DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say the founder of a Des Moines anti-violence organization has been accused of hurting a child in her care. Jail records say 46-year-old Calvetta Williams remained in custody Wednesday, charged with child endangerment causing injury. The arrest stemmed from an incident in July in which a girl in Williams’ care received superficial injuries.

Williams said Saturday before her arrest that she would cooperate with investigators and that she plans to plead not guilty. Williams founded Mothers Against Violence in 2013 after the shooting death of a close friend in Des Moines.

In an update to our earlier online and broadcast reports, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Wednesday) released information about a chase that began Tuesday night near Lewis and ended in Atlantic.  Officials say at around 9:30-p.m. deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop at 630th Street and Highway 71 upon a Missouri-plated 2002 Dodge pickup. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued.

The vehicle headed north through Lewis on M56 and turned east onto White Pole Road. The Atlantic Police Department deployed stop sticks just past White Pole and Lansing Roads. The vehicle continued toward Atlantic. The front tires blew as the vehicle crossed into Atlantic city limits, and the vehicle eventually came to a stop at 7th and Birch Streets in the eastbound (oncoming traffic) lane.

Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 34-year old Thomas Jeremiah Bradbury, of St. Joseph, MO, on a  felony charge of Eluding, along with OWI/1st offense, and Reckless Driving (Nonscheduled Offense). Bradbury was also written three citations for Speeding and one citation for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign. He was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $6,000 bond and a detainer for the State of Missouri.

Two men from Atlantic were arrested on separate charges this week. According to the Atlantic Police Department, 50-year old Paul Prall, of Atlantic, was arrested this (Wednesday) morning for Harassement in the 1st Degree, and OWI. And, on Tuesday, 24-year old Austin Schmitt, of Atlantic, was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 5th degree, and two counts of Simple Assault.

Both men were booked into the Cass County Jail.

Scientists says the largest-ever dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is now about the size of New Jersey. They blame nutrient pollution coming primarily from farms, as well as urban and suburban runoff. Iowa Soybean Association President Rolland Schnell says he’s concerned agriculture is being unfairly blamed for a large part of that oxygen-starved watery graveyard.

“It’s definitely disturbing,” Schnell says. “In Iowa, we like to talk about our one water situation. We’re all responsible for the water, whether it’s urban or industry or agriculture. In Iowa, we’re doing some really innovative things, developing watershed plans that are developed by the local community, by the farmers.”

Schnell says his group is working with a coalition to come up with legislation to address water quality and runoff issues. “We did not get it passed in last year’s legislature,” Schnell says, “but this year, we’re going to have a very innovative and complete bill to allow funding for watershed projects to be developed that are going to make a significant difference in our water situation, at least our farms.”

Schnell says farmers have been — and are continuing to be — environmentally-responsible because they use water just like urban residents. “Farmers want clean water, too, and we’re doing our part as best we can,” Schnell says. “We’ve made a big difference over these last few years. It is an issue, especially in Iowa. We have very high organic soils that, in heavy rain periods, release nitrates whether we apply fertilizer or not.”

The runoff affecting the dead zone is what’s known as non-point source pollution and is not federally regulated. It’s also difficult to control.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Rock Island Depot at 102 N. Chestnut Street will be the site for a seminar designed to help small businesses owners conduct their social media strategy. The class will address the basics of creating a social media strategy, and discuss the best practices to help leverage social media to grow your business.

The session takes place on Wed., Aug. 23rd, from 9-until 10:30-a.m. There is no cost to attend. Coffee and rolls will be served. Make your reservation online at www.iowawesternsbdc.com/events.

The event is made possible in-part through a cooperative agreement through the U-S Small Business Administration, America’s SBDC (Association of Small Business Development Centers)/Iowa at Iowa Western Community College, and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

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

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TYNDALL, S.D. (AP) – An Iowa man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for assaulting a South Dakota police officer with his vehicle. Thirty-seven-year-old Travis McPeek, of Sioux City, Iowa, was accused of striking Tyndall Police Officer Kelly Young with his vehicle during a traffic stop on Aug. 6, 2016, dragging him across a parking lot and driving away. He was arrested in Arizona two months later.

Young suffered broken ribs, cuts, bruises and an injured foot. He was out of work for a month. He tells The Daily Republic that he still struggles with physical and emotional injuries.

A jury last month convicted McPeek of aggravated assault against a law officer, and he was sentenced this week to prison and ordered to pay more than $14,000 in restitution.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A judge has decided the trials won’t be moved out of Polk County for the adoptive parents of a West Des Moines teenager who officials say was starved to death. Court records say Judge Karen Romano ruled Monday that Nicole Finn and Joseph Finn II have not sufficiently shown that pretrial publicity has ruined any chance for fair trials in Polk County.

Nicole Finn is charged with murder and other charges in the death of 16-year-old Natalie Finn. Her trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 23. Joseph Finn II is charged with kidnapping, neglect or abandonment and child endangerment. His trial is set to begin Nov. 27.

The judge says she’ll reconsider her ruling if it becomes apparent that further pretrial publicity will prevent fair Polk County trials for both.

Four people were arrested on separate Union County warrants, Tuesday. The Creston Police Department reports 24-year old Rebecca Holbrook, of Lenox, who was being held in the Ringgold County Jail, was served with two Union County warrants charging her with Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card (Under $2,000), and Trespassing/1st offense. Holbrook remains in the Ringgold County Jail on a $7,300 bond.

24-year old Kevin Davis, of Creston, was arrested at around 5:50-p.m., Tuesday on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear (in court) on a Possession of Controlled Substance/1st offense, charge. Davis was also charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance at the time of his arrest. Bond was set at $1,000.

Arrested at around 11:10-a.m. Tuesday, in Creston, was 45-year old Jason Miller, of Creston. Miller was arrested on a Union County warrant for Controlled Substance Violation. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

And, 54-year old Timothy Fechter, of Creston, was arrested at around 10:20-a.m. Tuesday at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for Violation of Parole related to previous charges of Attempted Burglary/2nd degree, and Burglary/3rd degree. Fechter remains held in the Union County Jail without bond.

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

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