A Council Bluffs man was sentenced to 60 months in prison on Monday, August 24th for Possessing a Firearm After a Felony.  60-year-old David Allen Brensel of Council Bluffs was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John Jarvey.  Judge Jarvey also ordered Brensel to serve a term of three years of supervised release after he completes his term of imprisonment.

Brensel pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on
January 8, 2015. When pleading guilty, Brensel admitted being responsible for the theft of four firearms from a residence in Red Oak and then transporting them to Council Bluffs where he sold them.

The investigation was conducted by the Red Oak Police Department, the Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Harlan Police Department detailed numerous recent arrests and other incidents in a Tuesday report.

On Wednesday, August 19th charges were filed with the Shelby County clerk of court by Elicia Thompson charging 40-year-old Paul Thompson of Harlan, with violation of a no contact order.

On Friday, August 21st Marvin Travis of Harlan reported his 2002 Ford Silverado was stolen from his residence in the 1200 block of 900th Street. This case remains under investigation.

On Saturday, August 22nd 26-year-old Jordan Schechinger of Harlan was arrested following a traffic stop. Schechinger was taken to the Shelby County jail where he was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Schechinger was also cited for violating one way traffic designation, failure to display license plate, and failure to prove security against liability.

Also on Saturday, August 22nd 24-year-old Anthony Bennett of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant for probation violation and controlled substance violation. Bennett was taken to the Shelby County Jail.

On Sunday, August 23rd Officers were called to the 1900 block of 19th Street for a vehicle belonging to Danielle Holloway that had been vandalized and items taken from inside the vehicle. This case is still under investigation.

On Monday, August 24th 36-year-old Philip Dau of Harlan was arrested when officers were called to the area of 12th and Industrial Avenue for a male subject who was possibly intoxicated and had entered a property and was teasing the resident’s dog. Dau was taken into custody and transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with intoxication in public, 4th offense.

The Atlantic Police Department released information Tuesday on numerous recent arrests.

On Friday, August 14th Atlantic Police arrested 43-year-old Todd Kimpson of Corning on a Cass County Warrant for Violation of Probation.

On Monday, August 17th Atlantic Police arrested 34-year-old Jacob Kern of Atlantic for Domestic Abuse Serious Assault.

On Friday, August 21st Atlantic Police arrested 19-year-old Tyler Osborn of Atlantic for OWI and Driving While License Suspended.

On Saturday, August 22nd Atlantic Police arrested 47-year-old Darren Gray of Atlantic for Theft 2nd Degree.  That same day officers arrested 22-year-old Austin Schmitt of Atlantic for Domestic Abuse Serious Assault and Simple Assault.

On Monday, August 24th Atlantic Police arrested 38-year-old Garry Burch of Atlantic for Domestic Abuse Assault.

All arrested were taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

Governor Terry Branstad visited Denison this morning (Tuesday) to talk with local officials about the looming closure of a major employer in Denison. Earlier this month, Tyson Foods announced it would close of its beef slaughter plant in Denison, eliminating 400 jobs. “It’s a set back, but we also want to look at it as an opportunity to diversify the economy and to get more job opportunities for the people who are losing their jobs at Tyson,” Branstad said. Branstad says he’s optimistic many of those who’re losing their job can land a new one in Denison.

“We have Quality Foods announce that they’re going to be adding about 200 jobs here in Denison,” Branstad said. “There’s a job fair and there’s about 80 different businesses that are looking at hiring people, so the community’s doing all it can and the state is partnering with them to make people aware of the job opportunities that are available here and the retraining and other opportunities to keep people here.” Tyson is offering its Denison workforce jobs at Tyson plants in the Nebraska cities of Lexington, which is a four hour drive away from Denison, and Dakota City, which is about 90 minutes away.

“Many of these people don’t want to leave Denison,” Branstad says, “and we want to show the fact that there are good jobs available and there’s also state programs for retraining and those sorts of things that can help keep them in the area.” For example, Branstad expects “significant growth” to continue in the ethanol industry and he points to the ethanol plant in Denison run by The Andersons Ethanol Group.

“Last year I proposed a bio industrial tax credit. It passed the House twice, but didn’t pass the Senate,” Branstad said. “We’re very hopeful that’ll pass next year. We’d be the first state in the country (to have it). I talked about that at the World Bio Conference in Montreal. There’s a lot of interest and excitement, companies from all over the world to looking at that as an incentive to locate here in the state of Iowa.” Branstad says it’s “critically important” that the state provide incentives to capital-intensive businesses like the biofuels industry.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office issued a report today (Tuesday), detailing numerous, recent arrests. On Monday (Aug. 24th), deputies arrested: 32-year old Sean Patrick Gifford, of Atlantic, on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Gifford was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $25,000 bond; 52-year old Henry Lewis DeGraw, of Bridgewater, was arrested on charges of Felon in Possession of a Firearm (A Class-D Felony) and Driving While Revoked (Serious Misdemeanor). DeGraw was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains on $5,000 bond. And, as the result of a traffic stop on August 24th, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 19-year old Jordan Thomas McElroy, of Sioux Falls, SD, on a charge of OWI 1st Offense (Serious Misdemeanor). McElroy and a passenger, Joshua Lawrence Hawley-Giannini, were each also charged with Possession of Marijuana (Serious Misdemeanor) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple Misdemeanor). Both men were taken to the Cass County Jail where they remain held on $1,000 bond each.

On Saturday, Aug. 22nd, deputies in Cass County arrested: 23-year old Vincent Gene Bernard Helton, of Lawton, OK, on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Helton was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance. And, 54-year old Jeffrey Charles Dory, of Anita, was arrested on one count of Driving While Barred (Aggravated) and three counts of Driving Under Suspension (Simple). Dory was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $2,000 bond.

On Friday (Aug. 21st), 25-year old Mykel Allen Thoren, of Stanton, was arrested in Cass County on charges of Driving While Barred (Aggravated) and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Serious). Thoren was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $3,000 bond. And, 33-year old Juan Manuel Anaya Mendez, of Atlantic, was arrested on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. Anaya Mendez was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $300 bond.

On August 20th, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 37-year old James Matthew VanScoyk, of Council Bluffs, on charges of Driving While Barred (Aggravated) and Driving While Revoked (Serious). VanScoyk was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $3,000 bond. And on August 19th, deputies arrested 30-year old Trel Curtis Peterson, of Massena, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Peterson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

The Council Bluffs Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a man that was involved in a shooting at the Council Bluffs Walgreens store early Monday morning.  Surveillance photos of the man and the SUV have been released by the CBPD in hopes of gaining more information.

The man in the photos was a passenger in a dark colored SUV that was involved in the shooting incident. No one was injured and the victim of the attempted shooting was identified.  If you have information regarding the identity of the man or information on the incident, please call 328-STOP. Callers can remain anonymous and
your tip could be eligible for a cash reward.

The Audubon Police Department announced details Tuesday on two recent arrests.

On Monday, August 17th the Audubon Police Department arrested 31-year-old Donovan Eugene Harris of Boone. Harris was arrested for Trespassing and transported to the Audubon County Jail to await an appearance before the magistrate.

On Tuesday, August 18th the Audubon Police Department arrested 22-year-old Joseph Andrew Riesberg of Audubon. Riesberg was arrested for Driving While Suspended and released on promise to appear.