United Group Insurance

Charges dropped against one of three charged in lottery fraud case

News

October 19th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Charges have been dismissed against one defendant accused of lottery fraud in Buena Vista County. 42-year-old Sally Bosler, of Cedar Rapids was charged with one count of lottery forgery or theft of ticket. She allegedly provided money to her daughter, 20-year-old Ashley Bosler of Sioux Rapids, who’s been charged with two counts of the same offense. The charge against her mother has now been dismissed in Buena Vista County District Court. Ashley Bosler has pleaded not guilty. Her trial is scheduled for November 15th.

Ashley Bosler worked at Casey’s in Sioux Rapids, where she allegedly scratched an instant ticket and determined it was a top prize winner after scanning it. Bosler isn’t old enough to play the lottery. Her boyfriend, 26-year-old Johnny Long, Jr., of Sioux Rapids then allegedly tried to claim the 250-thousand dollar prize at the Storm Lake lottery office. Lottery officials didn’t pay the prize after discovering scribbling on the ticket, which raised suspicions. Long — the boyfriend — is scheduled to enter a plea on November 7th.

(Radio Iowa)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19th

Trading Post

October 19th, 2016 by Jim Field

WANTED:  a small apartment in the Atlantic area.  I am single and don’t have any pets.  Call 712-789-1807.

WANTED: Looking for a slide projector. Call 712-243-2480.

Tiptoeing through the (future) tulips (a lot of them) in Lee County…

Ag/Outdoor

October 19th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

MONTROSE, Iowa (AP) – Lee County’s community members have attempted to set the world record for most people planting flower bulbs simultaneously. The Hawk Eye reports that about 1,700 students and community members tried Tuesday to double the previous record of 850 people in the United Kingdom. County participants had five tulip bulbs to plant within an hour, and officials say the task was completed in less than 30 minutes.

Dana Millard with Lee County Economic Development, and one of the event’s organizers, says Guinness World Records must verify paperwork before the potential record is acknowledged. Conservation group Pheasants Forever donated tulips to the event and considers it an investment in the future of nature conservation.

Vertical farming idea proposed for Davenport riverfront

Ag/Outdoor

October 19th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Preliminary discussions have begun over a proposal to bring a hydroponic, vertical farming operation along the Davenport riverfront. The Quad-City Times reports that Friday’s Fresh Market operation is in a 40-foot, insulated shipping container. Local farm owner and manufacturing consultant Andrew Freitag says the container is one of the models his company uses to promote sustainable farming practices.

The company and the Davenport Levee Commission are discussing the proposal. Commission executive director Steve Ahrens says there are many details to be worked out before any plan could come to fruition. According to Freitag, the shipping container uses an LED lighting system as well as 90 percent less water and 50 percent less nutrients than traditional farming methods. Freitag says the operations could be a year-round source for the Food Hub and farmers market.

Mills County Sheriff’s report (10/19) – 2 arrests

News

October 19th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says two people were arrested Tuesday morning. 26-year old Dale John Kraft, Jr., of Omaha, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Failure To Appear in court on two counts of of Possession of Controlled Substance. His bond was set at $2,000. And, 36-year old   Timothy Eugene Truhlicka, of Sidney,  was arrested at the Fremont County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Probation Violation. His bond was set at $14,000.

Pursuit in western Iowa Tue. afternoon – suspect evaded authorities

News

October 19th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop on Railroad Highway in Pottawattamie County, Tuesday afternoon, resulted in a pursuit and the driver bailing out of the car into a cornfield off 296th Street, west of Persia, in Harrison County. Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker told KJAN News the incident began at around 1:30 or 1:45-p.m. when a deputy tried to stop a Chevy Cavalier for driving recklessly. The vehicle also reportedly had invalid or non-existent license plates.

The vehicle continued north on Railroad Highway, into Underwood before turning onto a gravel road and into Neola. The car then went north into Harrison County, where the driver abandoned the vehicle near a corn field, and took off on foot into the field. During the chase, the suspect vehicle nearly struck several other motorists.

Numerous law enforcement agencies were involved in setting up a perimeter in an attempt to corral the suspect, who was described as being a male in his late teens or early 20’s, wearing red shorts and a baseball cap. The man was not believed to be armed.

Harrison County Sheriff Pat Sears told KJAN agencies involved in the search included: Deputies with the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office; The Iowa State Patrol and Dept. of Motor Vehicle Enforcement; the Harlan Police Department’s K9 unit, Shelby and Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Omaha Police helicopter Able 1.

The search was called-off at around 4:15-p.m. Authorities suspect the man may have called someone to pick him-up. Sheriff Danker says the car was impounded, and a warrant was being obtained to search the vehicle in hopes of finding the registered owner and/or possible driver. Early reports indicate the vehicle was not reported stolen.

RICK MICHALSKI, 64, of Van Meter, an Atlantic native (10-19-2016)

Obituaries

October 19th, 2016 by Jim Field

RICK MICHALSKI, 64, of Van Meter (an Atlantic native) died Sunday, October 16th at his home. Funeral services for RICK MICHALSKI will be held Wednesday, October 19th at 11 a.m. at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel in West Des Moines.

———————————————————————————–

Visitation with the family is today from 9:30 a.m. until service time at McLaren’s.

A private family burial will be held at Resthaven Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family for future designation.

RICK MICHALSKI is survived by:

Wife: Lindsay

Sons: Trenton “Trent” (Chrissy) of Van Meter; Troy (Katie) of Winterset and Todd (Falon) of Van Meter

5 grandchildren

Parents: Mike and Jean Michalski of Audubon

Brother: Michael (Sandy) of Dentville, MS

Sister: Susie (Pete) Klindt of Des Moines.

Certified enrollment numbers are down for the Audubon School District

News

October 19th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Audubon Community School District’s Board of Education met Monday evening, and learned from Superintendent Dr. Brett Gibbs, that their certified enrollment numbers are down this school year. Gibbs said the numbers were certified for the State on Oct. 15th. (Click on the left side of the audio bar to listen)

Gibbs said projections indicate they’ll drop a little bit again next year, as well, but they numbers will work their way back up as their larger classes start working their way through.

Since the certified count day on Oct. 15th, they’ve picked up six more students, and Gibbs says they can only hope they stay until next year so they can get payment from the State for them. Gibbs said the Certified Enrollment is only part of the equation his and other districts use to set their budget.

Gibbs said if there’s no increase in State Aid, with the current enrollment that would amount to a loss of almost $140,000 for the district. Without firm numbers being set two-years ahead by the legislature, he it makes it difficult to determine a budget for reductions and savings to compensate for the decline in funds.

Ex-official who faked water tests makes deal, gets probation

News

October 19th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SIDNEY, Iowa (AP) – A former city official in southwest Iowa accused of falsifying drinking water quality tests has made a plea deal for probation. Online court records say 36-year-old Mark Travis pleaded guilty Monday to knowing discharge of a pollutant. Prosecutors dismissed a charge of felonious misconduct in office. The records say Travis was sentenced to a year of probation and fined $625. He also was given a deferred judgment. Under a deferred judgment, Travis’ record will be cleared of the conviction if he successfully completes the probation.

Authorities say Travis falsified Sidney’s monthly operation reports given to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources from 2009 to 2015.

Attempted murder under investigation in Council Bluffs

News

October 19th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating a case of attempted murder. Authorities say at around 9:30-p.m. Tuesday, officers were dispatched to 125 Park Avenue for a report of shots fired. Officers arrived and located several persons involved in the incident standing outside the residence. An investigation determined an unknown male arrived outside the home in a light colored four door car. Bluffs Badge The man got out from the back of the vehicle and displayed a revolver type handgun before firing several rounds at two males standing outside the home.

One round entered the home, which was occupied by several people. No one was injured. The suspect then fled the area in the vehicle he arrived in. Detectives located the victims of the incident and interviewed them.

The investigation 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.