SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northwestern Iowa man has pleaded guilty to reduced charges in the drunken driving death last year of his cousin. The Sioux City Journal reports that 39-year-old Darrick Toel, of Le Mars, pleaded guilty Thursday to vehicular homicide while driving recklessly and to operating while intoxicated. In exchange, a more serious charge of vehicular homicide while driving intoxicated was dropped.

Under the deal, Toel also agreed to an 11-year prison term. Authorities estimated Toel was traveling 90 mph on July 1 when he lost control of his car and struck a tree. Toel’s passenger, 37-year-old Ryan Toel of Struble, died two days later from his injuries.

Authorities in Mills County report a woman wanted on Union County warrants was arrested late Wednesday evening.

Autumn L. Vandry

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says 20-year-old Autumn Lynn Vandry was arrested on warrants for 1st degree Burglary and Willful injury. She was arrested at around 8-p.m. and was being held in the Mills County Jail on $35,000 bond.

Police in Council Bluffs report two suspects who were allegedly involved in an assault this (Thursday) morning, were arrested on Class-C Felony charges of Willful Injury. Multiple witnesses reported seeing both suspects, 19-year-old Hunter Dunn and 21-year-old Thomas Smith, both of Council Bluffs, run up to 60-year-old Adolph Phillips, Jr., of Council Bluffs, and begin punching him. After Phillips was knocked to the ground, he was then repeatedly kicked in the head and body until he lost consciousness.

(Left to right) Thomas Smith and Hunter Dunn

He was taken to a Council Bluffs hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries, and then released. The incident happened near North 17th Street and West Broadway Street at around 9:36 a.m.

While officers were en-route to the call, several witnesses called into the Pottawattamie County Communications Center and relayed information to dispatchers about the suspects’ description, direction of travel as they left the area on foot, and the victim’s condition.

The Council Bluffs Police Department would like to thank the citizens of Council Bluffs for helping them with this case.

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce said today (Thursday), they were made aware of a woman who is calling area businesses claiming to be an accountant out of Texas. She claims to be calling on behalf of the Atlantic Area Chamber and Cass County Sheriff’s office.

The caller asks for information regarding an expired credit card, and is said to be very persistent. The Chamber warns this is not a legitimate call and business owners/managers should refrain from giving out any information. The number she is calling from is 817-395-1044.

(DES MOINES) – This week, Representative Tom Moore (a Republican from Griswold) welcomed students involved in Creston and Southwest Valley FFA programs, to the Iowa House of Representatives. The students were visiting the Capitol for the Legislative Symposium, which is designed to build character and promote citizenship, volunteerism and patriotism.

Pictured here is Rep. Tom Moore (Griswold) and students with the Creston FFA.

Pictured here is Rep. Tom Moore (Griswold) and students with the Southwest Valley FFA.

LUCAS, Iowa (AP) – A judge has ordered a lumber company to pay the state nearly $28,000 for timber harvested without permission from a state forest in south-central Iowa. The attorney general’s office also said Thursday that Moravia Hardwoods, of Moravia, lied to the state on a bond renewal application, so the judge banned the company from buying timber for a year. A company representative said he couldn’t immediately comment. The trees were cut down in the Chariton Unit of Stephens State Forest. The state sued the company, and a trial was held this past August. The judge issued the ruling Monday.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa D-N-R is asking you to take make a donation to help the state’s wildlife when you file your state taxes. D-N-R wildlife biologist, Stephanie Shepherd, says the number of people who donate through the “Chickadee Check-off” has been dropping. “In 2003 we had almost 13-thousand people donating. In this last year — in 2018 — roughly 73-hundred folks donated to the checkoff,” Shepherd says.

She says the amount of money has fortunately not dropped as much as the amount of donors. Shepherd says the donations go to species that don’t get funds from dedicated sources like hunting and fishing licenses. “We have a thousand plus other species in the state that also require habitat, and require research and conservation,” according to Shepherd. She says there are probably several reasons the Chickadee Checkoff gets missed at tax time. “We don’t spend a lot of money on marketing — we want most of the money that comes in for the checkoff to go towards wildlife conservation,” according to Shepherd “We don’t do a ton of market besides word of mouth or putting out a press release or two. So, maybe that’s just not bringing in a lot of new folks who aren’t aware of the Fish and Wildlife on the state tax form.”

The check-offs are one of the last things you have to do in filling out your return, and Shepherd says that may work against them. “A lot of times folks can be in tax return preparation fatigue by the time you get to the bottom of the state tax form where the checkoff line is — so a lot of times it just gets overlooked,” Shepherd says.  Shepherd says you don’t have to donate thousands of dollars to help out the cause. “I always like to point out that we have about one-and-half million taxpayers in the state of Iowa and so if every one of them just donated one dollar on the checkoff that would be one-point-five millions for wildlife conservation in the state,” Shepherd says. “So even a little bit can make a huge difference — especially if we can get more people donating.”

The Fish and Wildlife Check-Off, line 57 on Form 1040. Or tell your tax preparer you’d like to donate to the fund.

Atlantic School District Agriculture Instructor/FFA Advisor Eric Miller reports five members of the Atlantic FFA and other FFA members from across Iowa, converged this past Tuesday on the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, to build character and promote citizenship, volunteerism, and patriotism. Atlantic FFA members Alyssa Derby, Tate Den Beste, Corri Pelzer, Taylor McCreedy, and Craig Alan Becker attended the event. Approximately 560 high school students wearing blue corduroy from 87 schools flooded the Iowa State Capitol Building in Des Moines. The students visited with legislators, exhibited skills learned in the agriculture classroom, and learned the importance of citizenship.

Left to right Craig Alan Becker, Taylor McCreedy, Alyssa Derby, Senator Tom Shipley, Tate Den Beste, Corri Pelzer

Sitting in chair Tyler Comes; middle row Taylor McCreedy,Corri Pelzer, Alyssa Derby, Craig Alan Becker and Tate Den Beste; Back row Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller and Representative Tom Moore. (Photos courtesy Eric Miller)

The event was all part of the 35th Annual Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium and FFA Day at the Capitol. During the morning, FFA members heard from Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President, Craig Hill, about the important roles young agriculturalists can play in the agriculture industry. Then, Julie Kenny, Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, addressed students about the importance of agriculture in Iowa and abroad. Kelsey Tyrrell of the World Food Prize addressed students about the future of Iowa agriculture and the importance of being involved with statewide issues.

Governor Kim Reynolds presented and signed the FFA Week Proclamation, declaring February 22-29 FFA week in Iowa. The proclamation signing took place in the State Capitol Tuesday afternoon with the Iowa FFA state officer team. After the event, Taylor McCreedy said she was glad that she took part in the event. McCreedy said “I thought it was a lot of fun, and it was a good opportunity for kids to meet with state representatives.”

The 35th Annual Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium and FFA Day at the Capitol was made possible with support from Iowa Farm Bureau Federation through the Iowa FFA Foundation.

The Iowa Department of Education on Wednesday January 29, 2020 released new results and features in an online school accountability reporting system called the Iowa School Performance Profiles. The Iowa School Performance Profiles, launched in 2018, meets state and federal requirements to publish report cards reflecting the performance of all public schools.

The website shows:

• Updated scores and ratings for all public schools based on how they performed on a set of accountability measures in the 2018-19 school year
• Schools that have been identified for additional support and improvement based on their performance
• Additional data that are required by law but do not count toward accountability scores

The latest scores reflect results of a new state test that was administered for the first-time last spring. The website also includes some new features, including a measure of postsecondary readiness for high schools, and new data, such as science assessment results and educator effectiveness. Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise says “This is an important tool for parents, educators and other stakeholders to understand how their schools are performing.”  Wise said also, that “While the Iowa School Performance Profiles does not tell the full story about schools, the website can enhance conversations in local communities about the work to prepare students for success.”

Riverside Elementary which includes students educated at Carson and Oakland was ranked as “High Performing” with a total ranking of 62.84. This ranking is the top ranking of any elementary school in the Western Iowa Conference. The school was above the state average on all indicators. Riverside Middle/Senior High was ranked “Acceptable” and the school was above the state average on six indicators with a total ranking of 54.31. The district overall was above the state average on nine indicators and below the state average on three indicators (Growth Math, Conditions for Learning Composite and Post-Secondary Readiness ACT/SAT).

Riverside Superintendent Tim Mitchell says “This report is very positive for Riverside as we continue to move in the right direction on multiple indicators included in this report. This is the first time a state accountability report card has rated any of our schools as High Performing. This is reflection of the hard work of our staff. If we continue to dedicate and commit to professional learning, implementing research-based strategies in the classroom, using data to guide our instruction, and work collaboratively we will continue this upward trend on these indicators of school and district success.”

Report cards provide an overall view of school performance as well as more detailed information, making it easier for stakeholders to understand how each school is serving its students.
Having access to clear and detailed information enables parents and other stakeholders to ask questions and better contribute to local conversations about school improvement. Educators, parents and other stakeholders can use information in the Iowa School Performance Profiles to celebrate achievements, to pinpoint areas for improvement, and to ask questions.

For more information, visit iaschoolperformance.gov.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two local juvenile males were arrested on 1st Degree Armed Robbery charges, following an incident late Wednesday night. Authorities say Atlantic Police were dispatched at 10:57-p.m., Wednesday, to the Casey’s General Store at 1408 E. 7th Street, for a hold-up alarm. While on the way to the scene, officers were updated that an armed robbery was confirmed, and that a weapon was displayed. No injuries were reported.

Through an investigation of the incident, two (unnamed) juveniles were apprehended and are being held on the charges mentioned. The A-PD was assisted by deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, and, the Iowa State Patrol. Authorities say no further information will be released at this time, as the investigation is ongoing.