(Radio Iowa) – The former C-E-O of Make-A-Wish Iowa has pleaded guilty to embezzling from the charity. Forty-year-old Jennifer Woodley was arrested in late January. The Associated Press reports Woodley has entered a written guilty plea to two counts of first-degree theft and one count of fraudulent practices. She’ll be sentenced in July and the A-P reports prosecutors will recommend probation rather than prison, plus require some sort of restitution.

Woodley was accused of giving herself a 10-thousand dollar bonus and of using the Make-A-Wish foundation’s credit cards to make thousands of dollars worth of personal purchases. Woodley is the mother of four children. Two daughters have undergone brain surgery. One of them received a trip through Make-A-Wish Iowa before Woodley became the group’s C-E-O.

(Radio Iowa) – The Democratic leader in the Iowa House is stepping down and a new House Minority Leader will be chosen on June 14th. House Democrats elected State Representative Todd Prichard of Charles City as their leader after the 2018 election and then again after the 2020 election. In a written statement, Prichard said it has been a great honor to serve in the role for the last three years, but after conversations with his family, he’s decided to step aside and let his Democratic colleagues select a new leader.

Republicans hold a 59-seat majority in the Iowa House. Democrats occupy the remain 41 seats. Prichard, who was elected to a fifth term in the House in 2020, said he would serve out his current term, but Prichard did not indicate whether he will seek reelection in 2022. Prichard is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserves and an attorney. He briefly ran for governor four years ago.

The Iowa Department on Aging is pleased to announce Angela Van Pelt as the new State Long Term Care Ombudsman.

As the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Van Pelt will lead a team of Local Long-Term Care Ombudsmen, Managed Care Ombudsmen, professional and support staff who advocate for the residents/tenants of Iowa’s nursing facilities, assisted living programs, long-term care facilities and elder group homes.

“Van Pelt’s experience within Iowa’s aging network, her collaborative leadership style and her passion for ensuring that all Iowans, especially our most vulnerable, deserve to live their lives in a safe and thriving environment will serve the office and Iowan’s well” said Linda Miller, Director of the Iowa Department on Aging. 

Van Pelt has a master’s degree Public Administration from Drake University and a bachelor’s degree in Human Services from Upper Iowa University. Before joining the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Van Pelt was the Iowa Department on Aging’s Public Information Officer and Legislative Liaison. Van Pelt has an extensive background in program administration and policy including advocacy, legal and national policy research, public affairs and strategic communications experience within both public and private sectors.

Van Pelt will begin her position on June 11th, 2021.

ANAMOSA – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a correctional officer was assaulted by an inmate at approximately 9:09 a.m. today (Wednesday) at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. Authorities say an inmate that was secured in restraints and being supervised by an officer became upset during a virtual disciplinary hearing with an administrative law judge. The inmate began acting out in a violent manner.

When the officer that was supervising the inmate tried to restrain him, the inmate became violent towards the officer. An additional officer arrived and assisted in restraining the inmate. In the process of subduing the inmate, the officer that was assisting in the restraint suffered an injury to his arm.

The officer that was injured in the incident was taken by department vehicle to the local hospital for evaluation, and was found to have suffered a soft tissue injury to his arm. The other officer involved was examined by facility medical staff and found to have not suffered injury. The inmate was evaluated and found to have not suffered injury.

The incident, the second to occur in a little over the past two months, remains under investigation. In March, registered nurse Lorena Schulte and correctional officer Robert McFarland died at the Anamosa State Penn, after they were beaten with a hammer by two inmates who were trying to escape.

The Harlan Police Department reports four arrests. On Tuesday, 32-year-old Michael Ryan Schoemann, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Pottawatomie County warrant. Schoemann was transported to the Shelby County Jail. On Monday, 43-year-old James Robert McIntyre, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop. McIntyre was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and unlawful possession of prescription drugs.

This past Sunday, 31-year-old Robert Erin Stephens IV, of Dunlap, was arrested following a traffic stop. Stephens was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

And, on May 28th, 22-year old Hannah Jean Hennick, of Williams, was arrested following a traffic stop in Harlan. Hennick was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with driving while suspended.

A collision in eastern Iowa early this (Wednesday) morning, claimed the life of a man from Marshalltown. The Iowa State Patrol reports 23-year-old Lino Rivera-Reyes died after the 2017 Dodge SUV he was driving cross the center line of Highway 14 across the Mile Long Bridge, in Marion County, and collided with a Volvo semi-tractor. The driver of the semi, 62-year-old James David McElvain, of Corydon, tried, but was unable to avoid the crash. McElvain was not injured in the collision that took place at around 5:40-a.m.

The accident remains under investigation.