(Radio Iowa) – Walks to bring awareness to a rare degenerative disease were held in five Iowa cities over the weekend. Huntington’s disease is a genetic brain disorder that causes progressive nerve cell breakdown, which brings a decline in physical and mental abilities. Angie Conley, who lives in Polk City, helped to organize Saturday’s walk in Le Mars.

If someone’s parent has Huntington’s, they have a 50% chance of inheriting the deadly disease. Conley says it’s like having Alzheimer’s, A-L-S and Parkinson’s all at once.

Huntingtons Walk in Le Mars (Photo courtesy Katie Wess)

The Conley family is taking part in a research project with the Center for Excellence at the University of Iowa. Money raised during the walks will help with the development of a treatment, and research in finding a cure. Angie’s daughter, Emma Conley, was pleased the Le Mars walk raised a few thousand dollars.

Other walks took place in Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City and Indianola. For more information about Huntington’s Disease, visit: hdsa.org.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports that  on Friday evening, May 2^nd, the Clarinda Police Department executed a search warrant at 515 South 10^th St. #16. Officers seized methamphetamine, Psylocibin mushrooms and a marijuana grow operation.

Officers arrested 50-year-old Brian Keith Huseman, of Coin, and 64-year-old Helena Jean Dietl, of Clarinda.

Huseman and Dietl were taken into custody for felony distribution of drugs, felony possession of drugs and failure to have the required drug tax stamps. They are currently being held on bail at the Page County Jail pending formal charging decisions by the Page County Attorney’s Office.

The search and arrests were pursuant to an on-going investigation into the illegal distribution of narcotics in Clarinda by the Clarinda Police Department.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports two men were arrested last week on separate charges. On Aoril 27th, 29-year-old Joshua Michael Irlmeier, of Fontanelle, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Invasion of Privacy, Child Endangerment, and the use of a camera/electronic surveillance device – Trespass/1st offense. His cash-only bond was set at $10,000. Irlmeier was released the following day after posting bond.

Authorities say the Trespass and Invasion of Privacy charges stem from an incident that occurred Nov. 19, 2024, when Irlmeier allegedly used a cell phone to videotape a woman who was naked in her bathroom. A warrant was obtained for Irlmeier’s cell phone location tracking, that put him in the vicinity of the woman’s home at the time of the alleged incident. During a search of Irlmeier’s residents on March 3rd, 2025, his cell phone, and other electronic devices were seized as evidence. His three-year-old daughter was inside the residence, sleeping. Authorities found the home to be in disarray, with bottles of tobacco spit, condom wrappers and sexual devices located in Irlmeier’s bedroom.

And, as previously reported, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office says, 20-year-old Wilson Erwin Everildo Choc Cuc, of Stuart, was arrested May 1st in Stuart, for Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree (with regard to a victim under 12 years of age)/1st offense, and Providing False Identification to law enforcement.  Choc Cuc remains held in the Adair County Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is using a mix of conventional and modern methods as it tries to figure out why the population of the gray fox has rapidly declined in the state. Wildlife biologist Vince Evelsizer says they started the study by putting tracking devices on a couple of the animals.

They are also reviewing photos from stationary trail cameras set out in areas where the animals live.

Evelsizer says new A-I technology is helping them look for clues in those thousands of photos.

He says D-N-R experts finish off the work after the A-I review.

Evelsizer says they hope the information gained from tracking the gray fox and the photos will help them learn why their populations have dramatically dropped.

(Radio Iowa) – As more measles outbreaks are reported in the U-S, a partnership in Iowa is starting a vaccination awareness campaign to connect refugee and immigrant communities with doctors. Refugee and Immigrant Voices in Action, or RIVA, is working with small businesses and local healthcare providers to prevent misinformation about measles. RIVA’s Christina Fernandez-Morrow says they learned how to navigate public health communications during the COVID pandemic.

In addition, she says providers are re-learning how to spot symptoms, and she notes it’s important to tell people what to look out for to counter any medical bias that may be looming.

RIVA is also coordinating with translators who will reach out to Iowa communities where English is not the dominant language in a broader push to create healthy habits.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two juveniles were cited in connection with a structure fire Friday, in Elliott. The two -unidentified – juveniles were charged with Reckless Use of Fire. They were cited into court and released to their parents.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report an Adams County man was charged following the pursuit of a UTV, Sunday. Trevor Michael Dixon, of Nodaway, faces a charge of Eluding–25 miles per hour over the speed limit–a class D felony.

Dixon’s arrest occurred after deputies tried to initiate a traffic stop on a UTV in Villisca. The Sheriff’s Office says the UTV eluded law enforcement, but deputies identified Dixon as the driver. Authorities say deputies went to Dixon’s residence later that day where he was arrested. His bond was set at $5,000.

5-2-2025 @ 4:34pm

Thomas James Blobaum, 38, 504 N Pine St was arrested at 504 N Pine St. Blobaum was charged with a Union County Warrant for Failure to Appear OWI 1^st Offense. Blobaum was taken to the Union County Jail where where he is being held on no bond.

5-4-2025 @ 3:52am

Zachariah Ray Ikenberry, 20, 907 W Townline was arrested at 907 W Townline. Ikenberry was charged with Public Intoxication – 1^st Offense. Ikenberry was taken to the Union County Jail where he was later released of his own cognizance.

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowan will become chief executive of the world’s 8th most valuable company. Berkshire Hathaway C-E-O Warren Buffett, who is 94 years old, made the announcement at a shareholders meeting in Omaha this past weekend that was broadcast live on C-N-B-C.

Greg Abel is a long-time executive at Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy, which Buffett’s company acquired 25 years ago. Abel currently oversees all of Berkshire’s non-insurance companies. In 2021, Buffett announced Abel would be his successor, but Buffett revealed the date for the transition Saturday.

Buffett says Berkshire Hathaway’s 11 member board of directors will meet in a couple of months and he predicts they will unanimously approve Abel’s new role as the company’s chief decision-maker.

Buffett spent very little time at Berkshire Hathaway’s headquarters in Omaha and Abel, who is 62, is expected to continue living in Des Moines. He will oversee Berkshire’s massive stock portfolio, which includes companies like B-S-N-F Railroad, GEICO and Pilot Flying J Travel Centers. Abel was born in Alberta, Canada. Abel won the Horatio Alger Award in 2018 and, in comments posted on the organization’s website, Abel called Buffett a mentor who has a positive view on life and focuses on sharing and teaching.

(Waukee, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a diesel fuel spill at Little Walnut Creek in Dallas County. On Saturday, May 3rd, the DNR Field Office in Des Moines was notified of a diesel fuel spill at an agricultural site near Dallas Center. An above-ground storage tank containing diesel fuel began leaking around 2:30 a.m., releasing approximately 4,000 gallons of fuel. The majority of the fuel was initially contained on-site, in a nearby pond and the immediate area surrounding the storage tank.

Later in the day, residents in Waukee reported strong fuel odors near Little Walnut Creek. Local officials confirmed that an unknown amount of diesel fuel had entered the creek, which outlets to Walnut Creek in the Clive area. In response, absorbent booms were placed in Little Walnut Creek to limit the spread of the contamination.

The DNR and local officials are actively monitoring the situation. No dead fish have been observed along the affected section of the creek. The public is advised to stay out of the creek at this time. The DNR will follow up with the city for further assessment. The cause of the spill remains under investigation.

To report a release after hours, please call the DNR’s emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of an incident. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.