MAQUOKETA, IA — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said Wednesday, that Maquoketa Caves State Park will reopen for day use at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 28. The campground will remain closed until further notice. All campers with reservations through Sunday, July 31 have been notified and refunded.

The park closed on Friday, July 22 after the tragic shooting deaths of three members of the Schmidt family from Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Division of Criminal Investigation continues to lead the investigation of the incident.

The Iowa DNR appreciates the continued collaborative work between local law enforcement, the Department of Public Safety, and the DNR State Parks staff and conservation officers on this investigation.

A temporary memorial site will be located at the Maquoketa Caves State Park entrance sign near the Visitor Center.

Anyone with camping questions can send an email to: iowa.stateparks@dnr.iowa.gov.

Police in Glenwood, Tuesday, arrested 43-year-old William Jensen, of Glenwood. He was arrested for Theft in the 2nd degree. Bond was set at $5,000 (cash or surety).

(Radio Iowa) – An invasive bug that could threaten many of Iowa’s fruit crops and trees has been found in the state — but a top Iowa insect expert says there aren’t enough of them at this time to pose an immediate threat to Iowa’s agriculture. State entomologist Robin Pruisner says a person found the first spotted lanternfly on a maple tree in Dallas County and the second a week later in the same area. Both were immature – black with white spots.

“We do not call what we’ve found so far in Dallas County and infestation,” she says. “it appears that we’ve got hitchhikers — not a reproducing population at this time.” The spotted lanternfly can jump from plant to plant and feed on sap. It leaves behind a sticky substance that can develop a sooty mold which blocks photosynthesis and can kill the plant. Pruisner says she’s disappointed the bug has been found here. 

The closest known infestations of spotted lanternfly are in the Indiana-Ohio area, so I didn’t expect them to make such a large jump into Iowa,'” she says. Spotted lanternflies can attach their egg masses on vehicles or firewood and hitch a ride for a long distance. Pruisner is encouraging people to send photos to the Ag Department if they think they’ve seen the insect.

(reporting By Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – A new study finds military sites in Iowa and around the country have so-called “forever chemicals” known as PFAS in their groundwater which exceed new E-P-A health guidelines. The toxic compounds found in firefighting foam are linked to cancer and birth defects. The Environmental Working Group’s Jared Hayes says two-thirds of U-S military sites have PFAS contamination that violates standards that were set in June.

Hayes says, “This contamination doesn’t end at the base line and it has been shown to get into the communities across the U.S., into their drinking water and their wells of homes and nearby communities.” The EPA has lowered health advisory levels of two PFAS compounds from 70 parts per trillion to near zero. The Environmental Working Group report finds more than 260 military sites have groundwater levels of PFAS above the new threshold, including three military sites in Iowa. David Cwiertny, an environmental engineer at the University of Iowa, says the new health advisories are like when your car’s “check engine” light goes on. 

“When your car is flashing a red light at you, you don’t just keep driving,” Cwiertny says, “you figure out what’s wrong and ideally, if you have the resources, you invest it to fix it.” Among the three Iowa military sites with confirmed contamination, the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in southeast Iowa has PFAS levels that would’ve been acceptable under the EPA’s previous health advisory, but now exceed new guidelines.

The author of the study says communities near military bases with unsafe PFAS levels should be given clean drinking water.

(reporting by Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

Council Bluffs, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports 21-year-old Zachary Russell White, who was convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree in Pottawattamie County, failed to report back to the Council Bluffs Residential Correctional Facility as required yesterday (Tuesday).

White is a white male, height  5′ 7″, and weighs 191 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on 4/19/2022.

Persons with information on White’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Zachary Russell White

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A Special Meeting of the Atlantic School Board will be held 1-p.m. Thursday, July 28th, at the Central Office in the Achievement Center. Action items on the agenda are with regard to the Athletic Facilities Project, and include:

• Change Order #6 – Athletic Facilities Improvement Project
• AIA Final Documents – Athletic Facilities Improvement Project:
  • Consent of Surety to Final Payment
  • Contractor’s Affidavit of Payment of Debts & Claims
  • Contractor’s Affidavit of Release of Liens
• Pay App #27 – Athletic Facilities Improvement Project
• Final Completion – Athletic Facilities Improvement Project

Adjourn

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two, drug-related arrests. On July 21st, 2022, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 37-year-old Tashina Martwick, of Creston, on narcotics related charges including Possession of a Controlled Substance – 3rd or subsequent offense.  Martwick was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release on bond.

On July 24th, 2022, 37-year-old Daniel Knight, of Atlantic, was arrested on warrants for narcotics related charges including Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Knight was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two women have been arrested on separate warrants for Violation of Probation. 40-year-old Dawn Elizabeth Gabriel, of Turin, was arrested Tuesday morning. And, 26-year-old Kristen Lee Hume, of Council Bluffs, was arrested this (Wednesday) morning. Hume was taken into custody at Pottawattamie County Corrections, on the Mills County warrant. Bond for both women was set at $5,000 each.

(Radio Iowa) – Three men have been sentenced for robbing two marijuana dealers at gunpoint. Thirty-four-year-old Antoine Maxwell of Mason City has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for the robbery and for dealing meth and heroin. His father, Charleton Maxwell, was sentenced earlier this year to more than 17 years in prison. Prosecutors say the Maxwells and 32-year-old Chavee Harden of Waterloo conspired to rob Harden’s marijuana dealers of drugs and money. Harden was sentenced this week to more than 12 years in prison.

News releases from the U.S. Attorneys office indicate the Maxwells held guns to the heads of the people being robbed and threatened to kill them. Police later found the guns as well as the money and marijuana at Harden’s house.

(Radio Iowa) – The estimated Mega Millions jackpot is now more than one BILLION dollars after there was no winning ticket in Tuesday’s drawing. Iowa Lottery spokesperson, Mary Neubauer, says be sure to carefully check to see if you’ve won any lower prizes. “I think a lot of folks maybe check to see if they won the jackpot and they don’t check any further — but there are nine prize levels in Mega Millions,” she says. You could win enough to buy another ticket or much more. “It starts down at just two dollars, but it goes all the way up to the jackpot. So please check to see if you won any prize in addition to the jackpot ,” Neubauer says.

Prizes in the game expire if they are not redeemed one year from the drawing date. Neubauer says you should be sure you have a set plan if you decide to go in with others for the next drawing. “This is the level at which we really see office pools kick in so people playing with their co workers are pooling their money with their family and their friends, and at the Iowa Lottery we keep a list of group play reminders on our website,” Neubauer says. “We just don’t want anybody to be cranky later or to have questions about you know which tickets before the group or maybe which tickets were for you if you’re the person buying it.”

The next Mega Millions drawing is Friday evening.