A Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputy dispatched to a disturbance northwest of Oakland, Tuesday evening, arrested an Oakland man. 41-year old Nathaniel Niles Sorensen was arrested on two felony counts of Child Endangerment, one with bodily injury, and two counts of Domestic Assault, also one with injury. Alcohol was listed as a factor in the altercation. According to the report, the incident involved his 15-year old son, 12-yeare old daughter, and 39-year old common-law spouse. The 15-year old suffered apparent, minor injuries during the incident. Sorensen was being held in the Pott. County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, 42-year old Alan Levern Walter, of Grant, was arrested Tuesday evening, following a traffic stop. Walter was taken into custody for Driving While Revoked.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A newspaper reports the city of Des Moines has helped firefighters facing termination for alcohol offenses instead retire with disability benefits barred by state law. The Des Moines Register reports that over the past 12 years, city officials aided at least three firefighters who faced termination for alcohol-related offenses. Since 2002 Iowa law has barred firefighters and police officers from applying for disability if they are not in “good standing” or are the subjects of investigations that could lead to dismissal. Des Moines has used that law in some cases to block some police officers or firefighters from collecting disability.

But court records, the firefighters union and sworn testimony by Fire Chief John TeKippe show the city has helped other workers who faced termination retire with disability benefits.

(Radio Iowa) — A spokesman for the company that won approval to be the first to produce medical marijuana products for sale in the state says their biggest obstacle so far has been getting the medical community to talk with them. Medpharm Iowa spokesman, Lucas Nelson, says they are currently holding informational meetings around the state for patients and others. “Unfortunately, too many physicians, nurses — and really the medical community at large — too many of them have been unwilling to meet with us or really anyone tied with this industry. Unwilling to talk about it and learn more about it,” Nelson says.

Iowans who want to use medical marijuana need a referral from a physician to obtain a card from the state health department to allow them to buy the products. He says he’s gotten a lot of emails from people who say their doctor won’t even consider it as an option. “Obviously that ultimately hurts the patients who can’t find doctors to certify their condition,” he says. Nelson says they want to work with doctors and patients. “We have said in all of our outreach to the big systems and the small clinics and pretty much everyone inbetween, medical organizations, everyone you can imagine throughout the state. What we have said is, look we are not here to tell you that this will work for every single patient — or even most patients necessarily. That’s up to you as the medical providers to decide with your patient,” according to Nelson.

Medpharm is a subsidiary of Kemin Industries, which is based in Des Moines and makes a variety of products for human and animal food. Nelson is a lawyer for the company and says they have been trying to answer any questions they get about the medical marijuana program. “We do think it is important that you understand what the program is, how it works, what your role is as a physician. Understanding where your liability is and isn’t,” Nelson says. “We’ve heard from a couple of medical community members that this illegal for them to do and there is no protection. That isn’t true, it’s built right into the code. Making sure that the medical community is aware of that.”

He says they are also trying to answer any questions that the general public has about the issue. “One of the things we’ve noticed is that not enough people across the state are really aware of this program and have the education about it that we think needed to be out there,” Nelson says. Nelson says another part of the forums is listening. “Giving people a chance to voice concerns, ask questions, hear comments, things they are worried about. Actually we’ve had some great questions presented. We’ve been able to work with the Department of Public Health on how we’ve actually answered those,” Nelson says.

The company can begin selling products on December 1st and he says they want to be sure everyone finds out the things they need to know before the doors open. But, he says they still are hoping to get better help from doctors. “Even if we had a million people in this state that knew about it and were eligible and ready to sign up — if they can’t find a doctor to certify them — then there’s really nothing they can do,” Nelson explains. MedPharm Iowa built a production facility in Des Moines and also owns dispensaries in Sioux City and Windsor Heights. There will be other dispensaries in Council Bluffs, Waterloo and Davenport.

(Radio Iowa) — Food insecurity is a daily struggle for thousands of Iowans, including children, families and senior citizens. Donations of canned goods often drop off during September, which is Hunger Action Month. Angie Grote, spokeswoman for the Food Bank for the Heartland, is urging Iowans to promote hunger awareness by getting involved. “You can come volunteer as a group or as an individual,” Grote says. “You can organize a food drive with your neighborhood or your office. You can make a financial donation. Ten dollars will provide enough food for 30 meals.”

The Omaha-based food bank is part of the Feeding America Network and helps to stock shelves across Iowa and Nebraska. “We source food from different partners and we have a network of partners in the community,” she says, “organizations like food pantries, emergency shelters, schools and we distribute food to these organizations.”
She notes, hunger isn’t just a metro area problem. “In rural communities, they may not have as many pantries or as many resources,” Grote says, “so their struggles are a little different than urban or suburban communities.”

It’s estimated 209-thousand people served by the Food Bank for the Heartland are food insecure and 80-thousand of them are children. The agency distributes food to 535 non-profit groups, including schools, homeless shelters and food pantries in 93 counties across Nebraska and Iowa.

Voters in the Audubon Community School District, Tuesday, approved the renewal of a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL), for another 10-years. Unofficial results from the Audubon County Auditor’s Office show there were 159 Yes and 4 No votes. 163 registered voters out of a possible 2,523 cast their ballots, Tuesday (a turnout of 6.46-percent).

The levy will fall into-place beginning with the 2019-20 budget year, and will not to exceed Sixty seven cents ($.67) per One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of the assessed valuation of the taxable property within the school district, commencing with the levy for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.

The levy, which was unchanged from the past years, will be used for any number of purposes, including, but not limited to: the purchase and improvement of grounds; the construction of schoolhouses or buildings and opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings; the purchase, lease or lease-purchase of equipment or technology exceeding $500 in value per purchase, lease or lease purchase transaction; repairing, remodeling, reconstructing, improving, or expanding schoolhouses or buildings and additions to existing schoolhouses; and the purchase of transportation equipment for transporting students and the repair of such transportation equipment if the cost of repair exceeds $2,500.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer today (Wednesday), released a report on arrests taking place since August 8th. Most recently, on Tuesday, 32-year old Jessy Richard Card, of Audubon, was arrested on an active felony parole warrant out of Wisconsin.  Card was transported to the Audubon County Jail where he is waiting for extradition to Wisconsin.  The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest. On Sept. 4th, 30-year old Jessica Lynn Pedrin, of Audubon, turned herself in on an Audubon Police Department warrant for Theft – 4^th degree and Theft – 5^th degree.  Pedrin was later released on promise to appear by the magistrate and is awaiting trial.

Two arrests occurred on August 24th. 43-year old Jeremy Charles Snyder, of Audubon, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Causing Injury.  Snyder was transported to the Audubon County Jail where he was held until sentencing on Aug. 27th on another charge.  The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest. And, 46-year old Verlyn Duane Richardson, of Audubon, was arrested for Assault Causing Injury and transported to the Audubon County Jail.  Richardson was later released on promise to appear by the magistrate and is awaiting trial.

On Aug. 16th, 27-year old Scott Nathaniel Belew, of Audubon, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension and Interference with Official Acts.  Belew was transported to the Audubon County Jail where he later pled guilty to both charges. And, on Aug. 8th, 32-year old Skielynn Stephens, of Audubon, was arrested on an active Carroll County Warrant.  Stephens was then released to the custody of Carroll County Law Enforcement.