Davenport, Iowa – Officials with the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa report 36-year-old Tristan Davis, of Burlington, was sentenced on January 28, 2022, to over 23 years in prison for his involvement in a drug conspiracy dating back to 2001. Davis is the last of eight defendants to be sentenced after they were charged in November 2019. Davis, who is originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced to 280 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal prison system.

He was previously found guilty, along with Kendrick Page and Breon Armstrong, of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, which included ice methamphetamine and cocaine base (crack cocaine), after a jury trial in July 2021. At sentencing, the United States District Court Judge John Jarvey found Davis possessed a firearm related to his drug trafficking activities and maintained a house in Burlington to store, manufacture and distribute controlled substances.

At Davis’ sentencing, Judge Jarvey described the conspiracy as “a scourge upon Burlington and eastern Iowa.” He went on to say the conspiracy was responsible for “huge quantities of methamphetamine and other controlled substances over a very long period of time.” Davis was one of eight individuals from Burlington who were charged federally in November 2019, after the execution of numerous federal search warrants in Burlington, and elsewhere. In November 2021, eight men were federally charged with participating ina methamphetamine conspiracy after several federal search warrants were executed at Burlington residences.

Since 2019, 22 individuals from Burlington have been sentenced to federal prison, for their roles in trafficking meth in southeast Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill to restrict what topics some teachers may discuss in the classroom has failed in a House subcommittee and is tabled for the year. In addition to forbidding discussion of systemic racism, Republican Representative Sandy Salmon’s bill would have limited how social studies, government and history teachers could talk with students about current events or controversial topics. Nathan Arnold of the Professional Educators of Iowa raised concerns.

“In this day and age, the most innocent things can be considered controversial,” he said, “so to say teachers can’t teach controversial things would probably rule out just about everything, unfortunately.”

Other sections of the bill sought to prohibit students from lobbying legislators and would have prevented schools from accepting private donations to support any class or activity connected to civics.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans have until week’s end to nominate an unsung hero they know for statewide recognition. The Iowa chapter of the American Red Cross is asking to hear stories about people in our bigger cities and rural areas who’ve helped save or change lives for the better. Agency spokeswoman Emily Holley says the Heroes of the Heartland program honors ordinary people for doing extraordinary things. “This could be anyone, really,” Holley says. “It could be someone who decided to start a small nonprofit to help those in the community who are struggling. This could be someone who has saved a life. This could be a service member, a member of the police force or a firefighter who’s gone above and beyond the call of duty.”

Now in its 21st year, Holley says Heroes of the Heartland honors Iowans who have made a difference in the lives of others. “Last year, we honored — there were three friends who were playing soccer and one of them collapsed and had a heart attack,” Holley says. “His two friends saved his life using CPR and an AED, which is remarkable.” Other past recipients include: a pastor who collects and delivers food to the homeless, a neighbor who woke up a family when he saw their house was on fire, and a military officer who runs a suicide prevention service for current servicemen and women.  “It’s one of our favorite events because it really does shed light on people who are unsung heroes,” Holley says, “and they haven’t gotten the recognition that they deserve.”

The deadline to make a nomination is Friday at the website below. A recognition event is scheduled for March 29th in Des Moines.

https://www.redcross.org/local/iowa/about-us/news-and-events/events/heroes.html

(Waukon, Iowa) – One person died after an SUV collided with a Utility Terrain Vehicle Monday afternoon, in northeast Iowa’s Allamakee County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2014 Deer UTV was traveling east on the westbound shoulder of Highway 9, at the same time 2013 GMC Terrain was traveling east on Highway 9. The UTV turned in front of the SUV and was struck. The accident happened at around 3:25-p.m., north of Waukon, near Lycurgus Road.

The operator of the UTV died at the hospital in Waukon. Another person was injured, and transported to the Waukon Hospital. No names had been released as of this report.

The Patrol was assisted by Waukon the Allaakee County Sheriff’s Office, Waukon Ambulance and Fire Department, Gunderson Air Ambulance and others.

Police in Council Bluffs say officers were dispatched at around 2:09-a.m. today (Tuesday), to North 7th Street and West Washington Ave., in reference to a car versus pedestrian accident. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the victim, who was laying in the middle of the intersection. The victim – whose name was not immediately released – had a severe head injury and was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. As of the latest report, the driver of the run vehicle was unknown.

The accident is under investigation. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the CBPD Special Operation Unit at 712-328-4948.