(Radio Iowa) – An emergency cleaning and restoration company based in Iowa has experienced a drastic increase in its disinfection services since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Michele Presley with SERVPRO says the company, which serves the entire state, has doubled its workforce since February to help keep up with the demand.  “It was never something that was really on our radar,” she says. “Well now it is our number one service that we’re providing. We’re still doing water, fire and those responses to daily emergencies for people. But this has by far taken over as the number one service.”

She says worked with the Environmental Protection Agency and the C-D-C as the outbreak happened in March to ensure they could properly respond. “We talk about first responders, firemen, policemen, nurses and health care and all of that. But, when businesses need something disinfected, it’s not the firemen who come in and disinfect their building. It’s us,” she says. “And so, we are not only disinfecting police cars, fire trucks and things like that. But we’re disinfecting businesses so that their employees have a safe place to work.”

Presley says SERVPRO has doubled its staff since February and it continues to hire. “We’ve hired additional employees. We’ve hired part-time employees and trained them on how to do it. So yes, we’ve been able to keep up, but we also had to grow our fleet of technicians,” she says. Presley suggests that businesses and customers come up with a contingency plan by thinking ahead of time about what happens if an infected person was at in your building and how much square footage needs to be treated. She says this will help them to know how much the service will cost.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a Polk County man, 38-year old Harvey Joshua Hunemuller, of Des Moines, was arrested at around 10:45-a.m. Sunday. Hunemuller was taken into custody near Highway 169 on charges of Assault with injury, and Harassment in the 1st degree. He was being held in the Union County Jail on $3,000 bond.

(Update 3/5/20: Jury trial continued until 9-a.m. April 16, 2021) The Cass County Attorney’s Office Monday (Today), filed a motion to revoke bond established for Rex Dean McDermott, on the grounds of his propensity to  commit crimes of a dangerous and/or violent nature and for the general welfare of the citizens of the State of Iowa.

Cass County Attorney Vanessa Strazdus said “At that hearing, Rex’s attorney argued that no conditions had been placed on Rex that would justify revoking his bond. I argued that revoking or modifying bond was justifiable considering the ongoing nature of Rex’s criminal activity and that he’s legitimately at risk of killing someone if he’s not in jail. The judge increased the bond amount on three indictable cases.

On Dec. 12th, a lawyer for the 53-year-old McDermott entered a written plea of Not Guilty to felony charges of Willful Injury causing bodily injury, and Going Armed with Intent. Earlier this month, the court set the date for his pretrial conference as 9:30-a.m. Feb. 5th at 9:30-a.m.  His jury trial will take place March 9th, also at 9:30-a.m.

A criminal complaint against McDermott alleges that at around 11-p.m. on Oct. 30th, he pulled a woman out of a pickup truck near Fontanelle, punched her and then struck her with an unknown wooden object. The victim suffered a laceration above her right eye, bruising and swelling of the face and other areas of pain.

Strazdus told KJAN News, McDermott is currently being held in the Crawford County Jail on charges of OWI/3rd Offense, and Driving While Barred.

Strazdas said if McDermott is freed on bond sometime in the near future, the Judge required him tol be monitored at all times by a special, SCRAM (Scram Continuous Alcohol Monitoring) transdermal bracelet.

A SCRAM bracelet (scramsystems.com)

Strazdas said she hopes McDermott is able to get the help he needs to overcome his issues.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a man wanted on a warrant for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, turned himself-in to authorities early Sunday morning. 18-year old Aidan Matthew Morgan was met by Deputies in the parking lot of the Pott. County Jail, and taken into custody on two warrants, including for Improper Use of Lanes. He was turned over to Corrections staff without incident.

A Deputy on Patrol at around 2:20-a.m. Monday (Today), arrested a woman for being a Fugitive from Justice. 35-year old Kristina Leigh Garcia, of Bellevue, NE., was seen walking westbound in the 22,000 block of River Road North. After speaking with the woman, she was taken into custody and transported to the Pott. County Jail. And, a pursuit at around 3:25-a.m. Monday (Today), resulted in the arrest of 39-year old Jeremy Lee Hoellein was charged with OWI/1st Offense and Willful Failure to Stop for Law Enforcement. The Pott. County Communications Center had put out a broadcast about a vehicle traveling east in the westbound lanes of Interstate 80 in Council Bluffs.

The vehicle was located by Council Bluffs Police and had continued traveling the wrong direction during the pursuit, before the chase ended and Hoellin was taken into custody. He was being held on a $2,000 bond. A traffic stop early Saturday morning, resulted the arrest of 47-year old Christopher James Larsen, for OWI/1st offense. He was arrested after being pulled over for having no license plates, and an investigation was conducted.

And, the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office reports 34-year old Luke Martin Perez, of Omaha, was served with a warrant out of Nebraska while at the Pott. County Jail, for being a Fugitive from Justice. His bond was set at $5,300.

Page County Sheriff’s Deputies, Saturday, arrested 37-year-old Aaron Duwayne Childs, of Shenandoah. Childs was taken into custody following a traffic stop about five-miles east of Shenandoah on Highway2, and charged with Driving while license is suspended. He was transported to the Page County Jail as he was unable to post bond.

A collision Saturday evening in Bagley caused $7,000 damage, but no one was injured. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports a 2016 Nissan Versa driven by 20-year-ol Ethan McFarland, of Scranton, was traveling west on Highway 141, when a dog in his car interfered with his ability to steer straight. His vehicle crossed the center line of the road and side swiped an eastbound 2015 Chrysler Town & Country van driven by 43-year-old Sandra Smith, of Urbandale. Smith told authorities she was unable to avoid the collision. The accident happened at around 5:35-p.m.

Sheriff’s Deputies cited McFarland for Failure to Yield half of the roadway.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a combat veteran and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, today announced United States Service Academy nominations for 31 young Iowans from across the state. Ernst says “As a company commander who served over 23 years in our nation’s military, and mother of a West Point cadet, I am honored to nominate these Iowa students for admittance to our U.S. Service Academies. “Each and every one of these outstanding young leaders has demonstrated tremendous skill and commitment to establishing a career in our military. This nomination is an important step in the admissions process, and I’m proud to support these students in their goal of serving our country in uniform.”

Every year, Senator Ernst nominates Iowa students to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. To learn more about the service academy nomination process, click here.

Below is a list of area students nominated by Senator Ernst for the Class of 2025:

United States Air Force Academy

Jacob Hrasky – Treynor

EmmaKay McClain – Bayard

United States Naval Academy

Nathan Sell – Council Bluffs

The admissions process to the service academies is highly competitive, and Senator Ernst encourages students to apply for more than one academy. This denotes students who are being nominated for both their first and second choice of service academy.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Davenport authorities are trying to determine the cause of a fire that killed one person. The victim was found Sunday afternoon on the second floor of an apartment building. The Quad-City Times reports that firefighters encountered smoke in the main hallway and sprinklers activated in the apartment. The sprinklers had put out the fire, which was contained to the apartment. Firefighters found the victim dead inside the apartment. The name of the victim has not been released.

The Creston Police Department says there was one arrest recently, and three reports of theft. 57-year-old Timothy Charles Fechter, of Creston, was arrested at 11:30-p.m. Friday, for Interference with official acts. He was issued a summons to appear in court.

A Creston woman reported Friday morning, that someone entered her home in the 500 block of N. Walnut Street. The incident happened sometime between 6-and 8-am. Dec. 18th. She told police a pre-paid phone, Samsung tablet, medications and vehicle keys were stolen. Those items were valued at $300. A man from Creston reported to Police at around 4:10-a.m. Saturday, upon returning home, he saw a man climbing out the window before the subject fled on foot. Multiple medications were reported missing. The loss was estimated at $300.

And, Sunday afternoon, a woman reported that over the past month, someone entered her vehicle and took about 10 trash bags worth of clothes and other items. The loss was estimated at $300.