(Radio Iowa) – Both of Iowa’s U.S. Senators serve on the committee that will hold the confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden’s Supreme Court nominee. Senator Chuck Grassley is the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. In a written statement, Grassley congratulated Judge Jackson on her nomination and he said it is critical that all nominees to the nation’s highest court receive a most thorough and rigorous vetting in the committee.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst, a member of the Judiciary Committee since 2019, said justices must be impartial and must not bend to the political winds of the moment. Both Ernst and Grassley said they are committed to a fair and respectful review of Judge Jackson’s qualifications.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Supreme Court rules a former massage therapist who was convicted of third-degree sexual abuse of a client should get a new trial because of improper use of evidence. The client filed a complaint against Kevin Thoren in 2019 after she says he inappropriately touched her chest and between her legs during a massage session. Thoren denied touching her — and presented evidence that some clients experience phantom touching with the technique he used.

The Supreme Court ruled said the testimony of five other clients who claimed Thoren abused them prejudiced the jury. It also says allowing testimony that Thoren gave up his license to the Board of Massage Therapy after the investigation of a complaint could have created prejudice by making the jury believe it was an official, state-sanctioned finding under the law — when in reality it was the result of a settlement.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Get ready to welcome spring, by attending the Cass County Master Gardeners’ 2022 Spring Garden Seminar, in Atlantic. The event is set to take place Saturday, March 19th.  The 2022 Spring Garden Seminar features a theme of “Gardening from the Ground Up” and is a half day seminar designed to provide information and inspiration to gardeners of all skill levels. After a break in 2021, organizers say they are excited to be bringing the seminar back to the Cass County Community center this year.

The event beings with registration and a light continental breakfast at 8:30 AM. The first session beings at 9 AM, and will feature Diana Benzing and Dean Sparr, West Pottawattamie County Master Gardeners, discussing “Vegetable Gardening: Making the Most of What you Have” – a session that is sure to be useful to new and experienced gardeners alike. The second session will feature a panel of local and regional experts discussing Cover Crops for the Home Gardener. Attendees will learn all about methods, challenges, benefits and suggested varieties of cover crops for use in home garden spaces.

Following the guest speakers, the seminar wraps up with 60 minutes of “lightning learning sessions” where attendees will have the opportunity to rotate between short presentations on topics including flower arranging, container gardens, tool care, and air plants.

Spring Garden Seminar 2022- “Gardening from the Ground Up” will be held at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. Registration and a light continental breakfast begins at 8:30AM on Saturday, March 19.  The program begins at 9AM and will conclude by 12:30PM. Attendees are encouraged to spend the afternoon lunching and exploring in the Atlantic area; suggestions and coupons will be provided to all who register!

Cost for the seminar, including continental breakfast, materials and refreshments is $20. Master Gardeners are encouraging attendees to register early as space is limited. Early registration deadline is March 15. After this date, a limited number of walk-in spaces will be available at $25/attendee. A full schedule and registration form are available at the Cass County Extension office, or online at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.  Previous Garden Seminar, attendees with a current address on record will also receive a brochure with registration form in the mail. Questions can be directed to Kate Olson at 712-243-1132, or by email at keolson@iastate.edu.

Mark your calendars, get registered, and plan to join the Cass County Master Gardeners for the 2022 Spring Garden Seminar, “Gardening from the Ground Up!” on Saturday, March 19th!

(Clarinda) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday), released information about a collision that happened on Sunday, Feb. 20th. The accident happened at the intersection of Cherokee Ridge and Highway 2, or about 1.5-miles west of Clarinda. An investigation determined 16-year-old Connor Aron Owens, of Clarinda, was driving a 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser owned by Dons Auto, eastbound on Highway 2.

A 2020 Mercedes van driven by 29-year-old Chrystle Ann Wichman, of Clarinda, owned by the United States Postal Service, was waiting to turn north into Cherokee Ridge from Highway 2, when the Chrysler hit the rear of the van. Deputies cited Owens for following too closely. No injuries were reported.

A man from eastern Iowa was arrested today (Friday), in Page County. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies arrested 39-year-old Justin James Boose, of Waterloo, on a Page County Warrant for Violation of a No Contact / Protective Order – Contempt and Providing False Information. He was arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office. Boose was unable to post a $1,000 cash-only bond, and was being held in the Page County Jail pending further court proceedings.

Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller today (Friday), announced the final approval of the $26 billion opioid agreement with the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors – Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen – and Johnson & Johnson. Following successful state sign-on and subdivision sign-on periods, the defendants will start releasing funds to a national administrator on April 2, 2022. Money will start flowing to state and local governments in the second quarter of 2022.

In a press release, Miller said “The opioid crisis never should have happened. While we can’t change the past, we can look toward a future where those responsible for this tragic situation are held accountable. That is what this settlement does. The funds from this agreement will go a long way toward addressing Iowa’s opioid crisis and provide help to those who need it.”

The agreement marks the culmination of three years of negotiations to resolve more than 4,000 claims of state and local governments across the country. It is the second largest multistate agreement in U.S. history, second only to the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. Fifty-two states and territories have signed on to the agreement as well as thousands of local governments across the country.

In Iowa, all 99 counties, as well as 43 cities have signed onto the agreement. As a result, Iowa will receive its full share of the settlement. Over the course of 18 years, the state expects to receive $174 million, which will be split evenly between the state and local governments to abate the opioid crisis in Iowa.

The AG’s office is working with partners —including the Iowa Department of Public Health, Department of Human Services, and University of Iowa Health Care— to determine use of the settlement funds.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A collision in Red Oak early this (Friday) morning, caused an estimated total of $7,500, but no one was injured. Red Oak Police say the accident happened at around 6:30-a.m., at N. 4th and E. Prospect Streets. Upon investigation, it was discovered a 2018 Chevy Equinox driven by 37-year-old Christina Marie Solt, of Red Oak, was traveling west on E. Prospect, and was unable to come to a complete stop at the intersection with N. 4th Street, due to the snow covered road conditions.

Her vehicle struck a northbound 2020 Ford FedEx cargo van broadside. The driver of the van was identified as 41-year-old Scott Howard Turnbull, of Red Oak. Both vehicles were driven from the scene. No citations were issued.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports an investigation conducted by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and Page County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday, resulted in the arrest of a rural Clarinda man. Deputes arrested 58-year-old Craig Duane Hull at the Clarinda Regional Health Center. Hull faces an aggravated misdemeanor charge of Child Endangerment.   He was transported to the Page County Jail and held without bond until seen by a Magistrate.

Craig Duane Hull (Page County S/O photo)

(Radio Iowa) – Tax policy dominated yesterday’s (Thursday) debate in the Iowa legislature, but the dire situation in Ukraine was the subject of a fiery prayer in the Senate and the House ended its day with a standing ovation for the people of Ukraine. Senator Tom Shipley of Nodaway mentioned Russia’s invasion right before he led the opening prayer in the Senate.

Thursday afternoon, just after voting on the tax bill, senators from both parties gave brief speeches in support of the people and the government of Ukraine. Thursday NIGHT, after a partisan debate over the tax bill, members of the House shared a moment of unity.

That’s Representative Todd Prichard of Charles City, who delivered a brief speech in the House. Prichard, a member of the Army Reserve, spoke about meeting soldiers from Ukraine during a tour of duty in Europe five years ago.

After voting is over, most House members typically exit the Capitol, but not last night. Many stood as Prichard spoke, suggesting America would be called upon, again, to be the world’s Arsenal of Democracy.

Prichard asked his colleagues to think about Ukraine as they made their way home. Applause is allowed in a limited number of circumstances in the House, but as Prichard concluded with that request, members of the House applauded in unison.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Authorities in Council Bluffs said Friday (Today), Police detectives have cleared the cold case homicide of 32-year-old Lee Rotatori, who was murdered in June 1982. Rotatori, a resident of Nunica, Michigan, had just started a job at Jennie Edmundson Hospital and had been staying at the Best Western Frontier Hotel, for several nights, while looking for a permanent place to live. When she did not show up for work on the morning of June 25, 1982, her boss asked the hotel staff to check on her and her deceased body was discovered inside her rented room. Rotatori died from a single stab wound and there was evidence of a sexual assault. No suspects were identified during the initial investigation.

Lee Rotatori

In 2001, the evidence collected in 1982 was resubmitted to the State of Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Lab for examination. Advances in forensic technology revealed the presence of a male DNA profile. When entered into the State and Federal DNA databases, there was not a match for this DNA. The DCI Lab would periodically check this unknown DNA over the years, without ever getting any matches.

In April 2019, Council Bluffs investigators submitted the unknown male DNA profile to Parabon Nanolabs to begin a genetic genealogy case. In February 2021, researchers from Parabon and ES Genealogy, who examined familial relationships, concluded that 35-year-old Thomas O. Freeman, of West Frankfort, Illinois, was the source of the suspect DNA. A sample of Freeman’s daughter’s DNA was subsequently analyzed by the Iowa DCI Lab, which confirmed that there was a parent/child relationship between the DNA found at the scene of Rotatori’s murder and Freeman’s daughter.

Further investigation revealed that Freeman was also the victim of a murder. On October 30, 1982, his decomposed body was found buried in a shallow grave near Cobden, Illinois. Freeman had been shot multiple times. It was reported that he had been dead for about three months before his body was discovered. Freeman’s killer was never identified. Council Bluffs investigators are currently working with the Illinois State Police to determine if Freeman’s murder was somehow linked to his involvement in Rotatori’s death.

Thomas O. Freeman (unknown date of photo)

The Council Bluffs Police Department would like to give thanks and credit to Parabon Nanolabs and Eric Schubert, of ES Genealogy, for their work on this case. Council Bluffs Police Detective Steve Andrews and CSI Supervisor Katie Pattee have been leading this investigation locally.