(Dyersville, Iowa) – Two people from Cedar Falls died in a crash that occurred Tuesday evening in eastern Iowa’s Dubuque County. The Iowa State Patrol says a 2018 Chevy Equinox driven by 20-year-old Miranda Lynn Held, of Cedar Falls, and a 1999 Sterling sanitation vehicle (garbage truck) driven by 32-year-old Adam Ray Linden, of Sherrill, were traveling east on Highway 20 at around 5:13-p.m. While the truck was waiting to turn north onto Olde Castle Road, Miranda Held tried to pass vehicles in the turning lane.

Her Chevy rear-ended the garbage truck. Held, and a passenger in the Equinox, 21-year-old Samuel Jon Linck, of Cedar Falls, died in the crash, which remains under investigation.

The Patrol was assisted at the crash scene by Farley Fire & EMS, Farley Police, Dyersville Police, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DOT MVE, and  the Dubuque County Medical Examiner.

(Radio Iowa) – Senator Joni Ernst — a “no” last week on advancing a bill to ensure veterans exposed to toxic burn pits get medial care — has voted to send the bill to the president’s desk. Ernst, a combat veteran, told The Cedar Rapids Gazette her initial vote to block passage of the bill was because Democrats prevented Republicans from offering amendments to improve the legislation. Last night, the bill passed — without changes — and Ernst voted for it.

Ernst issued a written statement, saying veterans who continue to pay the price for their service deserve the life-saving benefits of the bill. Iowa’s other Republican senator, Chuck Grassley, tweeted that he had consistently supported the bill — even when it stalled — and he’s grateful it finally passed.

Retired Navy Admiral Mike Franken, the Democrat who’s running against Grassley, says Grassley voted right on the bill all along, but Franken says Grassley failed to rally his fellow Republicans in the senate to do what was right last week.

(Radio Iowa) – Friends and neighbors of the three people killed while camping last month gathered in a Cedar Falls park last (Tuesday) night to honor Tyler and Sarah Schmidt and their six-year-old daughter, Lula. Cedar Falls Mayor Bob Green says the celebration of life service wasn’t just for those in attendance, but for the Schmidt’s nine-year-old son who survived the attack. “This is for Arlo,” Green said. “…I want you to know how much your community loves you.”

Tyler Schmidt’s aunt thanked the community for focusing on the joy Tyler and his family spread in the community, then she read a statement from Tyler’s parents, who were home with Arlo. “Our hearts are beyond broken and our lives are shattered to pieces. We go on for Arlo, to love and support him,” the statement said. “…Tyler, Sarah and Lula changed the world by being who they were and through their daily interactions with many of you their love, joy and kindness made the world a better place. The light of their beautiful souls has been put out, but we ask each of you to carry that light forward.”

Sarah Schmidt’s sisters, Jana and Karen, held hands as they approached the microphone.) “First I have to say: ‘Wow,'” one of the sisters said. “I think it’s pretty incredible that all of you would come out to support us and to support Arlo and to remember my sister, my brother-in-law and my niece.” K-W-W-L and K-C-R-G live-streamed the event.

Authorities say a 23-year-old Nebraska man shot the three Schimdts to death in the campground at Maquoketa Caves State Park, then took his own life.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s Attorney General is joining others in nationwide Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force. A-G spokesman, Linn Hicks, says it allows them to combine their efforts into one. “We can work together to look at these reports that we’re getting of robocalls to investigate, to send out subpoenas in some cases, and also prosecute,” Hicks says. Hicks says they are trying to get to the source of the calls.

“So far the task force has issued subpoenas to 20 gateway providers — and these are the, these are the entities that are responsible for bringing foreign calls into the U-S telephone network,” he says. He says it’s their job to make sure that those calls are not illegal, and the Attorney’s General we don’t believe that they’re doing enough to stop the robo traffic.

“In some cases, you know, we’re concerned that they are turning a blind eye just to make sure that they continue to get revenue,” Hicks says. The calls can be annoying — but they also target people with scams — and Hicks says the task force is concerned about preventing that from happening.

“People fall for those robo calls and if they provide money or information, it’s very difficult to get that money back or to make things right, ” Hicks says. It’s estimated there are some 33 million robo calls nationwide. And those callers scam millions from Americans every year.

(Radio Iowa) – Both of Iowa’s Republican Senators are expressing support for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.

Pelosi is the highest-ranking American lawmaker to visit Taiwan in 25 years. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley are among more than two dozen Republicans in the Senate who signed onto a message, saying the California Democrat’s visit is consistent with U.S. policy on Taiwan.

Senator Grassley tweeted that he doesn’t agree with Pelosi much on domestic issues, but Grassley said he appreciates Pelosi for standing up to China.

China opposed Pelosi’s visit and the Chinese military started military drills around the island of Taiwan as Pelosi landed. Pelosi says her visit illustrates America’s unwavering support of Taiwan’s democracy.

(Radio Iowa) Afghan refugees in western Iowa can now take the state driver’s license exam in their own languages, as driving courses are now available in Pashto and Dari for Iowa’s latest arrivals. Ahmedullah Kohbandi passed his written exam last week and, speaking through a translator, says he’s excited to drive to places other than work or home, once he passes the road test.

Kohbandi says, “If I want to go visit my relatives and go to park with friends or buying grocery, going to the grocery shop, so yeah, of course, I’ll need car for that.” Refugee organizations are collaborating with the Iowa Department of Transportation to ensure the tests are available in Afghan languages.

The D-O-T currently offers the test in 21 languages, but not in Pashto or Dari. That’s why Lutheran Services of Iowa in Sioux City is offering twice monthly opportunities for the test to be translated and read aloud. L-S-I refugee coordinator Katie Hagen (HAY-gun) says it’s a means of empowering the Afghans to get to know their community.

“This allows them not only to go to the grocery store or get to work but it also allows them socialization,” Hagen says. “So now they can not only socialize with the guys that are living around their area, but all over town.” Hagen says it’s especially important given western Iowa’s lack of a robust public transit system. She says many of the recent arrivals have driven before and just need to overcome the test’s language barrier to get back on the road.

(reporting by Kendall Crawford, Iowa Public Radio)

DES MOINES, IA – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports 51-year-old Bradley Earl Ewart, of Wapello, was sentenced Monday, August 1, 2022, to 6 months in prison for failing to file income tax returns. Ewart pleaded guilty on March 24, 2022, to two counts of failure to file income tax returns, one for each of the calendar years 2016 and 2018. The Court imposed a three-month prison sentence on each count, to be served consecutively. Following completion of his prison term, Ewart will be on supervised release for one year. The Court imposed a $20,000 fine.

Since approximately 2004, Ewart has owned and operated Louisa County Millwright, LLC, a business that specializes in grain elevator work, material handling, steel building installation, and fabrication. Ewart failed to file federal income tax returns for the years 2004 to 2014. As part of his plea, Ewart admitted that he knowingly and willfully failed to file tax returns for the years 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Ewart remains responsible for paying his tax liability in full.

“Mr. Ewart admitted that he repeatedly failed to file his federal income tax returns the majority of the time his business was in operation,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – Criminal Investigations. “Earning prison time and a $20,000 fine for this offense sends a clear message that we all have the responsibility to file accurate returns on time and pay our fair share of taxes.”

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigations investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Kerndt.

Des Moines, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau report a Fort Dodge woman, 45-year-old Angelina Marie Majors, was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information (Class D Felony) following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.

The charges against Majors stem from an investigation which began in April of 2022. According to criminal complaints filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, Majors submitted a fraudulent document in connection with an auto insurance application.

Angelina Majors (Story County S/O photo)

On July 31, 2022, Majors turned herself into the Story County Sheriff’s Office after an arrest warrant was issued by the Story County District Court. Majors posted a $5,000 bond and was released. No additional information will be provided at this time.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Here’s the latest report from the Mills County Sheriff’s Office:

On Monday (Aug. 1), Deputies arrested 41-year-old Louis Hardrock Younger, of Bedford, for Pre-trial revocation. He was taken into custody at the Mills County Courthouse and held on a $20,000 bond.

On Sunday (July 31), 45-year-old Amanda Kay Berglund, of Glenwood, was arrested for violation of a No Contact Order. She was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond.

There were three arrests last Thursday (July 28) in Mills County:

• 34-year-old Cynthia Marie Griffin, of Bellevue, NE., was arrested for OWI/1st offense ($1,000 bond).
• 51-year-old Jeffrey Wade Massey, of Hamburg, was arrested at the Fremont County Jail on a Mills County warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance ($5,000 bond).
• and, 31-year-old Shaka Renee Gordon, of Omaha, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Courthouse, on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear on charges that include Poss. of a Controlled Substance & Poss. of paraphernalia (Bond $1,000).