WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Waterloo police are offering to take online reports about minor matters and crimes. The program lets residents use an online form to notify police about harassment, lost property, thefts and other minor offenses. The form can be found on the department website.

Maj. Joe Leibold says the new procedure will make the department more accessible, increase efficiency and decrease police response times to more important calls. He says residents reporting crimes in progress or emergencies should still call 911.

Atlantic, IA – The March session of Healthy U will be held Thursday, March 21, 2019, at Cass County Health System. The program, Colon Cancer: Myths and Misconceptions will be presented by Dr. Chad McCance, M.D., F.A.C.S.. Dr. McCance began his practice at Southwest Iowa Surgery in 2008. He provides general surgery, thoracic surgery and critical care procedures. Dr. McCance is boardcertified and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Chad McCance

Healthy U will be offered at noon on Thursday, March 21, 2019. Healthy U is a free educational series at Cass County Health System held monthly in Conference Room 2. The public is invited and welcome to attend, but reservations are required as a meal is provided for all attendees. Call 712243-7479 to reserve your seat.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) has released a video to highlight the dilemmas many Iowans face trying to find mental health services. It starts with the voices of Mary Neubauer  and Larry Loss — the parents of a boy named Sergei. “It quickly became evident that he needed longer term help if he were to recover from his illness and there simply wasn’t any,” Neubauer said. Loss is the next voice you hear in the video: “We’re just parents trying to find help for our son.”

Sergei Neubauer took his own life in September of 2017. Marion County Sheriff Jason Sandholdt is another voice in the video. He was at the statehouse yesterday (Wednesday), urging lawmakers to find long-term funding for services, especially for children.  “I struggle at three o’clock in the morning when a mom and dad call me and they say: ‘My 14-year-old son or daughter is suicidal…What should I do, sheriff?” he said. “For me to say: ‘Well, you can go to the ER and you might have to sit there for a couple of days until we find them a bed,’ that’s not good service.”

Suzanne Watson is C-E-O of the Southwest Iowa Mental Health Disabilities Region covering nine counties. She’s worked in the system for 25 years and has seen several attempts to find funding for mental health services. “I think we’ve put band-aids on it as we’ve gone, but I think it’s time that people realize that we need to get it a point where every region, every county can levy the amount of dollars that they really need to provide the best mental health system that we can.”

The City of Council Bluffs remains in a Flood Warning. Current street closures, due to flooding, include: N 25th to 28th Streets, Valley View from McPherson to Madison, Graham East-West from High to Fairmont, North 8th at Stern Hill Park. Additionally, I-29 northbound at 25th Street is closed.

Mosquito Creek continued to rise through the evening and Valley View Drive remains flooded and closed. The Council Bluffs Fire Department led a voluntary evacuation of Valley View Apartments on Wednesday evening. Valley View Park is closed until further notice.

Public Works crews will continue to monitor the situation, crews have begun mud and debris cleanup. High winds are forecast today with gust up to 33-mph. These winds will contribute to further tree damages and make maintenance of road closures and cleanup efforts difficult. Be cautious of flooded streets and mud. Many trees are hanging and unstable due to erosion and softened soils. City streets are still plagued with potholes. Drive with caution.

The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency reports (as of 9-a.m.), the East Nishnabotna River was continuing to rise in the Elliott and Red Oak areas. Officials say they have exceeded the original crest limit from last night and are awaiting additional details from the National Weather Service for more updates. The City of Red Oak has started flood pumping operations along the Red Oak Creek as well. Updated road closures below.

NEW – FULL HARD CLOSURE on Highway 48 west of Elliott. Detour being established by Iowa DOT. Please check www.511ia.org for more information once available.

NEW – J Ave between Highway 48 south past the Schildberg quarry drive near 144th street.

ANTICIPATED & EXPECTED TO CLOSE SHORTLY – 250th Street between Evergreen and Railroad Tracks.

145th Street at Stennett is CLOSED due to water over the roadway. The closure is between 148th St x 150th.

Cass County Emergency Management Director Mike Kennon reported that (as of 9-a.m.), Highway 48, near Elliott, is closed due to flooding. Numerous other roads in the listening area are closed or covered with flood debris as the waters recede.

Beto O’Rourke has begun campaigning in his 2020 presidential bid with his first trip to Iowa. The former Texas congressman announced his White House run Thursday morning and stopped later in a coffee shop in Keokuk. He promised to offer the kind of bipartisan, optimistic vision for the future that helped him nearly upset Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in deeply red Texas last November.

O’Rourke told the Iowa crowd: “I could care less about your party persuasion, your religion, anything other than the fact that, right now, we are all Americans.” His comments were carried live on several cable television networks, something other Democrats in the already crowded White House field haven’t had. O’Rourke has three days of campaign events in Iowa planned and has promised to travel the country listening to would-be voters.

Two people being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail were served with warrants Wednesday, for additional offenses. 25-year old Tyler Jordan Myers, of Council Bluffs, who was being held on charges that include Interference with Official Acts, and two counts of Eluding, was presented with a warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault Causing Bodily Injury/1st offense. And, 22-year old Alison Kay Frank, of Council Bluffs, who was being held on felony Theft and Burglary charges, in addition to other Theft and Burglary charges, was presented with a warrant charging her with three counts of Credit Card Fraud, each under $1,000. Her total bond was set at $10,500.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday), said two people were injured during a three-vehicle collision Tuesday evening. Authorities say at around 5:10-p.m., a 2007 Hyundai driven by 44-year old Veronika Pinkerton, of Omaha, was stopped at a red light at the Highway 34 eastbound and 188th Street. A 2012 Chevy driven by 63-year old Philip Mather, of Pacific Junction, was behind her. A 2001 Ford driven by 41-year old Corrienne Gray, of Glenwood, was traveling eastbound and approaching the intersection. Due to the fog, Gray was unable to see the stopped vehicles ahead of her.

Her Ford rear-ended the Chevy, causing it to rear end the Hyundai. Philip Mather was transported by Glenwood Rescue to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs. Gray was transported by her spouse to the Bellevue Medical Center. Gray was cited for Failure to Stop in an Assured, Clear Distance.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS