Council Bluffs Police, Monday, responded to a reported robbery at around 1-p.m., in the area of 3201 Renner Drive. A cab driver for Casino Cabo reported she gave two men a ride to the area. Upon arrival to their destination, the men stolen her cell phone and cash, at knife point. The woman was not injured, and the men left the area on foot. Police set up a perimeter and searched for the suspects, but to no avail. Kreft Elementary was placed on a brief lockdown as a precaution.

Police say the suspects were between 25- and 27-years-old. One wore a brown Carhart coat, and was last seen running southbound towards the apartment complexes on Renner Drive. The second suspect was wearing a dark coat with a hat. He was last seen running northbound behind Kreft Elementary School, towards Katie Drive.

Anyone with information about the suspects is asked to call the Council Bluffs Police’ Criminal Investigations Division at 712-328-4728, or, to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers at 712-328-STOP.

Officials with the Stuart Police Department, Tuesday, a juvenile was apprehended Monday, in connection with a string of incidents.  At around 1:50-a.m., officers were sent to the 300 block of Centennial Street in Stuart, for a report of a stolen vehicle. Just before 2-a.m., a Stuart Officer located the vehicle traveling in the 100 block of SE 7th Street. When the officer activated their emergency lights, the vehicle took off and a short chase ensued.

The vehicle traveled north through several blocks of residential streets at a high rate of speed. It traveled recklessly at times through yards and hit a street sign at SW 6th and S. Harrison, before turning into an alley and traveling for several more blocks. The driver jumped from the still moving vehicle in an alley behind the 500 block of S. Gaines Street. The vehicle continued on for several hundred more feet before coming to rest in the alley. The suspect was not located, despite several agencies including a K9 from the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office’ best efforts.

Later that same morning, authorities received multiple reports of vehicle bring broken into overnight, and an additional vehicle being stolen from the 400 block of S. Division Street. The vehicle burglaries took place in various areas around Stuart, with several items stolen. At around 9:45-a.m., Monday, officers located the second, stolen vehicle. It was parked in the 200 block of SE 7th Street.

At around 1:30-p.m. Monday, Stuart Police were able to determine a juvenile male was a person of interest in the vehicle thefts. About an hour later, while collecting evidence in the 200 block of SE 7th Street, Stuart Police saw the juvenile male fleeing the area through a corn field. The male was taken into custody by Stuart Police, and found to be in possession of suspected alcohol, marijuana, nicotine products and drug paraphernalia.

A hotel room at 203 SE 7th Street, where the juvenile had reportedly been staying, was later searched, with evidence discovered that linked the juvenile to several vehicle burglaries. The boy was interviewed with his parents present, and admitted to some involvement in the vehicle burglaries and thefts. Charges against the boy are pending.

Authorities note both stolen vehicles had been unlocked, and had the keys inside. Each of the burglarized vehicles were also unlocked. Police says “This is a great reminder, why vehicles should be locked, and valuables should be removed. Most vehicle thefts and burglaries are crimes of opportunity.”  They said also, the incidents remain under investigation, and additional charges may be filed.

(Radio Iowa) – A gene therapy drug that promises to cure diabetes is being tested on dogs at the Boone Veterinary Hospital in central Iowa and canine volunteers are needed for a second-round study. Dr. Hans Sollinger, founder of the Wisconsin-based biotech company Endsulin, says diabetic dogs will receive a 30-minute intravenous treatment during their first visit, which may last a total of four hours.

Dr. Hans Sollinger.

“We want to take a few hours to make sure that the dog is fine,” Sollinger says. “The dog can go to the playground with the owner, making sure the veterinarian or the vet technician is close, just in case there should be an unexpected reaction to the treatment.” The treatment has proven effective in hundreds of small animals to reduce or even eliminate insulin injections, Sollinger says, and if all goes well with the dog study, human trials may be 18 to 24 months away.

The gene therapy is very similar to what’s being used to treat dogs for hemophilia, a blood clotting disorder. “The DNA which we are giving for the cure of diabetes is just a very small amount different than what the hemophilia dogs are getting,” Sollinger says. “The hemophilia dogs have no side effects or very small side effects, and certainly, to my knowledge, there hasn’t been a death.”

Built on decades of research at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics in Madison, Sollinger says the procedure may allow patients to precisely regulate insulin on their own by re-coding a small fraction of their liver to function like a pancreas.  “I’m sure we’ll get it to work, it will take time,” Sollinger says. “From other examples of gene therapy where dogs have been used as a model, if you get it to work in dogs, the chance we will get it to work in humans is excellent.” The ideal dogs for the study are small dogs that have been recently diagnosed with diabetes.

Families must be able to bring their pet to Boone for the one-time treatment and five follow-up visits. Learn more about the study at endsulin.com/pilot-study or contact ENDSULIN directly at ginger@endsulin.com.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports they received a complaint about a school bus violation that occurred on February 26, at approximately 4:15 PM. The violation occurred on Highway 2, between F & G Avenues, while a Shenandoah School Bus was dropping children off at a residence. Bus video from the incident was provided by the Shenandoah School District.

Following an investigation into the allegation, 24-year old Stanna Wellauer, of Yorktown, was issued a Traffic Citation for Unlawful passing of school bus –first offense. She was cited into court as a court appearance is required for this type of violation.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office issued this report as a reminder, that if a school bus lights are flashing, be prepared to stop in EITHER direction on any of the roadways in Page County.

A man from Missouri was transported the hospital in Shenandoah, Monday, following a single-vehicle, rollover accident at around 12:12-p.m.  The accident happened in the 1100 block of 310th Street (J-64), about 10 miles south of Shenandoah.

An investigation determined 38-year-old Travis Lee Kephart, of Westboro, MO., was driving a 2001 Dodge pickup eastbound on 310th street, when he lost control. The vehicle entered the north ditch, continued up a steep bank, struck several trees, and then rolled down the bank several times to the ditch where it came to rest on its wheels. Kephart was ejected from the vehicle during the accident. Kephart suffered undisclosed injuries.

The pickup sustained an estimated $3,500 damage and was considered a total loss. Charges are pending against Kephart.
The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Shenandoah Ambulance service, Shenandoah Fire  Department, Coin Fire and Rescue, and Page County Emergency Management.

Page County Sheriff’s Deputies, Tuesday, arrested 42-year-old Jon Dawson Roberts, of Imogene, following a traffic stop on an unregistered mini motorcycle pulling a trailer, just before 2-a.m.   The stop happened in Shenandoah at the intersection of Ferguson Road and North Center Street. Neither the motorcycle or trailer had any lights and the mini motorcycle did not have any registration.

Roberts faces charges that include driving while barred/Habitual Offender. He was transported to the Page County Jail and held on $2,000 bond, pending further court appearances.  Additional charges are pending. The Shenandoah Police Department assisted the Page County Sheriff’s Office at the scene.