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Officials: Man shot by police in 2016 tried to hit trooper

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DAVENPORT, Iowa (Quad-City Times) — A Davenport man who was shot by officers in 2016 after he rammed a police car now stands accused of trying to run down an Iowa State trooper over the weekend. The Quad-City Times says 23-year-old Rodricco Radell Parks Jr. was arrested early Saturday morning after police say a trooper pulled over a sport utility vehicle in Davenport on suspicion of excessive speeding.

The trooper says that as he approached the SUV, a passenger — later identified as Parks — jumped into the driver’s seat, threw the vehicle into reverse and tried to run over the trooper. A high-speed chase ensued and ended when police say Parks crashed into another vehicle.

Buyout process moves forward for unincorporated area of Mills County

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Mills County officials have received notification through Iowa Homeland Security Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Mills County’s administrative funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). Mills County, along with Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO), will be issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) soon to contract for abstract services for the properties that were included in the previously approved application.

Property owners in the unincorporated area of Mills County are encouraged to locate the abstract for their property and have them ready. On Friday, May 8, 2020, SWIPCO began contacting property owners via telephone to complete a short survey and discuss the status of the abstract.

DO NOT have your abstract updated at this time, just locate it.

Montgomery County Switches to New Public Safety Radio System

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman reports the County officially switched their public safety radio communications over to a new 700Mhz (Megahertz) radio system on the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS). The radio project was approved by the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors on January 23, 2018 and awarded to Motorola Solutions.

The project included three –300’ self-supported radio towers, one –80’ self-supported radio tower, 290 dual band radios including portable and mobile radios for users on thestreets as well as in their vehicles, a simulcast fire paging system and a host of other equipment. The Montgomery County 911 Service Board also approved the purchase of 3 new dispatching consoles to allow complete and full access of the system with a back-up communications console being placed at the Montgomery County Emergency Management Facility.

Hamman says “With having the new system in place, we have already seen a dramatic improvement in our public safety communications across the county by first responders utilizing the new system where the current radio system has no coverage at all.” The original 18-month goal of completion was extended due several factors including land acquisition, spring flooding and a final tower site approval that had an extended appeal process. Hamman said “We are pleased that we have not faced any unexpected change orders and the approved project budget was held to the contract price. There is a lot of people that need acknowledged and thanked for their support to make this project a reality for us including the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, all Montgomery County first responders and their families and the public that helped support our cause in the approval stages of the project.”

“The new radio system allows all Montgomery County first responders to have complete and full coverage throughout Montgomery County and the State of Iowa. Our radios will now be interoperable with all neighboring counties and we’re excited for those counties that are also about ready to cutover to their new systems as well,” Hamman said.

“After several years of planning and then implementing the new system, it’s great and very exciting to finally see it being used throughout our agencies.” Within 10 minutes of switching over this (Tuesday) morning, the Red Oak Fire Department responded to a commercial structure fire at Red Oak Fabrications. The fire was quickly extinguished and proved that the new radio system was and is very beneficial for the safety and operations of our first responders

Cass County Sheriff’s report (5/12/20)

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests. On Sunday, deputies arrested 41-year old Craig Robert Olson, of Griswold, on felony charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana and a Drug Tax Stamp Violation; he was also charged with OWI 1st Offense. Olson was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

Last Saturday, Deputies arrested 40-year old James Bernard Block, of Adair, on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Theft 2nd Degree (D Felony). Block was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $5,000 bond. On May 6th, 44-year old Jeremy Ronald Peterson, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. Peterson was scheduled to be seen before a judge at a future date.

And, on May 4th, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 48-year old Cory William Anstey, of Cumberland, on a charge of Domestic Abuse. Anstey was scheduled to be seen before a judge at a future date.

State campgrounds reopen, reservation system available

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — State campgrounds re-opened this past weekend and the head of the Department of Natural Resources Parks Bureau says things went pretty well. Todd Coffelt says it was evident when the opening time hit that many people were itching to get outdoors. “People started to trickle in at eight o’clock just like the announcement. Some people must have their campers already loaded and ready to go — because being able to be there at eight o’clock — that’s something,” Coffelt says.

He says this is a start to getting things back to normal. “I would say on average most of the campgrounds were 25 to 30 percent full,” according to Coffelt. “We wanted everyone to be there, but the weather wasn’t the 80 degrees we had the weekend before and the sudden change in travel plans is always a challenge.” Coffelt says people at the campgrounds have been following the social distancing guidelines in most cases. “For the most part folks are doing a pretty good job. We have general reminders — our goal is to educate folks not to enforce laws…if we do see a group most of the time it is temporary and we don’t really have push back from anybody ,” Coffelt says. in the campgrounds when we open them up, we are limiting access to the campgrounds to just the registered campers.”

The registration system for campgrounds is now open again and Coffelt says they had some three-thousand people already registering through Monday afternoon. “Seventy-five percent of the sites in our campgrounds are reservable. There still is walk-in traffic — but as we near the Memorial Day holiday — it is a bigger risk the closer you get,” he says. “People are starting to look forward now that we know the campgrounds are open — they obviously have taken advantage of the convenience of making a registration.”

Coffelt says you should always check campground availability before heading out. He says you can call ahead or check the websites beforehand. Coffelt says they are still working on the parks and sometimes projects will impact the availability and access to sites. You can go to www.iowadnr.gov to find out about the availability of campsites or to make a reservation.

Legislation to compensate familes of first responders who die from COVID-19

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the pandemic is putting law officers, paramedics and other first responders at even greater risk as their routine interactions with the public could leave them with a potentially deadly case of COVID-19. Grassley is introducing a bill that would guarantee federal survivor and disability benefits for first responders who are felled by the coronavirus. “It’s nearly impossible to prove that an officer contracted the virus while at work,” Grassley says, “so this bill clarifies that families of officers who die of COVID-19 will be eligible for benefits if the officer was diagnosed within 45 days of his last shift.”

The measure is called the Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act. Grassley says it could go to a vote in the Senate yet this week — which is National Police Week.  “The bill’s a very important bill to help these police officers and first responders just like if they were killed in the line of duty by gunfire, as an example,” he says.

Grassley, a Republican, says the bill recognizes the sacrifice of first responders and provides a measure of certainty when they report to work during the pandemic.

COVID-19 ASSOCIATED DEATH CONFIRMED IN GUTHRIE COUNTY

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Guthrie County Department of Public Health today (Tuesday), announced the first death associated with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the county. The individual was an elderly adult (81+) and a resident of Guthrie County.  “We want to extend our deepest condolences to the individual’s family,” stated Guthrie County Public Health Director, Jotham Arber. “We are all in this fight together. Guthrie County Public Health and all of our partners continue to work to limit the spread and impact of COVID-19 in our communities.”

All residents should: ▪ Consider the use of cloth face coverings (when practical) if staying at least 6 feet away from others is not possible. ▪ Stay home when even mildly ill (the kind of illness that normally wouldn’t prevent you from your everyday activities). Anyone who is high risk for more severe COVID-19 illness should continue to stay home. ▪ Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow/upper arm. ▪ Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the county webpage at www.adairguthriecountycovid.org.

Cass County BOS action taken 5/12/20

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, IA) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors held an electronically conducted meeting this (Tuesday) morning, during which they passed an amended Resolution to appoint Phyllis Stakey, of Massena, as Cass County Representative or Commissioner to SIRHA (The Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority). Her three-year term retroactive to April 9, 2020.

The Board also passed a Resolution to change the Federal Functional Classification System on Cass County Roadways (Those near the airport and ethanol plant). It essentially changes the wording on how roads are classified, and affects how funds are used for maintenance of those “Major Collector” roads.There are three main functional classes as defined by the United States Federal Highway Administration: arterial, collector, and local.

The Supervisors then discussed at length and voted 3-2 to adopt a Resolution calling for restricted access to the Cass County Courthouse. The Resolution makes the courthouse accessible to Cass County residents only, and those persons who are court ordered to appear. The resolution is in effect until further notice, as part of the Governor’s State of Emergency pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. Supervisor’s Baier and Waters voted against the measure.

The Board did agree to strongly encourage persons who come to the courthouse to call ahead for an appointment…to wear a mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19…use e-mail, mail and phone calls for as much county business as possible, and to check the County’s website for for information.

Des Moines developer pleads guilty to fraud charges

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (The Des Moines Register) — A well-known Des Moines real estate developer has pleaded guilty to fraud charges involving the drastic underreporting of the amount he paid for several cars to save himself in registration fees. The Des Moines Register reports that 57-year-old Jeff Young entered written guilty pleas on Friday to five counts of third-degree fraud, an aggravated misdemeanor, and has agreed to pay more than $32,000 in restitution and fees.

The Iowa Department of Transportation says Young underreported the value of five vehicles he bought by a combined $309,400 between May 2017 and September 2019, saving himself $15,500 in registration fees.

Officials: Man found shot to death in northwestern Iowa home

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

MERRILL, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — Sheriff’s investigators say a man has been found shot to death in a northwestern Iowa home. The Sioux City Journal reports that the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office was called to Merrill home late Monday morning for a report of a domestic dispute. Arriving deputies found the man dead inside the home with a gunshot wound. Authorities have not released the victim’s identity. Officials say another man at the home, who also was not named, was arrested.

The suspect is being held at the Plymouth County Jail on suspicion of aggravated domestic abuse assault. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny will perform an autopsy.