More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A woman who admitted stealing thousands of dollars from a Des Moines soccer club has been sentenced. Polk County District Court records say 34-year-old Brandi Preul pleaded guilty last week to felony theft. She was given a suspended prison term of five years, three years of probation and fined $750. She also was ordered to pay an undetermined amount of restitution.

Authorities say she stole more than $41,000 from the Greater Des Moines Over the Hill Soccer Club , which operates the Central Iowa Coed Soccer League. Preul was the league’s  commissioner to a time last year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Arkansas-based Tyson Foods is recalling more than 69,000 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strips because they may be contaminated with pieces of metal. The U.S. Agriculture Department said Thursday the products were produced on Nov. 30, 2018, and have a best if used by date of Nov. 30, 2019. The products have the establishment number “P-7221” on the back of the packages.

The USDA says it received two complaints about the metal, but there are no confirmed reports of anyone being injured. The USDA is concerned the products could still be in freezers. Consumers should throw out the packages or return them to the place of purchase. The recall comes after Tyson in January recalled some chicken nuggets because customers said they found pieces of “soft, blue rubber” inside.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Another former Winnebago Tribal Council member has pleaded guilty to his role in stealing from the Nebraska-based tribe’s casino in Iowa. The Sioux City (Iowa) Journal reports that 41-year-old Travis Mallory entered the plea Thursday in U.S. District Court in Omaha. His sentencing is set for July 8. Mallory is one of nine former council members who were accused of a conspiracy to siphon more than $327,000 from the WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloan, Iowa. Charges against two of them have been dismissed.

An FBI investigation determined that while on the tribal council, the members had given themselves raises and bonuses totaling $327,500 directly from the casino without approving them at council meetings.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Creston Police Department reports 24-year old Mariah Noelle Johannes, of Creston, was arrested Thursday on an outside agency warrant. Johannes was being held without bond, pending an appearance before the Magistrate. And, 33-year old Michael Edward Baker, of Creston, was arrested a little after 3-a.m. today (Friday), for OWI/1st offense, and Possession of a Concealed Weapon. Baker was later released on a $2,000 bond.

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have charged a burglary suspect shot by a police officer in a Des Moines suburb. County records say 27-year-old Myles Regenold is charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools, criminal mischief and probation violation. Regenold was shot around 4 a.m. Tuesday after Ankeny officers were dispatched to a car wash to check a burglary call. Police say officers found a door to the business that had been forced opened and a masked man inside.

Police say the man later identified as Regenold did not comply with police commands and was shot in an elbow by Officer Tony Higgins when he advanced on Higgins and other officers. Regenold wasn’t armed. Ankeny Police Chief Darius Potts says that when officers don’t know whether a suspect is armed, suspicious hand and body movements can prompt officers to act, which includes firing their weapons.

A man and woman in Fremont County were arrested Thursday night in rural Sidney, following a reported fight in progress. Deputies were advised the fight could be heard over one-half mile away from the residence. They responded to the residence at around 7:42-p.m., and determined that a physical disturbance occurred between 37-year old Joseph Dale Linkenhoker and 37-year old Lynette Kae Linkenhoker, both of Sidney.

Lynette Linkenhoker

Joseph Linkenhoker

During the fight both parties suffered minor injuries, and property was damaged. Deputies allege that during the fight two minor children were located inside the residence within a close proximity to the disturbance.

The couple were each arrested on two counts of Child Endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor, and taken to the Fremont County Jail. They were released on bond after an initial appearance before a Magistrate. The Iowa Department of Human Services assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office.

(Radio Iowa) — National forecasts show the potential for continued flooding across the country as we move further into spring. D-N-R Hydrologist Tim Hall says it is hard to believe we had some extreme areas of drought in the state back in September. The wet fall washed any dry conditions in a trend that’s been seen across the country. “This is the first time in almost a decade that there is no drought in California. In fact — there’s almost no drought in the entire eastern half of the United States. As in zero,” Hall says.

The abundance of groundwater is usually welcomed in Iowa.  “We went into the winter with a pretty healthy level of soil moisture — which normally is a good thing — because that means when you get out to do the next year’s planting, you’ve got moisture to build of off,” according to Hall. “But once that moisture gets locked in for the winter, that combined with a lot of snowfall, and some untimely rain, has led to some significant flooding conditions.” The water balance is now on the wrong side. “We’re in a tenuous spot. If we get a heavy dose of rain, we could see some at least localize, if not some large scale flood issues,” Hall says.

He says the entire state could use some dry days to drain. “Even just a few weeks of dry weather would really, really help. The water can drain out of the stream system fairly quickly — and that’ll give the chance for the tile drains to drain the soil profile where the land has tile under it,” Hall says. “Unfortunately we are coming into the beginning of the time period where we historically have a lot of moisture that comes. April May and June.”

Hall says we can only hope there are enough dry days to make some room in the waterways to handle any of the spring rains.

Red Oak Police report this arrest at around 1-a.m. today (Friday), of 39-year old Jason Michael Eppenbaugh. The Red Oak man was taken into custody for Domestic Abuse Assault by impeding air flow. Eppenbaugh was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail. And, at around 7:30-p.m. Thursday, Red Oak Police arrested 38-year old Luke Daniel Rinehart, of Red Oak. Rinehart was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. His bond was set at $300.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 61-year old David Joseph Cash, of Emerson, was arrested at around 7-p.m. Thursday. Cash was taken into custody on an active Montgomery County warrant for assault. His bond was set at $300.