(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of a Decatur County man who rammed the bale spears of a tractor into the sheriff’s S-U-V. Gerry Greenland was convicted of attempted murder and assault on a peace officer after the incident near Grand River in May of 2019. The sheriff was responding to a fight involving Greenland and family members. His S-U-V was damaged, but the sheriff escaped injury.

Greenland’s appeal says there was no evidence he knew the unmarked S-U-V contained a law officer, and questioned whether the slow-moving tractor was a dangerous weapon. The Court of Appeals ruling says the red and blue flashing lights and a sheriff’s department license plate were a clear indication it was a law enforcement vehicle. It says if the sheriff had been driving a less sturdy vehicle, the bale spears would have penetrated the door and caused serious injury or death.

Atlantic, IA — Officials with Cass Health in Atlantic, say they are excited to announce that a new partnership with Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates (MGI), PC will bring two GI specialists to Atlantic. Beginning February 1, 2024 Dr. Benjamin Hall and Dr. Helen Fasanya-Uptagraft will alternate travel to Cass Health monthly. Appointments will be available on the first and fourth Thursday of every month, and both doctors will provide care for conditions such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, Hepatitis C, diverticulitis, and other GI issues. While in Atlantic, they will also perform colonoscopy and EGD (upper endoscopy) procedures.

Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft

Dr. Benjamin Hall

Dr. Hall is originally from Topeka, Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine, and then completed a fellowship program in Gastroenterology and Hepatology from the University of Wisconsin. During this training, he completed a six-month sub-fellowship training in the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Dr. Hall is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Gastroenterology, and a professional member of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft received her medical degree from Creighton University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and her fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Duke University. Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Gastroenterology, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and a professional member of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Patients are encouraged to talk with their primary care providers about making appointments for procedures or clinic visits with Dr. Hall and Dr. Fasanya-Uptagraft.

AMES, Iowa – Jan. 25, 2024 – The heavy snow and arctic temperatures we’ve experienced the past month seem to have passed for now, but with the recent fluctuating temperatures and ample moisture, you’re likely seeing potholes popping up. Potholes are mostly caused by moisture getting into or underneath the pavement. During freeze and thaw periods, moisture causes the asphalt or concrete to shift, buckle, or break. When vehicles drive over these weakened areas, leaving those dreaded potholes.

The Iowa Department of Transportation maintenance forces, as well as city and county crews, are patching potholes as quickly as they can using cold-mix asphalt. In many cases, it’s not a long-lasting solution but it improves your driving experience until the weather warms up enough to place a more permanent patch in the spring. Permanent patches use hot-mix asphalt or Portland cement concrete and work best when the temperatures are above freezing and stay that way. So this work is usually completed in the spring and summer. We are also proactive in the spring and summer, patching roads where we see significant cracking or deteriorated pavement, which can eventually lead to potholes.

To report potholes on streets or county roadways, contact the local city administrator/engineer or county engineer. You can report potholes on the interstates, Iowa numbered routes, and U.S. highways to the Iowa DOT’s maintenance manager located nearest the problem roadway. Go to this website to find that contact information.

(Washington, D-C) – Officials in Washington, today (Thursday), announced more than $4.9 billion in funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to 37 projects through two major discretionary grant programs, the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) grant program and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program. This includes $34 million in funding for the Southeast Connector: SE 30th to US 65 project, in Des Moines

The project will construct the final approximately 2.2-mile roadway section of the Southeast Connector between SE 30th Street in Des Moines to US 65 in Pleasant Hill. The project will also modify public infrastructure to accommodate the planned expansion of a freight facility. The project provides two vehicular travel lanes, curbs and gutters, street lighting, and an approximate 12-foot multi-use trail with green space on the south side. The project also includes an approximately 1,515-foot long seven span bridge that will traverse over Fourmile Creek. The project will improve safety for vulnerable roadway users by adding a multi-use trail separated from the roadway. The project will also improve safety by eliminating three at-grade crossings.

(Radio Iowa) – Health care workers, including pharmacists, could refuse to provide any service that violates their ethical, moral or religious beliefs under a bill that’s cleared an Iowa Senate subcommittee. Tom Chapman is executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference, which supports the bill. “No medical practitioner should be forced to participate in a procedure or medication to which he or she has an objection of conscience or violate their oath to do no harm,” Chapman said.

For more than four decades, Iowa law has said doctors cannot be forced to perform abortions. This bill would let health care professionals refuse to make referrals or provide any surgery, medication or service. Dane Schumann, a lobbyist for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, says the bill is very broad. “Say a practitioner is hired by an OB practice…and decides later on that they object to providing c-sections. That can be a religious objection that some people actually do have out there. The bill makes it impossible to accommodate the practice,” he said. “You can’t change them to a different shift. They can’t reduce their hours.”

Jan. 24 Senate Subcommittee hearing (RI photo)

Connie Ryan, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, says the bill meddles in the lives of patients. “A medical professional, institution or payer should never impose their religious beliefs on the health and life of a person or their family,” Ryan said. Pastor Brad Cranston of Burlington is founder of Iowa Baptists for Biblical Values, which supports the bill. “I encourage you to ensure that Iowa is a place where every citizen can not only live and worship in freedom, but also work according to the dictates of their own beliefs without fear,” Cranston said.

Doctors and other medical professionals who testified at the hearing said the bill could alter the basic standard of care for Iowans based on what hospital they enter or doctor they see.

(Radio Iowa) – A Sioux City man is charged with second-degree robbery for a bank holdup that was a repeat of a past crime. Police say 31-year-old Jonathan Birdnecklace entered the great Southern bank shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday and passed a note to the teller demanding money and made a threat to shoot the teller if they pushed an alarm. He was located about a mile away by police later Tuesday afternoon.

This is the second time Birdnecklace has been arrested for robbing that great Southern Bank. He was arrested and charged with robbing the bank on October 30th of 2014. Birdnecklace was convicted of second-degree robbery that time and served several years in prison.

Jonathan Birdnecklace. (Sioux City booking photo)

He is being held on a $35,000 bond for the latest bank robbery charge.

(Radio Iowa) – A report from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services proposes big changes to public health models, including the consolidation of county public health offices into ten to 15 regions across Iowa. It could mean local public health workers would become state employees. Kaitlin Emrich, public health director for Black Hawk County, worries the quality of care could diminish the further it gets from the local level. “It would have significant impacts on how we serve our communities,” Emrich says.

“Obviously, we would lose some decision making, and potentially have workforce changes along with that as well.” She says keeping public health as close to home as possible is important for quality care.

“As locals, we tend to really be proud of the fact that we know our communities well,” Emrich says, “that we understand what their needs are, and are adaptive to their needs and responsive to their needs.” Under the proposal from H-H-S, each of the state’s new health office regions would be serving at least 30-thousand people.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa [KETV]— A private school in Sioux City, Iowa is now arming staff members. KETV reports the superintendent of Siouxland Christian School says the idea started 18 months ago. Lindsay Laurich says after looking at research and holding several conversations, she decided to arm staff on campus. Laurich won’t say how many have access to the weapons, but says they were carefully vetted and trained.

Laurich says guns are something they hope never to have to use, but they will be available for staff to use, if a threat materializes.

It’s important to note that as a private school, Siouxland Christian has more leeway to implement a policy like this. Public schools need elected leaders support to move forward.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston, Wednesday night, arrested a man from Lenox. 36-year-old Alex Jordan Kolthoff was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center on a charge of Child Endangerment. Kolthoff was taken to Union County Jail and later released after posting a $2,000 cash or approved surety bond.

(Bode, Iowa) – Police in Fort Dodge have arrested a person of interest in connection to a fatal shooting that occurred on December 29th (2023).  Investigators say they received a tip Wednesday (Jan. 24, 2024), that 37-year-old David S. Dayton, of Ft. Dodge, was in the Humboldt County town of Bode. Earlier in the day, Wednesday, police increased the reward for information leading to Dayton. Police say David Dayton is a person of interest in the homicide of 45-year-old Ryan Andrews, in Fort Dodge.

At around 1:15-p.m., Wednesday, members of the Ft. Dodge Police Department with the assistance of the Iowa State Patrol Tactical Team, as well as numerous other law enforcement agencies, executed a search warrant at a residence in Bode. Law enforcement made numerous attempts to make contact with Dayton, but were initially unsuccessful. Authorities say multiple tactics were used to manage the incident and safeguard Dayton, members of the community, and law enforcement. After a period of time, Dayton exited the residence and was taken into custody on a Violation of Parole warrant out of Pocahontas County.

David S. Dayton

In addition to the previously mentioned ISP Tactical Team, Ft. Dodge Police were assisted by the State Patrol, Iowa DCI, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Webster County Attorney’s Office, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, and Humboldt County Emergency Services.