(Lewis, Iowa) –  The Cass County Conservation Board held their 8th Biennial Lighted Halloween Campground on Saturday, Oct. 9th. The event, at Cold Springs State Park near Lewis, featured several sites decorated in Halloween décor. The sites were viewed and voted on by 180 people.

When the votes were tallied, the first-place winner was Site 5, the Sandbothe/Smith families. Second-place winner was Site 3, Jim Casebeer. Third-place went to Site 4, Amber Jennings. And, the site by Beth Boeck, McKinnley Boeck, Josey Gipple placed fourth.

Winners, left-to-right: Sandbothe/Smith kids family representing their families (1st place);(1st place), Beth Boeck, McKinnley Boeck, Josey Gipple (4th place), and Amber Jennings (3rd place), Jim Casebeer (2nd place).

Winning 1st place décor

2nd place décor

3rd place décor

The CCCB thanks their business sponsors, Cappel’s Ace Hardware, who donated the prizes to for the Lighted Halloween Campground, and Cass Health, which donated towards the kid’s goodie bags. They also wish to thank everyone who signed up to decorate a site. Thank you for sharing your Halloween  with everyone! 

The Board looks forward to the next Lighted Halloween Campground!

(Rockwell City, Iowa) – Authorities in northwest Iowa said today (Sunday), a man wanted on a warrant out of Texas for Murder, was arrested Sunday morning (Oct. 20) just outside of Pomeroy, ending his more than two-years on the run. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office said 39-year-old Kyle Andrew Coolack was detained by a Calhoun County Sheriff’s Deputy at around 7:33-a.m., after he was found walking along Highway 4.

Coolack had initially given the deputy a name that did not return any information, and was suspected of being false. Less than an hour later, during questioning, he revealed his true identity, and was arrested on an outstanding murder warrant issued by the Houston, TX, Police Department on July 15, 2022.

The man’s arrest followed a call to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office from a Pomeroy resident who had just kicked a man out of his house, where he had recently been staying. The caller said the subject left the residence and was possibly walking south toward Fort Dodge. The Pomeroy resident told authorities also, that in a conversation among household members, the male subject (Coolack) admitted to be on the run for killing his own brother. That conversation led to Coolack being kicked-out of the residence.

Kyle Coolack was transported to the Carroll County Jail and held, pending extradition to Houston, TX.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A central Iowa woman was arrested on drug charges Saturday evening, following a traffic stop in Montgomery County. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the traffic stop occurred at around 6:30-p.m. in the 3000 block of 155th Street. Upon further investigation, deputies arrested 25-year-old Teylor Rindone, of Johnston. Rindone was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance – Marijuana/1st Offense, and Possession of a Controlled substance. Her bond was set at $1,000.

JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa state patrol says a small plane landed on an eastern Iowa Highway early Saturday evening, after running out of fuel. The bi-wing plane landed on US Highway 218 near mile marker 94.8, at around 5:45-p.m. There were no injuries.

Officials were able to push the plane onto the side of the road, allowing traffic to resume. The plane received the necessary amount of fuel it needed before taking off and a short time later landing safely at the Iowa City Airport.

UPDATE 2-P.M.: The victim in the homicide on Saturday October 19, 2024 has been identified as 46 year old Michael Carter Jr. from Des Moines. The investigation is still ongoing and no other information is available at this time. 

Michael Carter, Jr. (Photo authorized by the family through the PCSO)

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide that occurred Saturday night at Union Park in Des Moines. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Communication Center received a 911 call reporting a shooting at 7:22-p.m., Saturday.

Deputies arrived on scene and located one victim that had been shot. Deputies began live saving measures until care could be turned over to EMS. The victim did not survive and was pronounced deceased on scene. Deputies secured the scene and investigators were called to the scene to speak to witnesses. Preliminary investigations show there was a large gathering of people at the Park for a Mental Health Awareness event.

(Iowa County, Iowa) – A head-on crash between a pickup and a motorcycle Saturday evening in east central Iowa resulted in injuries to a man from Marengo. The Iowa State Patrol says a pickup driven by 19-year-old Zane Pope, from Conroy, was traveling north on Western Avenue in Marengo at around 5:40-p.m., and turned onto W. Miller Street.

A 2021 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by 52-year-old Craig A. Hawkins, of Marengo, was westbound on W. Miller, when the cycle was struck by the pickup at the intersection. Hawkins was transported by Iowa County EMS to the University of Iowa Health Care. A report on his condition was not released.