FORT MADISON – A correctional officer was assaulted by an inmate at the Iowa State Penitentiary at approximately 8:15 a.m. this (Wednesday) morning.  According to the Iowa Dept. of Corrections, the officer was escorting an inmate to his cell when another inmate approached the officer and began assaulting him with closed-fist strikes to the officer’s face. Additional officers were in the area and immediately began using defensive techniques while restraining the attacking inmate.

The officer that was assaulted was taken via department vehicle to the local hospital for medical treatment for injuries suffered during the assault. The officer suffered a broken nose from the assault. The inmate has been evaluated by medical staff and found to have not suffered significant injuries.

The incident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says a man who was hit and killed by a truck had already been in an accident. Deputies say the man identified as 36-year-old Joshua Haman of Pella walked out of the ditch and onto Highway 163 Tuesday around 10 a-m near Pleasant Hill. He was struck by a truck that carries a roll-off dumpster, and died at the scene.

The sheriff’s department says it is believed Haman was in a car that left the highway around five hours earlier and rolled over. Deputies could not find anyone after first discovering the wrecked car. It is not known if Haman was injured in the car rollover.

ATLANTIC, IA – Officials with the Cass County Health System report Kate Nachtman has been awarded the first Cass Health Nursing Careers Scholarship.  Kate is currently a nurse at Cass Health and is pursuing her Masters of Science in Nursing at Nebraska Wesleyan University.  And, Sadie Schultes has been awarded the 2021 Health Care Careers Scholarship.  Sadie is a graduate of Exira-EHK High School and will be pursuing a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree this fall at Creighton University.

(1:39-p.m.) Officials with the City of Carter Lake report that at 11:45 a.m. today (Wednesday) there was an emergency that required water to be shut down in Carter Lake. The shut down currently affects homes located on the north side of Locust Street. This repair is expected to take several hours to complete.

Once water service resumes a Boil Water Advisory will be in place for all homes located on the North side of Locust Street in Carter Lake, Iowa.

IT IS RECOMMENDED NOT TO DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. The water may be used for bathing and other similar purposes. If the water is colored, use an alternative source such as bottled water.

When water service is restored, there may be air in your water piping and the water may be discolored. It is recommended to run the first water from a faucet that does not have an aerator screen, such as a bathtub or hose bib. Open the faucet slowly to allow the air to escape. Once the water is flowing, allow the faucet to run until it is clear. The water may be cloudy at first due to air in the water or particles that dislodged as the pipes filled with water. This should clear fairly quickly. If water is cloudy or colored throughout the house and it does not clear after allowing the water to run for several minutes, use an alternative source such as bottled water and contact the person listed above.

Carter Lake residents are encouraged to register for emergency alerts through Pottawattamie County Emergency Management alert system https://pcema-ia.org/ and select CARTER LAKE to receive all notices pertaining to the City of Carter Lake. The City will always utilize this system to send out notifications. Updates will also be posted on the Carter Lake City Hall Facebook page.

Two people were arrested on separate charges over the past week, in Harlan. According to the Harlan Police Department, 33-year-old Paula Kathryn Koester, of Harlan, was arrested May 22nd on an active Pottawattomie County warrant, following a traffic stop. Koester was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

And, on May 20th, 36-year-old Jeannie Kay Kleymann, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Pottawattomie County warrant, following a traffic stop. Kleymann was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

Today at 12:46 PM, Google reported a 6 min delay Eastbound, and a 10 min delay Westbound. Between Exit 34: County Road M16 and Exit 40: US 59 (Shelby). The roadway eastbound is reopened to traffic. Westbound remains blocked.

The Iowa Department of Transportation reports on 511ia.org, that Interstate 80 westbound, between Exit 40 (US 59) and Exit 34 (County Road M16 [Shelby]), is blocked due to a crash. A detour is in operation. At 12:11 PM, Google reported a 5 min delay Eastbound, and a 5 min delay Westbound. See map for detour(s).

(Radio Iowa) – Four lawsuits brought by the Attorney General in Davis, Marion, Sioux, and Taylor counties for violations of the “Iowa One Call” law have been resolved with civil penalties totaling 24-thousand-500 dollars. Attorney General spokesperson Ashley Kieler says they try to settle the suits before they go to court. “That is generally the hope with these lawsuits,” she says. The One Call law requires anyone who digs, excavates or trenches privately or commercially to first contact the Iowa One Call center to locate underground utilities. “It is noted in several of the lawsuits when these rules aren’t followed and excavation happens, sometimes utility lines that are under a great deal of pressure can be hit, and that can cause issues,” Kieler says. “I know in at least one of the lawsuits it was noted that residents around the area had lost power for a matter of time.”

The Iowa Attorney General’s Office also sent warning letters to six utility companies. “The warnings go out — they went to utility companies because it is their responsibility to respond to these requests for locating services. We receive complaints that wasn’t happening in a timely manner. They have 48hours to do so,” Kieler says. The warning letters went to Alliant Energy Group, Black Hills Energy, CenturyLink, Mediacom, MidAmerican Energy, and Windstream Communications. Kieler says the law applies to any digging that is done. “Even homeowners — if you are going to do some work in your background — it’s important that you make sure that there are no underground utilities for your safety and for those around you,” Kieler says.

The lawsuits that were settled are in Davis County, where Titan Soil, was accused of conducting excavations to repair a pond tile outlet and remove trees at a property in Bloomfield without giving the proper 48-hour notice. They agreed to a 65-hundred dollar settlement. The lawsuit in Marion County said on two separate occasions in December 2019 and June 2020, Van Den Broek Concrete failed to provide 48-hour notice and proceeded with excavations to remove and replace sidewalk and driveways in Pella. They paid seven-thousand-dollars. The lawsuit in Sioux County said I-D Excavating and Tiling failed to provide 48 hours notice of planned excavations to install drainage tile in Boyden. They paid a six-thousand dollar civil penalty. In Taylor County, the lawsuit said J-N-C Construction began excavations to install drainage tile without a 48-hour notice, and they paid a five-thousand-dollar civil penalty.

(Radio Iowa) – The man accused of murdering 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts in Brooklyn, Iowa nearly two years ago is claiming he was kidnapped by two armed men and the men put Tibbetts body in his trunk. Speaking through an interpreter, Cristhian Bahena Rivera answered questions from his defense attorney.

Bahena testified he and the men got in his car and they ordered him to track Tibbetts as she ran. Bahena claims he did not see who killed Tibbetts. Under questioning by the prosecutor, Bahena acknowledged his claims in court today contradict much of what he told investigators in 2018.

The prosecutor focused on the part of Bahena’s 2018 interview where Bahena described Tibbetts slapping him during a confrontation on the road.

Bahena testified today the two men had threatened his daughter and ex-girlfriend. Bahena told his defense attorney that was why he didn’t tell investigators what he said in court today.  “You did not plan to tell them what really happened.” “Right.” In cross-examination, Bahena told prosecutor Scott Brown he did not know who the men were.

“Other than these two men who you claim were at the corn field with you, you were the only other person at the corn field, correct?” Brown asked and Bahena replied: “Yes.” Bahena also told Brown the men sometimes pointed the gun at him, but he was never punched or stabbed by the men.

Testimony today concluded around two o’clock this (Wednesday) afternoon. The prosecutor can call rebuttal witnesses, but it’s possible closing argument could be delivered tomorrow (Thursday). The trial is being broadcast on Iowa media, as well as nationwide on Court T-V.