how we can best serve our community,”Rehnstrom says.

She says the staff in the obstetrics department will be provided opportunities to join other areas of care or transfer to other hospitals in the Mercy Health system. “We’re not eliminating any positions. Nurses and medical professionals are always in high demand and this time is no different,” according to Rehnstrom. “So we definitely hope they chose to stay and continue to care for patients here at MercyOne Siouxland. Or there is always that opportunity within our network as well as the statewide system.”

The hospital had announced one week ago that they were studying what services they would continue to provide in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, which had caused a shift in care and use of resources. “This challenging time has made it very clear that we need to be more thoughtful than ever about how we are serving our community. You know, we were called on to serve some really sick patients and serve our community at a high level during our COVID-19 surge. And I am so proud of how our organization stepped up to do that,” Rehnstom says.

Rehnstrom says the decision to close the obstetrics department will allow MercyOne to expand other health care services and programs not currently offered in the region. MercyOne will continue to serve labor and delivery patients and families through August 31st. They are collaborating with area providers to notify patients of this change to efficiently transition care.

(Radio Iowa) – The leader of the Iowa State Patrol joined his counterparts from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Arkansas to announced a joint effort to crack down on excessive speed. Colonel Nathan Fulk spoke about the issue Thursday, at a Missouri Department of Transportation facility. “Law enforcement is seeing a significant increase in excessive speed across the Midwest related to the pandemic,” according to Fulk. “We’ve seen reduced vehicle miles traveled producing less congested roadways and creating a driver perception that law enforcement isn’t out enforcing traffic laws.”

Colonel Fulk at a news conference in Missouri.

Fulk detailed some of the things his troopers have seen. “In 2020 the Iowa State Patrol has seen a 113 percent increase in speed citations issued for 100 miles-per-hour or greater. We’ve also seen a 70 percent increase in speed citations issued for speeds in excess of 25 miles-an-hour over the posted speed limit,” he says. “This data is alarming and unprecedented — and shows why we need motorists to understand that this driving behavior is not the new normal.”

The leaders of the state patrols in the other four states say they’ve seen similar issues. Fulk says the number one concern in each state is the safety of drivers. “Speeding is the number one causation factor in crashes. They are preventable. Ninety-four-percent of crashes are driver related,” according to Fulk. ” During the month of July, we will be working in collaboration with our state police partners and local law enforcement agencies to raise awareness on this concerning trend that has a negative impact on traffic safety.”

He says they will use a variety of methods to try and educate the public. “We are asking the public so SIDE with us. SIDE is an acronym for seat belts, impaired driving, distracted driving, and excessive speed. We are asking the public’s help to please put the phone down, slow down and buckle up,” Fulk says. Troopers in the five-state area are collaborating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for a speed enforcement initiative Friday and Saturday (July 17-18). The initiative is aimed at reducing high speeds and encouraging personal responsibility in keeping roadways safe.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 8 PM SATURDAY FOR NEARLY ALL OF IOWA.

Heat index values 105 to 110 degrees can expected.Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur, particularly those working or participating outdoor activities.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.

Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.

In a post on social media Thursday night, the Iowa State Patrol showed a dashboard photo of a vehicle pulled over on Highway 148, coming into Anita. The caption said the vehicle was traveling “109 mph in a 55 mph zone. Driver claimed he was “trying to beat a friend home”.” No other details were provided, except to say the State Patrol asks you to, “Please be responsible and drive safe!”