w/ Chris Parks

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Drivers who received tickets from traffic cameras at a notorious speed trap in suburban Des Moines filed a lawsuit Friday alleging that their rights have been violated. The proposed class-action lawsuit seeks damages from the City of Windsor Heights, which announced earlier this month that it would remove the speed cameras on University Avenue this spring. The cameras have brought in millions of dollars for the city since their installation in 2012. But business owners say that they keep away customers. And drivers complained that, until a recent change, the cameras were at a location where the speed limit unexpectedly dropped.

A federal grand jury has indicted a former employee of the organization that collects trash in Des Moines and more than a dozen other communities in central Iowa. Jeffrey Dworek was the director of operations for Metro Waste Authority. He’s charged with 10 counts of mail fraud. U.S. Attorney Marc Krickbaum says in a statement Friday that a trial is scheduled for Feb. 3. The indictment alleges Dworek diverted more than $1 million from the trash collection agency to a company he created for his own benefit. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Iowa Auditor Rob Sand investigated.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Friday night. At 10:36pm Deputies arrested 27-year-old Dahlton Briggs of Red Oak for Disorderly Conduct following an incident in the 100 block of West Joy Street in Red Oak. Briggs was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

Two Democrat Presidential candidates, Senator Bernie Sanders, from Vermont, and Senator Amy Klobuchar, from Minnesota, will be in western Iowa over the coming days, making campaign stops and holding meet & greet or town hall-type events.

Klobuchar will be making her third bus tour across Iowa, with stops in Creston, Diagonal, Corning, Bedford, Clarinda, Sidney and Council Bluffs tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 21). On Sunday, she travels to Logan, Harlan, Audubon and Denison for public events, before moving on to communities in northwest Iowa. (Her local, Dec. 21st schedule is as follows):

• 12:30-p.m. – Adams St. Espresso in Creston (213 W. Adams St.).
• 1:50-p.m. – Ringgold County Freedom Rock (W. 3rd St.), in Diagonal.
• 2:45-p.m. – At the Primrose in Corning (619 Davis Ave.)
• 4:00-p.m. – Taylor County Museum (1001 Pollock Blvd.), in Bedford.
• 5:00-p.m. – Garrison House (106 N. 16th St.), in Corning.
• 6:45-p.m. – Silver Spur Bar & Grill (708 Illinois St.), in Sidney.
• 8:15-p.m. – The Gorman’s Residence (203 5th Ave.) in Council Bluffs, for a House Party.

On Sunday, Dec. 22nd, the Senator from Minnesota will be:

• At the Bunkhouse Cafe Too, in Logan (123 N. 4th Ave.), at around 9-a.m.
• At 10:15-a.m., she’s scheduled to be in Harlan, at Mike & Honey (1101 7th St.).
• 11:30-a.m. – Albert the Bull in Audubon.
• and at 12:30-p.m., at the El Jimador Mexican Grill, in Denison (2506 4th Ave.)

Sanders returns to Iowa Dec. 29th through the 31st, for campaign stops in Polk, Dallas and Madison Counties. On Monday, Dec. 30th, Sanders will hold a Winterset Town Hall in the Winterset Middle School Commons area, beginning at 6:30-p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but attendees are encourage to RSVP via the Sanders’ campaign website.

In an update to an earlier report, a spokesman for the Iowa National Guard, Friday (Today), said “A combination of factors led to a 911 call from Camp Dodge Wednesday initiating an active shooter response from local, county and state law enforcement agencies.” Col. Michael Wunn said “A preliminary review by Camp Dodge security personnel has revealed that there was no actual threat to the base or to base personnel at the time of the call.”

Col. Wunn said “In response to recent attacks at military bases in Hawaii and Florida, U.S. Northern Command recently directed military installations to assess force protection procedures and increase security measures as appropriate for their installations and facilities. Additionally, as part of this heightened security posture, personnel were reminded to remain alert and act if they observe suspicious activity.

Early Wednesday afternoon, the Camp Dodge supply warehouse (Bldg. W12), a large facility designed to receive shipments as well as issue clothing and individual equipment, took steps to increase its security posture by locking doors that normally remain open during business hours to prevent free access to the building.

Non-warehouse personnel present in the facility at the time the increased security measures went into effect mistook these actions as an active event rather than proactive steps to secure the warehouse. Told they were under lockdown, they reported it to their supervisor at the Camp Dodge Range Control office as a potential active shooter situation. Repeated return calls from the Range Control office to verify the situation at the warehouse went unanswered and prompted a decision to call 911.”

Wunn said “Compounding the confusion at the time of the 911 call were ongoing security concerns related to an incident with a former Iowa National Guard Soldier, who recently made threatening statements to Camp Dodge personnel.”

He added, “As reported Wednesday, Camp Dodge security and multiple law enforcement agencies responded swiftly to the call, arriving on scene within minutes. Base personnel were instructed to lockdown and shelter in place in accordance with active shooter protocols. Law enforcement officers took steps to search and clear the building and surrounding area. Once these steps were complete, the all-clear was issued and the lockdown lifted.

Despite any inconvenience and disruption caused by yesterday’s response, all parties agree that in today’s environment, it is better to error on the side of caution and act when confronted with a real or perceived threat.”

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — Police say they’ve charged a Des Moines woman with attempted murder after she told officers she intentionally ran over a 14-year-old girl because she believed the teen was Mexican. Natalia Miranda suffered a concussion and severe bruising in the attack but is expected to make a full recovery.

This undated photo provided by the Polk County (Iowa) Jail shows Nicole Marie Poole Franklin. Clive, Iowa police on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, charged Franklin, of Des Moines with attempted murder. She’s accused of purposely running down a 14-year-old girl who was walking along a sidewalk in a suburban neighborhood. Police say Franklin told investigators she hit the girl because she is “a Mexican.” The girl was seriously hurt but is recovering from her injuries. Franklin is being held in the Polk County Jail.(Polk County Jail via AP)

Clive Police Chief Mike Venema said Friday during a news conference that 42-year-old Nicole Marie Poole Franklin admitted to steering her SUV onto a sidewalk on Dec. 9 in the suburban Des Moines community and intentionally running over the teenager. Natalia was walking to school to watch a basketball game. Police say Franklin made derogatory statements about Latinos during a police interview.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s unemployment rate remained at 2.6% in November as the number of people with and without jobs both increased. Iowa Workforce Development reported Friday that the number of Iowa residents with jobs climbed by 8,200 from October to November. The number of unemployed people also increased, from 45,100 in October to 46,200 in November. Iowa’s 2.6% unemployment rate was the nation’s fifth lowest, tied with Colorado, Hawaii, New Hampshire and Virginia.

Vermont had the lowest rate, at 2.3%. The national unemployment rate in November was 3.5%.

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County, Thursday, arrested a woman on warrants out of two area counties. A vehicle driven by 37-year old Amber Wilmot, of New Market, was pulled-over for a minor traffic infraction near the intersection of Highway 2 and C Avenue, about two-miles east of Shenandoah.

Amber Wilmot (Page County S/O photo)

During the stop, Wilmot was found to be driving without a valid license. She was also found to have had warrants out of Page and Mills Counties.

Charges on the warrants are for Theft 5th Degree and Failure to appear. Wilmot was transported to the Page County Jail where she was being held on a $2,000 cash-only bond.

Officials with SHIFT ATL said Friday (today), that Camblin Mechanical, Inc. recently donated $5,000, in a show of support for SHIFT ATL. The funds will be used to match a Community Catalyst Grant the non-profit organization is currently applying for. SHIFT ATL thanks Camblin Mechanical for its ongoing support of the organization.

Pictured are Jessie Shiels of SHIFT ATL and Randy Watts of Camblin Mechanical.