The transportation director for the state’s largest school district is pleased with student reaction to the addition of seat belts in buses. The Des Moines School District is the lone district in the state taking part in a bus seat belt study. The trial, launched in late October, is being paid for by the Iowa Department of Education, school bus seat manufacturer SynTec and Thomas Bus Sales. Des Moines Schools transportation director Todd Liston says he’s thrilled with the student response.

“The kids haven’t had any real push back or, you know, hesitation to put the belts on,” Liston said. “The kids are hopping on the bus, sitting down, and buckling up without any real hesitation at all.” The district has two buses outfitted with lap-shoulder belts for 65 passengers. One of the bus drivers told Liston he’s now able to focus more of his attention on the road, rather than on students. “What he told me was, ‘I am definitely less distracted by the kids when they’re in their seat belts.’ Man, I thought that was just huge,” Liston said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommended for the first time in 2015 that seat belts be added to school buses. But, it remains unclear if Iowa or others states will move in that direction. A big factor is the price tag: it costs about $8,000 per bus to add seat belts.

(Radio Iowa)

The Creston Police Department says three people were arrested on separate charges. Early this (Friday) morning, 22-year old Jessica Marie Larkin, of Creston, was arrested for Public Intoxication. Larkin was being held on the Union County charges in the Ringgold County Jail.

At around 5:50-p.m. Thursday, Creston Police arrested 40-year old Ealy Melvin Tucker, of Longmont, CO., for Trepassing. And, at around 11:30-a.m., Thursday, Creston Police arrested 26-year old Tyree Jermaine Millsap, of Thayer, for Driving While Suspended.

All three subjects were being held on $300 bond, each. And, Creston Police said two residents reported damage to Christmas decorations on their properties located in the 1000 block of N. Division and 900 block of N. Oak Streets. The incidents, which happened sometime between 6-a.m. and 5:30-p.m., Thursday, caused a loss of about $365 altogether.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Sheriff’s Deputies in Montgomery County arrested a woman from Cass County early this (Friday) morning. 24-year old Taylor Renee Huerta, of Griswold, was taken into custody at around 1:40-a.m. in the 1200 block of Highway 71. Huerta was charged with OWI/1st offense and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where her bond was set at $1,000.

Red Oak Police, Thursday afternoon, arrested a woman wanted on an active warrant for Probation Violation. 21-year old Cassandra Jane Rohner, of Red Oak, was a seen riding in a vehicle traveling east on Washington Street at around 3:15-p.m. Officers stopped the vehicle in the 100 block of East Nuckols Street and confirmed the warrant was valid for Rohner. She was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, and held on $5,000 bond.

West Des Moines police have identified two people killed in an accident Wednesday evening. Police say a truck driven by 36-year-old Jacob Griffiths of Urbandale struck a pillar of a bridge on Interstate 235 just before eight p-m. Witnesses stopped and pulled two children out of the truck. Griffiths died in the accident as did his six-year-old son Wyatt. A young girl who was in the truck was taken to a Des Moines hospital, where she was reported in critical condition.

One of the people who pulled the children out of the wreck was injured and treated at the scene. Police have not released any other details surrounding the accident. Des Moines television station K-C-C-I is reporting that Griffiths had a protective ordered issued against him and had just received visitation rights for the children.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former lottery computer administrator from Iowa and a friend from Texas have been charged in Wisconsin with racketeering and theft by fraud for allegedly fixing a 2007 state Megabucks game. Eddie Tipton of Iowa and Robert Rhodes of Texas were charged by the state’s attorney general in documents filed Thursday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge who was accused of insurance fraud and fired after helping expose improper influence in Gov. Terry Branstad’s administration is facing a felony charge two years later. Susan Ackerman, former administrative law judge for Iowa Workforce Development, is charged with making false certifications so that her daughter could receive state health insurance. Her supporters say her firing and prosecution are retribution for blowing the whistle in 2014 on improper pressure facing judges.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say an Iowa woman has been charged with murder in connection with the 2012 disappearance of a woman last seen alive in Omaha. Police say officers Thursday arrested 41-year-old Shanna Goylar at her home in Persia, Iowa, a city of 300 people about 35 miles northeast of Omaha. Goylar was charged with 1st degree murder in the death of Cari Farver, who was last seen Nov. 13, 2012, in Omaha. Goylar was taken to the Pottawattamie County jail awaiting extradition to Omaha.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge has ordered a naturalized U.S. citizen from China who pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to steal seed corn must pay the U.S. companies that made the seed $425,000. Mo Hailong entered a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in January. In it, he admitted to the plan that would send stolen Monsanto and DuPont Pioneer seed corn to China, where scientists planned to reproduce its genetic traits. Monday’s judgment also said he must forfeit two farms.

Police in Council Bluffs said late Thursday night, that tips from citizens resulted in the arrest of a Council Bluffs youth who is allegedly connected to several incidents of vandalism perpetrated on homes and vehicles in the Council Bluffs area. The youth’s name was not released. The investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Department Criminal Investigations Division began, when authorities received several reports of multiple windows being damaged on vehicles and homes. Authorities say it appears a BB/Pellet gun was used to cause the damage.

If you have any information regarding the incidents, please call crime stoppers at 712-328-7867 or the Criminal Investigations Division at 712-328-4728

Listed below are the dates, report times, and general locations of the damaged vehicles:
Date          Time   Location                             Description
12-20-16   23:36   400 Block of Grace St.         2 vehicles multiple windows
12-21-16   00:24   600 Block of Grace St.         1 vehicle multiple windows
12-21-16   04:12   400 Block of Voorhis St.       2 vehicles multiple windows
12-21-16   23:33   600 Block of Franklin Ave.   5 vehicles multiple windows
12-22-16   01:07   800 Block of Grace St.          1 vehicle multiple windows

(12/23 – Corrects spelling of her last name as indicated in Pott. Co. arrest report)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say a woman from Harrison County, Iowa, has been charged with murder in connection with the 2012 disappearance of a woman last seen alive in Omaha. Police say officers Thursday afternoon arrested 41-year-old Shanna Golyar at her home in Persia, Iowa. Golyar was charged with 1st degree murder in the death of Cari Farver, who was last seen Nov. 13, 2012, in Omaha. She was also charged with being a Fugitive From Justice.

Farver’s mother reported her missing to the Pottawattamie County sheriff’s office on Nov. 16, 2012. Weeks later, Farver’s vehicle was found in Omaha. In February 2016, Pottawattamie County detectives contacted the Omaha police cold case unit to assist in the investigation, which led to Golyar’s arrest. Golyar was taken to the Pottawattamie County jail awaiting extradition to Omaha.

Iowa astronaut Peggy Whitson is on her third long-duration mission onboard the International Space Station and it’ll be her second Christmas in orbit. In an interview with Radio Iowa from the station, the Beaconsfield native says the six-member crew is planning for a traditional American holiday meal on Sunday that will include turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, fruit salad and cornbread stuffing.

“The one other special thing that we have is, we brought up some frosting and we’re going to try to make some Christmas cookies. We have little cookies in packages and we’re going to try to decorate them,” Whitson says. “I think we should have a contest but the guys don’t seem too game on the contest idea.” The astronauts’ Christmas meal is still dehydrated and sealed in clear plastic bags, but Whitson assures it’ll be a tasty holiday treat. There is a small, artificial Christmas tree aboard the space station and Whitson says they will be exchanging gifts.

Astronaut Peggy Whitson

“Actually, we’ve got a few surprises planned for each other. We don’t yet know what they are,” Whitson says. “I had some stuff I brought up with me in my crew preference bag so I’m looking forward to giving some gifts on Christmas.” One of several additions to the station since Whitson’s previous missions in 2002 and 2008 is the cupola, a large domed viewing port that provides a stunning view of the planet below. Floating on the football field-sized facility and being able to gaze down at the oceans, clouds and continents rushing past, Whitson says it brings new meaning to the phrase “Peace on Earth.”

“I think the perspective of our planet here is very special and it does provide you with the sense that there are no boundaries, that we’re a planet, we are a people,” Whitson says. “It reinforces the fact that we should be together and at peace.” While it’s a tradition for many of us to pop open a bottle of champagne on New Year’s Eve, that’s not an option in the weightless environment of the space station. Still, Whitson says they will celebrate on December 31st.

“No champagne corks. I don’t know if we’ll have any New Year’s resolutions or not, we might,” Whitson says, laughing. “I’m not sure whether people are going to be worried about gaining weight or losing weight.” Whitson arrived on the station on November 17th via a Russian rocket and is scheduled to remain aloft there through May. In February, she’ll celebrate her 57th birthday and is already the oldest woman ever in space. Among her many accomplishments, Whitson will be the first woman to command the station twice. She’ll take command likely in February with the next planned crew rotation.

(Radio Iowa)