(Radio Iowa) – Hamburg marked a major milestone today (Wednesday) in the long fight against Missouri River flooding. Local, state, and national officials were on hand for a groundbreaking for the expansion by eight feet of what is called the Ditch Six levee located along Highway 333. Omaha District Corps of Engineers Colonel Mark Himes saluted local officials for their efforts in pushing for the expansion to 919 feet…

“Hamburg’s resolve to provide additional flood resiliency serves as an example to other communities along the Missouri River and throughout the nation who face similar challenges,” Himes says. “You’ve already done an amazing done, and have made tremendous progress recovering from the 2019 flood event. Today, I along with the U-S Corps of Engineers’ Omaha district team are proud to partner with you in taking another major step in moving forward.”

Hamburg officials agreed to pay the difference between the cost of returning the to the levee’s original design capacity, and the cost of raising it higher. Hamburg Mayor Cathy Crain recalled how the flood impacted the city. “We lost water, sewer, natural gas for 120 days,” Crain says. “Two-thirds of our town was covered in water. Only three of our 44 businesses could open. The other 41 were underwater, and some of them couldn’t even open until September.”

Crain says Hamburg also lost 73 homes to the flooding. Two years later, Crain says the city’s business sector has rebounded, and new housing projects are in the offing. “We now have one more business than when we had the flood,” she says. “We have three new businesses now up and running. We’ve got three more under construction. We’ve purchased two 10-acre plots of land for new subdivisions, and hopefully, if materials for building could just stabilize a little bit, we’ll be able to get those built.”

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst and Congresswoman Cindy Axne co-sponsored the bill which allows the corps to begin pre-construction on levee improvements without waiting for congressional approval if a project is determined to be critical to flood prevention, and costs less than 25 million dollars. Hamburg is the first community to take advantage of the new provision.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds is presenting her fellow Republicans in the legislature with a wide-ranging tax plan that she describes as a compromise.  “We think we’ve landed in a really good spot and we’re excited to move forward with it,” she says. Her plan has the support of Senate Republicans, but Republicans in the Iowa House are unveiling their own plan. The governor’s plan would speed up income tax cuts and get rid of the state inheritance tax — those are both moves that all Republicans in the legislature now support. However, cutting property taxes by 100 million dollars by having the state take over the mental health system has the support of just SENATE Republicans and the governor.

“Iowa has never been in a better position to take tax burdens off the backs of Iowans and invest state revenue to sustain critical and important services,” she says. “Now’s the time to come together and take action and that’s exactly what I’m asking the House and the Senate to do in the remaining days of the legislative session.”

Gov. Kim Reynolds, 5/5/21

House Speaker Pat Grassley says House Republicans are interested in cutting property taxes, but Grassley says they’re not convinced all the questions about how the state would manage the mental health system have been fully answered.

“Okay, we pick up the levee, what does this now look like and how does this play forward, not only for the cost to the state, but the services provided to Iowans? And I think we’re in a position where there’s a lot of unknowns,” Grassley says. “…If we’re going to take on another social program at the state level, we have to do it right.”

The state’s mental health system is managed on a regional basis and, since county property taxes are used to finance the system, county officials are in charge. Iowa is currently the only state that uses property taxes to pay for mental health services.

(Radio Iowa) – Charges are now filed in the kidnapping and killing of a Davenport girl who vanished last summer, whose remains were found in a Clinton County pond in March. Scott County Attorney Mike Walton made the announcement at a news conference this (Wednesday) morning that the man who had been a person of interest all along in the case is the only person charged in the girl’s disappearance and fatal shooting. “This morning, Henry Earl Dinkins was charged in the death of 11-year-old Breasia Terrell,” Walton says. “These charges are the result of a nine-month investigation by the Davenport Police Department and numerous other agencies.”

Breasia Terrell

The 48-year-old Dinkins is accused of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping. Walton read the charges, referring to the slain girl by her initials, B-T. “On or about July 10th, 2020, Henry Dinkins did remove a child from 2744 East 53rd Street, Davenport, Iowa, without consent or authority or by deception to secretly confine and inflict serious injury, and as a result of the kidnapping, B.T. was murdered.” Walton also read the murder charge, but would offer no further details beyond the legal document. “On or about July 10th, 2020, Henry Dinkins did remove and confine a child and with premeditation, malice of forethought and intent to kill B.T., shot her with a firearm, causing her death.”

The girl’s remains were found March 22nd by a couple that was fishing at a pond in a rural area north of DeWitt. Breasia had spent the night before she disappeared with her half-brother and the boy’s father, Dinkins. He was already in jail on charges he violated his sex offender registration requirements. The Iowa Department of Corrections reported Dinkins pleaded guilty to third-degree sexual abuse of a minor in 1990. If convicted of Breasia’s murder, Dinkins will face a mandatory life prison term.

DES MOINES – Four of Iowa’s most talented high school seniors have earned an Iowa Scholarship for the Arts to support their college education this fall. Faith De Groot of Alta, Ruby Hummel of Yale, Mikayla Lane of Cresco and Mio Legaspi of Adel are the recipients of the prestigious award from the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. The Iowa Scholarship for the Arts program supports Iowa high school students with proven artistic ability in dance, creative writing, music, theater, traditional arts or visual arts who plan to pursue a major in the arts at an accredited Iowa college or university. Each scholarship winner will receive $2,500 for his or her college tuition and related expenses as a full-time undergraduate student in 2021-2022.

Ruby Hummel of Panorama High School will study music education at Drake University in Des Moines. Inspired by teachers and peers, she wants to continue to perform while studying to become a music educator, so she can help future generations connect with music.

More information about the Iowa Scholarship for the Arts is available at iowaculture.gov.

The pursuit of a semi tractor-trailer that began along Interstate 80 in western Iowa’s Adair County, ended some 40-to mile miles west, in rural Shelby County. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Ryan Devault said the chase began at around 7:10-a.m., near mile-marker 74.

The pursuit continued westbound on I-80 to Exit 51 (The Marne Exit), despite attempts to slow the vehicle by stop-sticks.

Both photos courtesy ISP Trooper Ryan Devault

Trooper Devault said the driver exited I-80 north into Shelby County at the Marne exit to 200^th Street, which is a gravel road. The chase continued on multiple gravel roads in southeastern Shelby County. Eventually, the driver ended-up on M-47, north of Walnut, near Prairie Rose State Park.

During the chase speeds along the Interstate reached 90 mph, and 50-to-70 mph on the two-lane and gravel roads. The driver, 38-year-old Jeremy Samstad, of St. James, Minnesota, was wanted on at least four warrants from as many states. Devault says it’s believed the man led authorities on the chase, because of his warrants.

He was taken into custody without further incident. He was transported to the Adair County Jail, in Greenfield. There were no injuries reported and no damage to law enforcement vehicles. The Patrol was assisted during the incident by the Cass, Pottawattamie and Shelby County Sheriff’s Offices, and Iowa Motor Vehicle Enforcement.

Two USDA Farmers to Families Drive-through Food Box distributions will be held at the Cass County Community Center in May. Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoege reports the distributions will take place this Saturday, May 8th, from 12:00- 3:00 PM. The second food box distribution will take place Tuesday, May 18th, from 2:30- 4:30 PM. There is NO CHARGE.

Anyone is welcome to stop by! No documentation is required, and people from surrounding towns and communities are welcome.

For additional information, please contact: Brigham Hoegh, Cass County Wellness Coordinator, at 712-249-5870.

Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoege reports, on Wednesday May 19th, the Anita Food Pantry will host a mobile food pantry through the Food Bank for the Heartland at the Anita Food Pantry from 5:30 – 7:00 PM, or as supplies last. Anyone in need is welcome to visit the mobile pantry, and no documentation is needed. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome.

Food Bank for the Heartland Mobile Food Pantry (details):

• When: Wednesday, May 19 (5:30-7:00 PM, or until supplies run out)
• Where: Anita Food Pantry (208 Chestnut Street, Anita, IA 50020)
• What: A mobile pantry is a traveling food pantry that delivers food directly to families in need for a one day distribution. The mobile pantry is available free of charge. Visitors are asked stay in their vehicles with the trunk open.
• Who: Anyone in need is welcome. No documentation needed.

Questions can be directed to (402)331-1213.

(Greenfield) – The Adair County Board Supervisors, during their regular meeting this (Wednesday) morning, set May 26th at 9:15-a.m., as the date and time for a public hearing on an FY21 Budget Amendment. The Board made their decision following an explanation from County Auditor Mandy Berg on each line item.

(The adjustments include those for: The Sheriff’s Office; Juvenile Detention/Shelter Services.)

Other adjustments were found in the Recorder’s Office, County Engineer and Adair County Conservation Department.

The Board then heard from representatives with Access Systems, with regard to Information Technology (IT) concerns, and, County Engineer Nick Kauffman reported on maintenance and activities in the Adair County Engineer/Secondary Roads Department, including two bridge, and other projects.

And, Board Chair Steve Shelley and other Board members signed-off on Right-of-Way contracts for a section W10 Orient Township (North of Orient, on Pinewood) RCB (Reinforced Concrete Box) Culvert Projects.

A pursuit involving a semitruck ended Wednesday morning, near Walnut. KETV in Omaha reports the Interstate 80 chase ended around 8:30 a.m. near Prairie Rose State Park. Iowa State Patrol said speeds during the chase reached 90 mph before troopers deployed stop sticks, and all of the semitruck’s tires went flat. The vehicle was driven on its rims until it stopped. The suspect was the only person in the vehicle and no injuries were reported.

Troopers said the suspect is a man with a Minnesota driver’s license who had multiple warrants from four different states. Iowa State Patrol troopers took him into custody.

(Radio Iowa) – A study from the Environmental Working Group says Iowa needs to monitor more bodies of water for a toxin that’s produced by a microscopic organism called blue-green algae. The report says Iowa does routine weekly monitoring for microcystins on state park beaches, but it’s missing other locations like lakes, ponds and reservoirs. E-W-G’s Anne Schechinger  says the state should do more monitoring to keep people from getting sick as the microcystins can cause cancer or liver failure, among other things. “Since they have such potentially serious public health impacts,” Schechinger says, “it’s really important to monitor so we can warn people to stay away from affected water bodies.”

A water quality supervisor with the Iowa D-N-R says the state tests for microcystins in lakes too, but it’s a fairly new program. The state tests about 130 lakes up to three times a year. Schechinger says it’s a step in the right direction, but wants to see more frequent testing, while ponds and reservoirs should be included too. “You can’t tell if a blue-green algae bloom is toxic unless you test,” she says. “You can’t just look at it and tell it’s toxic. So you need to do testing in any body of water that people are going to recreate in or near to really keep people safe.”

Schechinger says Iowa tests for microcystins more often than Minnesota and Wisconsin, which don’t test every year.

(reporting by Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)