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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Radio Iowa) – A central Iowa organization that saw thieves steal its vehicles and holiday cheer boxes just as it was getting ready to deliver them has rebounded. EveryStep C-E-O Tray Wade, says they got a lot of help and sent out cheer boxes to those who have lost a loved one — including some people on a waiting list. “Thanks to the wonderful support from the community, all the hard work, we were able to actually take those folks of the waiting list and get them cheer boxes as well,” Wade says.
The two trucks that were taken were recovered and will need some repair work. He says one of their board members and his company F&G also donated a new van.”And we’re going to use that to get cheer boxes out to people, get people to camps, use it for other purposes across our 30 plus programs,” Wade says. “We’re still trying to rehab the two vehicles that they got ahold of — but also incredibly thankful and just in awe of the generosity again of the community.” A lot of other items were also stolen.”Unfortunately, we didn’t have a lot of success recovering much of anything else as far as the items. They were already gone, thrown away. We don’t know exactly what happened to the other items,” Wade says.
Wade says walking into the rented space where they were putting together the cheer boxes to find everything gone was a bad day. But he says the response turned that around. “Now you look back on it and it’s kind of a heartwarming story. You know — it’s a thing to be proud of — because not only did we do what we set out to do, we exceeded those numbers. We got some other families that otherwise would not be served this year — a little pick me up at the holiday season,” according to Wade.
The Urbandale Police Department says detectives arrested 36-year-old Alan Michael Ward-Well and charged him with three counts of second-degree theft and third-degree burglary in the case. They also arrested 55-year-old Christina Marie Davis on those same charges, along with charges of possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia
DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) today (Friday) identified the subject involved in the officer-involved shooting that occurred on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Authorities say 35-year-old Jared Risius, of Eldora, was identified as the deceased subject in an autopsy completed at the Office of the State Medical Examiner.
Officials said earlier, that a little after 7-a.m. Wednesday, Iowa Falls Police, Hardin County Sheriff’s Deputies, and the Iowa State Patrol responded to a request for assistance from a female regarding a male that was stalking her by following her in his vehicle. The two have had a previous relationship.
Officers responded to the area of Siloam Ave and River Street in Iowa Falls and witnessed Risius strike the female’s vehicle with his vehicle. They ordered the man out of the vehicle, but he refused and displayed a shotgun. He refused commands, and attempted to flee the scene when he was shot by officers. He died from his injuries. The incident remains under investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
(Radio Iowa) – Morningside University in Sioux City has named its 13th president. Albert Mosley is a Methodist minister with administrative experience at a Georgia seminary and a historically black university in Florida. “Morningside, I am so thrilled to become part of this great community and my family and I look forward to joining a community that shares so many of our values and so many of our priorities,” Mosely says. “Morningside is a very special place. Since its founding in 1874, this institution has always focused on developing students as whole persons.”
Mosely will succeed John Reynders, who will retire after serving as Morningside’s president for two decades. Moseley will take over this summer.”I want you to know how much we are looking forward to getting to know the community in the coming months,” Mosley says.
Moseley was president of Gammon Theological Seminary in Georgia for six years and during his tenure there he erased the institution’s debt and grew its endowment by 75 percent. Mosley recently served two years as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Mosley’s currently a senior V-P at a Methodist hospital in Memphis. He holds degrees from Yale, Duke, Millsaps College and a seminary in Liberia. A decade ago he was university chaplain at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
(Radio Iowa) – Dubuque Police have arrested a 42-year-old woman in connection with a fire Wednesday night at a Dubuque hotel. The fire started in a 4th floor room at the Canfield Hotel. Rescue crews took one person to the hospital. According to the criminal complaint, the woman who now faces a felony charge of arson told officers she put her divorce papers and belongings on a bed and set them on fire.
She also called authorities to report the fire. Officials say 37 people who were living or staying at the hotel have been displaced. About two dozen of them are staying at the Five Flags Center, a concert venue in Dubuque.
The Canfield Hotel was called the Paris Hotel when it opened in 1892. William Canfield and his son bought it in the 1925. In 1946, the elder Canfield and 18 other people died when a fire that started in the cocktail lounge swept through the hotel.
(Radio Iowa) – The year may be winding down, but the demand for blood from Iowa hospitals is rising while the number of blood donors is dwindling. Josh Murray, regional communications director for the Iowa-Nebraska Region of the American Red Cross, says the agency is making an appeal for everyone who’s able to give a pint. “Our donor turnout is still down. People have been kind of slow coming back after the pandemic to give,” Murray says. “Also, we’re seeing a rise in hospital demand. They’re doing more elective surgeries that maybe they didn’t do during the height of the pandemic. There’s some other cases that they need more blood for treatments that maybe they couldn’t do in the past year.”
Several blood drives are planned in Iowa during December, which Murray says is a welcome change since so many had to be called off during the pandemic. “We’re excited to get more blood drives on the calendar, more opportunities for people to give,” Murray says. “This is traditionally a tough time to collect blood with the holidays, everyone is busy, the weather is going to get nasty here soon and we’ll have to deal with that. We have an opportunity for people to get out, help us collect that blood so we can be able to provide that to hospitals and to patients in need.”
Blood products are perishable and Murray says the only source of lifesaving blood for patients is volunteer blood donors. “Type O is always in need, that’s universal and the most transfused type, but really all blood types are in need right now,” Murray says. “We’re seeing a shortage across the board. We encourage everyone, no matter what your blood type, to consider giving blood. If you’re an O, that is even more significant right now.”
Blood can be safely donated every 56 days and Murray says donors can feel good knowing that by donating through the Red Cross, they may be helping patients not only in their community, but also others across the nation. Blood drives are planned in the following cities: Omaha-Council Bluffs on December 20th, Cedar Rapids on December 22nd, Des Moines on December 23rd, South Sioux City on December 30th and Cedar Falls on December 30th.
(Radio Iowa) – A Republican state senator from Davenport will not seek reelection in 2022 and is running for state treasurer instead.
Roby Smith has been a member of the Iowa Senate since 2011 and he recently led the debate of election law changes. Smith intends to challenge Democrat Michael Fitzgerald’s bid for a 11th term as state treasurer. Fitzgerald, who is 70, is the country’s longest-serving state treasurer.
A Republican state senator from Davenport will not seek reelection in 2022 and is running for state treasurer instead.
Roby Smith has been a member of the Iowa Senate since 2011 and he recently led the debate of election law changes. Smith intends to challenge Democrat Michael Fitzgerald’s bid for a 11th term as state treasurer. Fitzgerald, who is 70, is the country’s longest-serving state treasurer.
Smith, who is 44 years old, said in a written statement that the economy, “especially banking, is undergoing changes and Iowa needs a treasurer who understands the challenges of the 21st Century.” Smith worked as a banker in the Davenport area before he was elected to the state senate. In 2016, Smith joined the group that owns the Quad City River Bandits and he also runs a small business.
The legislature approved a redistricting plan in late October. Smith and incumbent Democrat Jim Lykam currently live in the same state senate district.
Smith, who is 44 years old, said in a written statement that the economy, “especially banking, is undergoing changes and Iowa needs a treasurer who understands the challenges of the 21st Century.” Smith worked as a banker in the Davenport area before he was elected to the state senate. In 2016, Smith joined the group that owns the Quad City River Bandits and he also runs a small business.
The legislature approved a redistricting plan in late October. Smith and incumbent Democrat Jim Lykam currently live in the same state senate district.
(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa inmate whose conviction for killing an Independence police officer sparked a call for an end to the death penalty has died. The Iowa Department of Corrections says 84-year-old Warren Nutter died from natural causes Wednesday in hospice at the Iowa State Penitentiary. The current Independence police chief, David Niedert, says Nutter killed Independence police officer Harold Pearce at the Buchanan County Courthouse on January 5th of 1956 while trying to escape.
He says Nutter and two other boys and two girls were taken to the courthouse after a short chase. Nutter got out and got a shotgun from their car and came back in and shot officer Pearce. Nutter was from Freeport, Illinois and the case got national attention because of his age. Nutter was saved from hanging when the governor commuted his sentence from death to life in prison in 1957. Chief Niedert says it’s important to remember the officer, not Nutter.
Warren Nutter. (screenshot from the documentary, The Fort.)
“Mister Nutter had become more famous or infamous I guess due to some online documentary shows about the state of Iowa prison system that had aired. He was profiled on that as one of the inmates. Obviously, he was paying for his crimes as the court prescribed — but we would like to remember officer Pearce as the one who gave his life in service to the city of Independence,” Niedert says. Pearce was 52 when he was killed. Niedert started his career at the police station in the Buchanan County Courthouse and his superiors told him of the story of Pearce.
“It was always a cautionary tale to a young patrolman back in that time to always be on guard — to stay safe at all times. That was why it was passed down to me by my sergeants and above at that time,” Niedert says. He says the recent deaths of state troopers in the area are another reminder. “It just shows us as time goes on the job stays just as dangerous as it was,” Niedert says. Niedert says there is a plaque remembering officer Pearce at the police stations.
The Iowa Department of Corrections shows Nutter began serving his sentence in February of 1956 — and had been the longest-serving prisoner in the system. His story was part of the drive behind ending the death penalty in Iowa, which happened 9 years later. Nutter was interviewed in the documentary “The Fort” which chronicled the history of the original Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison — which was closed after 177 years — when the new facility opened.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – On Monday, October 25th, the Cass County Youth Mental Health Symposium was held at Atlantic High School. The event, open to all middle-school and high-school students, parents, and community members, included time for attendees to visit booths of over 20 organizations that provide mental health and wellness resources to Cass County.
Students visit a booth at the Cass County Youth Mental Health Symposium
Short presentations were given on issues affecting students today, including anxiety, healthy relationships, and mental health awareness; and motivational speaker Joe Beckman talked about the importance of human connection.
A parent of a high school student who attended the event shared, “The Mental Health Symposium was such an awesome opportunity for me and our community. I was pleasantly surprised at how many vendors were there representing services in our area. Mental Health continues to be a very difficult subject for so many, yet so many of us are affected by it on a daily basis!” She further commented on keynote speaker Joe Beckman, who presented to Atlantic Community School District students during the school day and again at the community event in the evening.
“The speaker brought a simple message to a difficult subject. He addressed issues affecting our kiddos that have taken over our daily living like cell phone use. He was energetic and empowering. I felt his message was well received by those in attendance. Whether you are living with mental illness in your life or someone you love, you walked out with a renewed sense of purpose and the energy to continue to move in the right direction.”
Her enthusiasm was shared by many in attendance. Atlantic High School Teacher Allison Berryhill was thrilled to be able to pass along resources she obtained at the symposium with parents of her students. “I shared many of the resources with parents at conferences as we talked about the importance of mental health,” commented Berryhill.
Atlantic High School Principal Heather McKay expressed deep gratitude for sponsoring organizations that made the event possible. The free event included a meal, door prizes, and free childcare. A large donation was made by the Atlantic Community School Foundation to cover the cost of the keynote speaker, and several organizations donated to cover the cost of meal, including Full Circle Therapy, Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, Therapy Place, Cass Health, and Atlantic Bottling Company.
Gift cards and other door prizes were donated by the Family Crisis Support Network. Local organizations providing resources at the symposium included Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, Therapy Place, Full Circle Therapy, Cass County PROSPER, Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions, and Cass County ISU Extension, among others. Participating regional organizations in included Southwest Iowa Mental Health and Disability Services Region, Employee and Family Resources, Boys Town with the Hope4Iowa Crisis Line, COVID Recovery Iowa, Catholic Charities, the Eating Disorder Coalition of Iowa, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative featuring the program Make It OK, and NAMI Southwest Iowa, in addition to many more.
Organizations that helped plan the event, including Atlantic High School, Cass County Extension, Cass County PROSPER, Green Hills Education Agency, and Healthy Cass County, continue to look for opportunities to make mental health resources known and accessible to all people in Cass County.
Free mental health resources available to people in Cass County 24/7 include:
• Your Life Iowa: For problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, suicidal thoughts or mental health. (855) 581-8111, www.yourlifeiowa.org.
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), suicidepreventionlifeline.org
• Iowa Concern: For stress counseling, legal education, and financial concerns. www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern/
• COVID Recovery Iowa: (800) 447-1985, Spanish: 531-800-3687, www.covidrecoveryiowa.com
For
For information on community wellness events or resources, follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty. Healthy Cass County is a community-focused volunteer network formed to promote the health and well-being of Cass County residents. Reach out to Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or call 712-249-5870 for more information. Healthy Cass County welcomes participants from across Cass County.
The Glenwood Police Dept. reports two arrests. On Wednesday, 38-year-old Kevin Wendt, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for OWI/3rd offense. His cash or surety bond was set at $1,000. And, on Thursday (today), 41-year-old Michael Davis, of Omaha, was arrested for Possession of a controlled substance and poss. of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $1,300 (C/S).
ATLANTIC- Officials with Cass Health in Atlantic have announced that Atlantic Medical Center is moving into the first half of their new clinic space on Friday, December 10 and Saturday, December 11. During the move, limited appointments will be available.
Beginning Monday, December 13, the new clinic space will be open to patients. Construction on the second half of the clinic will begin immediately and is expected to last through summer 2022.
Each of the waiting areas in the new clinic space features Cass County inspired murals.
An exam room in the new Atlantic Medical Center.