Des Moines, Iowa – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a Johnston man was arrested Friday night on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in the manufacture and possession of an explosive device that was located June 9th in the 1400 block of SE Waywin Drive, in Ankeny. According to court documents, 46-year old Chad Allen Williams, of Johnston, unlawfully manufactured and possessed an unregistered explosive device in violation of federal law.

Allen is charged by criminal complaint with possession of an unregistered explosive device in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(d), and manufacture of an explosive device in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(f). If convicted, Allen faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Ankeny Police Department, State of Iowa Fire Marshall’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.

(Des Moines, IA) – A reminder from the Iowa Department of Public Health: Three Test Iowa sites are the first to close this week as the State prepares to end operations of its drive-thru and clinic COVID-19 testing locations by July 16, 2021.

The state-operated drive-thru sites will close when testing concludes at 4 p.m. on the following days:

• TODAY June 23: 3236 Nebraska Ave., Council Bluffs (Pottawattamie County)
• June 24: Windstar Lines, 5755 Willow Creek Dr. SW, Cedar Rapids (Linn County)
• June 25: 4121 Alexandra Drive, Waterloo (Black Hawk County)

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and State Hygienic Lab (SHL) are finalizing plans to provide at-home COVID-19 test kits free of charge to Iowa residents following the closure of the Test Iowa sites. More details will be provided in the coming weeks. Additionally, COVID-19 testing will continue at health care providers, pharmacies, and other retail testing sites statewide.

For more information about Test Iowa locations, hours or scheduling a test, visit coronavirus.iowa.gov or testiowa.com.

A vacancy on the Audubon School Board created by the resignation of Board Member Joni Madsen, will be filled by appointment in July. Madsen has accepted a teaching position within the school district. The person appointed to fill her seat on the Board will be in-place until at least an upcoming school election that takes place later this year. The Board also accepted the resignation of John Roberts as Board Secretary. He’s served in the position for over 30-years. School Business Office Manager Natalie Lange was appointed to replace Roberts.

In other business, the Audubon School Board, Monday, approved Summer Launch contracts, along with a teaching contract for Middle School/High School Art. In addition, the Board approved student fees for FY22. Superintendent Eric Trager has said there were no actual increases in student fees, but substitute pay was increased by $10 per day. They reduced the cost of their adult activities passes (The 10-punch cards) by $10 because the Western Iowa Conference is going to a different fee structure for admissions: $5 per person, regardless of age.

Seven people were injured in a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 in Pottawattamie County, Tuesday afternoon. According to the State Patrol, a 2021 Toyota RAV4, a 2016 Acura MDX and a 2012 Dodge Durango were all heading west in that order, in the right lane of I-80, at about mile marker 36.75. Due to road construction, the Toyota and Acura were at a near stand still because traffic ahead of those vehicles was backing up.

The Dodge Durango, driven by 21-year-old Colton Demars, of Rawlins, WY., approached the Acura from behind and was unable to stop, before the SUV rear-ended the car. The Acura was driven by 72-year-old Todd Ladrow, of Colorado Springs, CO. The crash happened at around 3-p.m.

The impact from the collision forced the Acura in the rear of the Toyota, driven by 60-year-old Siriyalatha Adikari, of Huntington Beach, CA. All vehicles came to rest in the right lane, blocking the roadway. Colton Demars, 18-year-old Samantha Lloyd, of Rawlins, WY, 44-year-old Renuka Senavirathna and 45-year-old Priyantha Wathelege, both of Woodland Hills, CA, were all transported by ground EMS to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs.

Also injured in the crash, and transported to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan, was 57-year-old Haneef Kitchil, of Canoga Park, CA, 60-year-old Siriyalatha Adikari. Authorities say Avoca Rescue transported 72-year-old Lona Ladrow, of Colorado Springs to Myrtue, as well.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst have joined their fellow Republicans to block debate of a bill that would require automatic voter registration nationwide and at least 15 days of early voting in each election. Democrats have argued their bill is a necessary response to election law changes being made in G-O-P-led state legislatures in Iowa and other states. Ernst, a former county auditor who oversaw Montgomery County elections, calls the bill a D-C power grab.

“I trust the county auditors in Iowa at the local level — Democrats, Republicans and the occasional independent — much more than I trust a bunch of DC politicians and bureaucrats who want to run our local elections,” Ernst said. Grassley says he voted against debating the plan because it would strip states of key election management decisions. All 50 Republicans in the Senate voted against allowing debate, triggering a filibuster since 60 votes are needed before a bill can be debated. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says the bill shows Democrats are desperate about the 2022 election.

“Bottom line is this: this federalizes elections even though the vast majority of Americans and Iowans do not want it,” Kaufmann says. “…This is undoing many things that states have done to make voting more secure.” Iowa Democratic Party chairman Ross Wilburn says the bill would protect the sacred right to vote everywhere and Iowans shouldn’t be fooled by the G-O-P spin. Wilburn says the election bill Governor Reynolds signed this year rigs Iowa’s voting system in Republicans’ favor.