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Western Iowa man sentenced for drug trafficking in Nebraska

News

March 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Omaha, NE) – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, Wednesday, announced a man from Carroll (Iowa), 45-year-old Stephen Ismael Monarrez, was sentenced on March 13th (2024) in Omaha Federal Court, for distributing methamphetamine.  Monarrez will serve 10-years in prison.  There is no parole in the federal system.  After his release from prison, Monarrez will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.

On June 8, 2022, an ATF confidential source (CS) arranged to purchase meth from Monarrez.  The CS was shown a photo of Monarrez, that they identified as the person who agreed to sell 4oz of meth for $1,200.00 dollars.

The CS went to the prearranged meet location in Omaha equipped with audio/video equipment. The CS parked on the east side of the street and Monarrez, identified by surveillance, entered the passenger side of the CS’s vehicle where the controlled buy occurred.  A forensic lab determined the methamphetamine to be 94% pure.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Omaha man arrested on drug & other charges in Mills County

News

March 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office say a man from Omaha was arrested on drug and other charges, Wednesday night. 19-year-old Quantel Anthony-Lamar Osler, was taken into custody in the area of 180th St./Highway 34. He was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Reckless Driving, and Eluding. Osler was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $6,300 bond.

ERNEST CHARLES RUEHLE, 86, of Red Oak (Memorial Svcs. 3/18/24)

Obituaries

March 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

ERNEST CHARLES RUEHLE, 86, of Red Oak, died Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Good Samaritan Society in Red Oak. A Memorial Service for ERNEST RUEHLE will be held 10:30-a.m. Monday, March 18, 2024, at the Hancock United Methodist Church. Rieken-Vieth Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Interment is in the Oaklawn Cemetery at Oakland.

ERNEST RUEHLE is survived by:

His wife – Marthe Ruehle.

His daughters – Cynthia Ruehle, and Judith Moore.

His sons – Robert Ruehle (& husband Gev); Richard (Becky) Ruehle; Scott (Jess) Ruehle; Dan (Jeanie) Ruehle, and Donald Ruehle.

11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, other relatives & friends.

Burn Ban lifted in Cass County (IA)

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

March 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon report, effective immediately (as of 9:15-a.m., 3/14/24), “The burn ban for Cass County has been lifted.” Kennon urges those who intend to burn grass or large brush/tree piles, to “Please monitor [those areas] and be careful.”

If you plan to conduct a burn, contact your local volunteer fire department and the communication center at 243-2204 so that they will know. Thank You.

Cass-lift-3142024

Cass County Primary Election filings (as of 3/14/24)

News

March 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports Steve Green, incumbent candidate for the Board of Supervisors in District 1, on Wednesday, filed his nomination papers for re-election, in advance of the June 4th Republican Primary.

Green is the latest candidate to file. As previously reported, other candidates who have filed to run for County offices in Cass County, include:

  • District 5 incumbent Supervisor Bernard Pettinger.
  • Kathy Somers, incumbent for Cass County Auditor, who was elected to the position 2022 to fill a vacancy,
  • and John Westering for Cass County Sheriff.

As we’ve mentioned, current Cass County Sheriff Darby McLaren is not running for re-election.

Candidates for County Office have until 5-p.m. March 22, 2024, to file their nomination papers.

Food Bank of Iowa to hold six regional meetings, beginning later in March

News

March 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa)  – The state’s largest food bank plans to host a series of regional round table meetings, starting later this month, to address Iowa’s hunger problem. Annette Hacker is spokeswoman for the Food Bank of Iowa, which serves 55 Iowa counties. “We begin the day with a what we call regional round tables, an opportunity to gather community members to talk about food insecurity in our state and in your community and how Food Bank of Iowa and our community partners are working together to make sure Iowa’s children, families, seniors and veterans have the nutrition they need to thrive.” Hacker says they’ve held the regional round-table meetings for the past five or so years and they’ve been well received.

“We begin the day with the regional round table and then in the afternoon, we visit some of our partners around the state,” Hacker says, “and we have six regional round table opportunities this spring and summer.”

The round tables are planned for Newton on March 26th, Webster City on March 27th, Panora on March 28th, Albia on April 24th, Fairfield on April 25th and Algona on May 7th. All meetings begin at 10 a.m.

Following the round table meetings, Food Bank of Iowa representatives will tour community food banks to learn first-hand about their local food insecurity issues. Learn more at: foodbankiowa.org/roundtable24

PHILLIP O. CLARK, 86, of Harlan (Military Rites Svc. 3/19/24)

Obituaries

March 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

PHILLIP O. CLARK, 86, of Harlan, died Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at home. A Military Rites Service for PHILLIP CLARK will be held 1-p.m. Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.

PHILLIP CLARK is survived by:

His wife – Gloria Clark.

His daughters – Sherry Malone, and Dorothy Woodvine.

His son – Gary Clark.

His step-daughter: Jackie Jones.

His adopted sons: James Clemons and Tim Hastert.

12 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and his daughter-in-law, Sarah Tiger.

Want an island – in Iowa? One is for sale…for the right price

News

March 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

MUSCATINE, Iowa (KWQC) – If you fancy yourself the owner of a private island, you have the opportunity to do so, providing you are ok with the island being on the Mississippi River, near Muscatine, and you have a good chunk of change available to blow.

KWQC reports for $1.5-million, 129-acres of land on Towhead Island near downtown Muscatine is for sale. Located over a mile south of downtown Muscatine, Towhead Island has been privately owned by a family for three generations. But has been a source of recreation for the public for decades.

Towhead Island, IA (photo from Zillow)

According to old newspaper articles in Muscatine, before ownership was transferred to a family, moonshiners used the island masquerading as fishermen.

If you are interested in purchasing the island, it is listed with a team at RE/MAX.

Heartbeat Today 3-14-2024

Ag/Outdoor, Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

March 14th, 2024 by Jim Field

Jim field visits with Iowa DNR District Forester Sarah Bell about a tree care workshop presented by the Cass County Master Gardeners on Saturday, March 23, 2024 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic.

Play

NCAA Wrestling Championship Brackets Announced

Sports

March 14th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Iowa State will send nine wrestlers to the NCAA Championships next weekend, held in Kansas City, Mo. at the T-Mobile Center. On Wednesday, the NCAA announced the seeds and brackets for each of the 10 weight classes.

This marks the fourth time under head coach Kevin Dresser that nine Cyclones have qualified for the national tournament and ISU’s sixth consecutive season with at least eight qualifiers. Iowa State is one of 12 teams nationally sending nine-plus wrestlers to the tournament.

Five Cyclones received a top-10 seed in their weight class, highlighted by No. 2 Yonger Bastida at heavyweight, while 7-of-9 ISU qualifiers were given a top-15 spot. David Carr is the No. 4 seed at 165 pounds while Anthony Echemendia was given a No. 5 seed.

Evan Frost (133) and Casey Swiderski (149) are both No. 8 seeds in their respective weight classes.

Rounding out the Cyclone seeds are No. 14 Cody Chittum (157), No. 15 MJ Gaitan (174), No. 17 Will Feldkamp (184) and No. 24 Kysen Terukina (125).

The NCAA Championships are set to begin Thursday, March 21, and will be wrestled through March 23. Morning sessions will be on ESPNU, while the evening sessions will be on ESPN. All eight mats, as well as a MatCast, will have individual streams available on ESPN+.

Iowa State First Round Matches
125: No. 24 Kysen Terukina vs. No. 9 Patrick McKee (MINN)

133: No. 8 Evan Frost vs. No. 25 Braden Basile (ARMY)

141: No. 5 Anthony Echemendia vs. No. 28 Jordan Hamdan (MSU)

149: No. 8 Casey Swiderski vs. No. 25 Matthew Williams (ARMY)

157: No. 14 Cody Chittum vs. No. 19 Tommy Askey (APP)

165: No. 4 David Carr vs. No. 29 Evan Maag (GMU)

174: No. 15 MJ Gaitan vs. No. 18 Benjamin Pasiuk (ARMY)

184: No. 17 Will Feldkamp vs. No. 16 Nate Dugan (PRIN)

285: No. 2 Yonger Bastida vs. No. 31 Bennett Tabor (MINN)

NCAA Championships Schedule
March 21 – 11 a.m. – Session I – 1st Round – ESPNU
March 21 – 6 p.m. – Session II – 2nd Round – ESPN
March 22 – 11 a.m. – Session III – Quarterfinals – ESPNU
March 22 – 7 p.m. – Session IV – Semifinals – ESPN
March 23 – 10 a.m.  – Session V – Medal Matches – ESPNU
March 23 – 6 p.m. – Session VI – Finals – ESPN
*All times listed are central