(Radio Iowa) – Cedar Rapids police say their cold case unit has closed the unsolved murder of a 17-year-old 50 years ago. Maureen Brubaker-Farley disappeared on September 20th of 1971 and her body was found four days later on the trunk of an abandoned car in a wooded ravine on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids. Police investigator, Matt Denlinger, says they have determined that George M. Smith is the man who killed Brubaker-Farley.

“He was pretty high on their radar back in 1971 along with a few other people. He was a suspect identified early on in the investigation — but there hadn’t been any definitive evidence to really attach him to this crime until 2005 when the D-N-A was developed from some of the evidence in the case,” Denlinger says. The investigation determined Brubaker-Farley had been taken to the location after she died from a head injury — and had also been sexually assaulted. Smith died in 2013 — but Denlinger says they were eventually able to get D-N-A from a relative of Smith in 2021 — and had it checked against D-N-A recovered at the crime scene.

Maureen Brubaker-Farley. (photo from Iowa Cold Cases website)

Denlinger says that match determined that the D-N-A matched the D-N-A of Smith. Denlinger says he had mixed emotions knowing the case was solved — but the man responsible was dead. “It was a little bittersweet — but in the end, our focus is to bring resolution to these cases — and answers to the families,” according to Denlinger. “As long as we keep focused on that, we just keep pushing forward on these cases.” Denlinger says  “In my experience, that answer is really important to the families. It was in this case. Their reaction and their appreciation to the C-R-P-D and the generation of investigators who worked on this case, they were extremely appreciative,” he says. “And so, I am rewarded in that I did get to tell them and see how much that meant to them.”

Maureen’s mother Mary Brubaker is 86 and lives in Sioux City. Her father David died in 2002, and she has four surviving siblings and one who has died. The murder happened before Denlinger was born, and he says the work that he finished was based on solid work done at the time. “The unfortunate thing is that although the clock is ticking — you can’t rush your investigation. You want to make sure that you get it right and you get the answer right,” Denlinger says. “In 1971 that was their goal — is to get it right and not cut corners. And because they did things right back then, that preserved enough evidence that we solved it now.”

The Cedar Rapids police chief recognized the contributions of Denlinger, retired D-C-I Special Agent J.D. Smith, and retired Cedar Rapids Police Lieutenant Ken Washburn for their work to close the case.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Outreach Team recently donated $400 to Dolly Parton’s “Imagination Library,” which is locally supported by the Cass County Library Association.  Imagination Library is open to children from birth to age 5, with no income restrictions.  Enrolled children receive an age-appropriate, high-quality book in the mail every month from the time of enrollment until their 5th birthday.

Shown are Kirk Nelson, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and Michelle Andersen, Director of the Atlantic Public Library. (Photo submitted)

For just a $25 donation, a child will receive a year of books; a $425 donation sponsors the entire Cass County program for one month.  To register a child or make a donation, contact any of the Cass County libraries in Anita, Atlantic, Cumberland, Griswold, Lewis or Massena.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Tuesday), approved the appointment of Dorene South as an assistant to Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman. Sundermen told the Board there were nine applicants for the job. South will replace Mary Anstey, who now serves as the Cass County Assessor. The Board also discussed at length, a proposal to close 570^th Street, which runs underneath Interstate 80. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken explained the DOT’s logic, and benefit to the County, in closing 570^th.

Landowners in the area have voiced their opposition to the plan, citing the need to get to their crops and/or animals living on either side of the bridge on their land. Scott Schram said Iowa Code states while those properties must be accessible, it does not say that does means “Convenient Access.” There is also some concern over high water in the area when there are periods of excessive rain that results in flooding.

Iowa Department of Transportation District of Engineer Scott Schram, in Ankeny, said the bridge over 570^th Street is due for maintenance activity or due for replacement.

(He said they are fully prepared to replace the bridge, but wanted to see first, if the County was interested in voluntarily vacate the road way instead.)

The reason they are interested in closing 570^th, is so that I-80 can eventually be turned into six lanes (3 each direction) across the State. Putting a culvert in-place instead of a bridge, would result in a substantial cost savings for the DOT, and reduce the level of maintenance necessary, as compared to installing a new bridge. But then there’s the matter of how soon is a six-lane I-80 in that area needed?

(I-80 traffic flow show the section of road in Cass County does not necessitate the creation of six-lanes at this time, but if the County wishes to vacate it, the DOT can include the section in their long-term program.)

Iowa DOT District 4 Planner Scott Suhr said studies on 570^th Street show the traffic flow runs about 12-to 15 vehicles per day. A Public Hearing on vacating the road will be held 9-a.m. Friday, October 29^th in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Cass County Courthouse. In other business, the Board discussed at length, being part of ISICS (the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System), cost and funding. A public hearing on securing essential purpose bonds for the project, was previously set for Oct. 12th.

The bond amount to be proposed is still being kicked around, and is dependent on several factors, including the use of grants, what equipment should be included in the bond, and maintenance contracts. At this point, the proposal is for at least $1.75-million. Timing on passing a bond referendum is a relevant matter, due to the proposal the County has received from Motorola.

(Radio Iowa) – The body of a missing Waterloo woman has been found in the Cedar River. Waterloo police say relatives of Juana Rubio found some personal items along the riverbank near a bridge over the river Monday around 11 a-m. Waterloo Fire Rescue searched the water and recovered a woman’s body, which was then identified as Rubio’s. Rubio was last seen late Saturday evening outside of her home, which is about three blocks from where her personal items were found.

Police say the cause of Rubio’s death is pending an autopsy. They do not suspect foul play.

(Radio Iowa) – A large group of protesters is at the Iowa Capitol today (Tuesday), urging the legislature to ban pandemic-related mandates masks and vaccinations.

Speakers of the Informed Choice Iowa group say businesses should be barred from requiring workers get Covid shots. The group also opposes school district masking requirements for students and staff.

Republican legislative leaders have indicated its unlikely anything other than the redistricting plan will be up for a vote today (Tuesday).

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican, says he supports reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act — but without some of the gun restrictions that won House approval this spring. “I supported enactment of the original VAWA in 1994 and have voted to reauthorize and build the program many times,” he says.

Grassley says while he’s supported expanding rights for victims over the years, include gun restrictions for accused domestic abusers is a no go for him and other Republicans. The House-passed bill would bar people with temporary restraining orders and individuals convicted of stalking from owning or possessing a gun. “There’s no disagreement on the original Violence Against Women Act. It’s when you try to get guns involved and the Second Amendment issues involved,” Grassley says. “…There’s probably four or five things that people want to stick onto this that have some relation against the Violence Against Women Act, but it brings out a lot of partisanship.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on the Violence Against Women Act this (Tuesday) morning. Grassley is the top Republican on the committee.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests. Last Friday morning, deputies arrested 41-year-old Timothy Joseph Asche, of Bennington, NE, for OWI/2nd offense. And, on Sept. 30th, 41-year-old Patrick Lynn Darrah, of Omaha, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. He was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail. The Sheriff’s Office says also, two people were injured during a collision Friday at the intersection of Highway 34 and Kidd Road.

Authorities say the collision occurred as a 2011 Dodge driven by 46-year-old Amy Graham, of Red Oak, was traveling west on Highway 34, and a 2018 Freightliner truck driven by 26-year-old Kyle Sawatzke, of Elk River, MN, was traveling north on Kidd Road, crossing the Highway 34 westbound lanes. Sawatzke failed to yield the right of way, causing the front of the Dodge to strike the rear of the semi. Graham and a passenger in her vehicle, 63-year-old Donna Graham, of Red Oak, were transported to Mercy Hospital for treatment of unknown/possible injuries.

(Anita, Iowa) – Patrons of the CAM Community School District have some very important meetings coming up, with regard to a $30.5-million bond issue that will be on the November 2^nd ballot. First-up, on Wednesday, Oct. 6^th, the Communication, Accountability, Transparency or (CAT) for Cougars Committee will hold a community awareness meeting in the Anita Community Center, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Organizers say the focus of the meeting is to hear the facts supporting voting NO on the bond issue.

The CAM District will hold CAM Bond Vote Community Informational Meetings 6:30p.m., on Wednesdays on the following dates: October 13^th, 20^th and 27^th.

• The meeting on the 13^th will be held in the CAM North Elementary Gym
• The Oct. 20^th meeting is in the Cumberland Community Room
• and the meeting on the 27^th is in the CAM South Elementary Gym.

The latter three meeting will be held in a hybrid format – that is both in-person and virtually via Zoom (see the Zoom Meeting ID’s and Passcodes at the end of this report).

CAM School District Superintendent Paul Croghan says there are two questions associated with the bond issue proposal, that will be on the ballot.

(The first is about the General Obligation Bond being $30.5-million. The bond would fund the construction, furnish and equip additions, remodel, repair, improve, provide and equip the existing South Elementary/Middle School building and Senior High building. The proposal would also improve the sites, transition to a single elementary site in Massena, a single Junior/Senior High site in Anita, and enhance athletic complexes and areas. )

The second question asks about the tax rate.

(It proposes an annual levy of a tax exceeding $2.75, but not to exceed $4.05, per thousand dollars of the assessed value of the taxable property within the CAM District to pay the principal of and interest on the bonded indebtedness of the school corporation.)

If approved, the proposition would not limit the source of payment of the bonds and interest but shall only operate to restrict the amount of bonds issued. Croghan said there will be time for additional presentations during the three mentioned District meetings, along with question and answer sessions, and a tour of the three buildings during the meeting at those separate facilities.

On the District’s website, in addition to links for facilities assessment information, is a link for you to calculate the impact on your property by the proposed $4.05 tax levy.

ZOOM meeting information: Anita meeting, ID 834 0700 7378, Passcode 92650; Cumberland meeting, ID 844 1056 5288, Passcode 259731; Massena meeting, ID 836 2470 4520, Passcode 555301.

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