Authorities in western Iowa are searching for a man who escaped from a work release facility, Sunday (Feb 5th). 26-year old Colton Benson-Blaine,  was placed on escape status after failing to return to the Council Bluffs Work Release Facility from his place of employment. He’s described as a Caucasian with blonde hair and blue eyes. The inmate is also 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 261 pounds.

According to the Iowa Department of Corrections, Benson-Blaine was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2011 after being found guilty in Shelby County of voluntary manslaughter, and in Pottawattamie County for operating a vehicle without consent, voluntary absence (escape) and Escape of Misdemeanant. Benson-Blaine was transferred to work release on January 24th, 2017. He previously failed to return from Work Release in 2016 but was captured in Shelby County a few days later.

Anyone with Information as to Benson-Blaine’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department or Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department.

Colton Benson-Blaine

Officials with the Iowa National Guard said Sunday, they have received notice that seven Airmen from the 132nd Security Forces Squadron will return to Iowa today (Sunday) from a six-month deployment to the Middle East. The Airmen are expected to arrive at the Des Moines International Airport main terminal at approximately 2 p.m. today.

Two juveniles were taken into custody Sunday on 1st Degree Robbery charges, following an incident late Saturday night in Council Bluffs. Authorities say at around 12:03-a.m. Sunday, Officers responded to the Police Station for a report of a robbery. Upon arrival officers located the victim, Tony Shively, of Council Bluffs.

Shively told officers that while using the ATM near 1st Street and Pearl, he was approached by two black males, who asked him for a cigarette. When Shively told the subjects that he did not smoke, one of the subjects pulled what appeared to be a handgun and pointed it at Shively instructing him hand over everything that he had. When Shively refused, the suspect struck Shively in the head with the handgun resulting in a serious injury. Shively was transported to Mercy Hospital for treatment of his injuries and later released.

The incident information was broadcast to other officers, who located two juvenile subjects matching the descriptions of both suspects near South 8th Street and West Broadway. While checking the area officers also located a pellet pistol under a vehicle.

The names of the juveniles were not released due to their age.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An online survey of people getting married suggests that weddings in Nebraska and Iowa tend to have the biggest guest lists in the nation. The Knot says it heard from roughly 13,000 couples about their weddings last year to give it a sense of the trends.

Nebraska weddings were the biggest with an average number of guests of 230. Iowa weddings had 210 guests. Those were both much bigger than the national average of 141 guests.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As the Iowa Legislature rushes to pass a bill to remove funding for Planned Parenthood, some health clinics that could see an increase in patients say they haven’t heard anything about a new state-run family planning program that could take effect within months.

The GOP-backed legislation flew through the Senate on Thursday and now moves to the House. The bill hinges on rejecting millions in federal Medicaid dollars in order to eliminate state funding for Planned Parenthood.

Republican lawmakers contend the new program will allow more rural health clinics to offer family planning services. However, representatives for some of those facilities say they’re not familiar with the state’s plans. While some clinics say they’re capable of helping more patients, they are confused about how the new system would work.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Attorneys for nine patients have filed a lawsuit against Iowa Methodist Medical Center, blaming the hospital for a pharmacy tech’s theft of potent painkillers from hundreds of vials. The Des Moines Register reports that the lawsuit accuses the hospital of being negligent in its supervision of the pharmacy tech who stole fentanyl and Dilaudid during a six-week period last year.

SANDYVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Animal torture and other charges have been filed against a woman after several dead, injured and neglected dogs were found on property she rented. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday that Lindsay Morrow with five counts of animal torture and 22 counts of animal neglect, as well as theft, fraud and ongoing criminal conduct. The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says 19 living dogs and three dead dogs were removed Wednesday and Thursday from the property.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man charged with stabbing a man to death during an argument last year will have his new trial moved out of Sioux City. The Sioux City Journal reports that a judge granted 48-year-old Elias Wanatee’s request for a change of venue, citing pretrial publicity. Wanatee’s first trial ended in a mistrial in December. Wanatee is charged with first-degree murder in the Feb. 17, 2016, stabbing death of 50-year-old Vernon Mace.

OSAGE, Iowa (AP) — An Osage man accused of selling fake iPhones has been charged with felony ongoing criminal conduct and misdemeanor theft. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that 35-year-old Reed Barclay was charged earlier this week after police say Barclay sold a woman a fake iPhone for $300. She learned it was a knock-off when she took the phone to her cell service provider and was told the phone’s serial number didn’t match the one on the box.

Red Oak Police Saturday afternoon, arrested a man on charges that include Assault on a Peace Officer, Disorderly Conduct, and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree (Vandalism). 24-year old Dylan James Hambright, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 2:45-p.m. in the 1100 block of N. 1st Street. Hambright was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A Waterloo woman has been charged with child endangerment after a toddler was treated for smoke inhalation after a fire at her mobile home. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports police arrested 29-year-old Brenna Folkers earlier this week.

First responders reported they found a toddler covered in soot when they responded to the fire. The toddler was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. Investigators say a propane torch believed to be used to light cigarettes, hash oil and marijuana likely started the fire. Folkers is free on a $2,000 bond.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man charged with stabbing a man to death during an argument last year will have his new trial moved out of Sioux City. The Sioux City Journal reports that a judge granted 48-year-old Elias Wanatee’s request for a change of venue, citing pretrial publicity. The judge said he would choose by Monday where Wanatee’s new trial, set to begin Feb. 28, will be held.

Wanatee’s first trial ended in a mistrial in December after jurors said they couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict. Wanatee is charged with first-degree murder in the Feb. 17, 2016, stabbing death of 50-year-old Vernon Mace, who was stabbed nine times.

There were no eyewitnesses, and police never found the weapon. Defense attorney Jason Dunn has suggested that Wanatee acted in self-defense.

SANDYVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Animal torture and other charges have been filed against a woman after several dead, injured and neglected dogs were found on property she rented. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday that Lindsay Morrow with five counts of animal torture and 22 counts of animal neglect, as well as theft, fraud and ongoing criminal conduct.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says 19 living dogs and three dead dogs were removed Wednesday and Thursday from property in south-central Iowa that Morrow rented. The group is treating and hoping to find homes for most of the dogs rescued. The group said Saturday that Lindsay described herself on a website as the director of a “no-kill” group called “Bully Breed Miracle Network and Rescue.”