A traffic stop late Monday morning in Creston resulted in an arrest. Authorities say 22-year old Kane Farlow, of Creston, was charged with Operating a Vehicle without the Owners Consent, and Driving While Barred. Later that same day, after Creston Police executed a search warrant at Farlow’s residence, he was subsequently charged with Possession of a controlled substance 1st offense/Marijuana, Poss. of a Controlled Substance 1st offense/Methamphetamine, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. Farlow was being held in the Union County Jail on a $6,300 bond.

At around 3:30-a.m. today (Tuesday), 26-year old Anna Wilson, of Creston, was arrested at her residence in the 1100 block of S. Cherry Street, for Poss. of a Controlled Substance 1st offense, and Poss. of Paraphernalia. Also arrested at the same location on a Poss. of a Controlled Substance charge, was 24-year old Zackery Scheel.  Wilson was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $1,300 bond. Scheel was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s Iowa Character Awards, which will go to individual Iowans, businesses or organizations that display good character. Hillary Ortman, associate director of the Robert and Billie Ray Center at Drake University in Des Moines, says they’re hoping to single out an array of Iowans. “Since 2005, we’ve recognized more than 150 Iowans, both groups and individuals, for demonstrating good character,” Ortman says. “These are people who are invested in their community, treating others with respect, and working to make not only their community but the state of Iowa and the world a better place.”

While COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of a host of events for many months, Ortman is hopeful they’ll be able to go ahead with an awards ceremony this summer. “We typically host our events on a Friday in July and due to moving a different event that we usually host in April, we are now going to be hosting the Iowa Character Awards on Sunday, August 29th, at the Prairie Meadows Events Center in Altoona.” She says there are a host of categories in which nominations are now being taken. “We accept nominations for local businesses and organizations of character, an adult citizen, a youth citizen, an educator of character,” Ortman says. “We also recognize a school, a student organization, a community of character.”

The entry deadline is May 2nd. Learn more at: www.iowacharacterawards.org.

(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowans serving a life sentence could get a pathway to parole under a bill co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 18 Iowa House members. Republican Representative Terry Baxter of Garner says not all adults sentenced to serve the rest of their lives in prison deserve a second chance, but some do. “When someone commits a crime under the influence of alcohol or drugs or coming from a background of abuse themselves, they’re not in their right mind,” Baxter says. “There are many people who in the process of being incarcerated go through such a change in their life, rehabilitation and transformation, they are no longer the same people…that committed that crime.”

Under current law, the only way a life sentence can be overturned is if the governor issues a pardon or commutes the sentence to time already served. The bill would create a commission to review certain cases after a person sentenced to life has been in prison for 25 years, then Commissioners could recommend that the governor approve release. Baxter, who has worked in prison ministry, says some people who commit serious crimes undergo transformation.

“I am thankful that God gave me mercy. I received a second chance,” Baxter says. “I’m no longer the man I used to be and I believe that people can and do change and I believe in the dignity of human life and that people deserve a look when they’ve gone through that change.” Lawmakers on a House subcommittee reviewing the bill plan to have more discussions about it. Life without the possibility of parole is the sentence in Iowa for first degree murder or when someone is found guilty of kidnapping or sexual assault with serious injury.

A lobbyist for county attorneys says those are serious crimes and it’s hard to imagine telling a family the person sentenced to life for murdering their relative was being released from prison.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Kate Payne)

Authorities have identified the victim of a shooting that took place early Monday morning at the Casey’s Store, in Marshalltown, and arrested a suspect in the incident.

Rocky Dean Trujillo

Twenty-year-old Rocky Trujillo, of Marshalltown, is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, going armed with intent, assault with intent to inflict serious injury and trafficking in stolen weapons. Trujillo was being held in the Marshall County Jail awaiting an initial court appearance.

Police believe he shot and killed 48-year-old Michael Ray West, of Marshalltown, in the chest early Monday morning. Authorities executed a search warrant for a home on Bromley Street and arrested Trujillo late Monday.

Officers responded to the store to find West on the floor, suffering from a gunshot wound. Marshalltown police said the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting in the ongoing investigation.