Authorities say a Des Moines woman was murdered early this (Monday) morning by her estranged husband who was also killed during a police chase. Police and first responders were called to a home at 2:30 A-M on a report of a stabbing and found the body of 51-year-old Rasema Keco. The suspect was identified as her husband, 58-year-old Ekrem Keco. They no longer lived together and there was a no contact order on Mr. Keco for a child who lived at the house.

Within minutes, police in Altoona spotted the man’s vehicle but he refused to stop. During the chase, police say it appears Keco stabbed himself in the neck, then rammed the back of a semi-truck on Interstate 80 near Mitchellville and was killed. The woman’s death is the seventh homicide in Des Moines this year.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two Atlantic men were arrested on drug charges, Sunday. 35-year old Aaron Lee Latus was arrested for felony Possession of Meth 3rd/Subsequent Offense. Latus was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond. And, 26-year old Troy David Garrison-Romick, was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine 2nd Offense and Possession of Marijuana 2nd Offense. Garrison-Romick was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $3,000 bond.

On Saturday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 42-year old Matthew Paul Hardick, of Council Bluffs, on a charge of OWI/2nd Offense. Hardick was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $2,000 bond.

The Glenwood Police Department is reporting four recent arrests. Today (Monday), 31-year old Jacob Jones, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. Jones was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail, until making an appearance before a magistrate judge.

Sunday, 18-year old Brandon Tappan, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was also being held in the Mills County Jail until making an appearance before a magistrate judge.

Saturday, 25-year old Lyndsi Miner, of Glenwood, was arrested on charges that include Burglary, Serious Assault, Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree, and Domestic Abuse Assault. Miner was being held on a $30,000 cash bond or surety.

And on Friday, 40-year old Travis Handley, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills County warrant for Ongoing Criminal Mischief and Theft in the 2nd Degree. He was also being held on a $30,000 cash bond or surety.

From agriculture to communication events and visual arts, Iowa 4-H fair judges and those considering being a 4-H judge, a training will be Saturday, March 4 at the Carson Community Center in Carson, IA.

This judges training will prepare adults interested in working with young people and evaluating exhibits at county fair. The training will cover positive youth development, how to evaluate, educate and encourage during conference judging and 4-H exhibit expectations and guidelines. This training will be delivered by Iowa State University Extension & Outreach Youth Program Specialists and current 4-H judges. Subject matter workshops will include clothing events, communication events, ag and natural resources, photography, Family and Consumer Sceince area and more!

“We especially welcome those who are new to 4-H judging. We need more adults who can support youth in this way,” said Jane Hayes-Johnk, ISU Extension and Outreach Youth Program Specialist. Current judges, new judges, 4-H club Leaders, and others interested in working with youth and fairs are encouraged to attend. The cost of the training is $45 for all day or $25 for half day registration with an on-line pre-registration required to reserve materials and lunch at this web location:

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/judgestraining

Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker is pleased to announce that on February 10th, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office Division of Communications was recognized by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for demonstrating commitment to protecting children, by completing the necessary requirements to become a Missing Kids Readiness Project Member.

The Division of Communications is now one of 259 agencies in the United States who have achieved this status and the fifth agency in the State of Iowa. The NCMEC Missing Kids Readiness Project promotes best practices for responding to calls of missing, abducted and sexually exploited children.

Criteria necessary to receive the recognition and other information, is available on the website http://www.missingkids.org/MKRP

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s reports reports several arrests over the past few days. Late Sunday night, 36-year old Andrew Walter Dodge, of Omaha, was arrested for Public Intoxication, following a disturbance at Fred’s Bar, in Avoca. When Dodge was asked to leave the establishment, he refused to so, and was escorted out of the business by bar patrons, who then locked the doors. When Dodge tried to get back in, he nearly broke the door. He was arrested on the Public Intox. charge at around 11:15-p.m., Sunday.

Sunday afternoon, 64-year old Roland Duane Smith, of Panama, was arrested near Minden, after a Deputy ran the license plate on Smith’s pickup truck. A records check indicated Smith had a warrant out of Panama, for Forgery. He was transported to the Pott. County Jail and held on a $2,000 bond.

Early Sunday morning, 25-year old Brandon Lechaun Dinovo, of Council Bluffs, was cited into court for Interference with Official Acts, following a physical disturbance. And, 39-year old Clinton John Gardner, of Oakland, was arrested at around 1-a.m. Sunday, for OWI/3rd offense, following a traffic stop in Oakland, for having a defective muffler.

Saturday night, 41-year old Kevin Andrew Daub, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for OWI/1st offense and carrying a concealed weapon (A gun), following a traffic stop for speeding just north of Crescent. Saturday evening, 30-year old Jonathan Daniel Kunze, of Underwood, was arrested in Pottawattamie County, after he was pulled over for traveling at a high rate of speed. Kunze was arrested for OWI/1st offense, Possession of a Controlled Substance (174.5 grams of marijuana), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Early Saturday morning, 49-year old Robin Lynn Stander, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Public Intoxication, following a disturbance at a residence. And, late Friday night, 53-year old Richard Nelson Steiner, of Macedonia, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, after failing to stop at a controlled intersection at Highway 59 and Aspen Road.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County say a man from Lorimor suffered serious/incapacitating injuries and was flown by Life Flight helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, following a rollover accident early Saturday morning. 48-year old David Patrick Love, of Lorimor, was traveling east on Rea Road a little after midnight, Saturday. As he came to the intersection and curve with Strawberry Lane, he failed to negotiate the curve, causing the 2011 Dodge Caravan he was driving to cross the center triangle ditch.

The van then ramped over Strawberry Lane and entered the east ditch before impacting the ditch and rolling onto the drivers side. Love, who was not wearing a seat belt, was partially ejected from the vehicle through the windshield, and had to be extricated by mechanical means. Damage from the crash amounted to $9,000.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released its first report on hepatitis C infection in Iowa. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver cancer and liver transplants in the U.S. A comparison of data from 2000 to 2015 shows the number of Iowans diagnosed with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection increased nearly three-fold, from 754 cases in 2000 to 2,235 cases in 2015.

The number of HCV diagnoses among those between the ages of 18 and 30 has more than quadrupled since 2009, with 303 diagnoses in 2015. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people with HCV infection don’t have any symptoms and therefore are not tested or diagnosed. Because of this, the number of Americans and Iowans who are infected with hepatitis C is likely much higher than the report indicates.

According to Randy Mayer, Chief of the IDPH Bureau of HIV, STD, and Hepatitis, the increase in diagnoses is expected and is a positive sign. “These data indicate that Iowans are getting tested and referred to treatment by their medical providers. Everyone born between 1945 and 1965 and anyone who has ever injected non-prescription drugs, even once, should be tested for hepatitis C.”

The majority (63 percent) of Iowans reported with HCV were between the ages of 45 and 64. This mirrors national data, and has prompted the CDC to recommend anyone born between 1945 and 1965 talk to their doctor about being tested for Hepatitis C.

CDC also recommends testing for HCV if:
You ever injected non-prescription drugs, even if you injected only one time or many years ago.
You were treated for a blood clotting problem before 1987.
You received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992.
You are on long-term hemodialysis treatment.
You have abnormal liver tests or liver disease.
You work in health care or public safety and were exposed to blood through a needlestick or other sharp object injury.
You are infected with HIV.

Over 55 percent of Iowans between the ages 18 and 64 who have HCV live in one of six counties: Polk, Linn, Scott, Woodbury, Pottawattamie, and Black Hawk.

Hepatitis C is a liver infection; today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness, but for 70 to 85 percent of people who become infected with hepatitis C, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis C is a serious disease than can result in long-term health problems, even death. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C; however, there are highly effective and curative treatments available for hepatitis C with few of the side effects that previous medications had. The best way to prevent hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injecting drugs.

To see the Epidemiological Profile of Hepatitis C in Iowa and to learn more about HCV, visit www.idph.iowa.gov/hivstdhep/hep.