(Radio Iowa) – A Kossuth County man has been convicted on a lesser count in a murder case from 2018. Chad Dietrick had been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of 38-year-old Krista Hesebeck in the early morning hours of March 3rd, 2018. Dietrick claimed self-defense and said he was attacked by Hesebeck inside the home they shared in the northern Kossuth County town of Lakota.

Toxicology reports presented at the trial showed the victim had high amounts of methamphetamine in her system on the night in question, something the defense used to bolster their self-defense claim. A representative from the State Medical Examiner’s office testified that the victim suffered 64 different sharp-force injuries from the incident, while Dietrick had a single cut on his left forearm.

The second-degree murder conviction means Dietrick will avoid the mandatory sentence of life with no parole and instead now faces a maximum of 50 years behind bars. Sentencing has been scheduled for December.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday (today), said a Creston woman reported on Oct. 20th, that sometime in the last few weeks, someone entered her storage unit and took several items, including: an antique coffee table; antique lamp; plant stand; silverplate flatware service for 8; a storage cart, tools and clothing. The items have a combined estimated value of $1,220.

Authorities said also, 25-year old Adam Lee Stichter, of Lorimor, was arrested Tuesday evening at Highway 169 and 140th Street. Stichter was taken into custody for possession of a controlled substance. He was later released from the Union County Jail on $2,000 bond.

Council Bluffs Police have issued a notice to residents of the community, that Cox Communications has scheduled a network upgrade overnight tonight from midnight to 5 a.m. The CBPD’s internal/external phone lines to the police department will be down for approximately 1-hour during the 5-hour maintenance window.

During this time, if you have an emergency and need police assistance, you will still be able to call 911 and officers will be dispatched through the Pottawattamie County Communications Center.

If an attempt to call the department for a non-emergency reason is unsuccessful, please call the Communications Center’s non-emergency number at (712) 328-5737 and they will relay your message to Bluffs Police.

If the phone lines are down for any period of time longer than the 5-hour maintenance window, officials will notify the media and post updates on their social media pages with further information. Thank you for your patience.

This (Thursday) afternoon, businesswoman and U.S. Senate candidate Theresa Greenfield will hold events in Cass County and Madison County as part of her “Jobs That Need to Get Done” GOTV Tour across Iowa. Additionally, the Greenfield campaign is announcing that Theresa is set to attend Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign rally in Des Moines on Friday. Her schedule today is as follows:

Cass County Farm Tour:  59624 Chicago Road, Atlantic at 3:30 PM
Madison County Drive-In Grassroots Event: Madison County Historical Society, 815 South 2nd Ave, Winterset, at 6:00 PM

In the coming days, Theresa Greenfield will hold campaign events in every corner of Iowa to meet with voters, share her plans to put Iowa first, answer questions, and encourage all Iowans to vote in the November 3rd election.

(12-p.m. News) – Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to four accidents from Oct. 23rd to the 26th. Two of the accidents took place on the 26th (Monday). Authorities say at around 6:32-a.m., Deputies responded to a report of a train hitting a car, on White Pole Road. A 2009 Pontiac G6 owned and driven by 66-year old Mary Margaret Fisher, of Anita, was eastbound on White Pole Road when it went out of control and entered the south ditch, coming to rest on the railroad tracks. A short time later, an Iowa Interstate Locomotive struck the vehicle. No injuries were reported. Damage to the Pontiac is estimated at $5,000; damage to the locomotive is estimated at $3,000. Fisher was cited with Failure to Maintain Control.

About an hour later, Cass County Deputies were called to the scene of a two-vehicle accident on White Pole Road. Officials say A 2013 Chevy Equinox owned and driven by 31-year old Holly Ann Esbeck, of Atlantic, was westbound on White Pole Road when the vehicle went out of control on a bridge and entered the eastbound lane, striking the south bridge rail and an eastbound 2004 Ford F150 owned and driven by 60-year old Tamara Annette Shellberg, of Oakland. No injuries were reported. Damage to Esbeck’s vehicle is estimated at $10,000; damage to Shellberg’s vehicle is estimated at $8,000. Esbeck was cited with Failure to Maintain Control.

On October 24th at around 4:05 a.m., the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a one-vehicle accident on I-80. A 2020 Dodge Ram towing a camper driven by 31-year old Jasmine J. Applewhite, of Chicago, was westbound on I-80 when the vehicle was passed by a semi, blowing the vehicle into the north side ditch. The pickup flipped onto its top and the camper was on its side. No injuries were reported. Damage to the truck is estimated at $40,000; no estimation of damage is available for the camper.

On October 23rd at 12:36 p.m.., the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a two-vehicle accident on Highway 71 at Richland Road. A 2010 Ford F150 owned and driven by 59-year old Phillip Duane Allen,  of Griswold, and a 2003 Mazda B40 owned and driven by 20-year old Marie Edna Amos, of Atlantic, were southbound on Highway 71. Allen slowed to come to a stop when his vehicle was struck in the rear by Amos’ vehicle. No injuries were reported. Damage to Allen’s vehicle is estimated at $12,000; damage to Amos’ vehicle is estimated at $3,000. Amos was cited for Failure to Stop in Assured Clear Distance.

(12-p.m. News) The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three recent arrests.  On October 24th, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 53-year old Rex Dean McDermott, of Atlantic, on charges of Public Intoxication and Harassment 3rd Degree, both simple misdemeanors. McDermott was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $1,200 bond. Then, on October 29th, Deputies arrested McDermott on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Owner’s Consent. At that time, McDermott was also arrested on charges of OWI 3rd/Subsequent Offense (a Class-D Felony); Driving While Barred; and Interference with Official Acts. McDermott was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $7,000 bond.

On October 24th also, and upon an investigation, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 55-year old Mark Elmer Steil, of Bridgewater, on Felony charges of Theft 2nd Degree, Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree, and Burglary 3rd Degree. Steil was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance.

And, on Oct. 28th, 20-year old Devin Joel Hilliard, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Felony Theft in the 1st Degree. Hilliard was being held in the Cass County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Theresa Greenfield, the Democrat challenging Republican Senator Joni Ernst’s bid for reelection, is returning to the campaign trail this (Thursday) afternoon after testing negative for Covid. Greenfield cancelled campaign appearances Wednesday after learning some of her campaign staff had been around a person last week who later tested positive for Covid. According to a campaign statement, Greenfield and her staff have been tested, all received negative results and Greenfield has had two negative Covid tests in the past week.

Greenfield will resume in-person events and press availabilities — all outdoors — and masks are required. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds ridiculed Greenfield last (Wednesday) night during a G-O-P rally.  “Theresa didn’t get very far on her RV tour, did she?” Reynolds said, and the crowd in Bondurant laughed. “No, no. She’s been hiding in the basement because she might have to answer a question.”

That audio courtesy of Caffeinated Thoughts blogger Shane Vander Hart. Iowa Democratic Party chairman Mark Smith this (Thursday) morning called the governor’s remarks are an example of the cavalier attitude Republicans have taken toward the pandemic. “This is offensive and it is appalling,” Smith says. “Iowans have sacrificed for eight months to help contain this virus.” Smith says it’s irresponsible for Vice President Pence to host an in-person rally this (Thursday) afternoon at the Des Moines airport. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will hold a drive-in rally in Des Moines tomorrow (Friday), with the crowd seated inside their own vehicles.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Wisconsin-based Alliant Energy has announced it will close its coal-fired power plant in the northeast Iowa city of Lansing over the next two years. The Des Moines Register reports that the plan is part of the company’s broader goal to eliminate all coal from it’s portfolio by 2040 in a shift to solar, wind and other renewable energy. Alliant says it has operated the 275-megawatt coal-fired plant in Lansing for 72 years and employs 26 people there.

The utility says retiring the plant allows the company to avoid significant investments that would otherwise be required to comply with changing environmental regulations.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office Thursday (today) reports 54-year-old James Patrick Hiatt, of Omaha, was arrested Wednesday afternoon at the Sarpy County, Nebraska, Jail. Hiatt was wanted on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $2,500.

And, a Glenwood man was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway, following a collision late Wednesday morning at Highway 34 and Kidd Road. Authorities say at around 11:55-a.m., a 2015 Chevy driven by 22-year old Caleb Heath, of Glenwood, was attempting to cross Highway 34 from Kidd Road. When he failed to see an approaching westbound 2017 Dodge, driven by 37-year old Heather Zaiger, of Red Oak, the Dodge hit the Chevy on the passenger side. Heath was cited following the accident investigation.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge has kept in place guidance from Iowa’s secretary of state that county elections commissioners can only set up absentee ballot drop boxes at or outside their offices. Judge William Kelly rejected a request from a Latino civil rights organization and a group aligned with Democrats to block Secretary of State Paul Pate’s guidance and allow for drop boxes in locations such as grocery stores.

The ruling isn’t expected to have an impact because it comes so close to Election Day. Most absentee ballots have already been returned and auditors had dropped plans to add drop box locations even if Pate’s guidance was suspended.