(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says the Iowa National Guard’s adjutant general has briefed her about the Guard’s connection to last week’s shooting at an Ames church, as a man who’d been a member of the Guard since 2015 shot a woman to death who was a member of the same unit.

The Story County Sheriff says Johnathan Whitlach shot 22-year-old Eden Montang and another women, then shot himself to death. Montang had recently ended a relationship with Whitlach and he had been charged at the end of May with harassing her at work. Reynolds today said leaders of the Guard were aware of Whitlach’s actions.

“He was full-time and relieved of duty and so I have to be careful how much is out and what isn’t,” Reynolds said. “There were some steps that had been taken.”

Whitlach was seeing a mental health counselor, according to the governor. “But again, some people just have evil in their heart and I don’t know what we can do and it’s not necessarily a gun,” Reynolds said. “We’ve seen them use other things, especially in domestic abuse.”

Montang’s friend, 21-year-old Vivian Flores, was also shot to death outside Cornerstone Church in Ames. The two women were active in a youth ministry at the church.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Reynolds has signed a bill into law that lifts the cap on the amount of alcohol Iowa distilleries may produce. It also lets smaller distilleries sell up to nine liters of alcohol to retail customers at their locations. Larger Iowa distilleries are already allowed to sell that amount to a retail customer. Reynolds went to the Revelton Distillery in Osceola for a ceremony to sign the bill, which deals with a wide-range of state liquor control issues.

“The bill does several things to enhance Iowa’s licensing and permitting processes for alcohol distributors. It creates Sunday sales parity for all retail license and alcohol permits and it simplifies the permitting process for non-profit organizations applying for licenses for events,” Reynolds says. “Finally, the bill – which I love — will help quickly modernize the outdated process for applying for, renewing and paying for licenses.” It changes the licensing system for producers and sellers of beer, wine and alcohol, including the fee structure.

Christy Taylor,Gov. Reynolds, Rob Taylor.(RI-photo)

Rob Taylor and his wife, Christi, own the Revelton Distillery in Osceola. He says the bill will allow native distilleries expand, as they’ve been restricted to producing 16-hundred barrels of bourbon and whiskey each year.  “Because of this bill, it allows us as a distillery….to make unlimited amounts of fine spirits and be competitive not only within our state, but within our region — and also our dream is to be competitive globally,” Taylor says. “We have the best corn in the world in Iowa and I think, because of that, we should have some of the finest spirits in the world.”

The legislation became a catch-all for several proposals. It includes new restrictions for food delivery companies like GrubHub, Uber Eats and DoorDash.

(Radio Iowa) – Des Moines police have released the name of the local woman who was shot and killed near downtown last (Monday) night. Police were called about 9:30 PM to an area along the Des Moines River near the Robert Ray Asian Garden and the Iowa Women of Achievement pedestrian bridge. Officers found the body of 21-year-old Elizabeth Arzola with a gunshot wound. She died at the scene.

A handgun was also found close-by. Investigators say it was likely a “targeted incident” and there is no danger to the public. No arrests have been made in Des Moines’ ninth homicide this year.

(Sioux City, Iowa) – A collision northeast of Sioux City, Tuesday morning, resulting in one person dead and two others injured. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 1998 Honda Civic driven by 22-year-old Uzael Abraham, of Sioux City, was traveling south on Highway 75 near C-70, at around 5:45-a.m., when the vehicle was struck from behind. The other vehicle was a 2015 Nissan Sentra, driven by 30-year-old David Diaz, of Sioux City.

Following the collision, the Honda spun around and came to rest in the median. A passenger in the car, 45-year-old Ermiohne Joswa, of Sioux City, died at the scene. Uzeal Abraham suffered critical injuries and was transported by Hinton Fire/EMS to Mercy Hospital, in Sioux City.

David Diaz sustained minor injuries in the crash and was also transported to Mercy in Sioux City. The accident remains under investigation.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – A man and a woman from Council Bluffs were arrested this (Tuesday) morning on the Iowa Western Community College campus in Council Bluffs, following the pursuit of a stolen SUV. 32-year-old Jeremy Belt and 27-year-old Jamia D. Sutton face theft, eluding, and a litany of other, pending charges.

According to Council Bluffs Police, at around 10-a.m. officers were checking the area around the Bomgaars store (2803 E Kanesville Blvd) for a stolen Grey Hyundai Santa Fe. They saw the SUV traveling at a high rate of speed on E Kanesville.

When a Council Bluffs Police Officer attempted to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle, he broke-off the traffic stop when the vehicle fled and began driving erratically. The vehicle went off road and onto a dirt road towards the Iowa Western Community College Campus. Officers converged on the area to check the IWCC Campus to see if they could locate the vehicle, which was found abandoned in the area of the Towers Dorm, on the IWCC Campus.

Jamia D. Sutton

Jeremy J. Belt

A perimeter search of the area was conducted. The officer who had attempted to stop the vehicle was able to provide a description of the two suspects. They were located running through the campus grounds into the woods and creek bottom. Both were taken into custody after a foot pursuits.

Authorities say during the course of the incident IWCC was kept in continual communication as to the event once it was determined the suspects were heading towards the campus. IWCC put into effect their Campus Threat Protocol. Once the two suspects were apprehended IWCC was immediately notified they could come out of their lock down.

Due to the quick action of the campus, Police believe this kept the suspects from being able to get into any of their facilities. There were NO guns found, No shots fired and the suspects were found UNARMED. There were no reported injuries.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – A woman from Page County was arrested this (Tuesday) morning at the Mills County Courthouse. Sheriff’s officials say 41-year-old Haley Ann Haynes, of Shambaugh, was taken into custody on a warrant for Failure to Appear on an original, Possession of a Controlled Substance, charge. She was being held on a $15,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The website for Iowa Courts Online reports charges were filed this (Tuesday) morning against a Fort Dodge police officer. Thirty-one-year-old Bryce Presswood is facing charges of operating while intoxicated first offense, an open container violation and leaving the scene of an accident. This is in reference to the accident at Highway 20 and Vasse Avenue south of Duncombe early Sunday evening. There were no injuries in the accident.

Presswood has been placed on paid administrative leave until further notice from the Fort Dodge Police Department because of the accident investigation. Presswood has been a member of the Fort Dodge Police Department since 2016. He served as a school liaison officer for Fort Dodge Senior High. The Webster County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa State Patrol continue with their investigation of the accident.