(Radio Iowa) – A Missouri murder suspect was tracked to southern Iowa overnight, according to the Appanoose Sheriff’s Office. Appanoose County Sheriff Gary Anderson says his office was notified by the Kansas City Career Criminal Task Force that a Missouri man wanted in a recent homicide in Kansas City was tracked to Centerville. Authorities from Iowa and Missouri converged in a Walmart parking lot at 2:30 a.m.

Officials were unsuccessful in getting the suspect to surrender and while giving orders to him, a single gunshot was heard from the vehicle. The suspect was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The identity of the suspect has been withheld, pending family notification.

sioux City– Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections report 33-year-old Dacota Stabler, who was convicted of 2nd Degree Robbery in Woodbury County, failed to report back to the Sioux City Residential Treatment Facility as required, Sunday.

Stabler is a 5’8″-tall, and weighs 206 pounds. He’s an American Indian or Alaska Native. Stabler was admitted to the work release facility on 02/22/2024.

Dacota Stabler

Persons with information on Stabler’s whereabouts should contact local police.

(Radio Iowa) – Some of the fastest growing communities in Iowa are conducting a special census to capture population growth that wasn’t included in 2020 Census figures. Waukee city manager Brad Deets says the census four years ago found 24-thousand residents in the Des Moines suburb, but Waukee officials think the current population is closer to 30-thousand. “We say we grow by six new people a day and that’s been tracking fairly consistently over the last probably two to three years,” Deets says, “so roughly it’s about 2,000 people per year.”

Waukee is spending around 600-thousand dollars to hold the special census, but Deets expects it to more than pay for itself just in state funding for road maintenance. “When you’re talking perhaps looking at anywhere from 6000 to 7000 additional people that turns out to be about $1 million a year,” Deets says.

Waukee residents started getting cards in the mail last month about the count and the deadline for completing a Census form online is this Thursday, May 23rd. Census workers are also going door to door to to reach — and count — Waukee residents. Ankeny, Norwalk and Pleasant Hill are also conducting population counts. Bondurant intends to conduct a special census this fall. Johnston, Altoona and Grimes plan to do one next year.
(Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa judges soon will be able to appoint attorneys to represent victims of human trafficking diagnosed with a mental disability if they’re called to testify against their alleged abuser. The move is part of a law that will go into effect July 1st. It also sets a mandatory minimum sentence for human traffickers convicted of a class B felony, so they’d have to serve as least half of their prison sentence before being eligible for parole or a work release program. During House debate of the bill, Representative Mark Thompson of Belmond said if the human trafficking victim is a child, the sentence is far higher.

“If the victim is a minor, then it’s upwards to life,” Thompson said, “which conceivably should be the penalty any time a person is treated like a piece of livestock.”

Last year, lawmakers increased state penalties for human trafficking. Most cases of human trafficking are handed in federal courts, but an Iowa Department of Public Safety report shows there were six cases in Iowa courts last year involving human trafficking of minors and one case involving an adult who was subjected to forced labor.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Several community leaders and health personnel attending a meeting of the Cass County Board of Supervisors this (Tuesday) morning, for a public hearing on declaring Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as an Essential Service, as described in the Code of Iowa. Brett Altmann, CEO of Cass Health, in Atlantic, said he was in favor of declaring EMS as essential.

Altman said Cass Health has been very blessed, and has had the best year in its history. Because of that, they intend to drop their levy commensurate for more than what is being subsidized for EMS.

Cass Health CEO Brett Altman addresses the Cass County Supervisors.

Cass Health Chief Medical Officer/Medical Director of all volunteer ambulances in the County, Dr. Elaine Berry, also voiced her support of EMS.

Supervisor Steve Green was emotional in describing how his family has had to use the local ambulance services over the years.

Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett also shared her personal experiences in needing a local ambulance service, and because of that, the need for EMS to be an essential service.

Brad Madsen, who ran an ambulance service in Cass County in the 1990’s, was also in support of making EMS and essential service.

Ethan, who works for Cass EMS explained the difference between BLS (Basic Life Support) and ALS (Advanced Life Support) paramedic level services. Following the public hearing, the Cass County Supervisors held the first reading of Resolution Declaring EMS to be an essential service. Board Chair Steve Baier read the resolution as presented. Here’s a portion of the Resolution calling for the matter to be placed on the November ballot for action by the voters.

The Board voted unanimously to pass the first reading. Supervisor Mark O’Brien was absent from the proceedings. Afterward Supervisor Steve Green reminded those in attendance at the meeting and online, that this is EMS appreciation week.