No injuries were reported after a car rolled into a propane cage and a convenience store in Casey, on Nov. 22nd. Information released today (Monday) about the incident, indicated 37-year old Terence Terrill Dixon, of Waterloo, was parking a 2014 Toyota Yaris in a parking spot at Moe’s Mart, in Casey, at around 10:45-a.m., and failed to put the vehicle in park before getting out to enter the store.

The car ran into a cage housing propane tanks, before it hit the building. The car sustained $2,000 damage, while damage to the building and cage was estimated at $1,000 altogether.

ANAMOSA – The Iowa Department of Corrections said Monday (Today), a correctional officer was assaulted by an inmate at approximately 2:51 PM Sunday, at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.  Authorities say the correctional officer was working at his post in a special needs unit at the prison when an inmate approached him and used a closed-fist strike to hit the officer once in the face. Additional staff arrived within moments and the inmate listened to staff directives, which resolved the incident.

The staff member was treated at the local hospital and returned to work later that night. The inmate was not injured in the incident, which remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – Two eastern Iowa organizations that help others have been hit recently by thieves. Someone broke into the storage shed of the Jones County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace and stole thousands of dollars’ worth of items inside that are used to build beds for kids. Chapter president Heather and Nic Weers tell K-C-R-G T-V they’ve been asking themselves why someone would do such a thing. “Boxes were thrown on the floor,” Heather said. “There were a lot of totes that were gone, tools missing. It was pretty upsetting.”

Heather says they’ve given away more than 140 beds to local children in the last year and a half. The Weers said comforters, pillows, and around eight-thousand dollars worth of tools were taken. The chapter was still able to build 10 beds Sunday with volunteers from Anamosa F-F-A, like they had planned to do before the theft the day before, but only because the Delaware County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace loaned them tools. “It took a long time to raise the money to accumulate the funds to buy the supplies we have, and when you open up a garage door and it’s all gone, it’s pretty deflating because now you have to go through that whole process again,” Nic said.

The Jones County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace isn’t the only eastern Iowa organization that reported valuable items stolen recently. At American Legion Post 45 in Manchester, Post Commander Larry Tibbott told K-C-R-G T-V someone took their grill in the last week. “It was a punch in the gut,” Tibbott said. “I like to think I’m not moved to tears that easy, but that one hurt. That really hurt.” The grill is mainly used for the post’s monthly steak fry fundraisers, which have been put on hold during the pandemic in the hopes they can start again next spring. Tibbott said whoever stole the grill didn’t just take from veterans – they took from the whole community. “The money that we raise from that goes toward our care for our veterans, our scholarship program for the school, the Boy Scouts, Little League, youth football,” he said.

Tibbott said the custom-built grill is worth about 12-thousand dollars and covered by insurance. But he said it’s about the principle, of understanding who owned that grill and, even more, whom it helps. He asks whoever took the grill to park it in a parking lot someplace and call them — because the theft has an impact. “It’s going to be tough. It’s going to affect everybody.”

Anyone who knows who stole from these organizations is encouraged to call law enforcement – the Jones County Sheriff’s Office for the Sleep in Heavenly Peace storage shed theft (319-462-4371), and the Manchester Police Department for the American Legion grill theft (563-927-3355). People who wish to help the Jones County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace by donating tools or money can contact Chapter President Heather Weers through email or the chapter’s Facebook page.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports three arrests took place last week. At around 10-p.m., Thursday, 44-year old Scott William Richard Funke, of Fontanelle, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Failure to Appear for a Violation of Probation, hearing. Funke was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $5,000 cash/surety bond. Just before Noon, Thursday, 38-year old Brian Harold Eilts, of Massena, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Driving While Barred. His cash/surety bond was set at $2,000, with 10% acceptable.

And, at around 3:10-p.m. on Dec. 2nd, 42-year old Shane Robert Seagler, of Massena, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Failure to Appear on a Forgery charge. Seagler was released later that same day on a $100 cash bond.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will present the nation’s highest civilian honor to Dan Gable, a renowned wrestler and coach from Iowa who won a gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Trump used an October campaign rally to announce the Presidential Medal of Freedom selection, bringing Gable on stage to the delight of the crowd as he sought to win over Iowa voters. The ceremony 11-a.m. (CST) today (Monday) at the White House fulfills that commitment.

FILE – In this Oct. 14, 2020 file photo, President Donald Trump greets former University of Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable, right, during a campaign rally at Des Moines International Airport in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Gable is one of several sports figures to be presented the award during Trump’s time in office. Gable was a champion wrestler at Iowa State University, compiling a 117-1 record and winning two NCAA titles.

Auditor of State Rob Sand, Monday (today) released an agreed-upon procedures report on the City of Casey, Iowa, for the period July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. Sand reported fifteen findings related to the receipt and disbursement of taxpayer funds. The findings address issues such as a lack of segregation of duties, the lack of independent reviews of bank reconciliations for all months, utility reconciliations not completed for all months, the lack of publishing City Council meeting minutes within fifteen days of the meeting, disbursements exceeding budgeted amounts, the lack of approval of journal entries, the lack of tracking the use of local option sales tax receipts, disbursements and unspent balances, payment of long-term debt from an incorrect fund, the lack of supervisory approval of time sheets and separately maintained fire department funds not included in the City’s financial records and monthly and annual financial reports.

Sand provided the City with recommendations to address each of the findings. Seven of the fifteen findings discussed above are repeated from the prior year. The City Council has a fiduciary responsibility to provide oversight of the City’s operations and financial transactions. Oversight is typically defined as the “watchful and responsible care” a governing body exercises in its fiduciary capacity.

A copy of the agreed-upon procedures report is available for review on the Auditor of State’s web site at https://auditor.iowa.gov/audit-reports.

The driver of a 2014 KIA Sportage and her passenger were injured during a rollover accident early Saturday morning, in Union County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 19-year old Jessica Paige Kelley, of Afton, was traveling south on Owl Avenue at around 1:53-a.m., when a deer came out of the left side ditch. When Kelley swerved to avoid striking the animal, she lost control of the car. The vehicle went off the road and into the ditch, where it knocked down a barbed wire fence, rolled and came to rest on its top. All the airbags deployed during the crash.

Kelley and her passenger, 19-year old Taylor Miller, of Afton, were transported by EMS ambulance to the hospital in Creston, for treatment of unknown, possible injuries. The car sustained $8,000 damage, and was declared a total loss.

(Radio Iowa) – As the holidays approach, Iowans are being reminded to be vigilant about con artists that will call, claiming you owe back taxes. Christopher Miller, a spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service, says even as the volume of those scam calls is beginning to slow, unsuspecting people continue to be hooked by the crooks.  “We still find people are falling victim to these scams and schemes,” Miller says. “It’s a really good time to emphasize that, especially now as the online shopping season is kicking off.”

Miller says Iowans need to be on guard for this type of scam all year long, in particular, during December. Miller says, “I’m hoping that people are becoming more aware of this important message that the IRS is not going to call you out of the blue to ask you for your personal information.” He notes, the I-R-S is never going to demand payment over the phone for back taxes.  Miller says, “We certainly are not going to ask you to ever pay your bill by a gift card like an iTunes card.”

Many of the same crooks that were using the I-R-S name are now pretending to be from other agencies, including Social Security, the F-B-I, local police departments and more. Miller says if you get someone demanding payment over the phone, simply hang up.

(Updated 10-a.m.) – The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests over the past week:

• This (Monday) morning, 23-year old Tylor Anthony Witzel, was taken into custody at the Polk County Jail, and transported to Pott. County on a State of Iowa warrant for Contempt of Court.
• Saturday night, 40-year old Briana L. Fricke, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault.
• Friday night, four people were arrested in connection with the arrest in Honey Creek, of an allegedly impaired driver: 49-year old Genevieve Rachel Stueve was charged with OWI/1st offense; 49-year old Gina Susanne Huber, 42-year old April Mae West, and 43-year old Darren Dion West, were each charged with Interference with Official Acts, after they allegedly tried to intervene with an investigation.
• Friday afternoon, 34-year old Rebecca Teresa Romo, of Council Bluffs, turned herself-in on a warrant for Theft in the 2nd Degree. The warrant was confirmed and Romo was booked into the Pott. County Jail.
• And, an inmate at the Pott. County Jail, 24-year old Eric David Rock, of Minden, was presented Friday, with a warrant for Violation of Probation and Voluntary Absence from Custody.

At around 10:03-a.m. Wednesday, another inmate in the Pott. County Jail, 33-year old Eric Michael Wiig, of Bellevue, NE., was served with a warrant for Theft in the 2nd Degree. Wiig was presented with the warrant and returned to the custody of jail staff.  Tuesday night, 21-year old Delores Bernice Corbine was arrested at a convenience store/gas station, for Public Intoxication. Last Tuesday morning, 30-year old Heather Renee Plum turned herself-in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office. Once a valid warrant for Child Endangerment with Bodily Injury was confirmed, Plum was transported to the Pott. County Jail and turned over to corrections staff.

And, at around 8:50-a.m. on Dec. 2nd, 42-year old Justin D. Alstadt was arrested for Driving While Barred.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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