(Lenox, Iowa) – A traffic stop just outside of Lenox Wednesday afternoon, resulted in the arrest of a Montgomery County man. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the traffic stop took place at around 2:15-p.m.  Upon further investigation, 64-year-old John Richard Mullenix, of Red Oak, was arrested for Eluding, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Public Urination. Mullenix was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $1,600 cash bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Senate Republicans are scaling back the amount of money they’re willing to set aside to hire four new judges and provide pay raises to judges and other employees in the Iowa court system. Republican Senator Julian Garrett of Indianola says it appears some of those expenses can be covered with money no longer needed for the pension system for judges for those expenses.

“Their pension fund is in very good shape, so that will free up an extra $4.9 million, so in essence we’ve got roughly $5 million of new money for the judicial branch,” Garrett says. “…My understanding is the Department of Management’s opinion is that money can be used by the judicial branch.” Caitlin Jarzen, an administrator in the court system, says state law prohibits this kind of transfer.

“This leaves us with a considerable shortfall to cover the required new items in the budget,” Jarzen said. “We’re 97% employees, so if this happens, that’s where we’re going to be forced to make cuts.” Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee have approved an overall spending plan for the state’s court system that includes the five million dollars originally destined for pensions. Senator Todd Taylor, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says that budget gimmick won’t work and their plan will lead to layoffs in courthouses that have the lowest volume of criminal cases.

“I think, honestly, it’s going to hurt rural Iowa more than in the bigger counties,” Taylor says. The Senate G-O-P’s budget bill also calls for ending the practice of having the Iowa Supreme Court’s chief justice present lawmakers with a spending plan for the courts. That authority would be transferred to the governor. House Republicans have passed a separate budget bill for the state court system. It does not include the money transfer or ending the court’s direct input on budget matters.

(Radio Iowa) – The statewide average cost of gasoline rose several more pennies a gallon to set another record today(Wednesday), but the travel forecast for Memorial Day weekend calls for it to be the busiest in years. Meredith Mitts, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says despite the high price to fill the tank, people are ready to get out of the house and down the road.

“Most folks will be traveling by car, that is always our highest number,” Mitts says. “I believe about 90% of our Memorial Day travelers plan to travel by car, which is a 4.6% increase over last year, but we also have a significant rise in air travel.” The motor club says the statewide average for gas is now four-15 a gallon, the highest price Iowans have ever paid to fuel up, however, it won’t foil many of our vacation plans.

“We’re still going to see people traveling because there has been such a pent up demand for travel,” Mitts says. “So instead of choosing not to go, people are choosing to cut costs and other measures. That means taking a shorter-distance trip or staying at a less expensive hotel, maybe camping instead or cutting back on some of the shopping, dining and entertainment.”

Besides the high price at the pump, some Iowans are turned off by having to wear masks. While many airlines have eliminated the mask requirement, it would be wise to still pack plenty of them in your carry-on bag. Mitts says, “That is something that everybody should double check before they head out because the requirements are changing so often, whether it’s the airline that’s requiring a mask or it could be the airport itself.”

Triple-A projects Memorial Day weekend will be the busiest in three years. Reservations for flights, hotels and cruises for Memorial Day weekend are twice as strong as last year’s holiday. While Iowa’s average gas price is $4.15 a gallon, the national average is $4.56, versus the country’s most expensive gas in California at $6.05.

(Glenwood, Iowa) — A traffic stop this (Wednesday) morning on a vehicle traveling in excess of 100-miles per hour in Mills County, resulted in a pursuit and the arrest of three people. According to the Sheriff’s Office, at around 4:30-a.m., a Mills County Deputy attempted to stop a Nissan Maxima headed east at 103 mph on Highway 34 (a 55 mph zone). A pursuit was initiated with Mills County Sheriffs and Glenwood Police, during which the vehicle entered Glenwood city limits, drove recklessly, and crashed into a residence at 505 North Grove Street.

Upon crashing, three individuals exited the vehicle while two others that stayed inside were detained. A Glenwood Police Officer pursued one fleeing subject, and successfully deployed a taser to subdue and take them into custody. The Mills County Communication Center called the Mills County K9 Unit, Glenwood PD K9 Unit, Fremont County K9 Unit, and Mills County Drone Team. Responding units established a search perimeter to locate the last missing suspects.

To assist in the search, law enforcement released a description of the subjects on the “Mills Scanner” Facebook page. Shortly afterwards, a call was received about a young African American male matching the description being soaked with water and mud and riding a bicycle at 195 and Highway 34. Officers located the individual and began to question him, during which he denied any involvement in the incident. Upon further examination, a Mills County Sergeant noticed a Nissan key on the ground near the man– who was determined to be the owner of the vehicle.

Mills County Sheriffs then used the “Scanner” page to inquire about the owner of the bike the man was riding, which was later claimed and said to be stolen.  The Mills County Communication Center also received calls about another African American male matching the second description in the 160 Block of Glenbrook. After setting up a perimeter, another citizen located the subject in the Maplewood Drive addition. A short foot pursuit was initiated, and the suspect was taken into custody without incident.

Authorities say Hassan Mohamed is charged with felony eluding, interference with official acts, reckless driving, fifth degree theft, and multiple driving citations. Zouberou Issifou and Mauk Pal are charged with interference with official acts. The two subjects who remained in the vehicle were released without charges. Law enforcement checked with the residents of the house, who were determined to be safe and in no need of medical assistance.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Mills County K9 Unit, Glenwood Police Department, Glenwood K9 Unit, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Fremont County K9 Unit, Mills County Drone Team, Mills County Communication Center and the lowa State Patrol.

The case is being investigated by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office and Glenwood PD. The accident is being investigated by the Iowa State Patrol.

Atlantic, IA –  May 18, 2022 – Mediacom Communications announced the selection of Bryan York, a senior at Atlantic High School, as a recipient of the company’s World Class Scholarship program. The $1,000 scholarship recognizes the Atlantic resident for excellence in leadership and academics. “As a technology company, Mediacom understands how important it is to invest in future leaders like Bryan York,” said Mediacom Operations Director Richard Conger. “I’m proud that our company supports talented local students with scholarship support. We congratulate all graduates in the Class of ‘22, and particularly acknowledge Bryan for his outstanding achievements.”

This year marks the 21st consecutive year Mediacom has funded World Class Scholarships for students who live in areas where the company delivers high-speed broadband and digital video services. Mediacom annually selects 60 graduating seniors who each receive scholarships to support their post-secondary education. Recipients must attend an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or technical school within the United States.