DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials at a zoo in Des Moines say one of its elderly giraffes has been euthanized after suffering deteriorating health. The Blank Park Zoo said in a news release Thursday that 21-year-old Zuri was euthanized. The female giraffe was born in captivity at Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kansas, in August 1997. In May 1998, she was moved to Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines.

Television station KCCI reports that veterinarians and keepers at the zoo had been successfully treating some of Zuri’s conditions for years with laser and stem cell therapy and a special shoe she wore. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a female giraffe has a median life expectancy of about 19 years.

Four other giraffes remain at the zoo.

The Red Oak Police Department reports a couple of recent arrests.

At approximately 4:32pm Wednesday Officers arrested 57-year-old Jason Troy Waters of Red Oak on a charge of Harassment 3rd Degree. He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and booked in on $300 cash bond.

At approximately 12:22pm Thursday Red Oak Police arrested 57-year-old Dawn Terese Nelson of Red Oak for Domestic Abuse Assault 1st Offense. Nelson was arrested after officers were called to the intersection of East Valley Street and North Miller Avenue in Red Oak for a report of a domestic situation. Nelson was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on no bond.

The Exira-EHK School Board met Tuesday evening in a regular session, during which Public Hearings were held. No comments were received during the hearings. Superintendent Trevor Miller says one of the hearings was with regard to a FY 2018-19 Budget Amendment. (Click on the left side of a sound bar below to listen)

The second hearing pertained to changes for the 2019-20 School Calendar.

The Exira-EHK Board approved 2019-20 fees, also.

The Board approved the purchase of a new school bus, which is equipped with shoulder belts.

They approved roof estimates for the Elk Horn Building.

As for personnel matters, the Exira-EHK Board approved a shared School Business Official (SBO) Agreement with IKM-Manning. Other personnel matters approved by the board include resignations and new hires.

And, the Board discussed but took no action on, a request for the district to join the Western Iowa Conference. Action on that is expected during their meeting on June 11th.

ALLEMAN, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a worker who died after plunging hundreds of feet from a broadcast tower near Alleman in Polk County. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office identified the man Thursday as 47-year-old Kevin Wright. The sheriff’s office says Wright fell about 1,000 feet to his death around 10:50 a.m. Wednesday. The cause of his fall is being investigated.

Wright was an employee of PCI Communications. Television station KDSM said in a Facebook post that he was one of the contractors making repairs to its antenna.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon reports “Westel customers in the Anita area are currently unable to call 911 on their landline phones. Cell phone service should not be affected.”  The EMA will put out another notification when service is restored.

MAQUOKETA, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor says a dentist won’t be charged in connection with the death of a man suspected of trying to steal items from dentist’s office in eastern Iowa.
Dr. Clyde Overturff had told officers that he was spending the night of March 17-18 in an apartment at his Maquoketa (muh’-KOH’-keh-tuh) office when he tackled and tussled with a man he found in his dental office’s garage. Overturff says the man slumped over and stopped fighting, ending their struggle.

The Telegraph Herald reports that an autopsy report says the man, 44-year-old Richard Purcell, died from sudden cardiac arrest. Jackson County Attorney Sara Davenport says she won’t charge Overturff because Purcell’s death “was the result of pre-existing medical conditions aggravated by the actions of the property owner who was defending himself and his property.”

The City Council in Walnut will hold a Special Meeting beginning this evening at 5. On their agenda is discussion with regard to: the future and finances of, the Wellness Center; the Community Center, involving Family, Inc.; RAGBRAI, and, the transfer of Debt Service Institute.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday morning, heard a request from officials with the City of Orient, with regard to Wind Turbines. County Auditor Mandy Berg says Gary Metzger, Orient City Councilman, asked if the City could TIF the turbines located within a two-mile radius of the City. It was the consensus of the Board to allow Tax Increment Financing for those particular turbines.

And, Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater made a request to the Board with regard to two staffers receiving Holiday Pay.  Berg said the Sheriff is short-staffed right now, so two of his dispatchers will be working the holiday. Usually, they only receive Holiday Pay for eight-hours, but because the Sheriff’s Office operates on 12-hour shifts. The Sheriff asked for those employees to receive 12-hours of holiday pay instead of just eight.

The Board agreed to allow Memorial Day and July 4th as Holiday Pay. After July 1st, the Board may enact a change in policy for those and other holidays. And, the Adair County Board of Supervisors held a Public Hearing on a FY 2019 Budget Amendment, during which there were no comments from the public. The amendment was subsequently approved as well as the appropriations.

(Radio Iowa) — As the American Red Cross responds to another round of deadly tornadoes overnight, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is introducing legislation that aims to make sure the relief agency is spending its funds appropriately. Grassley, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, says his bill would give a congressional watchdog group more complete access to Red Cross records for oversight. “It’s a tax-exempt organization,” Grassley says. “My committee has responsibility over making sure tax exemption is used properly.”

He says the bipartisan American Red Cross Transparency Act of 2019 responds to concerns the agency tried to halt a review by the Government Accountability Office and limited the scope of the review. “We feel that there hasn’t been enough transparency on the part of this federally-chartered organization,” Grassley says, “and that’s pretty important because most non-profits aren’t federally-chartered, very few are.”

The American people rely on the Red Cross to respond when tragedy strikes and it receives federal tax dollars for some of its disaster responses. Grassley says Congress has a responsibility to make sure the Red Cross answers questions asked on the public’s behalf and is operating up to the standards required of it during disasters. “The bottom line is, the Red Cross needs to share their books with the federal government when it’s investigated,” Grassley says. “And we want to make sure the Government Accountability Office has access to the records so the Red Cross can’t impede government review.”

Grassley says the Red Cross has shown an “unwillingness” to answer questions in the past and the legislation strengthens transparency to make the agency more accountable to the public.

(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports 30-year old Floyd Frank Ezell, who was convicted of Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon and other crimes in Polk County, failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines Residential Facility as required Tuesday afternoon, and has removed his GPS device.  Ezell is a black male, 6-feet 4-inches tall and weighing 158 pounds.

Floyd Frank Ezell

Ezell was admitted to the work release facility on April 11, 2019.  Persons with information on Ezell’s whereabouts should contact local police. This latest escape is the fifth such incident to have occurred at a Residential Corrections facility in Iowa, over the past week.