(Radio Iowa) — A man accused of beating his wife in Michigan was taken into custody on a western Iowa highway after a nearly 10 hour stand-off with Iowa and Nebraska authorities. Early Wednesday morning, the Iowa State Patrol got a tip that 45-year-old Eric David Kramer of Stanton, Michigan would be driving near the Bellevue Toll Bridge over the Missouri River. Trooper Scott Miller, a spokesman for the State Patrol, says at 5:30 a.m. a trooper tried to stop Kramer’s vehicle in that area.

“Mr. Kramer did not stop right away. His car rolled to a stop probably about a quarter of a mile away…Mr. Kramer stopped his vehicle in the middle of Highway 370 in the eastbound lane and brandished a gun and put the gun to his head,” Miller says, “and the standoff started.” The area was closed to traffic for much of the day as Kramer and police negotiators talked by phone.

“Mr. Kramer had a weapon and was acting erratically and we didn’t know exactly what he was going to do,” Miller said. “…We decided that the safest thing to do was shut down that road until Mr. Kramer gave up.” A passenger in Kramer’s vehicle was able to escape during the stand-off. Kramer surrounded at about 3:15 in the afternoon.

“The tactical team was called in and tear gas was put in the vehicle and I think that prompted Mr. Kramer to give up a little quicker, thank goodness,” Miller said. Kramer’s wife told police her husband put a gun to her head early Monday morning in their home and threatened to kill her. She says Kramer assaulted her before she was able to escape in her own car.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s auditor says a state panel should stop paying appeal costs in a lawsuit filed against former Gov. Terry Branstad, who was found by a jury to have discriminated against a former state official. Auditor Rob Sand says in a letter given Friday to the Iowa Executive Council that he will vote against any appeal costs in the lawsuit filed by former Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey against Branstad.

A jury awarded Godfrey $1.5 million in July after finding Branstad and a staffer discriminated against Godfrey in 2011 because he’s gay and retaliated against him. Attorney costs to taxpayers could reach $6 million and are climbing as Branstad’s attorneys continue to file motions attempting to overturn the verdict.

Sand is a member of the Executive Council, which is responsible for authorizing the state’s litigation expenses. Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald, also a council member, has voted recently not to pay legal bills in the case. Both are Democrats. Branstad is a Republican.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports the Adair County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at around 7:10-a.m. today (Wednesday), with regard to an airplane crash. An adult male walked to the caller’s residence to report the crash.

Photo courtesy the Adair County S/O

First Responders from the Fontanelle Fire and Rescue Department, Fontanelle Police and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene located about one-mile northwest of Greenfield. The pilot of a 1966 Piper Cherokee 140 aircraft was identified as 59-year old Eric William Chrystal, of Jefferson. He was transported to the Adair County Memorial Hospital in Greenfield, for treatment of suspected minor injuries, and later released.

Vandewater said the plane crashed into a corn field, coming to rest on its top. An investigation into the cause of the crash was underway. The Adair County S/O is assisting the FAA and NTSB in their investigation.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The FBI has named a 20-year veteran of the bureau as the new special agent in charge of the Omaha Field Office, overseeing Nebraska and Iowa. A news release Wednesday from the FBI named Kristi Koons Johnson as the new special agent in charge of the two-state office. She had been serving as chief of a section that investigates transnational criminal organizations at FBI Headquarters in Washington.

Johnson joined the FBI in 1999 as a special agent in Chicago, where she spent a decade investigating organized crime and public corruption. She was promoted to supervisory special agent and led a public corruption squad in 2007. In 2010, Ms. Johnson was named the chief division counsel for the Omaha Field Office and promoted three more times before her latest assignment.

Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a law degree from the University of Detroit-Mercy.

Atlantic, IA –The Cass County Health System (CCHS) Board of Trustees approved a master facility plan on August 21, 2019. During the last eight months, the board worked with doctors, staff, administrators, and others to identify key areas of the CCHS building and grounds that need to be repaired, remodeled, or relocated.

Brett Altman, CCHS CEO, said “In an era where rural healthcare is increasingly unsteady, we’re incredibly blessed to be in a position where we can invest in our health system to help us achieve our mission of providing a superior experience to everyone that we are privileged to serve. Our board is very committed to these projects because they can envision the long-term benefits to our patients. At the same time we plan to make these improvements, we’re just as committed to moving forward without incurring debt.”

While plans are still in the earliest stages, the board expects to let bids in the summer of 2020, with hopes to have all phases of the master facility plan completed by the end of 2022. The anticipated improvements include:

• Remodeling the hospital pharmacy to comply with new federal regulations
• Infrastructure items—Improving electrical voltage regulation; Repairing parking lots and driveways; Replacing three air handling units; Remodeling the clinic; Remodeling existing clinical space into an enhanced center for cancer care; Providing additional office space for CCHS staff; Moving the gift shop near the main entrance; Remodeling the cafeteria serving area.

Work on the facility plan, timeline, and bidding process are expected to progress over the next six months to twelve months.

Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns reports Kevin Littleton has filed papers to run for Anita City Council. On Aug. 30th, Mark Harris also filed papers to run in the November City/School Elections, for Anita City Council.  As of today (Wednesday), no one had filed to run for the Mayor’s position.

SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of helping a volunteer firefighter set fire to a corncrib in western Iowa has pleaded not guilty. Sac County District Court records say 18-year-old Alexander Lilly entered the written pleas Friday to charges of arson, burglary, criminal mischief and trespass causing damage. His trial in Sac City is scheduled to begin Dec. 10.
Authorities say Lilly helped 25-year-old Brent Mack start the blaze Aug. 19 at the corncrib a little more than a mile north of Nemaha.

Suspicions grew after another firefighter found Mack had arrived first at the Nemaha station even though Mack lived at least 15 minutes away in Newell. The court records say Mack later told investigators that he, Lilly and a 17-year-old girl had driven around the area, looking for a place to set a fire, and settled on the corncrib. Mack’s set to be arraigned Sept. 16.

The City Council in Walnut is set to hold a regular meeting 5-p.m. Thursday. On their agenda, is discussion with MidAmerican Energy, with regard to a franchise renewal and the possible setting of a Public Hearing for Oct. 3rd. The Council will discuss several other matters, including: Zoning; the Walnut Community Center (with regard to the Old Gym HVAC system and TLC Food Pantry); Property Maintenance issues; and, closing certain streets for the Sept. 20-22 Walnut Antique Festival.

Proposed street closures for the event include: Antique City Drive, from Pearl to Summit Streets; One-half block of Highland Street, from Antique City Dr. east, to the alley; and, one-half block of Highland Street from Antique City Drive west, to the alley. The proposed hours are from 6-p.m. Friday Sept. 20th until 6-p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22nd.

(Radio Iowa) — Blood supplies in Iowa are at a critical low and donors are being urged to schedule immediate appointments or just walk in to the nearest blood center to donate. Hurricane Dorian is beginning its trek up the East Coast and Danielle West, spokeswoman for LifeServe Blood Center, says blood stockpiles in Iowa were already low coming off the three-day weekend. “Locally, we are definitely in need of blood donors after the Labor Day holiday,” West says. “We sent a lot of blood products out to our hospital partners before the holiday and donations are always lower around holidays. We want all of our local donors to step up so we can not only help locally but also nationally in those hurricane-affected areas.”

LifeServe is the sole provider of blood to more than 120 hospitals in Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska. It’s also part of a network of health care providers who share resources — and blood — following acts of terrorism or natural disasters, like the hurricane. “We sent some ahead of the storm, thinking maybe last weekend it could hit, but with our current level as low as it is, we wouldn’t be able to help in this situation if we got the call today,” West says. “We’re really hoping we can get more donors in the door here to be able to help our local hospitals and to also help those in need in other areas.”

LifeServe has blood centers in Ames, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Mason City, Sioux City and Urbandale. West says all blood types are needed for donations. “Our number-one responsibility is to help locally, making sure all of our local hospitals have what they need,” West says. “As part of the disaster task force, we actually send blood directly to Florida to the blood centers in that area. So, an Iowan sure could help someone in Florida that needs a blood product if they’re not able to get it.”

To schedule an appointment, call 800-287-4903 or visit www.lifeservebloodcenter.org. Locally, Cass County residents can donate blood this Friday during an American Red Cross Blood drive, in Griswold. The event will be held at the Central Church of Christ, 51 Harrison Street, from 11-a.m. until 5-p.m., Friday.