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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Sidney, Iowa) – Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope has issued a report on arrests that occurred between January 24th and February 14th:
On January 24th, Fremont County Deputies arrested 45-year-old Tasha Denise Beale, of Franklin, Virginia. She was already being held in the Fremont County Jail in reference to an incident that occurred January 20th, when she was arrested for Assault with Injury on correctional officer. It is further alleged that Beale assaulted a Sheriff’s Office employee, causing minor injury. Beale was released February 15th for time served after a plea of guilty.
On January 26th, Fremont deputies with the assistance of the Fremont County K9 Unit, arrested 38-year-old Aimee Kay Wright, of Nebraska City, NE, on Interstate 29. Wright was arrested for Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was released on bond.
The next day (Jan. 27), 46-year-old Violet Ruth Campbell, of Tarkio, MO., was arrested on 250th street in Fremont County, for Operating while Intoxicated 1st Offense. She was released on bond. 52-year-old Michael Jerry Thorne, of Omaha, NE., was arrested that same day for OWI/1st offense.He was also released on bond.
On January 30th, 27-year-old Briana Chyenne Lloyd, of Randolph, was arrested at the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office for Violation of Probation. She was released on bond.
On the 5th of February, deputies with the Fremont County K9 Unit arrested 47-year-old Joshua Joel Moses, of Clarinda, for Child Endangerment, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine). He was released on bond.
This past Tuesday, deputies with assistance of the Fremont County K9 Unit, arrested 45-year-old Robert Alan Herzberg, of Bedford, and 34-year-old Samantha Danielle Hull, of Coin. Herzberg was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of Prescription drugs. Hull was charged with two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Prescription drugs, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Deputies recovered approximately 3lbs of suspected marijuana, and items that field-tested positive for fentanyl and methamphetamine. Herzberg and Hull were both released on a $5,000 cash/surety bond.
Also arrested on the 13th, was 54-year-old Paul Clinten Bolton, of Glenwood, for Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Offense, (methamphetamine). He was released after posting a $5,000 cash/surety bond.
On Valentine’s Day: Deputies arrested 50-year-old Clayton Todd Donelson, of Council Bluffs, for OWI 1st Offense. He was released on a cash bond; 30-year-old Brett Michael Parrott, of Sidney, was arrested for Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Methamphetamine, two counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was released on a $1,000 cash bond.
Herzberg
Donelson
Campbell
Bolton
Beale
Thorne
Hull
Lloyd
Moses
Parrott
Wright
(Glenwood) – The State Fire Marshal’s Office has determined spontaneous combustion of oily rags in the shop area, was the cause of a blaze early Thursday morning at Best Finish Auto Sales and Service, in Glenwood.
The fire that broke out at around 3-a.m. Thursday, caused damage to the structure, about a half-dozen vehicles inside the shop, as well as shop equipment, such as tire changing machines.
A dollar amount of the damage was not immediately available. Glenwood Fire received mutual aid from the Council Bluffs, Red Oak, Silver City, Oak Township and Malvern Fire Departments in fighting the flames.
(Cedar Rapids/ISP District 11) – A driver on Interstate 80 near West Branch was pulled over after passing an officer at more than 100 mph with a child, not wearing a seatbelt, in the backseat. The Iowa State Patrol shared an image on Facebook on Thursday, calling the incident “shocking and concerning.” The patrol trooper was driving down I-80 near West Branch in a fully marked patrol car when the driver passed him going 102 mph, according to the post.
“What makes this situation truly alarming?!? The presence of a small child in the backseat, completely UNBELTED! It’s hard to fathom the gravity of this situation,” the post says.
The Iowa State Patrol said the driver was stopped safely and no one was injured.
February 16, 2024 (DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board has approved awards for two companies, which will assist in the creation of 76 jobs and result in nearly $200 million in new capital investment for the state. The projects are located in Fort Dodge and Shell Rock.
Pet food producer to expand Fort Dodge facility
Nestle Purina PetCare Company is a subsidiary of Nestle S.A. and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Purina manufactures pet care products, including pet food, snacks and cat litter products. The company plans to construct an 80,000-square-foot expansion to their facility in Fort Dodge with the purchase of machinery and equipment to install a new product line. The project represents a $175 million capital investment and is expected to create 50 incented jobs at a qualifying wage of $21.74 per hour. The board, Friday (today) awarded the company tax benefits through the High Quality Jobs (HQJ) program.
Feldmeier Equipment to construct new Shell Rock facility
Feldmeier Equipment manufactures stainless steel tanks and pressure vessels and provides custom fabrication services. The company plans to build a new 130,000-square-foot facility to bring additional manufacturing capabilities, which will move product lines from the New York location to Shell Rock. The project represents a capital investment of nearly $23 million and was awarded tax benefits through the HQJ program. It is expected to create and retain 26 jobs, of which 25 are incented at a qualifying wage of $26.64 per hour.
(Radio Iowa) – A bill creating standards for arming school employees has made it past a legislative deadline this week. The bill would establish a state permit for school staff who volunteer to carry weapons in school buildings. They would have to pass an annual background check and go through training. Representative Phil Thompson, a Republican from Boone, is chairman of the House Public Safety Committee. Thompson says the bill is a response to events like the deadly school shooting in Perry last month.
“Response time in a desperate situation like this really is everything,” Thompson says, “and so we need to give districts and staff the tools they need to protect our children and protect themselves.” The bill grants qualified immunity to school districts that allow staff to carry guns. That’s a response to insurance companies that threatened to drop coverage for districts that tried to do it in the past. Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, a Democrat from Ames, says having guns in schools is a risk.
“Putting more children in the line of fire is frightening,” Wessel-Kroeschell said. The bill originally said the state’s 11 largest school districts had to have at least one school resource officer or private security guard in every high school, but the committee changed the bill to let school boards to opt-out of that requirement.
(Council Bluffs, Iowa) — A west central Iowa woman was given a deferred judgment in Pottawattamie County District Court, Thursday, following her plea of guilty in an embezzlement case. According to the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office, 55-year-old Staci Lee Ploen, of Dexter, agreed to plead guilty to charges of 1st degree theft – a Class C Felony – and tampering with records – an aggravated misdemeanor. Charges of Ongoing Criminal Conduct, Money Laundering, Fraudulent Practices and Forgery, were dismissed by the Court, in December. Ploen was facing up to 10-years in prison. Instead, she was placed on formal supervised probation for a period of two-years, and 30-days in jail on the tampering charge. Ploen must also pay $100,000 at sentencing.
Ploen – a former Pott. County resident and bookkeeper at Avoca Repair and Towing, was charged in connection with an investigation that began in August, 2021, when the owners of the business discovered information leading to a suspicion that Ploen embezzled from their business.
An investigation determined the activity spanned several years, and resulted in the loss of several hundred thousand dollars. Authorities then obtained a warrant to seize financial records and funds, pending the outcome of the case. A review of information gathered and an interview led to Ploen’s arrest.
More than $200,000 in seized funds were turned over to the victimized business.
(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report two people were arrested on separate charges, Thursday. Just before 7-a.m., Thursday, 38-year-old Manuel Luke Richardson, of Creston, was arrested for: Public Intoxication; Burglary 1st Degree; Domestic Abuse Assault 3rd or Subsequent Offense; Going Armed with Intent; Obstruction of Emergency Communications, and Harassment 1st Degree. Richardson was being held in the Union County Jail on a $37,000 cash or approved surety bond.
And, at around 9:15-p.m., Thursday, 46-year-old William Peter Fargo, of Creston, was arrested at his home, for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st Offense. Fargo was taken to Union County Jail and held without bond until seen by a Judge.
(Des Moines, Iowa [Iowa Capital Dispatch]) – Election changes, fetal development education requirements and parking meters were among the topics Iowa lawmakers debated Thursday, the last day to move certain bills before the first legislative deadline of the 2024 session. House Republicans introduced several major education bills the previous day and shepherded them through the subcommittee and committee processes Thursday. The quick turnaround was necessary — most legislation must be passed by a committee in at least one chamber this week to remain eligible for consideration. While there are some exceptions to the deadline, lawmakers spent Thursday in committee meetings passing through bills to ensure they remain up for debate in the coming weeks.
Here are some of the bills that survived the “funnel” deadline Thursday:
Education
Area Education Agencies: The House Education Committee approved House Study Bill 713 on a 15-8 vote. Though Democrats voted against the measure, they praised House Republicans for the proposal, the result of weeks of work on Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposed overhaul of the Area Education Agencies system. AEAs provide special education services to Iowa students. The governor’s initial proposal would have allowed schools to contract with private companies or other AEAs to meet students’ special education needs, in addition to cutting agencies’ ability to provide general education and media services — though these provisions were pulled back in an amendment. The legislation was met with significant opposition by educators and Iowans whose families receive AEA services. While a House subcommittee voted down the bill, senators advanced the measure with plans for changes. On Wednesday, the Senate Education Committee passed an amended version of the Reynolds’ bill.
In the subcommittee meeting Thursday, advocates, educators and lobbyists said the new bill addresses many of the concerns they had with the initial legislation. The House bill would continue sending all federal special education funds directly to AEAs, and would require state and local funding for special education to go to school districts, which would be required to continue using AEAs to provide those services. School districts would be able to work with private entities for media and general education services beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, and could still work with AEAs for these services on a contract basis. In the subcommittee meeting, some advocates still brought up concerns with the bill on issues like operational sharing or the future of AEAs’ crisis intervention services, but thanked House lawmakers for the proposal. Melissa Peterson with the Iowa State Education Association said while the organization is still registered in opposition to the legislation, “this is our favorite so far.”
Fetal development education: The House Education Committee advanced House File 2031 along party lines Thursday, a bill that would require schools to show fetal development videos to students. Rep. Molly Buck, D-Ankeny, repeated calls from reproductive rights advocates in the bill’s subcommittee meeting that the material schools would be required to show may not be medically accurate. The bill highlights “Meet Baby Olivia,” a video produced by the anti-abortion group Live Action, as an example of what would be shown in classrooms.
Buck said many of the development facts, as well as the “views expressed” in the video, run contrary to those accepted by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Buck said she believed subjects mandated to be taught in school should be based in accepted practices and information by the scientific community.
College student data reports: The House Education Committee unanimously passed an amended version of House File 2347, which would make college and career transition counselors exempt from supplemental weights for school districts and require data reports from community colleges. The bill would bar college and career transition counselors from counting toward supplemental weighting caps for school districts with shared operational functions with community colleges or other organizations. The change allows districts to receive additional funding for student support and resources.
The amendment struck requirements that private universities and certain other institutions gather data and compile reports on their graduates, including income and student loan debt. Community colleges would still be required to publish information and statistics about different career paths and debt through the Iowa Student Outcomes website, which Rep. Dan Gehlbach, R-Urbandale, said they already do. Critics of the bill said in a Wednesday subcommittee meeting that the original bill would duplicate data reporting requirements colleges and universities already fulfill and create additional burdens for colleges and schools. It could also lead to reporting inaccurate data, opponents said.
Election law: Ballot drop boxes and ranked-choice voting would be banned under House Study Bill 697, which the House State Government Committee passed Thursday on a 15-7 vote. Its companion, Senate Study Bill 3161, passed through the Senate committee Wednesday. The bill also requires absentee ballots to be received by county auditors the day before the election and requires absentee voters to list their driver’s license or voter ID numbers when returning their ballots. The bill also includes a provision limiting challenges Iowans can pose to federal candidates’ eligibility to appear on the ballot. Zabner said the legislation is “a favor for one man,” former President Donald Trump, who faces 91 felony charges and is currently involved in a U.S. Supreme Court case weighing whether Colorado has the ability to disqualify him from the state’s presidential primary ballot.
Hemp regulation: Legislation expanding state regulatory oversight of hemp products passed the House Public Safety Committee unanimously Thursday, despite some lingering concerns that the legislation might negatively affect children with medical conditions. House Study Bill 665 includes measures allowing the state Department of Health and Human Services to more directly regulate the sale of hemp-derived and cannabis products. The agency could penalize businesses that are not conforming to Iowa law, such as the sale of products that are above Iowa’s THC limit or in a non-accepted form like raw flower products or alcoholic beverages containing THC. Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, s said he expected changes in the bill before it reaches the House floor.
Parking meters: A bill that would forbid “double dipping” by electronic parking systems, House Study Bill 669, advanced out of the House Public Safety Committee on a vote of 14-9. The bill would require parking meters to allow the use of a parking space by any user for the duration of the time purchased, regardless of whether the person who paid for the parking is occupying the space. It would also require meters, kiosks, or internet applications used to purchase parking to display any remaining time left by a previous user.
Police officer decertification: The House Public Safety Committee, with little discussion, unanimously passed legislation that would require automatic decertification of a police officer after a second conviction for drunken driving. House File 2413 would extend the list of offenses that require decertification by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. It applies to an officer who twice pleads guilty to or is convicted of driving a vehicle with a blood-alcohol concentration of .08 percent or more, or with a measurable amount of a controlled substance in their blood or urine.
Grain indemnity fund: A bill that is meant to help modernize the state’s Grain Indemnity Fund received unanimous support from the Senate Agriculture Committee. Senate Study Bill 3174 would roughly double the fund’s operating balance and will expand its coverage to credit-sale contracts. The fund reimburses farmers for their losses when a state-licensed grain dealer buys their corn or soybeans but goes defunct before paying. The fund covers 90% of losses at amounts of up to $300,000 per sale. The bill would increase the minimum fund balance to $8 million and the maximum to $16 million. The current minimum and maximum are $3 million and $8 million. Sen. Jeff Edler, R-State Center, said further changes to the fund’s operation are possible as the bill continues through the legislative process.
(Des Moines, Iowa [Iowa Capital Dispatch]) – A bill that was amended in the Iowa Senate on Thursday would now prohibit the state’s regent universities from researching “manufactured protein products.” The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Senate Study Bill 3162, which pertains to meat labeling, had previously received early bipartisan support as a way to help consumers distinguish between food that contains meat or meat substitutes, but it was rewritten Thursday by Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
A copy of the amended bill was not immediately publicly available, but Sen. Dawn Driscoll, R-Williamsburg, said in the committee meeting that the new version “prohibits the Board of Regents from conducting research into the production or use of manufactured protein products.” Meat look-alikes that are derived from cell cultivations, insects or plants also cannot be labeled as beef, chicken, goat, lamb, pork, sheep or turkey, the bill says, and wrongly labeled and “cell-cultivated products” should not be purchased by schools.
“Lab grown products are made in a petri dish and are not the same as the high-quality beef, pork, poultry, goat, lamb raised by hardworking Iowa farm families,” Driscoll said. “The taxpayer dollars should not be used to support these products over the real meat raised on Iowa farms.” Democrats of the committee were incensed by the abrupt changes to a bill they previously supported.
“The clarity of labeling — wanting to make sure people understand when they’re getting a plant-based product versus an actual beef or pork product — those things are important,” said Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines. “But when we go a step further, and we do it right before a committee meets, and we restrict research, all of a sudden we’re getting way, way, way far away from the original point of this legislation.”
Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, said the amended bill improperly favors one type of Iowa agriculture — livestock production — over another type — soybean production, which is a source of protein for meat substitutes. “I don’t understand what the beef industry’s worried about, because I don’t know anybody who wants to grill soy burger when they have people over,” Dotzler said. “Iowans and people across this country love beef. Why are you worried?”
SIOUX CITY, Iowa [KCAU] — A lawsuit has been settled between northwest Iowa landowners and BNSF Railway over a 2018 train derailment and oil spill. Plaintiffs Phillip Kooima, Krisi Kooima, John Kooima, Helen Kooima, and the four trusts in which they are each the trustees filed the lawsuit against the railway, asking for actual damages and punitive damages. According to court documents, a settlement had been agreed upon on Jan. 17 with the case being dismissed with prejudice on Feb. 13. Details of the settlement have not been not provided. The lawsuit was initially filed in Lyon County as a district court case but was later moved to federal court.
On the morning of June 22, 2018, a train owned by BNSF carrying more than 30 cars of crude oil derailed just south of the community of Doon, Iowa. Some of the cars were compromised and leaked oil into floodwaters in Lyon County. The derailment and oil spill also forced the evacuations of several farms in the area. According to the lawsuit, the derailment caused 160,000 gallons of tar sand oil to spill into the waters, flooding the train tracks. The National Transportation Safety Board found that speed was not a factor in the derailment. Instead, over 48 hours of heavy rain washed out the tracks. Multiple agencies responded to the derailment and assisted in cleaning up the spill. The plaintiffs own approximately 464 acres of farmland in Lyon County that was damaged by the oil spill.
Progressive Railroading (photo) – Derailment near Doon, IA 2018
In December 2021, BNSF Railway agreed to pay a $1.5 million settlement to the Environmental Protection Agency.
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