COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports three men, two from Texas, and one from Washington State, were sentenced Friday, August 27, 2021, to 120 months in prison. The sentences were handed-down in Council Bluffs U-S District Court. Hieu Minh Le was sentenced to 120 months for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and was found to be an organizer or leader of the conspiracy. Tu Anh Nguyen and Sanh Binh Tran were both sentenced to 60 months for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and 60 months to be served consecutively for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking. According to court documents, Le, Nguyen, and Tran were found guilty by a jury on April 1, 2021. Their prison terms will be followed by four years of supervised release.

An Iowa State Patrol Trooper stopped Nguyen and Tran, who were driving a truck and trailer registered in Washington, on December 21, 2018, to perform a Commercial Motor Vehicle regulatory inspection. The trooper noticed numerous irregularities with the commercial motor vehicle paperwork, safety equipment, and lack of conformity with commercial motor vehicle
industry standards. The trooper also detected an odor of bleach in the trailer and the load was not properly secured. A Council Bluffs Police canine officer and police service dog arrived for a free air sniff. An Iowa Department of Transportation sergeant also assisted with the commercial motor vehicle inspection. The police service dog alerted and indicated to the odor of illegal drugs and the truck and trailer were searched. The officers located 470 pounds of marijuana, numerous boxes containing cartridges of THC oil, and a firearm.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests from this past week. On Sunday, 52-year-old Julie Marie Bockert, of Riverton, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Poss. of Drug paraphernalia (Bond $1,300). There were three people arrested Saturday in Mills County:

• 58-year-old Douglas Lee Kuester, of Omaha, was arrested for OWI/3rd offense, and Driving While Revoked (Bond $5,000).
• 54-year-old John Merrill Meyers, of Glenwood, was arrested on two warrants for Violation of probation (Bond $50,300).
• and 49-year-old Marie Ayon-Fernandez, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension [DUS] (Bond $300).

On Aug. 26th there were four arrests in Mills County:

• 34-year-old Richard Allen Kercheval, of Omaha, was arrested for Public Intoxication (Bond $300).
• 36-year-old Melvin Gene Lake, of North Platte, NE., was arrested on a warrant for Theft in the 1st Degree (Bond $10,000).
• Kim Jane Marie Canapp, of Underwood, was arrested Aug. 26th on a warrant for Violation of Probation (Bond $10,000).
• and 56-year-old Ronald Everett Knapp, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for DUS (Bond $300).

On Aug. 25th, Mills County Deputies arrested 25-year-old Kristen Lee Gleason, of Sidney, on a warrant for Failure to Appear on an OWI/1st offense charge (Bond $1,000). And, 23-year-old Ra Say, of Omaha, was arrested that same day on a warrant for Violation of Probation (Bond $10,000).

(Radio Iowa) – Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who ran against President Biden in the 2020 Democratic Primary, was in Cedar Rapids Sunday, defending Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. “The good news is that after 20 years of war, after the loss of 2400 members of the U.S. armed forces and after a trillion dollars of spending, our troops are finally coming home and that war, for us, is coming to an end,” Sanders said, to applause.

Sanders then asked the crowd to applaud the bravery of U.S. troops at Kabul’s airport who worked to evacuate 114-thousand Americans and Afghan allies. “The bad news, of course — and it is bad news, is that the corrupt government of Afghanistan collapsed faster than we thought, the Taliban is now in power and we are seeing death and chaos at the airport,” Sanders said.

Sanders expressed sympathy to the families of the 13 American troops who died last Thursday at the airport. Sanders was in Iowa Sunday to tout passage of a three-and-a-half trillion dollar federal spending package.

(Radio Iowa) – The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors decided against naming the county a Second Amendment sanctuary during its meeting this (Monday) morning. A proposed resolution was brought to the board asking the county to reaffirm its commitment to constitutional rights, especially the second amendment. Board member Mark Reiser made a motion to support the measure but it died for lack of a second. Board chair Larry Schellhammer said while he supports the second amendment, he felt the resolution would take the board into a political arena they don’t want to go. Supervisor Dan Byrnes said all elected officials swear to uphold the state and federal constitution when they take the oath of office and that alone is affirming support for individuals’ constitutional rights.

Leaders in Adams, Carroll, Cedar, Hardin, Jasper and Madison Counties — have approved the Second Amendment sanctuary status.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports four accidents occurred over the past few days. Sunday evening, 16-year-old Kaidyn Stacy Dencklau, of Panora, suffered possible/unknown injuries, after her vehicle met an SUV that was left of center, at the crest of a hill. When she took evasive action by swerving to the right, the 2006 Ford Fusion she was driving went out of control southbound and began to fishtail on Rose Avenue before the car entered the ditch on the west side of Rose Avenue. The vehicle rolled over and came to rest on its wheels. Kaidyn was transported to the Guthrie County Hospital by her mother, to be checked out after she complained of pain. The car was totaled in the accident.

Later that same evening, no injuries were reported, after a tractor-trailer collided with an SUV, causing a total of $6,000 damage. Authorities say a 2016 Jeep Patriot driven by 46-year-old Kelli Ann Smith, of Guthrie Center, was traveling east on Highway 44 and beginning to turn north onto Willow Avenue. A 2017 Peterbilt semi driven by 35-year-old Benjamin K. Campbell, of Jefferson, was traveling east on Highway 44. Campbell failed to notice Smith was about to urn left onto Willow. As he was passing on the left, the back of his trailer struck the SUV.

Friday morning, a 1995 Ford van driven by 81-year-old Nickolas Nolan, of Redfield, was struck from behind by a 2014 Chevy Cruze, when the driver of the Chevy, 26-year-old Kashley Sneller, of Panora, failed to notice the Ford was stopped and waiting to turn from Highway 4 into a driveway at 2027 Highway 4. Sneller complained of pain but was not transported to the hospital. She was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. The accident caused a total of $10,000 damage.

And, Thursday night, vehicles driven by 16-year-old Kiersten Knobbe, and 15-year-old Hayden Coffman, both of Guthrie Center, collided on northbound Justice Road, just north of Highway 44 in Guthrie County. The accident happened when Knobbe slowed to turn right. The 2012 Ford Escape she was driving was struck from behind by the 2003 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Coffman. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,000.

(Carroll, Iowa) – If you’ve ever wanted to fly in a genuine, vintage, Vietnam-era helicopter, you will have your chance to do so this weekend and next. Jeff Dentlinger with Carroll County Farm Bureau Financial Services is organizing opportunities for you to purchase a flight on a Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey,” as a salute to our nation’s veterans, especially those who served in Vietnam. Dentilinger says says he is excited to see the plans coming together.

Everyone is invited to book a ride on the military helicopter in early September. Spots are limited for the three local events, in Arcadia on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, in Carroll on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7 and then Ames on Sept. 9 through Sept. 12. Dentlinger says on the weekend, there will be a flyover during the Iowa and Iowa State game.

Dentlinger adds that those who want to get an up-close look at a one of the few Huey helicopters still in service can do so before it takes off for Ames.

Photo via Friends of Army Aviation Facebook page

The cost for a ride is $80 per person. Dentlinger says there are a couple of ways to get on the list. Spots can be reserved by following the link with this story on our website, or if you know a Vietnam era veteran who maybe doesn’t have access to the internet, they can be set up by contacting the Carroll County Farm Bureau Office.

Seeing and riding on these helicopters is generally a very emotional experience for the veterans.

Dentlinger thanks all of the many sponsors who have supported this effort through the Patriot Peak Foundation, but more sponsorships are still open and details are available from Dentlinger through the phone number included with this story on our website or on the Patriot Peak Foundation Facebook or Venmo pages, also included online.

(Special Thanks to Chantelle Groves, KCIM for the story & audio)

___________________________

To book a Huey Helicopter ride: http://friendsofarmyaviation.org/foaa-event

Jeff Dentlinger: 712-792-9296

Additional info. on the Patriot Peak Foundation: Facebook:

• https://www.facebook.com/PatriotPeakFoundation
• Email: PatriotPeakFoundation@gmail.com
• Venmo: @PatriotPeakFoundation

(Radio Iowa) – There’s a push to make our neighbors to the south the 20th state to legalize recreational marijuana. A group in Missouri has filed a citizens’ ballot initiative with the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, that would allow residents age 21 and older to possess, grow and use marijuana. The proposed constitutional amendment includes a six-percent retail tax that is expected to generate millions of dollars in state revenue annually.

Local governments would also be able to collect a three percent tax on cannabis. Organizers say there’s a focus on criminal justice reform and Missourians with low-level marijuana offenses would have their records expunged. They plan to begin collecting the 175-thousand signatures needed to quality for the November 2022 ballot.