COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, Thursday (today), said a man from Emerson man was sentenced on March 10, 2026, to 218 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography.

According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that a social media account, later determined to be associated with Andrew Joseph Branigan, 37, uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material. In October 2024, law enforcement seized Branigan’s cell phone during a search of his Emerson residence. A forensic examination of the seized cell phone showed that Branigan used the device to receive and possess approximately 600 images and 50 videos containing child sexual abuse material. Branigan admitted he sent and received child sexual abuse material with other users on social media applications.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Branigan will be required to serve a 15-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Branigan was also ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force, and the Mills County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

(Radio Iowa) – State officials have reduced their prediction of state tax revenue for the current budgeting year by 46 MILLION dollars, but the governor’s budget director says there is no need to cut state spending plans for the next three months. Iowa Department of Management Director Kraig Paulsen says officials have reserves to cover the gap.

“The money’s there to meet those needs,” Paulsen said. Since July 1st, there’s been a more than eight percent declined in the amount of taxes paid to the State of Iowa. The drop is due to the state income tax cut Republican lawmakers approved in 2024, along with federal tax cuts for corporations and for individuals who earn tips and overtime pay.Those changes were automatically triggered in Iowa’s tax code.

“The state has $5.6 billion cash on hand,” Paulsen said, “…The reserve funds are full and the Taxpayer Relief Fund has a balance of $4 billion.” House Democratic Leader Brian Meyer says it’s wrong for Republicans to cover that deficit by making withdrawals from the Taxpayer Relief Fund. “That fund should be used to lower property taxes in the state and other taxes in the state,” Meyer said, “but they’re just raiding it to cover their budget mess.”

The State Revenue Estimating Conference has reduced its overall prediction for tax collections for the next state budgeting year. Jennifer Acton is director of the Fiscal Services Division in the Legislative Services Agency — and is a member of the panel that makes that tax prediction. She says most economic indicators in Iowa are positive, but gas prices are up considerably due to what’s happening in the Middle East and tariffs continue to be drag on the manufacturing and ag sectors.

“We believe it is prudent to be cautious as we look to the future,” Acton said. In January, Governor Reynolds proposed a nearly nine-point-six BILLION dollar budget for the next state fiscal year — a nearly two percent increase. Legislators are starting to work on their own budget plans.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill under consideration in the Iowa House would make it a felony to intentionally disrupt a religious service. Republican Representative Carter Nordman of Dallas Center says filed the bill after a protest inside a Minnesota church where a pastor works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Everyone has a right to protest. Everyone has their first amendments protected,” Nordman said, “but we’re not going to have you intimidating children and women in church services to try to get your point across. It’s inappropriate.” Making people at a religious service feel unsafe, blocking entrances or creating persistent or unreasonable noise would be a state crime if the bill becomes law.

A person convicted of interference with a religious service could be sentenced to up to five years in prison. Representative Monica Kurth, a Democrat from Davenport, voted against the bill. She says current law allows a wide range of penalties for a church disturbance.”A judge could use his or her discretion in determining the penalty,” Kurth said, “so I think that’s adequate.”

The U-S Justice Department has filed charges against over 30 people accused of disrupting the Minnesota church service in January.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on March 12, 2026, to 170 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a felon.

According to public court documents, Diamonte Eugene Thomas, 27, discharged a firearm three times from a vehicle toward two individuals entering a Davenport apartment building in October 2023. There were three children in the car with Thomas when he fired the gun. Law enforcement collected three spent shell casings Thomas fired from the scene. Thomas is prohibited from possessing ammunition because he is felon, including a 2023 conviction for unlawful possession with intent to deliver cannabis in the Illinois Circuit Court for Rock Island County.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Thomas will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on March 12, 2026, to 54 months in federal prison for possessing firearms as a felon.

According to public court documents, Gregory Francis Young, III, 27, pointed a firearm at victims while at a Davenport gas station in March 2025. During a subsequent traffic stop, law enforcement searched Young’s vehicle and found two loaded firearms in the hood of the vehicle. Young has prior felony convictions, including a 2024 conviction for possession of cocaine, third or subsequent offense, from the Iowa District Court for Scott County, for which he was on probation at the time of the offense.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Young will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.

ATLANTIC, IA – Cass Health announced that it is now providing mental health services in its primary care clinic, Atlantic Medical Center, RHC.

“We are excited to further expand our healthcare services for the community, especially in a specialty like mental health where rural areas like ours have a shortage of providers. Adding this service in our primary care clinic also hopefully removes some of the stigma or unease around seeking mental health care,” said Melissa Maas, Director of Primary Care.

After a small construction project to revamp existing space within Atlantic Medical Center, the mental health clinic is now open and seeing patients. The clinical staff is currently comprised of a board-certified psychiatrist, a nurse practitioner, and one therapist.

Dr. Greg Keller is a psychiatrist who completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Montana, earning a bachelor’s degree in Cellular Molecular Biology.  He received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City. Dr. Keller then completed his general adult psychiatry residency through the Creighton University and University of Nebraska combined training program, where he earned multiple awards, including Resident of the Year. He is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Cyndi Wu is a dually certified as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and a Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Clarkson College in 2007, her Master of Science, Family Nurse Practitioner from Clarkson College in 2014, and her PMHNP from the University of Cincinnati in 2026.

Mental Health Therapist Gentri Meier earned an undergraduate degree from Wartburg College followed by a master’s degree from Drake University. She has experience in forensic community treatment, care coordination across southern Iowa, and school-based therapy in multiple districts. Meier is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and uses various modalities such as CBT, EMDR, and play and art therapy.

Patients interested in appointments can call 712-243-7481 to speak with Brandi Schmitt, Mental Health Coordinator.

(Red Oak, IA) – Police in Red Oak report the arrest of 51-year-old Shannon Ray Porter, of Red Oak. Porter was taken into custody at around 12:23-p.m. Thursday (March 12th), in the 1800 block of E. Summit Street. He was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault- 1st offense, and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held without bond, pending a court appearance.

(Glenwood, IA) – The Glenwood Police Department reports two people were arrested Monday, on multiple drug-related charges. 28-year-old Kayla Elizabeth Yale, of Glenwood, and 18-year-old Devon Michael Davenport, of Council Bluffs, were each charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. They were taken into custody in Glenwood.

Yale faces additional charges that include:

• Public Intoxication
• Possession of a Controlled Substance – Marijuana/3rd offense
• Interference with Official Acts, and
• Having contraband/weapon in a Correctional Facility.

Davenport was additionally charged with:

• Possession of Marijuana – 1st offense
• OWI/1st offense, and
• Child Endangerment.

Bind for Yale was set at $5,900. Davenport’s bond was set at $4,000.

(Anita, IA) – The CAM Community School District’s Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting Monday evening (March 9^th), at the CAM Elementary School Media Center. Superintendent Dr. Pam Stangeland said their meeting began with a joint CAM-Nodaway Valley School Board closed-session pertaining to her evaluation.

Afterward. During an open session, the CAM School Board held a public hearing on the proposed FY27 School Calendar.

School staff expressed their concerns over having their time split prior the Winter Break.

With regard to District personnel, it was noted a couple of paraprofessional were resigning at the end of the current school year. Dr. Stangeland touched on Board-approved action items during their meeting, Monday. They included a 28-E AEA purchasing agreement.

The CAM School Board also passed a Budget Adjustment Guarantee Resolution…

And, the Board approved a bid from Steve and Diane Brahms to purchase the small, elementary school greenhouse, which has seen its better days, and is referred to as “Hoopy” or “Loopy,” depending on who you talk to.

The Board also discussed and passed the 2^nd and 1^st reading respectively, of various Board Policies before entering into an exempt session for the purpose of Collective Bargaining strategies.

(Atlantic, IA) – The Cass County (IA) Sheriff’s Department reports a southeast Iowa man was arrested last weekend on a Theft charge, and a man from Cumberland was arrested on drug charges earlier this week. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 31-year-old Guy Sedrick Wilcox, of Ottumwa, was arrested March 7th for Theft 2nd Degree(larceny). Wilcox was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held. His arrest was the result of an investigation into a truck stolen out of Griswold on October 30th, 2025. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Wapello County Treasures Office, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office with this investigation.

On Monday, March 9th, Sheriff’s Deputies in Cass County arrested 46-year-old James Bernard Block, of Cumberland, on the charges of Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Driving Under Suspension. Block was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held. On March 10th, 2026, the additional charge of Violation of Parole was added to Block’s charges. Block is being held without bond.

36-year-old Benjamin Michael Deal, of Walnut, was arrested March 7th on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear in court. Deal was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

On March 10th: 35-year-old Charles Albert Mace, Jr., of Griswold, was arrested in Cass County for Violation of Parole. Mace was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held without bond; 55-year-old Angela Jean Crisafi, of Griswold, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. Crisafi was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held.

And, on March 11th, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 35-year-old Mikel Ann Erickson, of Lewis, on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear. Erickson was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held.