The Red Oak Police Department reports the Friday afternoon arrest of 31-year-old Amanda Joy Williams of Red Oak for Theft 5th Degree. Williams was arrested at 1:38 p.m. in the 100 block of West Coolbaugh Street in Red Oak. Williams was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

(Butler County, Iowa) – A collision Friday afternoon near Allison claimed the life of one man, and resulted in injuries to another. The Iowa State Patrol reports the accident happened at around 3:12-p.m. on Highway 3 at Newell Avenue. Authorities say a 2001 Ford Van driven by 64-year-old Paul Yerkes, of Greene, was westbound on Highway 3 when it entered the eastbound lane and struck a 2016 International semi driven by 41-year-old Timothy Grittmann, of Allison.

Yerkes died at the scene. Grittmann was transported by Allison EMS to the hospital in Waverly. The crash remains under investigation.

(Indianola, Iowa) –  A crash involving three pickup trucks Friday afternoon south of Indianola, resulted in the death of two people and injuries to two others. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened at around 4:47-p.m. on southbound Highway 69, just north of 128th Avenue.

According to the report, a 2008 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 47-year-old Darrel Dean Davisson, of Boxholm, crossed the center-line of northbound Highway 69 and traveling into the southbound lane. The pickup sideswiped a 2014 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 67-year-old Wanda Gail Lydon, of Indianola, before striking head-on,  a 2018 Chevy Silverado driven by 38-year-old Shane Caleb Estes, of New Virginia.

Davisson, and a passenger in the Estes pickup died at the scene. Shane Estes suffered serious injuries and was flown by Life Flight helicopter to Methodist Hospital, in Des Moines. Wanda Lydon suffered minor injuries. She was treated and released.

The crash remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa)  – Planned Parenthood is closing three of its nine clinics in Iowa over the next year. Clinics in Cedar Falls, Council Bluffs, and the south side of Des Moines will be closed, due to what Planned Parenthood officials say are staffing shortages and increased costs. The organization plans to relocate some staff and expand abortion services at its Ames, Iowa City and Omaha clinics. Mazie Stilwell with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa says they also plan to offer medication abortion at the clinic near Drake University in Des Moines.

(as said) “Consolidating locations will prevent the routine closing of health centers due to staffing shortages, ensuring that patients experience a continuity of care,” Stilwell says. “I must emphasize that while the number of Planned Parenthood health centers will decrease, these changes will increase the number of patients that we can see.”

Planned Parenthood’s clinic in Cedar Falls has already closed. Stilwell says the south Des Moines and Council Bluffs locations won’t be closed until the Ames and Omaha clinics are ready to take on more patients.

(Reporting by Katarina Sostaric, Iowa Public Radio)

The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld part of a lawsuit against the state by the former spokesperson of the Department of Public Health. Radio Iowa’s Dar Danielson reports.

(As said) – Polly Carver-Kimm sued the State of Iowa, the Governor, and her communications director for wrongful discharge alleging she was forced out after refusing to deny public records requests in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled it is possible that Carver-Kimm will be able to prove that she was actually terminated for carrying out her mandatory legal duty, and if the state fired her for that reason, it “would have a chilling effect on other employees by discouraging them from engaging in similar conduct.” Her claim against the state can proceed, but the Supreme Court dismissed Governor Kim Reynolds from that claim. It agreed with the governor’s assertion that she did not have the authority to fire Carver-Kimm, the department director did.

(Note: Polly-Carver Kimm is the wife of Radio Iowa Sports Director Todd Kimm)

(Des Moines, Iowa) – State Auditor Rob Sand will continue his fifth “100 Town Hall” tour with public town hall appearances Wednesday, June 28th, 2023, in Council Bluffs, Missouri Valley, Harlan, and Audubon.

His office says as part of his promise to meet Iowans where they are and operate with the transparency and accountability they deserve, Sand will deliver remarks and take questions on the work of the State Auditor’s office and the condition of the state’s finances and governance.

Expected topics of discussion include the lack of accountability and transparency in the new school vouchers legislation that will take tax dollars away from public schools to pay instead for private school tuition, new pro-corruption legislation that allows state agencies to hide documents from the State Auditor, and advancements in his Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program for saving tax dollars.

In advance of his upcoming trip, Auditor Sand says “It helps our office to hear from Iowans and helps Iowans to hear from someone who is willing to go after insiders’ corruption and waste in Iowa’s governments. I’m proud to continue that work in all Iowa’s counties this year.”

Details:

WHEN: Wednesday, June 28, 10:00 am-11:00 am
WHAT: Harrison County Town Hall with State Auditor Rob Sand
WHERE: Missouri Valley City Park, 800 W Huron St, Missouri Valley, IA 51555

WHEN: Wednesday, June 28, 11:45 am-12:45 pm
WHAT: Shelby County Town Hall with State Auditor Rob Sand
WHERE: Potters Park, 1218 College Blvd, Harlan, IA 51537

WHEN: Wednesday, June 28, 1:30 pm-2:30 pm
WHAT: Audubon County Town Hall with State Auditor Rob Sand
WHERE: Albert the Bull Park: World’s Largest Bull, 1108 Division St, Audubon, IA 50025
WHEN: Wednesday, June 28, 3:00 pm-4:00 pm