(Radio Iowa) – Emergency responders are stretched thin after Friday’s severe storms spun off at least 17 tornadoes in Iowa, damaging dozens of homes and claiming a life in Minden. Josh Murray, communications director for the American Red Cross – Nebraska-Iowa Region, says it was a massive storm system that left a tremendous amount of damage in its wake, in multiple counties.

“All the way from into Nebraska and all the way across through the Des Moines area and a little bit into eastern Iowa, so it’s been busy,” Murray says. “The focus right now is on getting some connections made with those who have been affected, getting them some relief supplies, cleanup supplies, and then setting up some casework that’ll help them get on the road to recovery, so, what are their needs going forward and how can we support those.”

(Red Cross photo)

The agency’s big white vans are known as emergency response vehicles, or ERVs, and they’ve all been deployed across the region. “We’ve been creative by using other vehicles that we have,” Murray says. “We have some vans and things like that we’ve loaded up supplies in to get people around. All of our emergency response vehicles are activated and out there but we’re getting creative and using all our vehicles as much as we can and making sure we can get to where we need to be.”

Many of the Red Cross emergency shelters that were opened in Nebraska and Iowa over the weekend have already closed. Murray says that’s a good thing as they’re designed to provide immediate relief for those who’ve lost their homes, and help them transition to something more permanent. For Iowans who’d like to help with the relief effort, Murray says there are several avenues.”Go to redcross.org/donate and make a donation. That would help us. That’s really the best way for us to address the needs,” Murray says. “Different areas need different things so instead of providing goods or something that might not be what that area needs, the financial donations allow us to be more flexible with what we need to address, what someone needs in this location compared to another location.”

Some Iowans may want to become more involved in helping their neighbors to bounce back from this — and future — disasters. “If you want to volunteer, you can sign up. I can’t guarantee you’ll be able to help this time, but you will be ready next time,” Murray says. “We have our trained volunteers out helping right now, but definitely, this will happen again and we’ll need more volunteers, so it’s definitely a good opportunity to consider where you can help for the next time.”

Donations can also be made over the phone by calling 1-800-HELP NOW.

(Radio Iowa) – Four people were injured and one of them died after an E-F-2 tornado tore through a good portion of Pottawattamie County. Pottawattamie County Public Relations Manager Craig Carlsen says the town of Minden was the hardest hit. “The conditions inside Minden are still very unsafe. We’ve got homes that are in the middle of roads, we’ve got a lot of debris to clean up and so we’re currently limiting access to Minden to residents only for the safety concerns, Carlsen says. Carlsen says they are working toward improving access. “We hope to open it up to more outside volunteers you know as things are cleaned up to a little bit more appropriate you know level,” he says.

Carlsen says the early warnings issued by the National Weather Service and the media–including a tornado emergency declared for Minden–prevented more storm casualties. “We really are blessed that it wasn’t worse to be honest with you as far as you know physical injury. To have just four storm-related injuries given the amount of physical damage that came through our area and all of southwest Iowa really it’s pretty amazing,” Carlsen says. A curfew remains in effect in Minden from 10 p-m until 6 a-m until further notice. Carlsen says one of the biggest challenges facing response and recovery efforts is the influx of resources that haven’t been requested. “There’s no communicated need for food water or emergency housing we’re very grateful for that,” he says. “But as that is the case officials are currently you know asking that any donation currently is in monetary form to help those impacted.”

Five communities were hit by the tornado, including western portions of Council Bluffs, northeast of Crescent, east of McClelland, southwest of Treynor and Minden. Approximately 300 homes or businesses in the county were damaged or destroyed, including 48 alone in Minden. Donations can be made to the Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund at givewesterniowa.org.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced April 16, 2024, to 108 months in prison for Receipt of Child Pornography. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, 20-year-old Ivan Dean Joslin pled guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. In May 2023, Joslin met a thirteen-year-old minor in Council Bluffs, Iowa and exchanged phone numbers.  At his request, Joslin received over the internet sexually explicit images and videos of the minor.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Joslin is required to serve six years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by Council Bluffs Police Department.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. / For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced April 16, 2024, to 240 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and 180 months for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, to be served concurrently.

According to public court documents, 47-year-old Virgil Rude McIntosh, III, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Between December and July 2023, McIntosh was involved in a drug conspiracy credited for the distribution of over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs metro area. Officers conducted a search warrant of McIntosh’s residence and seized methamphetamine and a loaded Sig Saur 9 mm handgun.

After completing his term of imprisonment, McIntosh will be required to serve ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, the Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Omaha Police Department, and the Council Bluffs Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports a Greenfield man, 30-year-old Jeffrey Dewayne Ott, was arrested last week on charges that include: Domestic Assault with bodily injury; Disorderly Conduct/Fighting or Violence; Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine – 2nd offense; Failure to Maintain Control, and Leaving the scene of a property damage accident. His arrest took place April 22nd in the 300 block of SW Jackson Street, at around 11-p.m. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $3,000 cash or surety bond.

24-year-old Miguel Angel Zunig, of Des Moines, was arrested by Stuart Police on April 22nd at around 12-a.m., for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His arrest followed a traffic stop on I-80 eastbound, at mile marker 97. Zunig was released later that morning on a $1,300 bond.

On April 23rd, Adair County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 61-year-old Jeffery Lynn Jackman, of Oskaloosa, following a traffic stop on Highway 25 and 260th Street. Jackman was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Open Container by a person 21+ years of age, and on a Fremont County warrant Failure To Appear on charges of PCS/2nd offense and OWI/1st offense. Jackman was released later that day on a $2,000 bond.

And, on April 25th, Deputies in Adair County arrested 61-year-old Joseph Ivyl Whetstone, of Panora, on an Adair County warrant for Stalking/1st offense. Whetstone was released the following day on a $2,000 bond.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced April 16th to 200 months in prison on federal drug charges and a concurrent 180 months for a firearms crime.  According to public court documents, 39-year-old Jake Michael Flynn pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. From October 2022 through April 2023, Flynn was a member of a conspiracy which distributed more than 50 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs area. A stolen vehicle was also recovered that was involved in prior burglaries in the Council Bluffs area. Additionally, a Sig Sauer Model P365 9×19 millimeter handgun was found in the vehicle with Flynn’s DNA. Flynn was previously convicted of a felony and therefore prohibited from legally possessing a firearm.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Flynn will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, the Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Council Bluffs Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.