United Group Insurance

2 out-of-state men arrested on separate Mills County charges

News

June 16th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two, recent arrests. Thursday afternoon, 25-year-old Willie Ray Johnson, of Gulfport, MS, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. Johnson was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail. And, Tuesday afternoon, 30-year-old Victor Hugo Campos-Penaloza, of St. Louis, MO., was arrested in St. Charles, MO., on a Mills County warrant for 1st Degree Theft. His bond was set at $5,000.

There were also two incidents reported to the Mills County Sheriff’s Office: Officials with the Silver City Post Office told authorities on June 6th, that there had been an incident of attempted burglary in the 3rd degree. And, on June 14th, a woman from Omaha reported an incident of Identity Theft occurred in Mills County, at a location on Ingrum Avenue.

Additional information on those incidents was not provided.

Posted in News |

Atlantic School Board meeting, extra news

News

June 16th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber, Wednesday (June 14, 2023), presented the School Board with his final report. Mr. Barber is leaving the District at the end of this month. He mentioned the Atlantic Community School District currently has five teaching positions that have yet to be filled.

Mr. Barber’s replacement, Dr. Beth Johnson, is in the process of interviewing for the Transportation Director’s position left vacant by the resignation of Mark Weis, who is leaving the District effective July 1, 2023.

Steve Barber said most of the summer projects will begin July 1st, also. They include: The Washington Elementary School playground; High School storage shed; HS Auditorium lighting; carpets at the HS, ELC and Schuler; and Washington EVR units.

The lower elementary Summer Experience count he said is around 140 students, while the upper grades are averaging 50-to 60 students. The Atlantic School Board approved the hiring of Casey Pelzer, as the Middle School Principal.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board, Wednesday, approved an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), with regard to the iJag (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates) program. Steve Barber said Guy Somers “has done a wonderful job [with the program], and that he “continues to look at ways to improve [it].” For the 2023-24 school year, 28 students have registered for the program.

The Board also approved an agreement with the Green Hills AEA for managed services designed to enhance the school district in the continuation of protecting the system, and enhancing cybersecurity measures.

Posted in News |

Heartbeat Today 6-16-2023

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

June 16th, 2023 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Lee Williams who will portray President Abraham Lincoln in a show on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at the Warren Cultural Center in Greenfield.

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (27.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Posted in Heartbeat Today, Podcasts |

Creston man arrested Thu. afternoon on a trio of offenses

News

June 16th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports 22-year-old Chase Isaiah Ditzler, of Creston, was arrested at around 4:24-p.m. Thursday, at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center. Ditzler was taken into custody for Violation of Parole, Theft in the 2nd Degree, and Theft in the 5th Degree. He was brought to the Union County Jail and held without bond, until seen by a Judge.

Posted in News |

Gov. Reynolds announces Iowa Homeownership Incubator Competition

News

June 16th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(DES MOINES) – Governor Reynolds, Thursday, celebrated national homeownership month with the announcement of the opening of the second annual Iowa Homeownership Incubator competition. The Iowa Homeownership Incubator is a challenge to Iowa lending institutions and real estate professionals to think innovatively about advancing financial literacy around homeownership among all Iowans, with the winning idea receiving a $20,000 grant to help implement the initiative.

“Homeownership is one of the leading drivers of economic security and wealth creation for Iowans which is why we’re pleased to announce the Iowa Homeownership Incubator to help drive innovation in this area,” said Governor Reynolds. “Iowa is already ranked among the top in the nation for first-time homebuyers and supporting financial literacy efforts will allow us to welcome many more Iowans home.”

“Homeownership benefits Iowans, communities and businesses alike,” said Iowa Finance Authority and Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham. “The ability to affordably own a home is a key element to attracting and retaining our workforce but Iowans first must realize that homeownership may be within their reach, which is exactly what this incubator competition sets out to do.”

The Iowa Homeownership Incubator requires partnerships amongst a lending institution or real estate company and a community organization or business, and the winning pitch will be awarded $20,000 to educate Iowans about financial literacy as it relates to homeownership and assistance programs available to them, including IFA’s programs for low to moderate homebuyers. Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Aug. 1. Finalists will be determined by the Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Association of REALTORS® and will be invited to make their pitch to a panel of industry judges, who will determine the winner at the HousingIowa Conference in Cedar Rapids on Sept. 6.

“It’s no secret that homeownership is good for Iowans and good for Iowa,” said Iowa Association of REALTORS® CEO Gavin Blair.  “We look forward to seeing the innovative ideas for moving financial literacy around homeownership forward so we can open the door to homeownership for many more Iowans.”

More information about the Iowa Homeownership Incubator, including submission guidelines is available at housingiowaconference.com.

Posted in News |

NE man sentenced in fentanyl death of a western IA man

News

June 16th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) [UPDATED]— An Omaha, NE., man was sentenced Thursday, June 15, 2023, for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. 22-year-old Jerome Wallace, III, was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) in prison following his plea of guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Wallace must serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Wallace was also ordered to pay restitution reimbursing funeral expenses.

According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, on March 2, 2021, the Council Bluffs Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to a home in Council Bluffs to provide medical treatment to an unresponsive male, 20-year-old Jared Ludwig, who ultimately died from a fentanyl overdose. Wallace distributed pressed pills containing fentanyl to the victim. Officers linked Wallace to the fentanyl overdose death after reviewing phone and social media information, and conducting witness interviews.

Wallace along with co-defendants 21-year-old Karlee Rosenthal and 20-year-old Linsey Stisi distributed pressed pills containing fentanyl as part of the conspiracy from January to August of 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs.

In January 2023, Rosenthal was sentenced to time served and five years of supervised release, following her plea of guilty to her role in the conspiracy to distribute a controlled sentence. In March 2023, Stisi was sentenced to time served and four years of supervised release, following her plea of guilty to her role in the conspiracy to distribute a controlled sentence. The Council Bluffs Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.

Posted in News |

6/15/23 Highschool Baseball Scores

Sports

June 16th, 2023 by admin

Hawkeye Ten Conference:
Atlantic 10 Denison-Schleswig, 9 (8 innings)
Harlan 7 Kuemper, Catholic, 6
Clarinda 6 Shenandoah, 0
Lewis Central 7 S.Albert, 1
Red Oak 1 Creston, 0

Rolling Valley Conference:
Exira-EHK 7 CAM, 5
Coon Rapids-Bayard 17 Southeast Valley, 0 (NC)

Western Iowa Conference:
Underwood 12 Audubon, 5
Missouri Valley 10 IKM/Manning, 3
Treynor 8 AHSTW, 1
AHSTW 5 Treynor, 4 (Brayden Lund with the winning walk-off hit)
Tri-Cente 13 Riverside, 0

Pride of Iowa Conference:
Nodaway Valley 10 Southwest Valley, 7
Bedford 15 Mount Ayr, 7
Central Decatur 1 Lenox, 0
Southeast Warren 10 East Union, 3
Martensdale-St. Mary’s 9 Wayne, 3

West Central Activities Conference:
Des Moines, Christian 6 Panorama, 5
Des Moines, Christian 12 Panorama, 5
Ogden 7 Earlham, 1
Earlham 8 Ogden, 7
Interstate 35 16 Madrid, 1
Interstate 35 Madrid, 8
Pleasantville 19 ACGC, 0
Pleasantville 9 ACGC, 3

Posted in Sports |

6/15/23 Highschool Softball Scores

Sports

June 16th, 2023 by admin

Hawkeye Ten Conference:
Atlantic 9 Denison-Schleswig, 5
Shenandoah 5 Clarinda, 3
Creston 10 Red Oak, 0
Lewis Central 7 St. Albert, 6
St. Albert 9 Lewis Central, 4
Kuemper, Catholic 8 Harlan, 4

Rolling Valley Conference:
Exira/EHK 12 CAM, 0 (3 innings)
Westwood 15 West Harrison, 3 (NC)
MVAOCOU 13 Boyer Valley, 3 (NC)

Corner Conference:
Fremont-Mills 14 Sidney, 0

West Central Activities Conference:
Des Moines-Christian 9 Panorama, 3
Des Moineis-Christian 20 Panorama, 10
Van Meter 9 Woodward-Granger, 0
Van Meter 11 Woodward-Granger, 1
Earlham 12 Ogden, 0
Pleasantville 6 ACGC, 1
Pleasantville 4 ACGC, 3

Western Iowa Conference:
Audubon 10 Underwood, 0
Missouri Valley 10 IKM/Manning, 2
Treynor 9 AHSTW, 8
Riverside 17 Tri-Center, 4

Pride of Iowa Conference:
Nodaway Valley 12 Southwest Valley, 2
Lenox 12 Central Decatur, 11
Mount Ayr 12 Bedford, 0
Southeast Warren 10 East Union, 0
Martensdale-St. Mary’s 8 Wayne, 2

Posted in Sports |

State regulators conditionally rule a woman who tied an Atlantic Nursing Home patient to a chair can keep her nursing license

News

June 16th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – A nursing home caregiver who admitted tying a resident into a wheelchair with a bedsheet and who was also convicted of child endangerment can continue to practice nursing, state regulators have ruled. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports in January, the Iowa Board of Nursing charged Katherine “Katie” Becker, of Casey, an LPN, with being involved in the unauthorized possession or use of a controlled substance; excessive use of alcohol that might impair her ability to practice nursing; and committing an act that could adversely affect the welfare of a patient. (Note: This is not the same person as Katherine Becker, RN)

According to board records, Guthrie County law enforcement executed a search warrant at Becker’s home in July 2021 and found the home “in an extreme state of disarray, with dirty dishes and food remnants found in the kitchen and animal excrement smeared all over the premises.” During the search, deputies seized three marijuana plants and drug paraphernalia and charged Becker with child endangerment for the state of her residence. Becker later pleaded guilty to the charge, according to the board.

In subsequent discussions with the board staff, Becker allegedly indicated she still worked in a nursing home but had recently “gone on a bender” and blacked out for several days.

According to the board, Becker was working at the Atlantic Specialty Care nursing home last September when she used a bedsheet to tie down, in a wheelchair, a female resident of the home. Becker allegedly defended her actions by saying the restraint was intended to prevent the woman from getting up and wandering.

Board records indicate the incident was reported to the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, which regulates Iowa’s nursing homes, and the agency concluded the matter did not constitute dependent adult abuse.

The Board of Nursing voted recently to indefinitely suspend Becker’s license, but added that the suspension was being stayed pending the submission of a substance abuse evaluation, successful completion of any recommended treatment and the completion of 10 hours of educational training related to elder care.

If Becker cannot meet those requirements within the next six months, the license suspension will take effect.

Posted in News |

Supreme Court to release ruling on fetal heartbeat law today

News

June 16th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court will release its decision today (Friday) on the law that blocks abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. The 2018 state law never took effect after an Iowa district court ruling permanently blocked it. The governor asked the Iowa Supreme Court to review the case, and during oral arguments in April, the attorney for the state argued the injunction against the law should be lifted based on state and federal Supreme Court rulings that abortion is not a constitutional right.

An attorney for Planned Parenthood argued the law was void because it was unconstitutional when it was passed. He also said Iowa procedures do not permit the state’s motion, and there was no change in the law that would justify vacating the injunction.

Posted in News |