(Dubuque, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Corrections, Wednesday, reported that 29-year-old Alan Denzel Ellison, who was convicted of Domestic Abuse Assault – 3rd or Subsequent Offense in Dubuque County, failed to report back to the Dubuque Residential Facility as required earlier this week.

Ellison is a black male, 6-feet 2-inches tall. He weighs 207 pounds. Ellison was admitted to the work release facility on July 6, 2023. Persons with information on Ellison’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Alan Denzel Ellison

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County say no injuries were reported following three separate accidents that took place this week. Tuesday evening, vehicles driven by 58-year-old Debra K. Miller, and 35-year-old Jessica M. Wharton, both of Menlo, collided at the intersection of 6th and Panora Streets, in Menlo. The accident happened at around 7:42-p.m., when Miller failed to yield the right-of-way. Damage from the collision amounted to $11,000. Miller was cited for Failure to Yield from a stop sign.

Wednesday night, a 2012 Chevy Impala driven by 57-year-old Roberta J. Ashby, of Guthrie Center, struck a calf that was on 250th Street in Guthrie County. The calf – owned by Dale Clarke – died at the scene. Damage to the car was estimated at $2,500.

And, at around 4:50-a.m. Thursday (today), 22-year-old Erika M. Martell, of Jefferson, struck a deer on southbound Highway 25 near 160th Street, in Guthrie County. Her 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander SUV sustained $3,000 damage.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa DNR is reopening the renovated Pikes Peak State Park campground near McGregor today. Northeast Parks supervisor Detra Dettmann says the campground got a complete overhaul. “There’s new roadways in the campground, we’ve eliminated the non-electric sites, we’ve got more pull-through sites, and we’ve upgraded new dump station. We’ve got fewer sites, so they’re more quality sites instead of quantity,” Dettman says. They are now taking reservations for the campground. “This campground will now be 100% reserveable. Before it was 75%, and then that other 25% was for walk up or first come first serve only,” she says. “And now we’ve got the capability for folks to reserve all those in advance or on site.”

We are in the heart of the summer camping season — but she says the Pikes Peak campground is more desired later in the year. “Our busiest time actually at this park is as we get into fall leaf season. And whole the park draws a lot of people just because of the wonderful views of the Mississippi River and beautiful trails, but the campground as well will be packed,” Dettman says.

Pikes Peak State Park. (DNR photo)

She says the re-opening was delayed a bit because they were waiting for the grass to grow in. Dettman says northeast Iowa has seen a lot of variability in the weather this summer. “For example, down in Backbone, which is about an hour south of Pikes Peak, they’ve had pretty good rains. And so they’ve been keeping up with the mowing pretty nonstop. And then at Pikes Peak, at one point I looked at the rainfall map and it just showed like a red spot right in Clayton County right over Pikes Peak where they had been really short,” Dettman says. “But then they got a couple of good doses which really helped jumpstart things. So we’re not quite where we need to be but it’s better than we weren’t early in the summer certainly.”

Dettman says they hope to work out any problems with the new systems at Pikes Peak yet this summer as they prepare for the fall.  “We’re really excited to have it open and this will be the first we can kind of test everything to make sure it’s working. So there may be glitches be patient if there are we’ll work through those as best we can,” she says.

You can make reservations online for Pikes Peak State Park Campground starting at 9 a.m., with the same-day window closing at 11:59 p.m. each day. Reservations will be accepted through the end of November, with the campground closing over the winter from December through February. Go to iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com to reserve your spot.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston say three people complained of pain following an accident that happened at around 8:45-p.m. Wednesday, at the intersection of Spruce and Irving Streets. The injured parties were checked-out by medics and cleared. Authorities say the accident occurred when a 2004 Ford Freestar van driven by 32-year-old Brice Allen Maxwell, of Creston, struck a 2017 Infinity QX6, driven by 41-year-old Mika Marie Luddington, of Creston.

Police say Luddington was traveling south on Spruce Street and approaching the intersection with Irving Street. Maxwell was eastbound on Irving, and failed to obey the posted Yield sign. The crash caused a total of $7,000 damage. Maxwell was cited for Failure to provide proof of financial liability (Auto insurance), Careless Driving, Fraudulent registration, and Failure to carry registration.

(Nevada, Iowa) – A shots-fired incident Monday evening in the Story County town of Nevada, resulted in one person being hit by bullets, and two people taken into custody. A press release from the Nevada Police Department says Officers were called at around 6:42-p.m. to the intersection of 7th Street and R Avenue. Authorities say one adult male was transported to the hospital for treatment of gunshot wound to his calf and chest. He has since been released. The victim’s name was not released.

Police were able to identify two suspects in the case. Following an investigation, 18-year-old Tristyn William Rumbaugh and an unnamed juvenile male were arrested on Attempt to Commit Murder, charges. According to a criminal complaint, investigators believe the shooting was in retaliation for another incident between the victim’s family and the suspects.

Nevada Police were assisted in the investigation by the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DCI, Ames Police, the Story County Sheriff’s Office and Story County Conservation.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A collision in Red Oak, Wednesday afternoon, caused a total of $9,000 damage, but no one was injured, and there were no citations issued. Red Oak Police report vehicles driven by 67-year-old Julie Ann Wirth, and 60-year-old Elitha Jean Bruning, both of Red Oak, were traveling north on N. Broadway at around 3:30-p.m.

Wirth’s 2013 KIA Rio was in the turn lane in the center of the road, to turn left onto Bridge Street, and the 2008 Suzuki SX-4 driven by Bruning was in the right lane. Authorities say when Wirth decided not to turn left, and Bruning decided to turn left, onto Bridge Street, their vehicles collided.

Police mentioned Bruning and Wirth both made “Improper or erratic lane” changes.

(Radio Iowa) – Forecasters say many Iowa cities will see high temperatures reach 100-degrees today (Thursday) and that heat will be tough on people — and pets. K-C Routos, at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, says despite all of the warnings, some pet owners will still leave their animals locked in the car with a window cracked as they run an errand. It could be a deadly mistake as the inside temperature can quickly rise to lethal levels.

Routos says it’s best just to leave your pet at home when it’s this hot. On that topic, if your dog or cat is staying home in this heat, make certain they have access to water, and don’t leave them fenced in or chained up outdoors — inside is best. Many dogs love to go on walks, but during a heat wave, it’s wise to limit their time outdoors, perhaps just to walks in the morning and evening when it’s cooler.

(Mount Ayr, Iowa) – A funeral service for one of the two Southwestern Community College (SWCC) students who died as the result of a crash during the late night hours of July 21st, will be held this weekend. The funeral for 19-year-old Halsie Barnes, of Tingley, will be held 2-p.m. Saturday, July 29th, in the gymnasium at the Mount Ayr High School. Visitation at the First Christian Church in Mount Ayr, is on Friday, from Noon-until-8-p.m. Arrangements for 19-year-old Ella Jo Leonard, of Winterset, have yet to be announced. Four other people were injured in the crash.

The two young adults received fatal injuries when the car they were in was struck by a pickup truck on Highway 34, east of Afton. Halsie Barnes died at the scene. Ella Jo Leonard died Sunday, at a hospital in Des Moines. Both were athletes at SWCC. Barnes was a softball player. Leonard was a member of the college’ Dance Team and was set to return as the Team Captain, this Fall.

A candlelight service/vigil for the two women was held Tuesday, at the SWCC softball field.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Two police officers involved in the fatal shooting of a murder suspect following a high-speed chase will not face charges. Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber said Wednesday, that an investigation showed that the officers were “fully justified in their use of deadly force” against 41-year-old Matthew Briggs.

Authorities said officers from multiple agencies, including Omaha police and Council Bluffs police, were involved in the pursuit of Briggs, who was wanted for murder in Omaha, and was known to be armed with multiple weapons. Investigators said the pursuit crossed from Nebraska into Iowa, with Briggs driving more than 100 mph at times during the chase. The pursuit ended in Council Bluffs when an officer stopped Briggs using a PIT maneuver on his vehicle. Wilber said Briggs pointed a sawed-off shotgun at police when Lt. Martin Stiles with Omaha police and Lt. Chad Geer with Council Bluffs police fired their weapons, killing the 41-year-old.

The two were placed on paid administrative leave while the incident was under investigation. Matt Wilber said his office reviewed more than 2,000 photographs, 20 videos of the scene including helicopter video, body cam video, and police cruiser video. The investigation determined Stiles had a 223-caliber rifle and fired six rounds. When the officers fired back, Briggs was hit twice in right hand, once in left leg and once in the head. Officers subsequently recovered the shotgun from Briggs’ vehicle, as well as a handgun with a full clip and one in the chamber, two loaded revolvers, two different knives, a set of brass knuckles, additional ammunition, and 23.6 grams of methamphetamine.

Briggs also had cocaine with indications that it had been combined with fentanyl. Wilber said officers also found a handwritten note that included “targets” including the murder victim.

(Radio Iowa) – The owners of the Iowa Yak Ranch are giving tours of their farm near Exira and will have two of their animals in the Iowa State Fair’s Avenue of Breeds as they make the case that raising yaks — in Iowa — can be profitable. Neal Meseck and his wife began raising yaks in late 2019 and they now have a herd of 20. “We raise yaks for food, fiber and fun,” he says. Yaks are known for their distinctive long hair.

“They are not as large as beef cattle. They may appear that way due to the all the hair,” Meseck says. For example, a mature yak cow weighs about 650 pounds — that’s about half as large as a beef cow — and beef bulls are heavier than yak bulls, too. “They eat about a third of what a beef animal will eat, so it’s a little more economical to feed them as well,” Meseck says. Meseck has been selling yak meat from other producers just to get people interested in trying it and in September, he’s scheduled to have the first yak from his herd butchered.

“Same lean and cholesterol content as turkey breast,” Meseck says, “but it has more of a beefy flavor to it.” Yaks have three layers of hair. The outer layer grows up to a foot long and it’s coarse, like a horse’s mane. The inner layer is about two inches long and soft, like cashmere. Yaks shed it once a year. “We’ve been collecting that for two years and I take it to Maxwell, Iowa to have it spun into yarn and then we have yarn for sale,” Meseck says. “I’ve got about 60 skeins of yard available as well and that is from from our own yaks.”

A yak at the Iowa Yak Ranch.

Yaks have long been used as pack animals at higher elevations in places like Tibet. Meseck says his yaks are perfectly comfortable in Iowa winters, but he’s providing his herd extra water and shade this time of year. Meseck says given the profit potential from the sale of yak meat and spinning the hair the animals shed into yarn, raising yaks could be a good option for other Iowa farmers. :We are, I think, positioned for growth in Iowa,” Meseck says. “It’s just a matter of getting the word out.”

The Iowa Yak Ranch is also part of next month’s “Evolution of the Heartland” tour in the Manning and Audubon County areas.