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Iowa early News Headlines: April 2nd, 2018

News

April 2nd, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:15 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa lawmaker has closed an unusual chapter in her work life of regularly bringing her newborn baby to the state Capitol. Rep. Megan Jones, a Republican from the northwest Iowa city of Sioux Rapids, began bringing her daughter, Alma, to the statehouse just a few weeks after giving birth on Jan. 24. Alma was often spotted snoozing on her mother while in a baby carrier or observing legislative action from a portable bassinet in the Iowa House of Representatives.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa bison known for surviving a lightning strike has died. The Des Moines Register reports that the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge announced Sparky the bison’s death. He was 14 years old. Sparky was struck by lightning in July 2013. Biologist Karen Viste-Sparkman previously said she found Sparky afterward covered with burn marks, bloodied and wounded. The biologist said he lost weight and grew weak after the lightning strike. He was found dead Thursday.

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa State University lecturer arrested last year for public intoxication during class has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. The Des Moines Register reports that 56-year-old Gordon Branch Knight has pleaded guilty to first-offense public intoxication, a simple misdemeanor. Knight had been charged with second-offense public intoxication, a serious misdemeanor with penalties of up to a year in jail.

CRESTON, Iowa (AP) — A memorial service has been held for an Iowa couple and their children who died at a Mexican resort. The service was held Saturday afternoon in the gymnasium at Southwestern Community College in Creston for 41-year-old Kevin Sharp and his wife, 38-year-old Amy Sharp, and their children, 12-year-old Sterling and 7-year-old Adrianna. A Mexican prosecutor says a gas leak in a water heater is suspected of killing them inside their rented condominium in Tulum. Their bodies were found March 23.

Incident in Corning results in drug-related arrest

News

April 2nd, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s Deputies in Adams County responding to a possible domestic assault at around 8:12-p.m. Sunday, in Corning, arrested a man on a drug-related charge. Authorities say Deputies dispatched to the 600 block of 13th Street in Corning, ended-up arresting Phillip Eugene Currin Jr. of Corning, for Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd or Subsequent Offense, a class D Felony. Currin was booked into the Adams County Jail on $5,000 Cash Only bond.

MONDAY, APRIL 2nd

Trading Post

April 2nd, 2018 by Jim Field

FOR SALE:  Tour master bike bag, top zips off for a separate bag. $100.00.  Gel seat $50.00.  Also have 2 helmets XXL and a small $10.00 each Waterproof rain boot covers $15.00.  Call 712-250-0931 Atlantic.  Guardian cover for full size touring bike $25.00. SOLD!

WANTED: Good used riding lawn mower, smaller unit, any brand, reasonable price. 712-269-9384.

WANTED:  an older push mower, looking for something that runs at a reasonable price.  Call 712-249-2591.

3 from Clarinda arrested on narcotics charges in Fremont County

News

April 1st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office’ K9 Unit was kept “Hopping” Easter weekend. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports that at around 1:45-p.m. Saturday, deputies with the Fremont County K9 Unit stopped to assist a motorist in the 500 Block of Main Street in Tabor. The occupants of the vehicle were found to be in possession of illegal substances and several items of drug paraphernalia.

The driver, 46-year old Wendy Sue Wood, of Clarinda, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Illegal Possession of Prescription Drugs. A passenger, 59-year old John Wesley Kalkas, also of Clarinda, was arrested for 3 counts of 2nd Offense Possession of a Controlled Substance, (Methamphetamine, Marijuana, and Benzodiazepine), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Kalkas

Esaias

Wood

Both were being held at the Fremont County Jail.  The Mills County K9 Unit assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office.

And, at around 12:45-p.m. Sunday, deputies with the Fremont County K9 Unit stopped a vehicle on Hwy 275, near the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, for a traffic violation.  They discovered an open alcohol container and controlled substances inside the vehicle. The driver, 26-year old Dustin Esaias, of Clarinda, was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated 3rd or Subsequent Offense, Possession of Marijuana 2nd Offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Open Container, and Speeding. Esaias is being held at the Fremont County Jail on $6,300 bond.

DeJong’s 1st multihomer game leads Cards over Mets 5-1

Sports

April 1st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

NEW YORK (AP) — Paul DeJong had the first multihomer game of his big league career, Luke Weaver held the Mets to one run in five innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat New York 5-1 on Sunday to avoid an opening three-game sweep. DeJong sent a fastball off the facing of the left-field second deck in the second inning, making him 3 for 3 with a pair of homers in his career against Steven Matz (0-1). DeJong hit his second solo homer in the eighth against Jacob Rhame. DeJong hit .285 with 25 home runs and 65 RBIs as a rookie last year, earning a $26 million, six-year contract.

Marcell Ozuna broke out of an 0-for-9 start with three hits, including an RBI double in the third and a run-scoring single in the fifth. Yadier Molina hit a leadoff homer in the fourth for the Cardinals, outscored 15-6 in the first two games. Weaver (1-0) last summer became the first Cardinals rookie to win seven straight starts since Ted Wilks in 1944. A rare starting pitcher with a single-digit uniform number (7), he struggled through a 27-pitch first inning in his first outing against the Mets and gave up Amed Rosario’s tying single in the second. The 24-year-old right-hander settled in and wound up allowing five hits, four of them singles.

After solid starts by Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom, Matz tried to put behind an injury-decimated sophomore season in which the lefty slumped to a 2-7 record. He struggled with his control and was up to 51 pitches after two innings and 73 after three. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs and four hits. New York has not opened 3-0 since 2012. The Mets kept up their terrible trend of last year, when they were 16-36 in series finales.

Up next for the Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas makes his first big league appearance since Aug. 25, 2014, when he starts Monday at Milwaukee. He spent the past three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan’s Central League. You can hear the game on KJAN beginning with the pregame show at 12:15-p.m., Monday. The first pitch is set for 1:10-p.m.

STEPHEN CLAYTON HOWELL, 68, of Elliott (Svcs. 4/3/18)

Obituaries

April 1st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

STEPHEN CLAYTON HOWELL, 68, of Elliott, died Friday, March 30th, at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital. Funeral services for STEPHEN HOWELL will be held 10:30-a.m. Tuesday, April 3rd, at the Elliott United Methodist Church. Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel in Red Oak has the arrangements.

Visitation with the family is from 6-until 8-p.m. Monday, April 2nd.

Memorials are suggested to the Elliott Fire Department or Elliott United Methodist Church.

STEPHEN HOWELL is survived by:

His wife – Ronda Howell, of Elliott.

His children – Amy (Tony) Payne, of Jefferson, SD; Shannon King and John Newell, of Griswold; and Eric (Jacque) Howell, of Elliott.

His sisters – Nancy (Bill) Taylor, of Grant, and Kathy (Joe) Rush, of Griswold.

7 grandchildren, 1 great-granddaughter, his sister-in-law: Leah (Tom) Wright, of Griswold; Brother-in-law: David (Elaine) Robbins, of Council Bluffs, other relatives and friends.

Red Oak Police report, 4/1/18

News

April 1st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Red Oak Police report two arrests Sunday morning. 33-year old Jamie Lea Petersen, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 8:35-a.m., for OWI/1st offense. The charge was the result of a traffic stop that occurred March 14th. A specimen sent to the DCI Lab was returned, with evidence Petersen was operating a vehicle under the influence. She was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond. And, at around 10:36-a.m., 79-year old Ronald Walter Klinker, of Hastings (IA) was arrested for Driving While Barred. He was being held at the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

Iowa bison known for surviving lightning strike dies

News

April 1st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa bison known for surviving a lightning strike has died. The Des Moines Register reported Friday that the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge announced Sparky the bison’s death. He was 14 years old.

Sparky was struck by lightning in July 2013. Biologist Karen Viste-Sparkman previously said she found Sparky afterward covered with burn marks, bloodied and wounded.
The biologist said he lost weight and grew weak after the lightning strike. He was found dead Thursday.

But the refuge in a Thursday Facebook post said he was still part of the bison herd after the strike and “became a symbol for the endurance of his species.”
He fathered three calves.

Ex-ISU lecturer pleads guilty, fined for public intoxication

News

April 1st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa State University lecturer arrested last year for public intoxication during class has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. The Des Moines Register reports that 56-year-old Gordon Branch Knight has pleaded guilty to first-offense public intoxication, a simple misdemeanor.

Knight had been charged with second-offense public intoxication, a serious misdemeanor with penalties of up to a year in jail. He was fined $200 plus court fees at a mid-March court hearing in the case. Knight, who was philosophy and religious studies lecturer, was teaching a class in November when campus police arrested him.

Court records showed it was his third alcohol-related arrest in little more than a year.
Knight is no longer employed at the university.

3 arrests in Taylor County

News

April 1st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday (Today), reports three arrests took place, Saturday. 43-year old Alan Gray, of Villisca was arrested during a traffic stop, for driving while suspended. Gray was brought before a magistrate where he plead guilty to the charges and was released. 55-year old Bruce Fitzwater, of Gravity, was arrested during the traffic stop, and was charged with Possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. He was being held at the Taylor County Jail on $25,000 cash bond. And, 39-year old Tamara McCoy, of Villisca, was also taken into custody. She was charged with open container as a passenger and littering. McCoy has since been released from the Taylor County Jail.