(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report the arrest at around Noon, Tuesday, of a Creston man. 44-year-old James Alan Ford was arrested at his residence. He was charged with Failure to Appear on Sex Offender Registration Violation 1st Offense – two counts. Ford was taken to Union County Jail. He was seen by Magistrate and released on Own Recognizance.

(Radio Iowa) – The La Nina weather pattern is gone, and the National Climate Prediction Center anticipates an El Nino will develop within a few months, which could be welcome news for Iowa farmers. Meteorologist Dennis Todey, director of the U-S-D-A’s Midwest Climate Hub — based in Ames, says El Ninos typically mean a decent growing season for our region, while the extra rainfall could help to knock down the long-running drought. “Conditions look like they’re heading towards El Nino, in the way of the computer models and what we’re seeing in the way of sea surface temperatures,” Todey says, “so they issue what they call an El Nino Watch, which means that an El Nino is likely to be occurring after this.”

While the La Nina lasted for three years, he say the switch to an El Nino pattern is coming on much faster than expected. “The ocean temperatures in the Pacific, especially close to South America, are warming up very quickly,” Todey says. “The computer models continue that progression to likely being El Nino. Reading the advisory now, the El Nino seems more likely by summer which seemed a very quick transition.” Wide areas of Iowa have suffered with drought, and this weather shift could provide some much-needed relief.

“El Ninos typically are better growing seasons for us. They may not be outstanding growing seasons but the tendency is for them to not be bad growing seasons,” Todey says. “Temperatures tend to be more moderate, better chances for precipitation. So for the drought areas, that’s not a bad thing and actually a good thing.” Northwest Iowa’s Monona and Woodbury counties are in the worst category — exceptional drought, while much of Iowa’s western half is either rated in moderate, severe or extreme drought, while broad sections of central and eastern Iowa are listed as abnormally dry.

(DeSoto, Iowa) – Adel-DeSoto-Minburn (ADM) School District Superintendent Greg Dufoe, posted on social media this (Wednesday) morning, that late Tuesday evening, “DeSoto Intermediate experienced a roof fire on the 1990’s portion of the building.” The fire was contained, but “Due to the efforts taken to stop the fire and in order to determine the full extent of the damage,” Dufoe said, “Intermediate students will not have school…” today (Wed., April 19, 2023.

“All other students and ADM School Buildings,” he said, were holding classes as planned. The Superintendent added, “We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause and will share more information when we know more. We would also like to thank the many first responders and firefighters who responded quickly.”

(Radio Iowa) – National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is this Saturday from 10 a-m until 2 p-m. The D-E-A’s Emily Murray says the majority of people who have misused prescription medications in the past got them from family members or friends or they stole them from a family member or friend. Murray says. two-thirds of teens who have misused pain relievers in the past got those prescription medications from family and friends.

You can find a site to take back your prescription drugs at TakeBackDay.com.

As of April 19, 2023, here are Drug Take Back collection site sponsors and locations in the KJAN listening area:

• In Atlantic: the Drop-off box is permanently located in the entryway to the Atlantic Police Dept., during business hours
• Red Oak Police Dept.: Drop-off site at the Red Oak Hy-Vee.
• Council Bluffs Police Dept.: Drop-off site at the Walgreens Store.
• Dallas County Sheriff’s Office: Drop-off site at the Sheriff’s Office in Adel.
• Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office: Drop-off site at the Sheriff’s Office in Mount Ayr.

The take back event lets you turn in the medication anonymously. “Some people are fine just tossing their prescription pill bottles into the box or the receptacle. Other people feel a little bit more comfortable putting their prescription medications inside a brown bag and dropping that off,” She says. “This is definitely no questions asked. It’s a very safe and anonymous way to drop off your medications.”

She says they will also take back vaping devices and cartridges. “But the only thing that we asked with that is that you please remove the lithium battery and we may ask you just to show that the battery has been removed before we before you drop that into the receptacle,” Murray says. She says they will not take back sharp items like syringes, or illegal drugs.

(Radio Iowa) – David’s Bridal has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in five years — which will lead to the lay off of 94 employees at four Iowa stores. The company has notified Iowa Workforce Development that it plans to lay off 29 employees in Clive, 22 in Davenport, 26 in Marion and 17 in Sioux City. The layoffs in Iowa will begin June 12th.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa City Police are asking for the public’s help with information in the search for a missing man from Muscatine. Police say 20-year-old Cristian Martinez was last seen walking on the street just before 1 a-m Saturday.

There’s been no activity on his bank account or cellphone. Police say they followed up on numerous tips, and searches of several sources of surveillance video have failed to give them any leads. Police say drones and boats have been used to search along the Iowa River as that’s the direction he was heading in when last seen. The Army Corps of Engineers cut the outflow of the Coralville Reservoir to aid in the search.

Cristian Martinez

Family members say Martinez was visiting friends in Iowa City. Anyone with any information is asked to call Iowa City Police at: 319-356-5275.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa legislature has approved the governor’s recommendation that sentences be hiked for fentanyl-related crimes. The bill passed the House four weeks ago on a 91-to-three and Tuesday night the Senate approved it — 41-to-nine. Those convicted of a crime with 50 or more grams of fentanyl or a related substance could be sentenced to up to 50 years in prison. Senator Jeff Reichman, a Republican from Montrose, says fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine.

“In 2022, the (Drug Enforcement Agency) seized enough fentanyl to kill every single American,” Reichman says. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of overdoses in America and opioid-involved deaths in Iowa have increase by 45 percent since 2019. “Sadly the majority of these deaths are accidental because of counterfeit prescription pills that are being laced with lethal overdoses,” Reichman says. Senator Janice Weiner, a Democrat from Iowa City, voted against the bill.

“Increasing penalties feels great,” Weiner said. “We do it a lot, but it doesn’t really help Iowans who are struggling with opioid use disorder.” Weiner says fentanyl is a scourge and there’s already another synthetic opioid showing up in American cities. The bill significantly increases the penalty for making or supplying a drug that leads to a fatal overdose. Weiner questions the effectiveness of that, too.

“I really would love for us to focus on helping people with the disorder because putting someone behind bars after someone’s already dead isn’t really going to help them.” The bill also would let more Iowans distribute doses of naloxone, the drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. State data indicates at least 235 Iowans died of opioid-related causes last year.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday evening and held a public hearing on the proposed & published FY 2023-24 Budget. There were no written comments, but Pastor Ray Simmons from the Ascension Reformed Church, in Red Oak, appeared before the Board.

He explained the “Philosophy and the Theology of Taxation,” without which, he said “We’re simply trying to match budget requests and available dollars.” The combined taxation for roads, etc., “Should not exceed 10%, because that’s all that God asks.” He said also, “We don’t want  to keep taxes low just to be greedy, so we can keep more of our own money. We want to keep taxes low so that we can have freedom, and so that we can help those in need.” He concluded by saying property tax is ‘Unbiblical.” He also prayed the the divine spirit give the Board “Wisdom.”

The budget — in effect from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 – calls for a tax rate of $8.14979/$1,000 taxable valuation for Urban Areas, and $12.72979/$1,000 taxable valuation, for Rural Areas. It was unanimously approved a following the hearing.

Montgomery County BOS mtg, 4/18/2023

The Board also acted on Compensation Board recommendations calling for 12-percent salary increases for the Auditor, Attorney, Recorder, Treasurer and Supervisors. They recommended a 15-percent increase for the Sheriff. The Supervisors reduced by half, most of the recommendations, leaving increases amounting to 6-percent for the Auditor, Attorney, Recorder,  and Treasurer, 7.5% for the Sheriff, and 4.8 % for the Supervisors.

Approved salaries effective July 1, 2023 are as follows:

Auditor- $67,478

Attorney- $66,842

Recorder- $66,842

Sheriff- $93,435

Supervisors- $28,236

Treasurer- $66,842

Board Vice-Chair Donna Robinson said during their budget discussions, they looked at many different options, “to the point of, it was brought up, the possibility this Board taking NO increase, and the next day we came back and we said ‘we felt like that was making a statement. It’s not that much of a cost savings, and we keep this as low as it is, as time goes on, there’s going to be very few people who want to run for this office.” Therefore they determined 4.8% was appropriate because of the amount of time they spend in service to the County.

County Engineer Karen Albert reported Jerico Services will not be providing dust control this year, but they hope to be back next year.

In other business, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors: set the mileage reimbursement rate for County Employees at 60.5-cents per mile; They passed Resolutions for the Opiod Settlement Assignment, with a Memorandum of Understanding the settlement funds be directed to Zion Recovery Services, Inc.; and they passed a Resolution with regard to the Destruction of Noxious Weeds. In addition, the Board approved additional heavy gauge Cato’ cable that’s needed for the approved ARPA funding network, in the amount of $1,500.

Fairfield, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Public Safety reports that on the afternoon of Sunday, April 9, 2023, at approximately 1:42 p.m., officers with the Fairfield Police Department responded to the 23rd Street crossing of the local East/West railroad track in response to a call of a person lying near the tracks. Upon arrival at the area in question, officers located the body of 30-year-old Cortney Heather Haynes, of Fairfield. Haynes was declared dead at the scene. The injuries observed on Haynes’ remains appeared consistent with having been struck by a moving train.

Shortly after the discovery Haynes’ remains, the Fairfield Police Department contacted the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, requesting assistance in investigating the circumstances leading to Haynes’ death. Also assisting with the investigation into the death of Haynes is the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office as well as the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office.

For those who feel they may have information to provide relative to the death of Haynes, please contact the Fairfield Police Department – (641) 472-4146.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a Council Bluffs man was sentenced today (Tuesday), April 18, 2023, to 48 months in prison following his plea of guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Authorities say that on February 27, 2022, 38-year-old Jake Campbell was stopped driving a vehicle that was reported stolen. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a loaded Smith and Wesson firearm under the driver’s seat, along with other items belonging to Campbell. The firearm was reported stolen. Campbell was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had a prior felony conviction, and he was a methamphetamine user. Campbell must serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.