(Ottumwa, Iowa) — Sheriff’s officials in southeast Iowa’s Wapello County report, that after a months-long, multi-state investigation led by the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, a suspect was arrested in the burglaries of at least 16 school districts across Iowa and Missouri, including the Sidney High School, in Fremont County, Iowa, during the early morning hours of March 15, 2025.  The operation highlights the power of proactive investigative work, interagency collaboration, and strategic use of technology. The case began on February 2, 2025, when the Cardinal Community School District in Wapello County reported break-ins at its Elementary, Middle, and High School buildings. The burglar caused extensive property damage and stole over $4,000 in cash. Despite early efforts, initial leads were scarce.

Sidney HS burglary suspect photo

Rather than allowing the case to go cold, Wapello County investigators escalated their approach. Investigators applied for and executed advanced technical search warrants not typically used in standard property crime cases. Working closely with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Intelligence & Fusion Center, Wapello County began analyzing key digital evidence that would ultimately crack the case wide open. As the investigation progressed, reports of similar burglaries at schools across Missouri and southwest Iowa began to surface. Recognizing the broader pattern, Wapello County investigators took the lead in coordinating with multiple jurisdictions to pool data and track the suspect’s movements. Their analysis led to the development of a detailed suspect profile, which pointed to an individual living in Jacksonville, Arkansas.

Curtis Lee Barton booking photo

While conducting a thorough background investigation of the suspect it was discovered that he is currently on parole stemming from a previous conviction for burglarizing numerous schools and small businesses across central Missouri in 2018. Wapello County investigators prepared search warrant applications for the suspect’s known residences in Jacksonville and Sherwood, Arkansas, and worked with the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division to secure search warrants through the Arkansas courts. On Tuesday, April 29, a joint operation involving Wapello County Deputies, Arkansas State Police, and the Lewis County (MO) Sheriff’s Office executed the warrants.

The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Curtis Lee Barton, was taken into custody without incident. Evidence recovered at the scene directly links Barton to the burglaries. He is currently being held at the South Pulaski County Jail in Little Rock, Arkansas, on a $100,000 cash-only bond, pending extradition and further legal proceedings. To date, Barton is suspected in the burglary of approximately 14 school districts in Missouri and 2 in Iowa, including Cardinal Community Schools. Multiple Additional burglaries involving small businesses are also being reviewed in connection to this case and our office is providing pertinent information to the agencies investigating cases within their jurisdiction.

The investigation remains active, and additional charges are expected as both local and federal law enforcement continues to review new reports connected to the case. Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office.

CARTER LAKE, Iowa — There was a large law enforcement presence in Carter Lake Friday evening, after authorities received numerous “shots-fired” calls. Officials with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office said the incident occurred near Mabrey Park, where anywhere from 20 to 30 shots were fired as dozens of people gathered in the park.

One person was hurt by broken glass. The Iowa State Patrol and Carter Lake Police Department were also on scene. Additional information is currently not available.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, Friday (May 2, 2025), signed three bills into law in support of the Iowa National Guard. Officials with the Guard say House Files 117 and 118 are two key pieces of legislation that strengthen education benefits for Iowa’s Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen. The measures expand access to the Iowa National Guard Service Scholarship (INGSS) and ensure its long-term sustainability.

More specifically, House File 117 broadens eligibility to include short-term credential and certificate programs, enabling Guard members to pursue high-demand skills in fields such as avionics, cybersecurity, IT, electronics and welding through Iowa’s colleges and accredited institutions.

Governor Kim Reynolds signs into law bills to strengthen education benefits for the Iowa National Guard Soldiers and Airman. (5-2-25; IANG Facebook page photo)

(Radio Iowa) – The number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease now tops seven-million for the first time, including more than 62,000 Iowans, and a new survey finds people’s impressions of the disease are changing.

Lauren Livingston, spokeswoman for the Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter, says nearly four in five people surveyed would want to know if they had the disease before it impacted their lives, and she says we’re moving closer to having a widely-available test.

“There is a blood test that even is being used in a clinical setting right now. Hospitals around Des Moines, doctors around Des Moines are using it in conjunction with other tests, like a PET scan and a cognitive screening and blood tests and things like that,” Livingston says, “so it is getting easier, but there isn’t a surefire, silver bullet way to diagnose yet.”

The survey found a vast majority of respondents would also want treatment, even if it comes with risks, as long as it slows the progression of the disease, and Livingston says the price of those medications is coming down.

Alzheimer’s Association photo

“There are currently two FDA-approved treatments available. They’re both infusion treatments and both of them, it kind of depends on what your insurance situation is,” Livingston says. “Medicare is covering the cost of both of these medications at a higher rate, so it’s not as expensive as when they first came out. It’s not tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket.”

More than 30 people are undergoing treatments with the preventative medications at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines, and she says all indications are, they’re having success with little trouble from any side effects.

The survey found four in five Americans believe new treatments to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s will emerge in the next decade, and 66% believe new treatments to -prevent- Alzheimer’s will be available soon.

“The Alzheimer’s Association is absolutely committed to continuing to increase research funding, and we’re hoping the federal government will continue to do the same to fund this research,” Livingston says. “As long as that happens, I think in a decade, we’ll absolutely see a way to prevent and cure this disease. I definitely share that optimism.”

While more than 62,000 Iowans are living with Alzheimer’s, the report also says they have 80,000 caregivers in Iowa who provide 118-million hours of unpaid care each year, valued at $2.7 billion.

The association’s full 2025 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report is online at alz.org/facts.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she’s getting positive signals from USDA officials reviewing Iowa’s request to redirect electronic benefits families with children who qualify for free or reduced price school lunches get to buy groceries in the summer. The Biden Administration twice rejected the governor’s plan to instead have the state make bulk purchases of healthy food and provide boxes of groceries to families in the summer.

“Stay tuned,” Reynolds said of the pending waiver request. “I really appreciate Secretary Rollins and her team…really understanding the uniqueness of each of the states and they need to take that into consideration.”

During a visit to Iowa at the end of March, U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins said she was “really excited” about the plan Reynolds had presented and her staff was reviewing it “very closely.”

“Hopefully we’ll be hearing something soon on that,” Reynolds said yesterday. “It always just takes longer than it should.”

Reynolds and her staff are seeking three other waiver requests from the Trump Administration. In February, Reynolds asked for authority to roll federal funds designated for a variety of education programs into one block grant and let Iowa officials determine how the money is distributed. Reynolds said McKenzie Snow, the state’s education director, has been answering questions federal education officials have about the concept.

“Sometimes, you know, in an effort to make things less complicated they make it more complicated,” Reynolds said, with a laugh. “We have pushed back on a couple of things and just said: ‘That’s not helpful in your goal and what you’re trying to achieve.’ We have a really good working relationship with Secretary McMahon’s team. Director Snow has worked with some of them before, so it’s a good conversation and a healthy conversation to have. I don’t want to start down this path and then find a lot of unintended consequences.”

On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order directing U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take steps “to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education” and return education decisions to the states

Reynolds is also awaiting word on a waiver to let the state change what products can be purchased with federal food benefits as well as a plan to require able-bodied Medicaid recipients to show they work 100 hours a month. Congress is considering a similar change for all state Medicaid programs.

West Des Moines, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa National Guard have announced the official grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, will be held for the Guard’s newest state-of-the-art facility, the West Des Moines Readiness Center, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, beginning at Noon. The new readiness center—located at 1625 SE National Guard Road, in West Des Moines, Iowa —will serve as the home of the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th IN) and the 2168th Transportation Company, enhancing the Guard’s readiness and operational capabilities in central Iowa.

The ceremony will feature remarks from:
• Governor Kim Reynolds
• Major General Stephen Osborn, Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard
• West Des Moines City Leader

Photos courtesy Jackie Schmillen Director of Public Affairs, Iowa National Guard

Members of the public and community partners are invited to attend and celebrate this important milestone in the Iowa National Guard’s continued commitment to modernization, national defense, and local emergency response readiness.

The West Des Moines Readiness Center represents a significant investment in both infrastructure and community resilience. Beyond military operations, the facility will also play a vital role in supporting training, mobilization, and emergency response efforts throughout Iowa and beyond. Following the ribbon cutting, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the new facility.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest on May 1st, of 29-year-old Yana Sweeney,  of Omaha, NE. Sweeney was arrested for OWI/1st offense. She was released after posting a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

(Cass County, Iowa) — On May 2, 2025, Cass County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Kathy Somers oversaw the post-election audit of the Lewis Special Election. The audited results matched the election night ballot count with 100% accuracy.

Under Iowa law, post-election audits are mandatory. Following Election Day, the Secretary of State’s office randomly selects one precinct to be audited. For this special election, the absentee precinct was chosen. A post-election audit board, comprised of representatives from both the Republican and Democratic parties, conducted a hand-count of the mayor’s race. The audit results perfectly matched the original machine count, reinforcing confidence in the integrity and accuracy of the
election process.

Auditor Somers expressed appreciation to all who contributed to the election process including those who served as Precinct Election Officials at the polling location, the absentee board, the post-election audit board, and the auditor’s office staff for their time and dedication to ensuring the election was conducted securely and in compliance with state law.