Law enforcement personnel and firefighters from Cass County lined the bridges and overpasses to Interstate 80 this (Friday) afternoon, as a contingent of Patriot Guard riders, veterans and Emergency Services personnel escorted a piece of history through Iowa on its way to Colorado.

Members of the Marne Fire Department salute a piece of the World Trade Center as it goes by the Marne Interstate Exit to honor the fallen of 9/11. Photo courtesy Ashley Haupert

An Iowa State Patrol Trooper leads the WTC Beam convoy along I-80 in Cass County. (Photos courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Mgmt. Agency)

A five-foot long, more than 3,000-pound piece of steel which was part of a World Trade Center wall that fell during the 9-11 attacks, was carried on a trailer pulled by a pickup with custom graphics. An American flag covering the beam fluttered in the wind as it made its way west on I-80 between 1:30-and 2-p.m., today (Friday).

The steel beam is being transferred to the Poudre Fire Authority in Ft. Collins, CO. Members of the Poudre Fire Authority’s Urban Search and Rescue Team, Colorado Task Force 1, were tasked and dispatched to the scene of the World Trade Center Twin Towers collapse shortly after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The team worked for several weeks to locate victims.

A ceremony to mark the arrival of the beam in Ft. Collins is set to take place Saturday. For more information, go to www.poudre-fire.org/what-s-new/wtc-artifact-journey. A map will be updated on the half-hour as the beam and its escort travels westward.

Photo from the Omaha Fire Dept. Facebook page

Photo from the Stuart Volunteer Fire Dept.’s Facebook page

Firefighters from Minden stand ready to honor the WTC beam convoy as they prepare to pass by. (Minden Fire & Rescue Facebook page photo)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Nine employees have now been fired or resigned amid a widening investigation into security breaches at a maximum-security Iowa prison. Four former tower guards at Anamosa State Penitentiary were charged this month as part of a federal investigation into the smuggling of cell phones and drugs inside the prison. A fifth person who didn’t work at Anamosa is accused of supplying marijuana and prescription drugs that guards used and traded among themselves.

The tower guards had already left employment when U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau announced the charges against them Oct. 6. Since then, five others have departed as a result of the investigation. Prison spokesman Matthew Eivins says the five others aren’t charged with criminal activity but the investigation found serious violations of “work rules that relate to security practices.”

Sheriff’s officials in Shelby County say two young people were hurt, while a third was checked for injuries, following a three-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon. Authorities say the accident happened at around 3:40-p.m. just south of the intersection of 110th Street and Highway 59, in the northbound lane.

The crash occurred after a Harlan Community School District bus stopped to unload students at 1132 Highway 59. Officials say a 2006 Ford pickup, driven by 61-year old David Thies, of Earling, stopped behind the school bus. A 2013 Ford Explorer driven by 43-year old Cynthia Schechinger, of Earling, pulled up and stopped behind the pickup.

17-year old Joshua Mulligan, of Defiance, who was driving a 2001 Pontiac, was unaware both the pickup and SUV had stopped. His car hit the SUV from behind, causing it to be pushed into the rear of the pickup. At no time, was there any contact by the vehicles with the school bus.

Two passengers in Schechinger’s SUV, 11-year old Abby Schechinger, and 9-year old John Schechinger, both of Earling, were transported to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan, for treatment of minor injuries, and released. Joshua Mulligan was examined at Myrtue for possible injuries, and also released. All of the vehicles involved (except the school bus), sustained major damage.

Mulligan was cited for Failure to Stop within an assured and clear distance. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by personnel from the Harlan Fire Department and the Iowa State Patrol.

A five-foot long, more than 3,000-pound piece of steel that was part of a World Trade Center wall that fell during the 9-11 attacks is making its way through western Iowa this afternoon, and should be passing through Cass County on Interstate 80, between 1:30-and 2-p.m. The steel beam is being transferred to the Poudre Fire Authority in Ft. Collins, CO., and is being escorted across the country by more than 100 different Emergency Service Agencies, including the Patriot Guard Riders and American Veterans.

From the Poudre Fire Authority’s Facebook page.

Members of the Poudre Fire Authority’s Urban Search and Rescue Team, Colorado Task Force 1, were tasked and dispatched to the scene of the World Trade Center Twin Towers collapse shortly after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The team worked for several weeks to locate victims.

A ceremony to mark the arrival of the beam in Ft. Collins is set to take place Saturday. For more information, go to www.poudre-fire.org/what-s-new/wtc-artifact-journey. A map will be updated on the half-hour as the beam and its escort travels.

The Audubon Police Department today (Friday) released a report on arrests. Officials say on Oct. 1st, 35 year old Jason Arthur Malloy was arrested for Possession of Marijuana 3rd or subsequent offense and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Malloy was released after appearing before a magistrate. On Oct. 2nd, 28-year old Jerod Dewayne Joyce, of Atlantic, was arrested for Trespassing. Joyce pled guilty while appearing before a magistrate.

On Oct. 3rd, Audubon Police 32-year old Jeremiah Micah Jobe, of Audubon, after conducting a search warrant. Jobe was charged with Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Deliver and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He is currently being held in the Audubon County Jail on $5000 cash bond. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search warrant.

On Oct. 14th, Audubon Police arrested 30-year old Tiffany Lynn Swagel, of Audubon, for Domestic Abuse Assault. Swagel appeared before a magistrate where she pled guilty to the charge. And on Oct. 17th, 29 year old Jessie Allen Hoagland, of Audubon, was arrested for Supplying Alcohol to Minors. Hoagland was released on promise to appear.

Tim Ennis, of rural Adams County, announced today (Friday) that he will seek the Democratic nomination for State Representative in the special election to be held on December 8th. The special election for House District 21 was called after the passing of Rep. Jack Drake, of Griswold. The District includes all of Adams and Union Counties as well as parts of Cass and Pottawattamie Counties.

Tim Ennis (Dem.) candidate for House District 21.

Ennis said in a press release, that he’s “Running for the Iowa House because our public schools can’t wait another year for adequate funding from the Legislature.” He said also, “I’ll work to make sure every kid in Iowa gets a quality education and guarantee that rural schools get our share of state resources.”

Residing in Corning, Tim has spent most of his career as a contract negotiator and grain marketing consultant for cooperative grain producers. He is the Director of Grain Marketing for the National Farmers Organization.

Among the Republicans who, so far, have expressed an interest in running for State Representative in House District are Tom Moore of Griswold, John Hartkopf and Ian Barrs, both of whom are from Atlantic.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman was arrested on a Theft charge, Thursday. 60-year old Karen Gay Spicer, of Shambaugh, was arrested at her residence on a Page County warrant for Theft 3rd Degree. Spicer was transported to the Page County Jail where she posted a $2000 bond and was released pending future court proceedings.

Karen G. Spicer

A manhunt is underway in Des Moines after a violent road rage incident on Thursday afternoon. Police say there was an argument between the drivers of two cars on the capitol city’s northeast side. It’s not clear what sparked the dispute but the driver of one car drove away and the other followed. Police say multiple shots were fired from the pursuing car and the victim’s car crashed in a ditch and hit a fence.

Road rage suspect vehicle

The driver was NOT seriously hurt. That driver snapped a picture of the suspects. The car police are seeking is a silver Toyota Camry with Iowa plates DMK905. It was reportedly driven by a white woman with two black men as passengers.

(Radio Iowa)