(Radio Iowa) — Three people are facing multiple drug charges following their arrest by a combined task force of Storm Lake Police and the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office. Police say they executed search warrants at three Storm Lake residences and arrested 28-year-old Billy Fang, 37-year-old Meng Her and 34-year-old Marvin Moua. Officers seized several pounds of marijuana, crystal meth and 50 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, drug paraphernalia, hand guns and assault rifles.

Drugs seized in Storm Lake (Radio IA photo)

Fang was charged multiple counts of drug possession with intent to deliver and failure to affix a drug tax stamps. Her was charged with possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. Moua was arrested on warrants for multiple counts of possession of drugs with the intent to deliver and failure to affix a drug tax stamps. Moua was also charged with two counts of trafficking stolen weapons. The seized drugs were valued at more than 282-thosuand dollars.

(Radio Iowa) — Wearing yellow boots and lime green vests, state officials toured flooded sections of downtown Davenport, Friday. Mayor Frank Klipsch was the guide for Governor Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, and Second District Congressman Dave Loebsack. Several blocks lined with businesses and apartments have been surrounded by Mississippi River floodwater since a temporary floodwall failed on Tuesday. Scott Lehnert is the owner and brewmaster of the Great River Brewery. “When the surge came — we had built sandbag walls prior — and it just happened so fast and had so much pressure it just went right through them. Busted off our garage doors right off the walls,” Lehnert says.

Downtown property owner Pete Stopulos told them one new restaurant was the victim of bad timing. He says the restaurant was scheduled to open Tuesday night, Mayor Klipsch said he had a reservation, which brought laughter. The temporary floodwall protecting this section of downtown Davenport had held back the river for 41 days before the breach on Tuesday.

Downtown residents and businesses had been warned about one hour beforehand that it might fail, but still had little time to protect their buildings and evacuate.

(Thanks to WVIK, Rock Island)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:55 a.m. CDT

(HANLONTOWN) — A pedestrian on 390th Street in northern Iowa’s Worth County was struck and killed by a car Friday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports the unidentified victim was walking eastbound on 390th Street, about one-eighth of a mile east of Ironwood Avenue at around 5:20-p.m., when they were hit by a 2013 VW Passat. The accident took place northeast of Hanlontown. The name of the driver was not released. The accident remains under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a budget bill that prohibits the use of Medicaid funding to pay for sex-reassignment surgery. The Republican governor signed the Health and Human Services funding bill Friday and opted not to issue a line item veto of the ban. Republicans added the prohibition in the closing days of the Legislature, saying it was a response to a recent Iowa Supreme Court decision that said the state couldn’t deny two transgender women Medicaid coverage for sex-reassignment surgery.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — When the Mississippi River reached record levels 26 years ago, the overflowing water covered 400,000 square miles and caused dozens of deaths in a disaster dubbed “The Great Flood of 1993.” But when portions of the river exceeded those levels in parts of the Midwest this week, the flooding affected much less land. Officials say the difference largely comes down to actions taken by communities following the 1993 flood, such as the erection of floodwalls and temporary flood barriers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a budget bill that prohibits the use of Medicaid funding to pay for sex-reassignment surgery. The Republican governor signed the Health and Human Services funding bill on Friday and opted not to issue a line item veto of the ban on public funding for such surgeries.

Conservative Republicans added the prohibition in the closing days of the Legislature, saying it was a response to a recent Iowa Supreme Court decision that said the state couldn’t deny two transgender women Medicaid coverage for sex-reassignment surgery.

Daniel Hoffmann-Zinnell, executive director of the civil rights group One Iowa Action, said that by signing the bill, Reynolds “tarnished Iowa’s reputation as a state that stands for fairness and equality.”

Four people were arrested recently on drug charges in Cass County. The Sheriff’s Office reports:

• On Wednesday (5/1) 43-year old Anthony Hernandez, of Atlantic, was arrested for Possession of Meth 1st Offense and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Hernandez was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.
• On April 28th, 30-year old Cody Lee Sellman, of Lanesboro, IA, was arrested for felony Possession with Intent to Deliver Meth; a felony Drug Tax Stamp Violation; and Interference with Official Acts. Sellman was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $50,000 bond.
• On April 26th, 31-year old James Dwight Mills, who currently incarcerated in the Cass County Jail, was assessed additional charges of felony Drug Tax Stamp Violation, and Possession with Intent to Deliver Alprazolam. Mills was initially incarcerated on April 21, 2019, on drug delivery and drug paraphernalia charges. He remains held at the Cass County Jail on $55,000 bond.
• And, on April 22nd, Cass County Deputies arrested 37-year old Samuel Lee Farley,  of Anita, on charges of OWI 1st Offense; Possession of Marijuana 1st Offense; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was also charged with an OWI 1st Offense (Serious) that took place on February 7, 2019. Farley was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $3,000 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, that on Thursday, May 2nd, 44-year old Brad James Smith, of Atlantic, was arrested on a felony OWI/3rd Offense charge, and Driving While Revoked. Smith was taken to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and released the following day on his own recognizance. May 1st, 59-year old Joseph Anthony Frontado, Sr., of Atlantic, was arrested in Cass County for OWI/1st Offense. Frontado was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

April 30th, 30-year old Christopher John Hazen, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Burglary 3rd Degree, and Theft 3rd Degree. Hazen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $2,000 bond. And, on April 29th, 24-year old Edward Lee Roy Burton, Jr., of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Burton was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

If you have documents, bills or other, similar forms of paper that needs to be securely shredded to protect your information from prying trash can eyes, come to the Atlantic Public Library this Saturday, from 9-until 11-a.m., where they can be shredded absolutely free of charge. Friends of the Atlantic Public Library are sponsoring the event, using funds from their semi-annual FRIENDS Book Sale. Ken Moorman is part of the organization. He says the shredder is for residents only, who need their sensitive information destroyed. (Click on the left side of the audio bar(s) below to listen)

They won’t turn anyone away, as long as the amount of paper they have to shred is reasonable. The process to get rid of those documents is as simple as driving up to the site.

Once your documents have been removed from your vehicle, they will be placed into a dumpster and shredded immediately. Last year, Moorman said, they shredded about two-tons of paper.

The shredder is intended for normal office paper, such as 8 1/2”by 11”, or 11×14. There are other places in town for newspaper recycling. Moorman says documents will not be accepted before 9-a.m., or after 11-a.m.

If you miss the shredding event this Saturday, gather your papers for next Spring, when Friends of the Atlantic Library will have the shredder available once again.

(Radio Iowa) — There are parts of Iowa that have been flooded since late March and they remain underwater, while forecasters say the flooding could last through May. This long-duration flooding is very uncommon, according to Wendy Pearson, deputy chief of Hydrologic Services at the National Weather Service Central Region Headquarters in Kansas City. She notes Iowa is far from alone in its misery.

“We still have moderate to major flooding continuing in portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Missouri,” Pearson says, “and of course, there are also sites further downstream on the Mississippi basin.” Pearson says the flood risks will continue well into the summer months, and she notes the entire region is still vulnerable.

“Due to the very wet soil conditions and the wet weather patterns, the lakes and rivers are elevated, even if we’re not indicating locations in moderate to major flooding,” Pearson says, “We want everyone to be aware, when we have convective storms in late spring and summer, those thunderstorms can cause additional flooding and flash flooding.”

All-time flood records were broken in southwestern Iowa along the Missouri River weeks ago while just this week, the Mississippi River exceeded its previous record high in Davenport, a high set that was set in the floods of 1993.

(Radio Iowa) — The mayor of Council Bluffs says Iowa’s property tax system has been “broken” for decades and needs a complete overhaul. Mayor Matt Walsh comments come after the 2019 Iowa legislature passed a bill requiring new public notices and a super majority vote when city councils raise property taxes more than two percent.

“They tinker with it and try to make it workable,” Walsh says. “At this point, it’s like a piece of machinery. You can only repair it so many times. It no longer works.” Walsh says property taxes put Council Bluffs at a “distinct disadvantage” with Omaha.

“No doubt there’s need for property tax reform. I don’t think the legislature accomplished what they wanted to accomplish,” Walsh said. “I don’t think it added any transparency.” Walsh and mayors from eastern and central Iowa discussed property taxes during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa Public Television.

North Liberty Mayor Terry Donahue says posting public notices about property taxes online and in newspapers won’t be a problem. “When we go through our public process, we have three or four public meetings where people can come in, see what maybe the preliminary budget may be,” Donahue says. “If they wish to make a comment, they’re certainly welcome to do so. We have a public hearing that’s mandated when we do the final adoption. I don’t see that as a problem at all. It’s just adding, maybe, an extra step.”

Nevada Mayor Brett Barker was at the statehouse, lobbying against a previous proposal that included a statewide cap on property tax increases. “The legislators listened. They made changes,” Barker says. “A lot of the unintended consequences we were concerned about were mitigated in the final version of the bill.” Barker says the legislation’s public notice requirements may help the public better understand the existing property tax system.

The Glenwood Police Department reports 45-year old Vernon Lee Brent, of Glenwood, was arrested Thursday afternoon, after the car he was driving was observed by witnesses traveling southbound on Elm Street before it struck a mailbox. Brent was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, and cited for Reckless Driving. His cash or surety bond was set at $2,000. Damage from the incident amounted to $500.

Spring has finally arrived, and just in time for the annual Cass County Master Gardener Plant Sale! The sale is being held at the Cass County Community Center north parking lot, Saturday, May 11 beginning at 8 AM and lasting until the plants are gone. Cost is a free will offering for most plants. The sale consists of perennial flowers and plants from local Master Gardeners’ own beds- hostas, iris, yarrow, sedum, fern leaf peonies, creeping phlox, rhubarb, and day lilies, to name a few. Plant selection changes each year depending on what is being dug and divided by our gardeners! All plants will be labeled with information on color, height, and light requirements, to assist you in finding the perfect spot to plant them in your own landscape.

Besides perennials there may also be some started annual plants, yard art, garden supplies, and garden books to buy. In addition, registration forms will be available to sign up for the Master Gardeners annual bus tour, scheduled for Thursday June 6th this year. It’s recommended you come in the first hour for best selection, as plants go fast! Cass County Master Gardeners use funds from the plant sale to support their scholarships and community grants, as well as projects they do around the county each year.

For more information on the sale, you can find a flier at the Cass County Extension office, or on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.  You can also call the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132 or email xcass@iastate.edu. Mark your calendar now, and plan to join the Cass County Master Gardeners for their annual Plant Sale on May 11, from 8 AM until the plants are gone!