DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man who beat to death and beheaded a rabbit at an animal shelter in Des Moines has been given a two-year sentence. Court records say Bobby Carothers pleaded guilty last month to animal torture and requested immediate sentencing. Staffers at the Animal Rescue League shelter identified Carothers as being the last visitor in the building on Dec. 15. The records say that as Carothers left he told one of the staffers that he was having rabbit stew that night. A short time later employees found the dead rabbit, Petunia.

A traffic stop on a pickup truck Monday night on Highway 48 in Page County, resulted in a rural Essex man being arrested for OWI/drug-related. 35-year old Travis Robert Mayer was taken into custody at around 8:45-p.m., about two-miles north of Shenandoah. Mayer was transported to the Page County Jail where he was being held on $1,000 bond.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Shenandoah Police Department.

Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith reports the Chamber has a new Program Director. Kelsey Beschorner, of Wiota, recently accepted the position previously held by Ashley Hayes, who left the Chamber in November 2019. Smith said she’s “Really excited to have Kelsey join the team.

Kelsey Beschorner

Smith said also, Kelsey “Moved to the Atlantic Area seven years ago and has a great grasp of what the Chamber does. I think her ideas and knowledge will be a great asset to the organization.” Beschorner joins Smith, who is celebrating her third year as Executive Director. Beschorner began her job Monday, March 2nd.

A Judge has sentenced a retired Council Bluffs Police Officer to two-years of probation, in connection with the 2019 hit-and-run death of a bicyclist. According to KETV in Omaha, 56-year old Bob Christensen received his sentence Monday, after pleading guilty in the death of 55-year old William Shepard, who died at a hospital after being struck by a vehicle at around 2:10-a.m. on Old Lincoln Highway, near Northline Drive. The accident happened May 11, 2019.

Prosecutors said Christensen left the scene then drove back in a different vehicle. His trial was scheduled to start today (Tuesday).