Des Moines, Iowa — A Des Moines man is at a loss after at least two thieves attached his trailer to their truck and took off. Steve Felton is a subcontractor and makes a living with that trailer. Felton said he’s out about $20,000. KCCI reports the trailer was filled with all of his tools and sat right outside his home. Video shows at least two people attached his trailer to their truck and left with it. Felton says several nearby business owners and homeowners also saw the truck driving off with his trailer.

Tools in the trailer ranged from all types and sizes, but there were a few that were special to Felton — like some owned by his father and grandfather. Felton is asking the thieves to bring his trailer and tools back. He’s even offering a $1,000 reward to them for the return of his  property.

The reward is also for anyone who provides tips leading to the return of his trailer and a conviction. Des Moines police confirm they are investigating the theft. If anyone has information relating to the trailer, contact police at 515-283-4811.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Two more Iowa State Patrol troopers’ names have been added to the Iowa Peace Officers Memorial near the statehouse.  Trooper Ted Benda and Sgt. Jim Smith were both honored in a ceremony Friday morning. Both lost their lives in the line of duty.

Benda died in October 2021 while responding to a call in Clayton County. He served the department for 15 years. Sgt. Smith was shot and killed in April of 2021 while trying to arrest a suspect in Grundy Center. He served the Iowa State Patrol for 27 years. The trial for the man charged with killing him begins Monday.

Trooper Benda

Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg attended the event. The Iowa State Patrol says this type event is always emotional for everyone involved.

Sgt. Smith

(Algona, Iowa) — A fiery collision of two semi tractor-trailers in northern Iowa’s Kossuth County, Friday morning, left one man dead and another seriously injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash happened in the Algona city limits, a little before 9-a.m., Friday.

The Patrol reports a 2000 Freightliner semi driven by 49-year-old Chad Bjork, of Albert City, was southbound on 70th Avenue, and a 2006 Peterbilt semi driven by 48-year-old Allan Schuler, of Thompson, was eastbound 160th Street, when Bjork failed to yield to the right of way. His semi was struck by Schuler’s rig, in the middle of the intersection.

Both vehicles came to rest in the southeast ditch. Both caught fire and burned completely, according to the Patrol. Bjork was seriously injured. The man was not wearing a seat belt. He was airlifted to MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City. Schuler died at the scene.

(Waterloo, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Corrections, Friday, said 29-year-old Tracy Vanshion Traylor, who was convicted on 1st Degree Burglary and other charges in Black Hawk County, failed to report back to the Waterloo residential facility as required Thursday.

Tracy Vashion Traylor (IA DOC photo)

Traylor is a Black male, height 5′ 10″, and weighs 208 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on 03/08/2022.

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

(Red Oak, Iowa) — Police in Red Oak, Friday evening, arrested a man on a warrant for Assault. Authorities report 37-year-old Randon Daniel Phelps, of Red Oak, was taken into custody on a valid warrant for domestic abuse assault – 1^st offense.

Phelps was being held without bond int the Montgomery County Jail.

(Red Oak, Iowa) — Authorities in Montgomery County, Friday, said a man was arrest on a Felony Theft charge related to the theft of nearly 864 gallons of fuel. A joint investigation involving the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Red Oak Police resulted in the arrest of 19-year-old Tucker Alan Tepoel, from Villisca. He was charged with 2nd degree theft–a Class D felony. His bond was set at $5,000.

And, Police in Red Oak Police are asking for your help in locating a stolen pickup truck. A blue, 1997 Chevy extended cab half-ton pickup with Iowa license plate BOJ 946, was reported stolen from Red Oak at around 12:30-p.m., today (Friday). The vehicle was taken from outside of a residence at 111 W. Walnut Street, in Red Oak, between 10- and 10:30-a.m.

The vehicle has blue fender flares, and has a loud squeal, because it doesn’t have a power steering pump. If you see this vehicle, please notify your local law enforcement agency or you can also call the Red Oak Police Department at 712-623-6500.

(Radio Iowa) – Consumers can buy small handheld devices that measure outdoor air quality for as little as 110-dollars these days — and Brian Hutchins of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says these monitors do show air quality TRENDS — but often have higher air pollution readings than the monitors used by government agencies like his.

“EPA has been doing some studies to show the differences between these monitors, so one needs to bear that in mind,” Hutchins says. At least one manufacturer of outdoor air monitors for personal use has warned that in wildfire conditions air quality readings may be slightly too high — because of the density of smoke particles. Hutchins says people with asthma or other health conditions still may find the information useful.

“It will give an indication of what the air quality is in real time, so one can look at the results from the low cost sensors and help people make determinations of their outdoor activities on a day to day basis,” Hutchins says. In 2020, the D-N-R participated in a 16-state study of how results from government-maintained monitors compared to hand-held devices.

The U-S Environmental Protection Agency then came up with a way to calculate the difference in readings and now uses data from small, consumer-grade monitors along with information from satellites and government-maintained monitors to measure air quality.  “People can go to EPA’s Air Now website and you can see the real-time data on that website and it will tell you whether we’re having a good day for air quality,” Hutchins says, “or if we have elevated levels, it will show that, too.”

There are also smart-phone apps that show air quality measurements. Last July, an air quality alert was issued for the entire state of Iowa due to wildfires in Canada and the western United States. Last month’s wildfires in southwest Nebraska did not dramatically affect air quality in Iowa, but experts say with wildfire seasons starting earlier in the west and spreading into Nebraska and Kansas, that’s likely to cause prompt more air quality alerts in Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) -May is Stroke Awareness Month in Iowa, as people are urged to learn about the dangers of what’s now the state’s seventh-leading cause of death. Mark Mintun, a physician’s assistant at Van Diest Medical Center in Webster City, says a stroke is essentially a brain attack. “Everybody understands, for the most part, what a heart attack is,” Mintun says, “so if you think about a stroke as a heart attack but in the brain, maybe that would be an easier way to look at it.”

Mintun says there are basically two types of stroke.  “There’s one that’s a caused by a clot, which is like what you have with a heart attack,” Mintun says. “There’s another less common form called a hemorrhagic stroke, which is when you rupture a small artery in your head, and you have a stroke because all the brain tissue surrounding that area can’t get fed because of the blood that has leaked out into the brain.”

There are a few key symptoms or warning signs that a person may have suffered a stroke, and one way to remember them all as with the word FAST. “Face, Arm, Speech and Time,” Mintun says. “Face, if you have facial droop. Arm, if you have one-sided weakness, like you can’t lift your arm or your arm’s not functioning properly. Speech, if you’re having trouble speaking. And then Time. Naturally, if that happens, if you see any of those symptoms, get to the emergency department right away because time is important.”

The Iowa Department of Public Health reports 1,390 Iowans died of stroke in 2020.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa-based Hy-Vee grocery store chain has cut more workers. A company statement says 57 positions were eliminated across Hy-Vee’s corporate offices. They include employees from the I-T, engineering, equipment, real estate, and construction departments. All of the employees were offered retail positions at Hy-Vee and will be provided 30 days of pay and benefits.

The statement says they have now reduced their corporate office staff by more than 415 positions. The employees transferred to leadership positions in retail, took early retirement, or voluntarily left the company. The statement concludes by saying Hy-Vee is confident that these changes will help them be better prepared for the potential economic difficulties to come.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest on Thursday, of 30-year-old William Lewis, of Glenwood. Lewis was arrested for Possession of a controlled substance. His cash or surety bond was set at $1,000.