COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA –Three Cass County (Iowa) residents were sentenced on May 16, 2023 for conspiring to distribute fentanyl causing serious bodily injury or death.

Cam Christopher Jahnke, 33, was sentenced to 193 months in prison. Chase Daniel Jahnke, 29, was sentenced to 204 months in prison. Kelsi Thurman, 27, was sentenced to 156 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, each defendant plead guilty to agreeing to obtaining fentanyl pills from sources in Omaha, Nebraska, and selling those pills in and around Cass County, Iowa. The investigation determined that between August 2019 and June 2022, the group obtained and distributed over 10,000 pills containing fentanyl. Fentanyl distributed by the group caused two fentanyl overdose deaths.

Two additional co-defendants, Colby Clarken, 20, and Collin Clarken, 25, have also plead guilty to the same charge of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl causing serious bodily injury or death. Both are scheduled to be sentenced in August 2023.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa stated the convictions disrupted a major source of supply of fentanyl in Western Iowa and was accomplished through the cooperation of numerous law enforcement agencies.

Agencies involved in this investigation included the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Atlantic Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (SWINE) Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa Division of Intelligence, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Crime Lab, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Omaha Police Department.

(Radio Iowa) – The nearly 100 officers in the Iowa D-O-T’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division will soon become part of the Iowa Highway Patrol. The switch takes effect July 1st. Governor Kim Reynolds says it makes sense to have units with similar functions under the same roof at the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Iowa State Patrol Colonel Nathan Fulk says the organizations have been partners for many years.

“In 2022, we collectively assisted more than 14,000 stranded motorists and the Iowa State Patrol investigated over 4600 traffic collisions,” Fulk says. “As we come together, we will in a position to improve the public safety services with consistency, collaboration and teamwork.” Tom Bruun is chief of the D-O-T’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division. “For years, Motor Vehicle Enforcement has worked side by side with our partners with the Iowa State Patrol to keep Iowans safe,” Bruun says.

“This transition will continue to strengthen that partnership by bringing all state traffic law enforcement together under the umbrella of the Iowa State Patrol.” Brunn, Fulk and the state public safety commissioner will meet next week with the 365 state troopers and the 98 officers in the D-O-T’s Motor Vehicle Division to discuss how the merger will work. Bruun, who has worked in the D-O-T for nearly 34 years, says the focus for his officers will remain on commercial trucking and operating the 11 weigh stations in Iowa for semis.

Gov. Reynolds visited the Dallas County weigh station and signed legislation to move Motor Vehicle Enforcement officers and staff to the Iowa State Patrol. This move will enhance the footprint of state officers on the road and improve safety and the ability of officers to protect through increased efficiencies, consistency in purpose and operations, and consistent training. The MVE officers will officially join the Iowa State Patrol on July 1, 2023 (IA DOT photo)

“Enforcement of size and weight regulations prevents damages to the roads and bridges, which makes them safer for the motoring public,” Bruun says. Governor Reynolds signed the bill into law at the D-O-T weigh station for semis that’s along eastbound Interstate-80, just after the Van Meter exit. It was open for parts of 21 days last month — and 25-thousand commercial vehicles passed through.

State troopers and D-O-T Motor Vehicle Enforcement Officers drive vehicles that are different colors and, while the style of their uniforms are similar, troopers have brown hats and shirts, while blue is the color worn by D-O-T officers. Officials haven’t announced whether those color-coded differences will remain after the merger.

(ISU Extension News) – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer the Iowa Master Conservationist Program in Adair and Cass County as a joint program between the two county Extension Offices this summer and fall. The program will take place at outdoor parks and public areas within the two counties, providing participants with hands-on interaction with the diversity of the state’s natural resources. The program teaches about Iowa’s natural ecosystems and the diversity of conservation challenges and opportunities that exist in the region. Graduates of the course learn to make informed choices for leading and educating others to improve conservation in Iowa.

The program consists of approximately 12 hours of online curriculum and six face-to-face meetings. The online modules will include lessons and resources by Iowa State subject-matter experts to be reviewed at the participants’ own pace at home or at their local County Extension office. Module topics include conservation history and science, understanding Iowa ecosystems, implementing conservation practices in human dominated landscapes and developing skills to help educate others about conservation practices.

The first meeting will take place on Tuesday May 30th at Lake Anita State Park, beginning at 6 PM. A total of six face-to-face meetings will build on the online lessons and be held at different locations in Adair and Cass County one Tuesday evening per month from June-October of 2023. All meetings will begin at 6 PM and last from 2-3 hours depending on the topic. Each face-to-face meeting will be led by local subject-matter experts to demonstrate how the principles covered in the online curriculum and play out locally.

Registration for the course is $50 per person and is due at the time of registration. To register or with questions, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach office in Adair County at 515-231-2741 or Cass County at 712-243-1132 or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass or www.extension.iastate.edu/adair for registration forms and details. The deadline to register is Thursday, May 25 to guarantee a space in the course.

Atlantic, IA— Officials with Cass Health, Tuesday,  announced a new opportunity for high school students interested in healthcare careers. The “Healthcare Careers Camp” will give local students hands-on experience with several careers including nursing, radiology, and more. The camp will be held from 10 am to 2 pm on Thursday, June 22nd.

Kat Niemann, Cass Heath Human Resources Coordinator, says “Cass Health is committed to welcoming and developing students at all levels, and we’re excited to offer this experience for our local high schoolers. Being able to sample a career, see the behind-the-scenes, and meeting the people who can serve as future mentors or resources is a priceless opportunity.”

Registration is free and will include lunch for all participants. Interested students need to register on casshealth.org/camp by June 5th. Questions about the Healthcare Careers Camp can be directed to Kat Niemann at nieka@casshealth.org or 712-250-8022.

DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Pocahontas County in response to severe weather that occurred on May 12. The governor’s proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Management Program for Pocahontas County.   
The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services website at hhs.iowa.gov/disaster-assistance-programs. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

The Disaster Case Management Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case managers work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referral to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.     

(Radio Iowa) – Memorial Day is less than two weeks away, and while many Iowans talk about supporting the troops and veterans, volunteers are needed year-round at the Disabled American Veterans to help local men and women who served in uniform. John Kleindienst is a U-S Marine Corps veteran and the D-A-V’s national voluntary services director. He says the impact volunteers have on the veteran community is invaluable.

“When an individual volunteers for a veteran or a veteran’s family, they get to hear his side of the story and establish a relationship that continues to grow and prosper,” Kleindienst says. “So, I hear stories all the time from our volunteers and I hear stories all the time from veterans, how meaningful it is for volunteers to step in and fill critical gaps.” The number of veterans who need additional support is rising, especially since the number of volunteers has significantly dropped because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The D-A-V offers a variety of scholarships for young people who volunteer through the organization. “We do award 10 scholarships annually valued at $110,000. Our top scholarship is $30,000,” Kleindienst says. “(All) an individual 21 years of age or younger has to do is get out and volunteer for veterans and give us 100 hours or more in order to be eligible for our scholarship.”

The organization is now accepting applications for the 2024 scholarship season. Learn more at DAVscholarships.org.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she wants to increase the oversight authority of the Department of Defense as a way to stem the flow of fentanyl at its source in Mexico. “The D-O-D plays a leading role in the nation’s counterdrug intelligence and monitoring operations. However, the lack of interagency cooperation over classification and inadequate resources have hampered our government’s counter fentanyl efforts,” Ernst says. The Republican from Red Oak says the Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act of 2023 has bipartisan support.

“This important measure would classify fentanyl trafficking as a national security threat to the United States to provide a response proportional to the problem,” she says. “Second, it would encourage U-S military forces to support counter front fentanyl efforts more actively.” Ernst says it would direct the Pentagon to develop a fentanyl-specific counter drug strategy, including enhanced cooperation with Mexican defense officials focused on putting the Pentagon’s tools to use to save lives.

Ernst says she is partnering with Democrat Senator Tim Kaine (Cane) of Virginia — who is on the Senate Armed Services Committee with her — and says they have Democrats and Republicans, both in the House and the Senate who support it. “We are very hopeful that we’ll either be able to get this introduced into the National Defense Act for passage this year, or we can work through other channels as well,” Ernst says. She says this is completely legal and there already have the counter drug efforts within D-O-D.

“It is completely congruent with what’s already existing in law. We are just expanding those authorities to work more with those Mexican officials,” she says. Ernst, who is retired from the Iowa National Guard, says she has already gone into Mexico and spoken with the Mexican Navy and Army leadership about how everyone can work together to curb fentanyl trafficking.

ADEL– Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources, today (Tuesday), said “Persons recreating on the North Racoon River should avoid an area immediately below the Adel Wastewater Treatment Facility where a pool of partially treated waste has collected after a release on Monday. A problem with a valve caused the release. The valve was repaired, but liquids with suspended solids pooled adjacent the river at the facility. The partially treated waste did go through ultraviolet disinfection treatment, but as a precaution, river users should avoid the area until the pool dissipates.”

The facility is off Portland Road on the southeast side of town.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests from the past week.

On Monday, May 15th, Deputies arrested 39-year-old Fernando Villa-Diaz, of Atlantic, on a Failure to Appear warrant.  Villa-Diaz was being held in the Cass County Jail (as of 5/16/23).

Last Friday, May 12th, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 27-year-old Austin Van Aernam, of Atlantic, on a warrant for Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree.  Van Aernam turned himself into the Cass County Jail where he was booked-in and subsequently bonded out.

On May 11th, 46-year-old Amanda Bashor, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Failure to Appear warrant.  Bashor was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release.

And, on May 9th, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 42-year-old Christopher Holz, of Lewis, on the charge of Domestic Abuse Assault – 1st Offense.  Holz was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.

[UPDATED] (Atlantic, Iowa) – Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds hosted a Fentanyl Roundtable in Atlantic, Tuesday morning at City Hall. She also signed HF 595, a bill which increases penalties for fentanyl manufacturers and dealers whose actions lead to serious injury or death.

Reynolds blamed President Biden for allowing the flow of drugs to proliferate in this country.

The bill she signed also holds accountable those who lace counterfeit pills with small but deadly doses, by lowering the threshold for when penalties kick-in.

Gov. Reynolds signs HF 595 at City Hall, in Atlantic (5-16-26) – (Chris Parks photo_

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and DPS Commissioner Stephan Bayens both spoke at the event in Atlantic. Bird said “Drug dealers who kill and poison will be punished,” under the bill.

Commission Bayens said “Stopping the flow of poison’s like fentanyl into our communities remains one of our highest law enforcement priorities.”

DPS Commissioner Stephen Bayens (Chris Parks photo)

He said both urban and rural areas of the State are reeling from the influx of fentanyl coming into the State.

He said an award-winning example of the collaborative law enforcement strategies can be found in the recent federal indictments of six Iowans after a series of overdoses in Cass and Shelby Counties.

Bayens said “it took months of diligence and hard work from 12 different criminal justice agencies, but the efforts paid-off in June of last year, when a Grand Jury handed down six federal indictments All six plead guilty to their charges. A number of those defendants are being sentenced in the Council Bluffs Federal Courthouse. They are accused of distributing over 10-thousand fentanyl pills in southwest Iowa.

From Atlantic, the Governor moved on to Van Meter where she stopped at the I-80 eastbound Weigh Station, and signed SF 513, a bill for an act relating to motor vehicle enforcement duties of the department of public safety and the department of transportation, providing transfers of moneys, and including effective date provisions.