The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors, Thursday, approved by a vote of 3-to 2, a 28E agreement that will have the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office providing law enforcement to the City of Guthrie Center. The arrangement is effective July 1st. Supervisors Mike Dickson and Jerry Caraher voted against the measure. Discussions about sharing the services of sheriff’s deputies with the City began about two-years ago, when the two-person Guthrie Center Police Department lost one of its officers, who accepted employment elsewhere. With the new agreement, the County agrees to provide a deputy for routine patrols in Guthrie Center, investigation of crimes and follow-up of crimes needing additional investigation, and traffic enforcement. It’s hoped coverage of the community will amount to an average 60-hours per week, according to the 28E agreement, which will cost the City a little more than $197,000 for the first year, Fiscal Year 2015-16, $41, 167 of which represents employee benefits. The City will make the payments to the County in quarterly installments.  The contract is valid through June 30, 2019.

Tomorrow (Saturday) marks 20 years since the disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit (HOO-zin-troot).

Jodi Huisentruit

The 27-year-old Long Prairie, Minnesota native was abducted outside her Mason City apartment early on June 27th, 1995, as she was heading to work at KIMT-TV in Mason City, where she was a News Anchor. Police found her car, blood, other personal belongings and evidence of a struggle in the parking lot. Investigators say the case remains open and they’re following leads. Lieutenant Rich Jensen, of the Mason City Police Department, says they’ve been committed to the case since that morning 20 years ago.

He says their goal is to find Jodi and hold those responsible for what happened to her. He says there are a lot of things about the case they haven’t been able to discuss to preserve the sanctity of the case because their expectation is to be in a courtroom someday holding a defendant accountable. Jensen says it’s frustrating not being able to talk about the case openly, especially when people question whether it’s a case that can be solved.

He says they want people to know that they are working on the case and are committed to it. Jensen says the public wants answers, but they can’t provide those answers. He says there is frustration that the case can’t be discussed more since it’s an ongoing criminal case and anything said could jeopardize the case in the future. Mason City police investigator Terrance Prochaska says he’s taken tips from people across the country regarding possible leads and it’s tough when he can’t even tell those people whether or not their tips helped.

He says some people will call back in a month and ask about the outcome of their tip, and it’s tough not to tell them anything. He explains to the person that the “bad guy is still out there…and he’s still listening or watching” and if the bad guy hears any of that information, it gives him an opportunity to hide. Prochaska says they take every tip seriously.

He says they never overlook leads, even from psychics, and they listen to other people’s theories. Prochaska says someone may have a better idea of how they can look at the case or suggest looking someplace new and possibly develop some sort of lead out of it or find something they’ve missed before.

The Mason City Police Department continues to work with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as leads develop. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Mason City Police at 641-421-3636. Huisentruit was declared legally dead in 2001.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak responding to a Disorderly Conduct call Thursday evening, ended-up arresting three people. Authorities say officers were called to the 4H Apartments at around 6:05-p.m.  Upon investigation, they arrested 21-year old Blake Wilkinson, of Red Oak, for Providing Alcohol to persons under the legal age of 21. Wilkinson was subsequently released on a citation.

Also taken into custody, for Possession of Alcohol under the age of 21, was 20-year old’s Juan Esquivel, Jr., and Sarah Michaela Marie Manchester, both of Shenandoah. They were brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 cash bond, each.

An effort called “Operation Dry Water” begins today (Friday) as federal, state and local law officers look to prevent drunken boating. The Iowa D-N-R’s boating law administrator, Susan Stocker, says officers make their presence known on the state’s lakes and rivers in the operation that runs through Sunday. “Last year we were able to check approximately 11-hundred boaters and we contacted more than 354 vessels that were out there,” Stocker says.

Stocker says boating drunk can have severe consequences for you and your passengers. “More than 71 percent of our boating fatalities in 2014 involved alcohol. So we are stepping up the effort….in order to curb the intoxicated boater who wants to operate a boat,” Stocker says. Twelve people were arrested on the Mississippi River for operating a boat while under the influence, and Stocker says it once again a focus for Operation Dry Water.

“We will continually find that area with a lot of D-W-I arrests,” Stocker says, “and so we need to realize and put it into perspective, it runs the whole length of the state. So, we are talking all they way north-east from Allamakee County all the way to the south-east. So, that’s why we have a lot of D-W-I arrests on the Mississippi River.” The one dozen arrests for drunken boating on the Mississippi last year were part of 41 overall arrests. Eight people were arrested at Coralville Lake last year, five at Clear Lake, four on the Des Moines River and three at Saylorville Lake.

There is a simple step you should take to keep things safe. “Make sure that you do have a designated driver — just like if you were driving a car you would have a designated driver — to operate a boat. And or, wait until you are done for the afternoon to enjoy a beverage on the shore,” Stocker says. The blood alcohol level for boating while intoxicated was reduced in 2001 from point-one (.10) percent to point-zero-eight (.08) percent to make it the same level as driving a car while intoxicated.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

PRESTON, Iowa (AP) — One man has died in an apparent explosion of a house in rural Jackson County in eastern Iowa. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports 73-year-old Stephen W. Brandenburg was found early Thursday in the basement of a house near U.S. Highway 64 between Miles and Preston. Emergency responders were called to the home about 4:40 a.m. yesterday after reports of an explosion.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Crews made quick work of a steel water tower that had stood over the west side of Clear Lake for decades. The Globe Gazette reports workers cut apart and tore down the 56-year-old tower Thursday. Officials say the 105-foot-tall, multi-legged tower had outlived its usefulness and was expensive to maintain. Earlier this year, crew completed work on a 1 million gallon tower, which has four-times the capacity of the old tower.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A 75-year-old Dubuque man has scratched off two winning tickets in one day. One was worth $100,000, the other $930. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that Ken Broadwell bought both of his Tuesday winners at the same convenience store in Dubuque.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Wizards selected Iowa power forward Aaron White with the 49th overall pick in the NBA draft Thursday night. White is 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds and averaged 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds as a senior for the Hawkeyes.

Deputies in Montgomery County, Thursday afternoon, arrested a Red Oak man on a warrant for Harassment in the 1st Degree. Authorities say 22-year old Caleb Lee Walter was taken into custody at around 3:30-p.m., and was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond.

Deputies in Montgomery County arrested a Page County man Thursday morning, on a Montgomery County warrant. Authorities say 53-year old Jack Ray Steinspring, of Clarinda, was arrested at around 8:50-a.m., on a felony Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registry warrant. It was the fourth offense for the same offense in past 24-months for Steinspring, and the seventh time since 2007, when his requirement to register, began.  Steinspring was being held in the Montgomery County jail on $5,000 bond.

An investigation into the unauthorized entrance of a residence in Red Oak Thursday afternoon, led to the arrest of 40-year old Troy Alan Myer, of Red Oak, on a felony charge of Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Red Oak Police say the man allegedly removed a box from the residence. He was taken into custody at around 2-p.m. and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where Myers’ bond was set at $5,000 bond.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency, Thursday afternoon issued a statement in response to questions the public may have had with regard to Wednesday night’s storms. Operations Officer Jason Wickizer said “Staff were monitoring weather prior to Tornado Watch being issued. As soon as the Tornado Watch was issued at 6:20-p.m., the Emergency Management Coordinator and Operations Officer were out meeting the storm as it rapidly built just Northwest of Harlan.”

Storm photo from the Shelby County EMA Facebook page

He went on to say “Area Fire Departments were advised by pager of the Tornado Watch by 6:23-p.m. Sheriff’s Deputies were also assisting with monitoring the same Storm Cell. Due to the rapid growth Harlan Police Department assisted local residents by opening shelters, and monitoring the weather. At 6:28-p.m., a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was received.”

Wickizer said also “Spotters from all area Fire Departments were also placed in the field at pre-determined locations to observe the storm as it tracked through the county this was completed by 6:34-p.m. Once observations of the storm cell were made National Weather Service personnel were in touch with Shelby County EMA/911 Dispatchers relaying real time radar interpretations of what they were seeing on radar.”

He added that the “National Weather Service confirmed what field observers were seeing and that was ‘wide area rotation.’ As the Storm Cell continued South – South East it developed a prominent lowering or “Wall Cloud” that was rotating. This was reported to Shelby County EMA/911 Dispatchers at 6:50-p.m. by EMA Operations Officer, with the EMA Coordinator calling for the Sirens to be activated in Harlan.

As the storm continued to track SSE a Deputy reported a brief touchdown of a tornado on Redbud Road at 7:02-p.m. Due to funnel development and history of [the] storm, [the] EMA Coordinator had Shelby County EMA/911 Dispatchers activate the Sirens in Elk Horn. By 7:49-p.m., the storm exited the county [and] personnel returned to normal duties.”

Wickizer said “The Storm Cell in question had more than 4 trained Public Safety Spotters following it across the county keeping it in visual contact at all times. Public Safety Spotters, and Fire Departments were monitoring and relaying information through communications to keep the public warned as early as possible.”

In response to questions from some residents who said they could not hear the sirens in their homes, Wickizer said “Sirens are an outdoor warning signal, not designed to be heard in your home. Inside warnings should come in the form of a NOAA weather radio, Code Red Emergency Communications Network (cell/telephone warning), Radio, and Television Media.”  Another question people have asked is “Why did this storm surprise us, it seems to have developed quickly?”

Wickizer said “The Tornado Watch actually means when weather conditions are favorable for the rapid development of severe thunderstorms that are capable of producing tornadoes. A tornado watch therefore implies that it is also a severe thunderstorm watch. A tornado watch must not be confused with a tornado warning. In most cases, the potential exists for large hail and/or damaging winds in addition to tornadoes. A watch does not mean that the severe weather is actually occurring, only that atmospheric conditions have created a significant risk for it.”

“As we are all aware the weather rapidly changed once the watch developed. We encourage all citizens of Shelby County to sign up for Code Red, and remember that coming soon we will be switching from Code Red to the “Alert Iowa” system which is a statewide notification system.”

Wicker mentioned that they will be advertising when signups for “Alert Iowa” are ready to begin, but until that time Code Red, will remain in the Shelby County Emergency Communications Network.

He also mentioned how severe weather has become a “large industry” for “Spotters”, “Chasers”, “Tour Guides” and “Researchers.” Wickizer said they “Are seeing an abundance of people on the roadways during storms that are parking in the roadway, and placing weather monitoring devices in the travel portions of the roadway. We ask the public to be aware of this during storms.”

As an example, he said Wednesday night, while spotting along county road F-58, an Emergency Management employee had to drive around a spotter that parked his car in the middle of the roadway with no lights on filming the storm cell as it crossed the road. An adjacent County Emergency Manager came upon another spotter that deployed an instrument in the travel portion of a roadway.

Wickizer said “Several of these individuals will drive fast, and are not watching the road so please remain cautious if you happen to be driving during a storm.” And, as a final note, he said “Storm spotters in Shelby County are Public Safety Officials – if you are approached by someone claiming to be a “Storm Spotter” they should be in an Official Vehicle, or have Department Identification. If you are approached by someone that does not meet these criteria they are more likely than not a non-affiliated recreational spotter.”

Several videos and additional bits of information about the storm that hit Shelby County are available on the EMA’s Facebook page. (www.facebook.com/pages/Shelby-County-Emergency-Management/118172524867212?fref=ts)

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department say a woman from Omaha was injured when she jumped from the Veterans Memorial Bridge in what was an apparent attempt at suicide, this (Thursday) afternoon. Council Bluffs Police and Fire were dispatched to the 4100 block of Veterans Memorial Bridge just before 1-p.m. reference an injured party possibly being on the bridge ledge.

Upon officers arrival it was determined that a 32 year old female had exited a vehicle on the bridge and jumped off the bridge railing. The woman fell about 10‐to 12-feet to the catwalk on the south side of the bridge.

Omaha Fire and Rescue along with Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue were able to retrieve the woman from the catwalk and tend to her injuries, which included a compound fracture to her right ankle. She was transported to a local hospital
for treatment. Her name is not being released.