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Bluffs Police ask for help in finding a missing boy

News

November 3rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Council Bluffs Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating 11 year old Kyle Walding, who is a missing child from the Children’s Square USA Facility located at 500 North 7th Street in Council Bluffs. Walding is described as a white male 4’8” tall and 73 lbs. with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen at Children’s Square at 7:30 pm, he was wearing a black and gray hooded sweatshirt, dark colored sweat pants, and a yellow and gray beanie cap with a ball on top.

Kyle Walding

Kyle Walding

Walding left the facility with several other runaways, who are all older children.
If anyone locates this child, you are encouraged to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department (712) 328-5737 or the Criminal Investigations Division at (712) 328-4728.

Council Bluffs man arrested for 2 counts of Attempted Murder

News

November 3rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A Pottawattamie County man was arrested late Wednesday night on two counts of Attempted Murder. Council Bluffs Police say 21-year old Zachary Ratliff of Council Bluffs, had fled the scene of the attack in the 100 block of Glen Avenue at around 10:44-p.m., but was apprehended several blocks away. Ratliff refused to speak with a detective, and was transported to a local Hospital for treatment of injuries he received during the altercation.

When officers initially arrived on the scene of the incident, they were informed by witnesses that the victims, 18 year old David Combs and 21 year old Timothy Black, both of Council Bluffs, had driven themselves to a local Hospital to seek treatment for the injuries they suffered during the incident. An investigation determined Ratliff had arrived at Combs and Black’ residence with another male, and an altercation ensued outside of the residence on the sidewalk.

During the altercation, Ratliff was said to have produced a type of cutting instrument and used it to cut the two victims before fleeing the scene. The victims’ injuries were not considered to be life threatening. The investigation into the incident is ongoing by the Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with any information that was in the area at the time of this incident is encouraged to contact this Division at 712-328-4728 or they may call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

Iowa early News Headlines: Thu., Nov. 2rd 2016

News

November 3rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a white man with a history of racial provocations and confrontations with police ambushed and fatally shot two white officers. The separate attacks happened early Wednesday in the Des Moines, Iowa, area. The suspect identified as 46-year-old Scott Michael Greene surrendered hours later.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The two Iowa police officers shot and killed in separate ambush-style attacks are being remembered as friendly public servants. Des Moines police Sgt. Tony Beminio was a dedicated and popular officer who seemed to always have a smile. Urbandale officer Justin Martin is recalled as a “kind, gentle, compassionate” person who was just beginning a law enforcement career.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Police have arrested an Ames woman on suspicion of killing her husband in a shooting death that authorities had originally reported as an accident. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that 35-year-old Candace Cummings has been charged with first-degree murder in the Oct. 21 shooting death of 36-year-old Harland “Jesse” Cummings.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man says he had two recent confrontations with the man police believe ambushed and fatally shot two Des Moines-area police officers. Ardis Gardner, who is black, says Scott Michael Greene, who is white, waved a Confederate flag during the national anthem at the group of black parents he was sitting with at an Oct. 14 high school football game and intimidated them again a week later at another game.

Red Oak woman arrested for shoplifting

News

November 2nd, 2016 by admin

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak woman on Wednesday afternoon for shoplifting.  The arrest was made at 3:01pm after officers were called to the Family Dollar store on North Broadway Street for a report of a female that had taken items without paying. Officers arrested 38-year-old Joanie Lynn Mohn of Red Oak after she admitted to taking a smartphone lens replacement/repair kit that was valued at $5 without paying. The theft deterrent alarm sounded, alerting store employees to the theft. Mohn was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $300 cash bond for  Theft 5th Degree.

Police provide details about how suspect in killings of two cops was taken into custody

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Des Moines Police say the suspect in the early morning slaying of two central Iowa policemen was walking on a rural road and flagged down a passing state employee to turn himself in. The suspect is Scott Michael Greene, a 46-year-old from the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale. Urbandale is where the first shooting happened at about 1 a.m. A Des Moines policeman was shot a few minutes later as he was responding to the report of shots fired.

A spokesman for Des Moines police says Greene approached a Department of Natural Resources officer on a gravel road near Interstate 80, about halfway between Stuart and Earlham, showed the officer his I-D and asked the officer to call 9-1-1. Dallas County deputies and Iowa State Patrol officers raced to the scene. Greene peacefully surrendered at about 9 a.m.

Greene complained of a “flare up” of a previous medical condition, according to Des Moines police, and he was taken to a Des Moines hospital “as a precaution.” “He’ll be interviewed once he’s well enough to make a statement,” according to a spokesman for Des Moines Police.

(Radio Iowa)

Suspect in slaying of cops has history of run-ins with police

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Police in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale have had several encounters with the man in custody for killing two policemen early this (Wednesday) morning, but Urbandale Police Chief Ross McCarty says there was no indication that Scott Michael Greene might resort to such violence. The 46-year-old Greene is accused of first gunning down Urbandale Officer Justin Martin, who was shot in his patrol vehicle around 1 a.m.

“Our officer took fire from the side of his vehicle,” McCarty said. “We can’t tell you how many rounds he took through his vehicle, but I’m pretty sure it’s over 15 and under 30.” Moments later, about two miles away, Greene allegedly shot and killed Des Moines Police Sergeant Anthony Beminio, who was also in a patrol car.

Investigators have said there was likely nothing the officers could have done to prevent the attacks. Greene was taken into custody at around 9 a.m. in rural Dallas County, where he flagged down a state DNR worker and asked him to call 911. McCarty said Greene appeared in court Tuesday afternoon, but it’s not clear if THAT played a role in shootings.

“I’m not sure…his mother and him had a disagreement over something and I don’t know if it was a civil case or if it was criminal,” McCarty said. Prior to Greene’s arrest, Urbandale Schools canceled classes for the day on McCarty’s suggestion. McCarty said Greene made “indirect” threats to the school district.

“There’s been some issues with the Urbandale School system lately and we’ve issued trespass warrants to Mr. Greene,” McCarty said. “The school system was in the process of working out what those would be, being he also has a daughter who’s a student in the school. So, they were setting the perimeters and working through that.”

In mid-October, Greene posted a video to YouTube which documents his removal from an Urbandale High School football game. McCarty said, as of this (Wednesday) morning, he had not seen the video but he was familiar with the incident. “I understand he had a Confederate flag and he was waving it during the national anthem. He had picked some people of color to wave it in front of,” McCarty said. “Although they didn’t complain to us, there was people in the crowd who felt it was offensive and he should be removed from the stadium.” Greene began recording the video outside the stadium after police officers escorted him out.

“He said he was invoking his First Amendment rights and that we were trampling on them,” McCarty said. “Officers told him that he was on private property and the people in charge of that property did not want him there. He left the school grounds, but used the public sidewalks to continue his demonstration.”

Police have said they believe Greene is the sole suspect in the murders of the two officers.

(Radio Iowa)

The latest on IA Officer shootings: Both graduated from Simpson College

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

An Iowa college says two Des Moines-area police officers who were ambushed and killed were both graduates of its criminal justice program. Simpson College President Jay Simmons says the deaths of Des Moines Sgt. Anthony Beminio and Urbandale officer Justin Martin are tragic and the loss is “almost too much to bear.”

Police say a white man with a history of racial provocations and confrontations with police killed the two officers in separate incidents early Wednesday. Beminio graduated from Simpson College in Indianola in 2001 and played football.

Martin graduated last year. Professor Fred Jones remembers him as a “kind, gentle, compassionate man” who went into police work because he wanted to serve the public. Martin had interned at the Urbandale Police Department during his senior year.

Simpson’s wrestling team will wear blue socks to honor the officers at its meet Thursday.

Accounts set-up for slain Officers’ Memorial contributions

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Des Moines Police Officer’s Credit Union has set up two accounts to accept memorial contributions for Sgt. Anthony Beminio and Officer Justin Martin.

Sgt. Beminio

Sgt. Beminio

Officer Martin

Officer Martin

Donations can be made through debit or credit cards via the Square Store at https://squareup.com/…/des-moines-police-officers-credit-un….

They will also accept in-person donations at each of their locations. Checks can be made payable to “Officer Justin Martin” or “Officer Justin Martin Memorial Fund” and can be mailed to the Credit Union’s main office at 423 East Court Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309. 14947583_10211233128373727_2957936214930500881_n

 

STEM Council awards new STEM BEST Partners in Iowa

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Governor’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Advisory Council has awarded 10 new STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Partners across Iowa. STEM BEST Partners transform typical K-12 classroom environments and methods to unite the workplace with the classroom and develop clear pathways from STEM education to STEM careers in the state. Since 2014, the STEM Council has established eight STEM BEST Partners that currently serve as examples of these school-business partnerships.
The STEM Council’s executive committee voted unanimously on Monday to award and support 10 of 14 proposed partnerships that bring to the table a total cost-share commitment of $566,234 and more than 60 business and community partners. Nearly $250,000 in STEM Council investment is made possible through a combination of state and private funds and is divided equally among the 10 awardees to purchase equipment and provide teacher training.
Among the newest STEM partnership districts, is the IKM-Manning Schools. Each selected program submitted an in-depth proposal, considering factors like education driven by industry need, rigorous, relevant and dynamic STEM curriculum and authentic partnerships.

To learn more about the model and the current eight STEM BEST partners, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov/STEMBEST.

Slain Iowa Police officers identified

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(Will be updated)

Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek has identified the two Police Officers killed in the shootings early this (Wednesday) morning. The Officers were Sgt. Anthony “Tony” Beminio with the Des Moines Police Department, and Officer Justin Martin of the Urbandale Police Department.

Officer Martin

Officer Martin

Sgt. Beminio

Sgt. Beminio

Sgt. Beminio had served on the Des Moines Police force since 2005, while Officer Martin was with the Urbandale P-D since 2015. Martin was single, while Beminio was married with children.

The suspect, 46-year old Scott Michael Greene, of Urbandale, was arrested after he  surrendered to a state Department of Natural Resources officer. Sgt. Parizek says Scott Michael Greene flagged down the officer in rural Dallas County, west of Des Moines, and presented his identification. He was taken into custody and is now being treated at a Des Moines hospital.

Parizek says Greene is suspected in the killings but hasn’t yet been charged.