A woman from Council Bluffs already being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail, was served with a warrant Thursday, for Violation of Probation. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office says 29-year old Heather Nadine Pedersen was read the warrant and had it explained to her, before she was returned to the custody of Corrections staff. Later that same afternoon, a separate warrant for the same offense from the 4th Judicial District Probation/Parole Office, was served on Pedersen.

A woman wanted on a warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense, turned herself-in to the sheriff’s office, Thursday afternoon. 24-year old Calista Madalana Caudillo, of Omaha, was transported to the Pott. County Jail and turned over to Corrections staff. A man from Council Bluffs was arrested Thursday night, after deputies responded to a report of a man who would not leave a bar in McClelland. 70-year old Michael Ray Christensen was arrested for Public Intoxication, Theft in the 5th Degree (for the alleged theft of cab fare amounting to $42), Interference with Official Acts, and Disorderly Conduct.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa plans to halt more than 100 campus construction projects in response to budget cuts approved by state lawmakers. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the freeze went into effect Thursday and will last for about five months. Most of the halted construction is maintenance related, but it also includes some larger projects such as a wrestling facility, a hospital facility and an art museum facility.

Projects that are already in the construction phrase, critical to the university or related to public safety will continue. The Legislature cut the state Board of Regents’ budget by $11 million last month. The board responded by cutting UI and Iowa State University budgets by 2.4 percent. UI must make up a nearly $5.5 million shortfall before the fiscal year ends in June.

DES MOINES – The Emerald ash borer (EAB), an ash tree-killing insect introduced from Asia, has been discovered for the first time in Taylor and Carroll Counties. EAB has now been detected in 57 Iowa counties since first being found in Iowa in 2010. The recent discoveries took place in Clearfield in Taylor County and a rural area west of Carroll in Carroll County. In both instances a tree service alerted the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship after recognizing potentially EAB infested ash trees. The presence of EAB was later confirmed after insect specimens were collected at both sites.

Since its initial discovery in the U.S. in the Detroit area in 2002, this pest is responsible for killing tens of millions of ash trees. At this time EAB has been found in 32 states. Since the beetle only travels short distances on its own, people serve as the primary mode for transporting EAB to new areas. In the larval stage beneath the bark of a tree it can unknowingly be transported in firewood or other wood products. The Iowa EAB Team strongly urges Iowans to use locally sourced firewood, burning it in the same county where it was purchased.

EAB-infested ash trees can include branch dieback in the upper crown, water sprouts along the trunk and main branches, vertical bark splits, D-shaped emergence holes, S-shaped tunneling under loose bark, as well as woodpecker damage. EAB larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Ash trees usually die within 2-4 years.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Los Angeles’ Eric Garcetti, like other Democratic mayors considering the presidential race in 2020, is hoping to show party activists that his experience running a city can preview success on the national scene. He plans to make his debut in Iowa, an early campaign proving ground, today (Friday), talking to union carpenters, seeing representatives from the Asian, Latino and LBGTQ communities and headlining a county party dinner.

Only a handful of presidents ever served as mayors, and they all had won higher offices before reaching the White House. Americans never have elevated a city leader directly to the presidency from city hall, and no sitting mayor has even won a major party’s presidential nomination. That doesn’t seem to deter New York’s Bill De Blasio and New Orleans’ Mitch Landrieu, also mulling 2020 bids. So, too, are Pete Buttigeig of South Bend, Indiana, and Julian Castro, housing secretary in the Obama administration and a former San Antonio mayor.

Democrats hold only half of the governorships they did 25 years ago — being governor is a more reliable stepping stone to the White House — and are locked out of power in Congress. The party’s emerging 2020 class is heavy with mayors, who claim a closer connection to their constituents and greater accountability to them than U.S. senators and representatives have. Only 16 Democrats are governors today, and few are signaling a 2020 campaign is on the horizon. Mayors with national aspirations seem less fazed than their predecessors by the idea that voters are looking for candidates with more national experience. Consider that Donald Trump was a political newcomer before winning in 2016.

Garcetti’s mission in Iowa is to make it clear to activists that his big-city experience can translate onto the national stage. He is the executive of a jurisdiction of roughly 4 million people, about a million more than the state of Iowa, heads a police department of 30,000 and oversees the nation’s busiest seaport. De Blasio, whose city is more than twice the population of Los Angeles, was the guest at a Democratic-leaning activist group’s annual dinner in December. Garcetti and others are also stepping forward on national issues such as immigration, a burning concern for Democrats in Iowa angry with the Republican-controlled Legislature and GOP governor for enacting legislation last week outlawing “sanctuary cities.” That’s a term for jurisdictions that limit local involvement in federal immigration enforcement.

(Updated 10:50-a.m. w/Pott. County charges) — A Council Bluffs man was arrested following a pursuit that began this (Friday) morning near Harlan, and ended near Avoca. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports at around 1:55-a.m.. a Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to stop a vehicle south of Harlan. The vehicle, a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup, driven by 29-year old Andrew Neilsen, failed to stop and a pursuit ensued on the gravel roads near Nishna Bend Park. The vehicle traveled southbound towards Avoca, eventually heading southbound on Highway 59. As the pursuit neared the I-80 interchange at Avoca, a Pottawattamie County deputy joined the pursuit.

Shelby County Sheriff’s SUV damaged in a pursuit this morning (photo from the Shelby Co. S/O’s Facebook page.)

The suspect then attempted to make a turn to get on Interstate 80 eastbound. In doing so, the suspect decelerated suddenly, causing the deputy to strike the vehicle in the rear and disabling the deputy’s vehicle. The suspect continued his attempt to elude law enforcement by reversing down Highway 59 towards Avoca for a short distance, before ending up in the west ditch. He was taken into custody by the Shelby and Pottawattamie County deputies without further incident. Both the deputy and Neilsen were evaluated at the scene by Avoca Fire and Rescue.

Neilsen was then transported to the Pottawattamie County Jail, where he was charged with: Possession/Delivery of Drugs (82.8 grams of Methamphetamine & 11.6 grams of Marijuana); Ongoing Criminal Conduct; Drug Stamp Criminal Penalties; Felony Eluding; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (a meth pipe, scales and baggies); and OWI/1st offense. Authorities seized SIM cards valued, a wallet with a fake ID during their investigation. The property was valued at $100.

Authorities learned during their investigation, that Nielsen was wanted on warrants out of Ida, Oakdale, and Pottawattamie County. Additional charges were pending in Shelby County. The accident was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, and Avoca Fire and Rescue.

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

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The Creston Police Department reports the driver of a vehicle involved in a police pursuit early this (Friday) morning, was arrested on numerous charges. 28-year old Cody John Courtney, of Thayer, was arrested on the east side of the Creston City Limits at around 1:45-a.m., and charged with Felony Eluding, Reckless Driving, Interference with Official Acts, and Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to sell. Courtney was being held without bond, in the Union County Jail.

And, just after 7-p.m. Thursday, Creston Police arrested 20-year old Gregory Dale Welcher, of Thayer, at a residence in the 200 block of S. Elm Street, in Creston. Welcher was arrested on an Adams County warrant and held in the Union County Jail on a $500 bond.

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

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Sheriff’s officials in Taylor County report 58-year old Che Blake, of New Market, was arrested Thursday, on a charge of Simple Assault. She was taken into custody in the 300 block of Lafayette Street, in New Market,  and was later released from the Taylor County Jail on $300 bond.

BOONE, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa woman accused of fatally stabbing a man in the home they shared has taken a plea deal. Boone County District Court records say 59-year-old Mary Myers pleaded guilty Thursday to willful injury and voluntary manslaughter. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 18. Prosecutors dropped a charge of first-degree murder in exchange for Myers’ pleas.

Boone police say Myers went to the Boone police station on Jan. 16 and said she’d stabbed 65-year-old Joe Wirth during a fight. Officers went to the home and found Wirth dead with several stab wounds. Investigators think he was killed two days earlier.