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Man arrested for assault in Villisca

News

April 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Deputies in Montgomery County arrested a man on an assault charge Sunday night, in Villisca. Authorities say 47-year old Robert Lee Herbst, of Villisca, was arrested for simple assault, following an incident that occurred at around 10:25-p.m. in the 400 block of E. 5th Street, in Villisca. Herbst was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

Council Bluffs Doctor civil suit: Imprisoned former Iowa pediatrician to be back in court

News

April 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A former Council Bluffs pediatrician already in prison for child pornography and child sex abuse will be back in court to face a lawsuit in the case. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Dennis Jones will appear in court on Tuesday.

More than a dozen families filed the lawsuit in 2014 against Jones. Jones was convicted in 2014 of possessing child pornography and lascivious acts with a child. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on each charge to be served simultaneously.

Prosecutors say Jones had an estimated 1.2 million images of child pornography and 9,300 videos of child pornography in his possession — some of those being of his young patients.

Funeral held for Iowa woman killed in fiery, wrong-way crash

News

April 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Funeral services were held over the weekend for a woman who was killed in a fiery, wrong-way interstate crash that also killed two Des Moines police officers and another driver. The Daily Nonpareil reports that a crowd gathered Saturday to mourn 32-year-old Tosha Nicole Hyatt, of Des Moines, during her funeral and burial in Council Bluffs.

Hyatt was in a police car, being transported from Council Bluffs to Des Moines on an arrest warrant, when the crash occurred March 26th. Des Moines police officers Susan Farrell and Carlos Puente-Morales and Benjamin Beary of Knoxville, the driver of the other vehicle involved, were also killed.

The Reverend Joe Laughlin of Victory Church in Omaha, Nebraska which Hyatt attended as a child, officiated. Laughlin said Hyatt was loved by her friends and family.

 

Advocates say tackling water quality concerns a “shared responsibility”

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The director of environmental programs for the Iowa Soybean Association says Iowa’s water quality issues have reached a “tipping point.” “We have to have strong soils. We have to have cleaner water. Our jobs and economy in this state depend on those things,” according to Roger Wolf, with the Soybean Association. A host of different ideas are percolating in the legislature for financing water quality projects.

They range from redirecting the “check-off” dollars farmers send to commodity groups when selling grain and livestock to using some state gambling taxes on water quality rather than state government infrastructure. Wolf says cleaning up Iowa’s water should be a “shared responsibility.” Jan Glendening, The Natural Conservancy’s state director, says it will take four BILLION dollars to address the problem.

“We have had significant water quality issues and natural resource issues for years here in Iowa,” Glendening says, “and it’s something we need to invest in.” On Friday, Iowa Environmental Council executive director Ralph Rosenberg floated the idea of collecting a “clean water fee” on every bottle of water sold in the state — to raise money for water quality projects.

“It’s urgent now. We don’t want to have a Flint,” Rosenberg says. “We want to be proud of our rivers and lakes. We want to be proud of our waters and that’s what’s urgent about it. And if it means we have to raise some taxes, then I think the public will support that as well.” Rosenberg, Glendening and Wolf all appeared on Iowa Public Television this weekend to discuss the issue.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa early News Headlines: Monday, April 4th 2016

News

April 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A House-backed measure that would increase penalties for repeat domestic abusers in Iowa is facing opposition from a group that advocates for domestic violence victims but opposes lengthening mandatory sentences. The repeat abuser bill has been pushed by a woman whose boyfriend held her hostage several years ago.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The South Dakota Board of Regents has approved a plan to offer in-state, undergraduate tuition to new Iowa students at four of its public universities. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the plan to attract more Iowa students to South Dakota was approved Friday. At current rates, the tuition discount would reduce new Iowa students’ bills by $2,170.50 per school year.

CHEROKEE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities are investigating the death of a 41-year-old man who was acquitted in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2000. The Sioux City Journal reports Jesse Wendelsdorf died at a Sioux City hospital on Thursday.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Donald Trump says he believes he’ll still end up with enough delegates to become the Republican presidential nominee even if he loses the Wisconsin primary on Tuesday. Trump is acknowledging in an interview on “Fox News Sunday” that last week wasn’t his best of the campaign. He spent much of it on defense over comments about abortion, NATO and nuclear weapons for Japan and South Korea. He says it’s always better to win and he wants to finish first in Wisconsin.

Iowa lawmakers, advocates spar over domestic violence bill

News

April 3rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A House-backed measure that would increase penalties for repeat domestic abusers in Iowa is facing opposition from a group that advocates for domestic violence victims but opposes lengthening mandatory sentences. The repeat abuser bill, which has been pushed by a woman whose boyfriend held her hostage several years ago, easily passed the state House in March. Since then it has remained in the Senate, where lawmakers are discussing additional changes that would reduce the emphasis on mandatory minimum sentences.

The House bill’s supporters argue habitual offenders should serve at least 85 percent of their overall sentence, especially if they are seen as being likely to be violent upon leaving prison. The Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence says the bill was well-intentioned, but longer prison sentences don’t make abusers less dangerous.

South Dakota approves in-state tuition for Iowa students

News

April 3rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The South Dakota Board of Regents has approved a plan to offer in-state, undergraduate tuition to new Iowa students at four of its public universities. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the plan to attract more Iowa students to South Dakota was approved Friday. At current rates, the tuition discount would reduce new Iowa students’ bills by $2,170.50 per school year.

In 2010, Iowa students accounted for 15 percent of the freshmen class at the University of South Dakota. That had slipped to 11 percent by last year. Gary Steinke is president of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. He says Iowa private colleges will be watching closely to see if South Dakota’s action affects enrollment.

1 killed, 3 injured in SE IA crash Sunday morning

News

April 3rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

One person died, three others were injured during a single-vehicle accident Sunday morning in southeastern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2006 Cadillac SUV was traveling south on Appanoose County Road S-70, just north of 490th Street at around 4:40-a.m, when the vehicle left the highway and went out of control before rolling several times. The driver, 30-year old Chase W. McElvain, of Seymour, and two passengers were ejected from the SUV as it rolled. McElvain died at the scene.

Two passengers, 24-year old Kacey J. Wills, of Seymour, and 25-year old Brett M. Schultz, of Promise City, were flown by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. A third passenger, 25-year old Courtney N. Hawk, of Corydon, was transported by ambulance to the Wayne County Hospital. Officials say Hawk was wearing a seat belt, while the other victims were not buckled-in.

 

The accident remains under investigation.

Fatal accident in Carroll County Saturday night

News

April 3rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa State Patrol report one person died, another was seriously injured during a head-on crash Saturday night, in Carroll County. Officials say 49-year old David Alvin Riesenberg, of Carroll, died at the scene of the crash on 245th Street, southeast of Halbur. He was not wearing a seat belt.

A preliminary investigation determined a 2005 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 26-year old Andrew Stephen Behrens, of Carroll, was traveling east on 245th Street, and a 2009 Ford F-150 pickup driven by Riesenberg was traveling west. The Chevy crossed the centerline of the road and hit the Ford head-on.

After the collision, the F-150 came to rest in the north ditch, while the Silverado came to rest in the south ditch. Behrens was transported by LifeNet Helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Authories say alcohol is believed to have played a role in the crash that happened at around 9:48-p.m. An investigation into the accident continues.

Red Oak Police investigate two burglaries, Sunday

News

April 3rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak are investigating two reported burglaries. One occurred at 510 W. Coolbaugh Street.  Indications are someone forced entry into the residence. Evidence was recovered at the scene. And, officers were called to a residence in the 700 block of E. Hillcrest Drive, where several items were taken. Authorities say there appears to have been no forced entry into the unoccupied residence. A list of the items stolen was pending completion of an inventory.