(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County (IA) Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday), provided an update to a situation that occurred during evening hours of August 6^th, 2025, in Atlantic. Authorities say a Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy was on routine patrol in Atlantic, near the intersection of 6^th and Birch Street.  A statement from the Sheriff’s Office said “The Deputy observed a male subject known as 46-year-old Joshua Mullen, of Corning, at the residence nearby.  It is also known to local law enforcement that Mr. Mullen had State and Federal warrants for his arrest.  Deputies were able to secure the suspect residence and an immediate perimeter.

Deputies and Agents of the State of Iowa’s Department of Narcotics Enforcement attempted to make contact with Mr. Mullen with no immediate success.  A search warrant for the residential property was applied for and granted.  While preparing to execute the search warrant, Mr. Mullen exited the property and was apprehended without incident.”

Mullen was transported to a detention facility where he will be held pending hearings.  The Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the State of Iowa’s Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Cass County Communications Center, Cass EMS and the Atlantic Police Department.

“As a special note,” officials said, “this incident is entirely unrelated to the tragedy in Glenwood, which took place at nearly the exact same time.  There were no shots fired or no injuries in this incident within Cass County, Atlantic, Iowa.  With this being said, our thoughts and prayers are with the families, community members, first responders and all parties involved in this tragic situation.”

** All criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – Democrat Rob Sand says Iowans are justifiably frustrated about water quality issues and he might call for new regulations if he’s elected governor — but Sand says he’s investigating the issue before releasing a water quality plan.  “I think people would be right to be frustrated with me if we hit fall of next year and I didn’t have a specific plan for what I was going to do on this issue, but that’s not going to happen,” Sand said. “We’re putting together a plan. We’re taking time to learn.” Sand spoke with reporters after visiting the Des Moines Water Works this (Thursday) morning.  “This, to me, is part of the process,” Sand said. “I think that if you are going to be a candidate for governor, but if especially you are going to be a governor, you have got to have a really good understanding of the facts.”

Earlier this week, researchers who worked on a report about water quality and nitrates in the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers called for regulations to limit run-off from ag land.  “Those are some of the folks that I’ll be talking to and I want to hear what they have to say,” Sand said, “but I want to also make sure that I’m listening to lots of other voices and putting together a plan that is realistic and well-informed and achievable, where we know we can just make a difference instead of just necessarily shouting at each other.”

Republican Kim Reynolds, Iowa’s current governor, says regulation of farming practices is hardly ever the answer to water quality issues in the state. Sand isn’t ruling out regulations, but Sand says he doubts there’s a one-size-fits-all solution.”I think we’ve hit a new high for the magnitude of this problem and the folks in charge in Des Moines are literally moving in the wrong direction,” Sand said. “The legislature just defunded nitrate monitoring systems across the state of Iowa…so people who are frustrated should be frustrated. I’m frustrated. I want to be able to take my kids tubing where we’re home in Decorah in the Upper Iowa River without having to hesitate.”

Sand is the only Democrat currently serving in statewide office. He was elected state auditor in 2018 and reelected in 2022.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A San Antonio, Texas man was sentenced August 7, 2025, to 24 months in federal prison for interstate transmission of threats.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Stephen Brody Crain, 30, sent threats by various means for approximately eight months to two Iowa victims and their family members. One victim sent more than $4000 to Crain. Crain also made false abuse reports to the Iowa Department of Human Services and sent pizza to the victim’s residences. Even after Crain was arrested, he sent letters to one of the victims and the victim’s family members.

Crain was previously convicted of stalking in Texas District Court for Smith County. As part of that offense, Crain similarly sent threatening messages, sent pizza, and called child services to falsely report abuse. Crain was paroled in November 2023, just two months before the threats to the Iowa victims began.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Crain will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Crain was also ordered to pay $4,117 in restitution.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

UPDATE 3:25-P.M. from Dave Sturm: The contractor has already delayed the schedule was reported a few hours ago. They had some equipment breakdowns today and plan to push Atlantic back to Wednesday of next week. Hopefully this is in time to make the necessary changes.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm, who is also the City Engineer for Atlantic, said today (Thursday), that the contractor for the City’s downtown asphalt resurfacing project plans to begin the milling on 6th Street, beginning this Monday, August 11th, (weather dependent). From there, they will move south to north and will be able to mill several blocks everyday if things work properly.

Milling will most likely take a couple weeks to complete the entire downtown. Asphalt will not be in town until the mill is far enough ahead to keep everything moving. Sturm said he will provide another update on asphalt once more is known.

Sturm said also, vehicles will need to be kept out of the parking stalls as the milling and asphalt progresses. He said the Atlantic Police and Street Departments have assisted with no parking signs in the past and that has been extremely helpful. He asked the PD to assist again with this current project, and expects signs put out on at least 6th Street on Sunday evening.

Sturm added “It is going to get extremely busy downtown starting next week so hopefully people will be able to see that this inconvenience is followed by a drastic improvement.” The milling project is part of the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) approved earlier this Summer by the Atlantic City Council.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Vision Atlantic Board President Christina Bateman, Wednesday evening, updated the Atlantic City Council on fundraising efforts for the non-profit organization’s housing, and other projects.

Bateman said they need about $4.5-to 5-million dollars in signed pledges by the end of December, in order to unlock an $8.6 million matching grant from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation. Pledges can be made through the end of the year and can be paid over a span of four years. Bateman said they have different groups working on that. More specifically, with regard to the housing project, she construction work should begin soon.

Through Vision Atlantic’s efforts, an $84million project will bring 142 new housing units, expand the YMCA, and build a 300-capacity childcare development center.

For more information and updates, visit www.visionatlantic.org.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A retired Navy Vietnam Veteran who has called Atlantic home for more than 15-years, appeared before the Atlantic City Council Wednesday evening, asking residents to show their support for the brave men and women from the area who were recently deployed overseas to Kuwait, Syria and other areas. Some 18-hundred Iowa National Guard soldiers are on deployment to the Middle East. Denny Daniel said the mission of “Operation Front Porch”is simple: Just tie a yellow ribbon around a flagpole, tree, or porch post.

Daniel wants everyone to keep the yellow ribbons displayed until all of the deployed National Guard soldiers return home.

Atlantic Mayor Pro-Tem/Councilperson Elaine Otte thanked Daniel for what he’s doing, and mentioned her son was deployed a couple of times with the Iowa National Guard, and understands where Daniels is coming from, when it comes to support of our troops.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Fair opens its 11-day run today (Thursday) in Des Moines. Fair spokesperson Mindy Williamson says a big change this year allows you to bring in your own drinks. “You can now bring in your beverages excluding alcohol. You cannot bring in alcohol, but if you want to bring in your water, iced tea, Gatorade. coffee that you purchased on your way in, you can do that this year,” she says. Williamson says you can also bring in a soft-sided cooler with food. “If you have, you know, a special diet that you’re trying to stick to, or if you need snacks and things for your children, we feel like you know the fair is a family friendly place, and we want you to be as comfortable as possible. And so we made that change this year.” Williamson says.

There are parking lots outside the Fair, homeowners who charge you to park in their yards, or you can park at three pickup points and take a bus. “The Capitol and then west of the capitol, and then at Southeast Polk (High School). And you can easily ride those into the fairgrounds. It’ll drop you off at gate. ten which is near the Craft Beer Tent and the little kids rides, and then it’ll pick and then you can walk back there and ride it back to your car easily without the traffic,” she explains.

Williamson says there are several new things at the Fair. “People will not want to miss our new Shivers Plaza, which is the area right to the South of JR’s South Pork Ranch, and right across from our pavilion,” she says. “And it’s an area like a food court where there are vendors, there’s picnic tables and shade. There’s new restrooms.”

The Iowa State Fair gates open at 8 a-m. You can find out more about the schedule and daily events at iowastatefair.org.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak this (Thursday) morning, arrested a man on a Burglary charge. Authorities say 45-year-old Luke Daniel Rinehart, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 1:50-a.m. in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue, on a charge of Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Rinehart was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

(This report was researched and produced by the Iowa Capital Dispatch, which is solely responsible for its content) –

Three southwest Iowa care facilities were among five from across the State that were recently cited for alleged incidents of abuse. The Iowa Capital Dispatch says inspectors with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) – which oversees and inspects Iowa’s nursing homes – cited Corning Specialty Care, the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, and Chapters Living in Council Bluffs, following separate, alleged incidents of residents’ abuse.

Corning Specialty Care – This home was cited for failing to properly inform the state of the verbal abuse of a resident by a staff member in February 2025. According to inspectors, a certified nurse aide told state inspectors in May that she heard a female CNA at the home tell a male resident, “You did this to yourself, so you can get yourself up and clean yourself up.” A licensed practical nurse also reported hearing the comment and told inspectors the resident was left crying.

A third worker reported she had seen the accused CNA “on many occasions” tell the resident that he was “a grown-a– man” and that he needed to “wipe your own a–.” A fourth employee of the home corroborated that claim, adding that she had assumed other staffers had reported the aide’s conduct. A fifth worker reported that on one occasion she heard the accused aide tell the man, “I’m not going to clean your a–. If you’re going home, you need to do it yourself.”

Salem Lutheran Home, Elk Horn – This facility was cited for failing to properly investigate and report the alleged abuse of a resident. A resident of the home told inspectors in June 2025 that a few months earlier, a female CNA at the home had left her sitting on a bedpan for five hours with her call-light placed out of reach.

The woman also reported that on one occasion the worker was “acting drunk” and being disrespectful to her – throwing a pile of blankets in her lap and telling her to pick the one that she wanted. The woman told inspectors she didn’t report the incidents to management because she feared the CNA was friends with the director of nursing. According to inspectors, the home’s administration was aware of the incident involving the bedpan and acknowledged that no report of the matter had been sent to the state.

Chapters Living, Council Bluffs – This facility was cited for failing to properly report the alleged abuse of a resident. A resident of the home had reported that a CNA had come to her room during the night and then spilled the contents of her bedpan onto the bed. According to inspectors, the worker at first denied spilling the bedpan, rudely informed the resident she was on her call-light too much, tossed the resident’s call-light out of reach, and then left the resident in soiled bedding before later returning to change the sheets. According to the inspectors, the home’s administrator later admitted the call-light had been placed out of the resident’s reach, but said that was inadvertent.