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

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of punching a woman, hitting her with a baseball bat and burning her has been sentenced to 40 years in prison. Dubuque County District Court records say 44-year-old Lonnie Vandamme Jr. was sentenced Wednesday. He’d pleaded guilty to kidnapping, willful injury and domestic abuse. Court records say the woman told police the beatings occurred at his apartment in March after they argued. She said he also menaced her with a knife and threatened to kill her. The records say she suffered burns, a broken eye socket, a broken rib and severe body bruising.

Red Oak Police report two arrests took place Thursday night. At around 9:50-p.m., 26-year old Dustin James Danick, and 28-year old Kirsten Lynn Wilwerding were both taken into custody for Violation of a No Contact Order. They were brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond each.

Sheriff’s deputies in Fremont County, Thursday, arrested two women in Tabor on charges related to the delivery of methamphetamine. During the investigation, 38-year old Manda Watson and 39-year old Angela Brooks, were found to be in possession of more than 25-grams of meth. They each face a Class-B Felony charge of Conspiracy to Deliver over 5 grams of Meth. Watson and Brooks were being held in the Fremont County Jail without bond, pending an initial appearance before a magistrate.

Watson

Brooks

Authorities say the pair were arrested at around 8:45-p.m.Thursday, during a narcotics investigation in Tabor that was being conducted by deputies with the Fremont County K9 Unit, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Tabor Police Department.

Sheriff’s Deputies stopped a 2006 Cadillac SRX driven by Manda Watson, at the intersection of Jackson Blvd and Franklin Street, which is less than 1000 feet from the Fremont-Mills School.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

JAMAICA, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa mayor and her husband have been arrested after sheriff’s deputies say they found a marijuana growing operation in the couple’s basement. The Des Moines Register reports that 50-year-old Jamaica Mayor LaDonna Kennedy and her husband, 58-year-old Randy Kennedy, were arrested Wednesday night and charged with manufacture with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and two counts of failure to affix a drug stamp.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Some possible Democratic 2020 presidential candidates haven’t hesitated to tangle with President Donald Trump when he has attacked them, but others say they plan to ignore him. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown recalls when Trump slammed him over the closure of a General Motors plant he poked Trump for seeking “an Ohio Democrat to blame” while Republicans held power in the state. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker says he doesn’t want to waste his time on negativity when voters want to hear a positive message.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa landowner who claims she wasn’t paid enough by oil pipeline builder Dakota Access to compensate her for damage to her farmland has won a $250,000 jury verdict in Iowa court. Judith Lamb, who owns 150 acres near Ames, says the $90,100 a county compensation board gave her to allow the pipeline to run through her land isn’t enough.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of rural bankers in parts of 10 Plains and Western states suggests banks are growing increasingly concerned about farm loan defaults in 2019. More than 4 of every 10 bankers questioned for the January Rural Mainstreet survey said they expect farm loan defaults to be the year’s biggest challenge. Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting the Melcher-Dallas Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Marion County Attorney’s Office with an investigation into a missing teenager. Authorities say on Monday, January 14th, 2019, 14-year old Liberty Boley was reported missing to the Melcher-Dallas Police Department.  Liberty, a freshman at Melcher-Dallas High School, has not been seen since.

14-year old Liberty Boley

She is a 5 foot 7 inch, white female, with light brown hair, blue eyes, and wears glasses. Liberty was last seen at Melcher-Dallas High School at approximately 2:30 p.m, Monday, wearing a black and white tee shirt, purple sweatshirt, black leggings, and brown Ugg boots. Liberty has medical conditions that require regimented medication and she may be without those medications.

The girl is considered endangered and the public’s assistance is requested in finding the location of Liberty. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Liberty Boley is asked to contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at 641-828-2220.

Nineteen Iowans have applied with the State Judicial Nominating Commission to fill the vacancy on the Iowa Supreme Court that occurred when Justice Daryl Hecht retired December 13, 2018. Among the applicants, from this area, was: Patrick Tott, District Court Judge, Third Judicial District, Sioux City; and Molly Weber, Assistant Attorney General, Iowa Attorney General’s Office, Adel.

The nominating commission will meet Wednesday, January 30, in the Iowa Supreme Court Courtroom on the fourth floor of the Judicial Branch Building to interview the applicants who were not previously interviewed for the vacancy created when Justice Bruce Zager retired last fall. An interview schedule will be posted on the Iowa Judicial Nominating Commissions website.

The public is invited to observe the interviews in the courtroom. The interviews will be live streamed and the videos archived on the Iowa Judicial Branch YouTube channel.

Immediately following the interviews, the commission will begin deliberations to select a slate of three nominees from the group of applicants.  Once the commission selects its slate of nominees, the commission will forward those names to the governor. The governor will then have thirty (30) days in which to appoint the new justice.

With the exception of the commission chair, membership on the commission is limited to one six-year term. Terms are staggered. The Iowa Constitution requires that commission members be chosen without regard to political affiliation.

Ric Hanson photos

(Update 8:46-p.m.) Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Medivac Ambulance were called to the scene of an explosion at R&B Feeds, Thursday night. The incident at 200 Oak Street was reported at 7:13-p.m. Upon arrival, no smoke or flames were visible, but a garage door was blown-out, the upper structure elevator sheet metal was partially blown-off, and there was more, extensive damaged. The building was not occupied, and no injuries were reported.

Upper center shows damage to part of the elevator building

Garage door bowed-out

Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News an approximately 3-inch diameter gas line in the basement of the building that was connected to a water heater, corroded and began to leak. A furnace in the basement ignited the gas. A combination of the gas, and grain dust created a large, but brief explosion that caused the damage.

Alliant Energy responded and was conducting repairs late Thursday night. Fire crews remained on the scene until around 8:30-p.m.  Atlantic Police and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

The Sac County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) are investigating a shooting that took place at around 12:30-a.m. Wednesday, at a residence in Lake View. The victim was identified as 55-year old Richard Vossberg, of Lake View. Vossberg was transferred to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Authorities say Vossberg was shot by an unknown man that showed-up at his home. After examining the crime scene and conducting interviews, law enforcement concluded Vossberg had been targeted by the assailant, and that there is no general threat to the public.

Authorities however, encourage the public to report any suspicious activity, no matter how insignificant it may appear to be. Anyone with information about the Lake View incident is asked to contact the Sac County Sheriff’s Office at 712-662-7127.