Seven people have been arrested over the past couple of days, in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 18-year old Shali Dawn and 24-year old William Ryan Corns, both of Glenwood, were arrested late Tuesday morning on warrants for Child Endangerment. Both were being held in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond, each.

Also arrested Tuesday, was 39-year old Janet Lynn Hernandez, of Malvern, for Driving Under Suspension, and 37-year old Jeffrey Wayne Greene, of Pacific Junction, who was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation. Their bonds were set at $300 and $2,000, respectively.

26-year old Amanda Elizabeth, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Wednesday morning at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Probation Violation. Wednesday night, 39-year old Clinton Clark White, of Lenox, and 47-year old Tony Dean Fizer, of Creston, were arrested in Mills County. White was charged with Criminal Trespass and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, while Fizer faces charges that include Trespass and Possession of Contraband. Bond for White was set at $600. Fizer’s bond was set at $5,300.

A family altercation at a residence in Villisca Wednesday afternoon, resulted in the arrest of 18-year old Wyatt Deam Baldwin, of Villisca. Baldwin was taken into custody at around 3:10-p.m., for Domestic Assault. He was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held without bond, pending a court appearance.

This is national “Sunshine Week,” and it has nothing to do with Spring Break. Iowa Freedom of Information Council executive director, Randy Evans, says the week celebrates the important role open and accessible government has in our democracy. “The week is intended to sort of highlight the importance of transparency in our dealings the government. And it’s a time each year when we can kind of step back from the day-to-day routine and sort of take not of the importance that transparency represents,” Evans says.

He says there seems to be a change in politicians once they get elected. “Every government official goes into office speaking highly of the importance of transparency in the government’s dealings with people. And it’s not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue,” Evans says. “We find that once people get in there then they start seeing reasons why they ought not to let people in on what’s going on. Government actually belongs to the people. It doesn’t belong to the government officials.”

New forms of communication have had an impact on government transparency. He says the speed of information now makes it harder for the public to know what is accurate and what is rumor. “But it also makes it harder for the government to sort of manage the news — because there are lots of sources of information,” Evans says.

Evans says it seems cases of government trying to shut out the public come before the Freedom of Information Council weekly. He cites the recent decision by the West Des Moines City Council on supporting a bill dealing with the Des Moines Waterworks as an example. “The decision on whether West Des Moines was going to support or oppose that was made without having a public meeting. The city manager polled the council members by phone, cutting the public out on the whole chance for the public to express their opinions,” Evans says. “And there are examples of that routinely.”

Evans says Iowa is fortunate that a minority of public officials try to get around the sunshine rules. “By and large there are lots of citizens around the state who are serving on boards and councils and commissions whose hearts are in the right place. They are trying to find out what is required of them, what is expected,” according to Evans.

Evans says the Iowa Freedom of Information Council is a resource for the public to find out about open records and open meetings. He says you can find a lot of information on their website.

(Radio Iowa)

More insurance plans would be required to cover some of the specialized treatment available for children with autism if a bill that cleared the House Wednesday becomes law. The coverage would be required in family insurance policies for ALL government workers in Iowa as well as for those who work in Iowa businesses with at least 50 employees. Representative Andy McKean, a Republican from Anamosa, delivered an emotional thank you to those who worked on the legislation. “Our oldest daughter is autistic,” McKean said. “…I can simply say that my wife and I would have very much wished this legislation was in effect back many years ago.”

Representative Chris Hall, a Democrat from Sioux City, says STATE GOVERNMENT employees have had this kind of coverage for their children for years. “It has been the parents that have not been able to access that form of treatment that have really been left out,” Hall says.

Experts say “applied behavior analysis” can help youngsters who’ve been diagnosed with autism modify their behavior and improve their communication skills. Representative Kirsten Running-Marquardt, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says in a year of conflict, this bill is a bipartisan highlight. “It is not perfect, but gives hope for middle class families who face autism and will now have an opportunity to have health care coverage for this critical treatment,” she said.

Representative Dave Heaton, a Republican from Mount Pleasant, has been trying for years to find consensus with the insurance industry on this bill. “It’s been a long haul,” Heaton says. “There’s been a tremendous amount of anxiety out there.” The bill passed the House unanimously. It now goes to the Iowa Senate for consideration.

(Radio Iowa)

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

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If a bill that cleared the Iowa Senate becomes law, drunk underage college students would not get in legal trouble if they call 9-1-1 to get help for a friend who’s in danger. Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale met with students from Iowa, Iowa State and U-N-I who are lobbying for the bill. “The reality is currently on our campuses what’s going on is these kids are scared to call the police,” Zaun says.

Under the bill, intoxicated minors seeking assistance for someone who’s overdosing or being sexually assaulted would get a limited form of “immunity.” The bill specifies the student who called 9-1-1 — AND the person in danger — could not be disciplined by his or her school for drinking and would not face criminal charges for public intoxication, alcohol possession or having an open container in a vehicle. Zaun says 36 other states have similar laws in place today.

“We all know that younger people don’t always make good decisions, but what this does is give them immunity,” Zaun says, “and make sure that the person that needs emergency services are free to do that, without prosecution.”

The bill passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday. It must clear the Iowa House, too, and be signed by the governor before it may become law.

(Radio Iowa)

Two men have pleaded guilty to poaching-related charges in Greene County after a trespassing report to conservation officers. Forty-one-year-old Brett Cranston of Jefferson admitted to spotting a deer six miles south of Jefferson in December and firing shots at the animal. He followed the deer on county roads for around nine miles and firing shots at it until he was able to catch the buck in a cornfield southeast of Cooper.

Cranston pleaded guilty to trespassing while deer hunting, using motor vehicle to hunt deer and shooting within 200 yards of residence. He was fined 665 dollars, assessed eight-thousand dollars in damages, had his hunting privileges suspended for one year and forfeited his shotgun and the deer.

Forty-two-year-old Jeramiah Pedersen of Greene Mountain helped Cranston chase the deer and pleaded guilty to not having a hunting license and trespassing while hunting deer. Pedersen was fined 416 dollars.

(Radio Iowa)

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency says drying conditions will prevail over the weekend, therefore the Fire Danger rating for grassland and field fires, will remain HIGH. Officials say ss the forecast changes though, we may be looking at very High Danger from time to time during next week, with expected low humidity, sunshine, and winds. At times during the days next week, the fire danger may become EXTREME. But for now, fire stations and participating businesses are asked to please keep your Local Fire Danger Signs in the HIGH category. The next update will be on Monday, March 20th.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) and its Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) are urging partiers this St. Patrick’s Day to find a safe ride home if you plan on drinking. Before you decide to go out and drink, line up a designated sober driver, utilize GTSB’s & AAA’s Tow to Go Program, or find another alternative ride home.

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest holidays in America. Last year, there were zero fatalities in Iowa over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday (March 17 – 20, 2016), but there were 458 crashes resulting in 756 injuries, of which 16 were serious. A majority of the serious crashes on St. Patrick’s Day happen between midnight and 6:00AM.

No matter if you choose to drink or be the designated driver – remember that wearing your seat belt will provide the most protection in the event you don’t have the “luck of the Irish” and are involved in a crash.

Together, we can make this St. Patrick’s Day holiday a safe one and again have zero fatalities.

A traffic stop Wednesday night in Creston resulted in the arrest of an Adair County man. Creston Police say 32-year old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of Fontanelle, was arrested for Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was later released from custody on a $1,000 bond.