(Red Oak, Iowa) — Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report a man from Pottawattamie County was arrested this (Thursday) afternoon, on a Montgomery County felony warrant for Violation of Probation. 46-year-old Justin James Smith, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 2:30-p.m.

Smith was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $10,000 cash-only bond.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Board of Nursing has taken action against nurses accused of stealing medications, being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work, and inadvertently contributing to a hospital patient’s death. One of the cases involves 40-year-old Rahni Brower, of Carroll, who was charged by the board with misappropriating patient medications and committing an act that may adversely affect a patient’s welfare.

According to the board, Brower worked for Carroll Area Nursing Services (CANS) for roughly 18 months before she was fired in December 2022. After her dismissal, CANS administrator Kimberly Lambert filed a complaint with the board alleging Brower had stolen a patient’s medications, including oxycodone, resulting in increased pain for the patient. At a recent board hearing, Lambert testified that she had asked Brower to submit to a drug test, but the urine sample Brower provided was discarded as not being within the acceptable temperature range. A subsequent test produced negative results.

Lambert testified that she fired Brower and soon thereafter received complaints from two CANS clients who alleged Brower visited their homes after she was terminated. In the first of those cases, Brower was allegedly seen checking the patient’s medicine cabinet, after which it was discovered that all of the patient’s fentanyl patches were missing. In the second of the two cases, Brower allegedly checked a patient’s medication supply, after which it was discovered that all of the man’s hydrocodone pain killers had been replaced with Tylenol.

According to the board, a fourth CANS client allegedly reported that she had once seen Brower rifling through her medication box, after which she discovered at least 120 pills, including oxycodone, were missing. Two of Brower’s previous employers allegedly told the board they had concerns regarding medications that were never accounted for during Brower’s employment. Neither of the two facilities – which aren’t named in board documents – were able to clear Brower of any wrongdoing.

According to board records, Brower denied taking medications from clients or her employers. With regard to her post-termination visits to patients’ homes, she alleged she had made those visits to return books or DVDs she had borrowed. After hearing testimony in the case, the board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence established the theft of medication. The board opted not to revoke Brower’s license but to impose a suspension. Her license may be reinstated if she establishes that the reasons for her suspension no longer exist.

In order to request reinstatement, Brower will have to complete a comprehensive substance abuse and mental health evaluation and comply with any treatment recommendations, and she must complete a course on professional boundaries and ethics.

In Carroll County, Brower is currently facing three misdemeanor charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance through her employment as a home health nurse. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges and a trial is scheduled for Aug. 13th. In Greene County, Brower is facing two felony counts of unlawfully obtaining controlled substances through theft, and two misdemeanor prescription-drug violations. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges and a trial is scheduled for Sept. 16.

Brower’s license suspension took effect on April 12. On May 22, Brower informed the court that she was working for Vivian Health, a medical staffing agency. Other Iowa nurses recently sanctioned include:

Andrea Cline of Grinnell and Amber Hills of Estherville, both of whom were alleged to have fed and medicated a hospital patient on March 18, 2019, using a gastric feeding tube that had been improperly routed into one of the patient’s lungs. The board issued a warning to both nurses.

Shelley Arends, who was the subject of a board order earlier this year. The board has not publicly disclosed the charges against Arends, the circumstances that led to those charges, or the nature of the order that was issued.

Nicole Klosterman of Cedar Rapids, who was assigned to a hospital, undisclosed by the board, in April 2023 when her colleagues allegedly observed that she appeared to be impaired while on duty as demonstrated by her altered behavior, speech and appearance. The board charged her with practicing nursing while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The board placed Klosterman’s license on probation for nine months subject to her compliance with a chemical screening program.

Sadessa Hernandez of Altoona, who was accused of discarding 172 narcotic pills on a single day in September 2023 while working at a care center the board has not publicly identified. The board placed Hernandez’s license on probation for 12 months and ordered her to refrain from using alcohol or illicit drugs and to submit to a chemical screening program.

Amanda Hake of Davenport, who pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled substance after police found her in possession of oxycodone without a valid prescription. Hake entered her guilty plea in October 2022. The board filed disciplinary charges against her 16 months later in January 2024. The board recently placed Hake’s license on probation for 12 months. She will be required to submit to chemical screening and attend recovery support group meetings if recommended.

Trenton Buchanan of Cedar Rapids, who was charged by the board with committing an act that may adversely affect a patient’s welfare, misappropriating patient medications or property; unauthorized possession or use of a controlled substance; and excessive use of drugs in a manner that may impair a licensee’s ability to practice with skill and safety. Buchanan has agreed to refrain from practicing nursing while the board’s investigation into the matter continues.

(Source: Iowa Capital Dispatch)

(Radio Iowa) – A northwest Iowa couple found guilty of helping their son flee the country rather than stand trial for attempted murder have been paroled after serving a fraction of their prison sentences. Two years ago, then 19-year-old Ali Younes was accused of tackling a woman on the University of Iowa campus, choking her until she passed out and stealing her 20-thousand dollar earrings. Younes was ordered to wear an ankle monitor and stay at his family’s home until his trial, but court records show he cut off the monitor and flew to Jordan.

Investigators say Lima and Alfred Younes drove from their home in Sutherland, got 21-thousand dollars in cash after selling a vehicle in Omaha and rented a van to take their son to Chicago, where he flew to Jordan with his grandmother. Last August a jury found Lima Younes guilty of aiding her son’s escape and her husband pleaded guilty a month later. LimaYounes was paroled after serving over seven months of her five year prison sentence.

Alfred Younes, also sentenced to five years, was released from prison after serving over five months.

(Radio Iowa) – The jobs numbers are out for May and Iowa Workforce Development director, Beth Townsend, says they are positive.

She says there was some growth in jobs.

Townsend says there are some issues on the horizon.

She says the Tyson closing in Perry and the other announced layoffs will start to show up in the June and July unemployment numbers. But she says the job conditions remain very good for the works impacted by those company moves.

Townsend is confident in the I-W-D process.

Unemployment rose above three percent at the end of 2023 and has been moving down slightly since the start of the new year. The May rate this year is the same as one year ago.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is calling on the E-P-A and the Biden Administration to raise Renewable Fuel Standard volumes so they keep up with the amount of biofuels our factories can churn out. Grassley says the agency didn’t boost the Renewable Volume Obligation — or R-V-O — levels far enough last year. He says it’s an “insult” for those levels to be so low and the result is a stifled industry and a discouragement of outside investment, which is costing green jobs in Iowa.

Grassley, a Republican, is joining with Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar in calling for a boost in R-V-O volumes in order to keep pace with biofuels production and availability. Sixteen other senators signed on.

The letter to the E-P-A highlights environmental benefits from an increase in biofuels production, including how biomass-based diesel can cut carbon emissions by more than 70 percent. Grassley says there are significant economic advantages for the entire supply chain, from the farmer to the consumer.

Iowa is the nation’s top producer of both ethanol and biodiesel. The letter to the head of the EPA says: “America’s environmental and energy security depend on the widespread production, availability, and use of biofuels. Biofuels play a particularly critical role in emissions reduction for heavy-duty transportation – including aviation, shipping, rail, and trucking – while opening up economic opportunities for American farmers. A strong RFS and broad availability of homegrown agricultural feedstocks are critical for ensuring we keep up the progress we have made in decarbonizing our roads, seas, railways and skies.”

(Radio Iowa) – With bird flu cases confirmed in at least nine northwest Iowa dairy herds, there may be new requirements for some dairy cattle exhibited at county fairs and the Iowa State Fair this summer. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig expects to make an announcement soon.

Cows enter a more than 300-day lactating cycle and produce milk after giving birth to a calf. In early 2022 after bird flu reemerged in Iowa poultry operations, Naig cancelled live bird shows at fairs and other exhibitions to try to curb the spread of the virus. Iowa law requires county fairs to have a veterinarian inspect all livestock, poultry and birds as the animals arrive on the fairgrounds for shows and exhibits.

(Radio Iowa) – A class of Iowa State University students got a first hand look at severe weather this spring in a course on identifying how storms develop. Dave Floury is one of the course instructors.

Floury, who is in the Atmospheric Sciences Department at I-S-U, says some students had been storm chasing, but wanted a more structured and safe experience.

He says they talked about the science of how thunderstorms and tornadoes form, and then went on an eight-day trip to observe them.

Their trip started in central Kansas, when to northeastern Colorado, then southwest Iowa and southwest Kansas. They also got a tour of the national Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. And finished up by running with storms in northern Oklahoma and southwest Missouri.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is among 24 state attorneys general asking a Florida judge let former President Trump speak publicly about the search of his Mar-A-Lago resort. A special prosecutor has asked the judge overseeing the classified documents case against Trump to issue a gag order.

Bird was part of the team that drafted a legal brief that argues the gag order would muzzle political speech.

Bird served as Fremont County Attorney and then as Guthrie County Attorney before being elected as the state’s attorney general in 2022. This is the second time Bird has been one of the leading attorneys general in drafting a brief to oppose a gag order on Trump. The first was related to federal charges that accuse Trump of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird testified at Iowa House Budget Subcommittee hearing. (RI file photo)

In this latest brief, Bird and the other attorneys general says a gag order in the classified documents case would deny Americans the right to hear what Trump has to say about the most heated political issue of the day. The special prosecutor says Trump’s comments on the case have endangered law officers involved in the investigation and threatened the integrity of the proceedings.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests from over the past four weeks. Most recently:

• On June 19th, 36-year-old Aaron Macias of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant for Harassment 3rd Degree.
• On June 17th, 33-year-old Dustin Potter, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Violation of Probation; and, 33-year-old Benjamin Barnes of Griswold, was arrested on a warrant for a Sex Offender Registry Violation.
• On June 16th, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 46-year-old Angela Logemann of Atlantic, for Simple Assault.  Logemann held pending her later release on her own recognizance.
• On June 13th, 33-year-old Bradley Haley of Clarinda, was arrested in Cass County on a warrant for Failure to Appear.  He was held pending his later release on his own recognizance.
• On June 12th, 41-year-old Zachary Frank of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation, as well as Driving While Barred and Improper Rear Lamps; and, 24-year-old Jackon Sally of Atlantic, was arrested on warrants for Violation of Probation.  He was additionally charged with Sex Abuse 3rd Degree.
• There were two arrests June 10th, in Cass County: 71-year-old Samuel Miller  of Atlantic, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense.  Miller was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance; and 37-year-old Aaron Shamblen of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving While Barred, OWI 1st Offense and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Shamblen was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.
• June 6th, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 65-year-old Reggie Martin of Bridgewater, for OWI/1st Offense.  Martin was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.
• On the 4th, 39-year-old Robin Grieshaber of Cumberland, was arrested for Drug Trafficking – Methamphetamine, Driving with No Valid Driver’s License and Interference with Official Acts.  Grieshaber was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release.
• June 3rd, 27-year-old Jacob Johnson of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.  Johnson was booked into the Cass County Jail where he remained until his time was served.
• On the June 2nd, 23-year-old Justin Elimo of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.  Elimo was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.
• And, on May 30th, 20-year-old Phillip Germann of Anita, was arrested on for OWI/1st Offense and Operating without a Valid Driver’s License.  Germann was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release.

Unless otherwise mentioned, the above listed subjects were booked into the Cass County Jail.

“All criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.”

** Please Note:  The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is now using:  civil@casscoia.us as the preferred email address for any digital civil service processing needs.  Thank you.