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Mills County Sheriff’s report (11/6/18)

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, released a report on two arrests. On Monday, 24-year old Kadie Lynn Clark, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Her bond was set at $5,000. And, at around 2-a.m. Tuesday, 39-year old Jerry Joseph Richardson, of Hastings, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. His bond was set at $300.

Iowa man convicted in death of infant found in swing

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man was convicted Tuesday of first-degree murder in the death of his infant son who was found in a maggot-infested baby swing last year. Jurors took less than an hour to convict Zachary Paul Koehn, 29, of Alta Vista, of first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports . The murder conviction carries a mandatory prison sentence of life without parole. Koehn had blamed his son’s mother for the death of 4-month-old Sterling Koehn. A trial is pending for the 21-year-old mother, Cheyanne Harris.

Koehn and Harris were arrested after medics were called to an Alta Vista apartment on Aug. 30, 2017, and found the infant dead in a swing in a dark, sweltering back bedroom. An autopsy showed he’d died of malnutrition, dehydration and an E. coli infection caused by being left in a maggot-infested diaper for up to two weeks. Koehn’s defense team had argued that he had entrusted care of the baby to Harris, saying he had been working 70 to 80 hours a week as a trucker to provide for his family. His attorneys said Koehn simply failed to notice signs that Harris may have been suffering from depression, which kept her from caring for the baby. But prosecutors argued that Koehn was a meth user who also provided Harris with drugs.

Assistant Attorney General Denise Timmins told jurors that Koehn was home often enough to know that the baby wasn’t being cared for and did nothing to help him. “He let Sterling rot in that room. He left him there to die,” Timmins said. Koehn’s trial was moved from Chickasaw County to Henry County to counter pretrial publicity in the case.

Apologizing for cover-up, diocese vows to ID accused priests

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Roman Catholic diocese issued an apology Tuesday for covering up an Iowa priest’s sexual abuse of boys for decades and promised to identify all priests who have faced credible allegations. The actions by the Diocese of Sioux City come in response to an investigation by The Associated Press, which last week broke the church’s 32-year silence on serial abuse by the Rev. Jerome Coyle.
In a lengthy statement Tuesday, the diocese said more disclosures of misconduct may be forthcoming. It urged all victims to come forward and vowed to use their reports and other files to create and publish a list of credibly accused priests — a step the diocese had long resisted.

Coyle admitted to then-Bishop Lawrence Soens in 1986 to having sexually abused 50 boys over a 20-year period. The diocese said that it should have notified parishes and asked victims to come forward back then, and apologized that its former leaders failed to do so. Instead, the diocese sent Coyle to a treatment center for accused priests in New Mexico, where he lived and worked as a civilian for decades. The diocese said that its current leadership should have notified the public this summer when Coyle was placed at a retirement home near a Catholic school, which he moved out of last week following AP’s disclosure of his history. But the statement said that its bishop, R. Walker Nickless, “inherited many issues from the past,” including the challenging of finding housing for accused priests who were never charged and aren’t listed as sex offenders.

“What do we do with these men? We know that you do not want them in your community. Many care facilities will not, or cannot, take them. Their families sometimes will take them in, but not always,” said the statement, issued through diocese spokeswoman Susan O’Brien. The diocese indicated that other accused priests were sent for treatment, rather than investigated by police, and “we know now that is not the way to handle any allegation of sexual misconduct.”

The statement noted that the former bishop, Soens, is now 92 and lives in a Catholic retirement home in Sioux City. After retiring in 1998, he was accused of abusing boys when he was a priest and principal in the 1960s in Iowa City, and the Diocese of Davenport paid settlements to his accusers. The statement said that Soens has not faced any misconduct allegations stemming from his tenure in Sioux City.
As for Coyle, the diocese continues to pay his pension because he is entitled to those benefits by law, the statement said.

4-H County Convention Celebrates Youth Success

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Cass County 4-H is hosting the 4-H County Convention on Sunday, November 11.  The annual awards program will begin at 2:00 PM at the Cass County Community Center, and is being organized by the 4-H Youth Council and Youth Action Committee.

At County Convention, members and leaders of all fourteen 4-H clubs in Cass County will be presented on stage to receive recognition. Record book project awards will be announced and recognition will be given to members who did outstanding project work throughout the year. Local club leaders will be recognized for their service to the 4-H program.

Special recognition will be given to 4-H clubs for exceptional community service projects, herdsmanship at fair, 4-H Endowment Fund contributors, and promotional activities during National 4-H Week. Club officers will also be recognized for their excellent work.

Shelby Van Horn, Cass County Youth Coordinator, said “This is a great event for 4-Hers to receive recognition for their accomplishments. We will also be recognizing community members and businesses for their continued 4-H support. Without those individuals, our 4-H program would not be as strong.”

This year are 21 Clover Kids who have completed 3rd Grade and moved into 4-H. A Clover Kids Graduation ceremony will be held to recognize those members, and help them transition into the 4-H program. This is the second year for the event.

4-H’ers serving on the 2017-2018 Cass County Youth Council include Claire Smith, Myah Rubio, Katie York, Eric Plagman, Mitchell Williamson, Nathan Behrends, Aly Brockob, Grace Clay and Cody McCreedy. Graduating members will be recognized and final activities of the day will be the announcement and installation of the 2018-2019 Cass County 4-H Youth Council. Parents, relatives, friends and 4-H supporters are invited to attend the celebration and recognition event for Cass County 4-H members and leaders.

Omaha man slams SUV into light pole in Creston when accelerator sticks

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Police in Creston say a man from Nebraska intentionally slammed his SUV into a light pole to stop his vehicle, after the accelerator stuck. 21-year old Braulio Zamotio, of Omaha, was driving a 2006 Lincoln Navigator northbound in the parking lot of the Creston Family Restaurant at around 7:30 this (Tuesday) morning, when the accelerator stuck.

Zamotio hit the light pole so his SUV wouldn’t run out onto Highway 34. No injuries were reported. Damage to the SUV was estimated at $6,000. The parking lot light sustained $3,000 damage. No citations were issued.

Rep. King bans Des Moines Register from event

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King is banning Iowa’s largest newspaper from his election night events in Sioux City. The Des Moines Register reports it requested credentials to cover the event, but King’s son, Jeff King, responded Tuesday with an email saying, “We are not granting credentials to the Des Moines Register or any other leftist propaganda media outlet with no concern for reporting the truth.”.

King has faced criticism from Republican officials and lost funding from business group after he tweeted support for a white nationalist candidate for Toronto mayor and praised a nationalist party in Austria with Nazi ties. Most of the criticism came in light of a deadly shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue.

King says media reports have been inaccurate and unfair. King usually wins re-election by a wide margin in the conservative 4th Congressional District but his Democratic challenger this year, J.D. Scholten, is well funded and has run an energetic campaign.

Atlantic City Council to hold final readings of amended ordinances

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, will hold the third and final readings of two amended Ordinance, and act on three Resolutions. They’ll also hold a public hearing on an update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The Council meeting begins at 5:30-p.m., in their chambers at City Hall. After the third reading of an amended Ordinance setting the speed limit on Sunnyside drive from 2,000-feet south of 10th street to 22nd Street (1,650 feet) at 35-miles per hour, the Council will act on approving the amendment. From 10th Street to 2,000-feet south, the speed limit will remain 25-miles per hour.

The Council will also act on approving, after the third and final reading, an amended Ordinance that repeals and replaces Chapter 151 (pertaining to Trees), with a New Tree Ordinance to be located under the same Chapter 155, “Trees.” The change also reflects the shifting of the City Forester position from Parks and Rec Director to Street Superintendent, and clarifies the authority of the Forester. A Public hearing will be held as well, on the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which was last updated in December, 2002. SWIPCO worked on updating the Plan, which the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed and made suggestions for, to improvement it. The Commission then chose to transmit their recommendation to the full Council. SWIPCO’s Alexis Fleener will be at Wednesday’s meeting to discuss the update process and answer any questions. Afterward the Council will act on a Resolution “Adopting the City of Atlantic Comphrensive Plan.”

And, the Council will act on a Resolution “Adopting [a] Reservation Fee Schedule for City Park Facilities.” The move would not only serve to provide groups with a means to reserve City Park Shelters for their events, and it acts as a “Voluntary revenue enhancement for the General Fund,” according to City Administrator John Lund. The fees would be waived for official City sponsored and partnered events. Under the fee schedule, reservations for the City’s Shelters would be $20 from 8-a.m. To 2-p.m., $20 from 3-p.m. To 9-p.m., or a full-day for $35. Picnic tables will be rented out in the same fashion as shelter reservations. The cost for six tables is $20, 12 tables $35. Tables will be picked up and returned by the renter. Without a reservation, the shelters are available on a first-come first-served basis. The Parks and Rec Board and Personnel and Finance Committee are recommending Council approval of the fee schedule.

The final order of business for the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, is to act on a Resolution “Obligating funds from the Whitney TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Urban Renewal Area Fund for Annual Appropriation Payment.” The matter is with regard to the Council approved TIF agreement with the Whitney Group for improvements to the Whitney Inn in 2016. This will be the first year the City is eligible to capture the taxes paid by the Whitney Group using TIF. Afterward, they will be an annual feature on the Council’s agenda until the $750,000 maximum is paid-off, or 20-years expire – whichever comes first.

Duncan Hines recalling 2.4m boxes of cake mix

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) — Duncan Hines is recalling 2.4 million boxes of cake mix because of a link to salmonella. The recall affects Classic White, Classic Butter Golden, Signature Confetti and Classic Yellow varieties of cake mix, according to Conagra Brands, Duncan Hines’ parent company. The affected boxes have expiration dates between March 7-13, 2019. Most of the boxes were distributed in the U.S. but some were shipped internationally. Chicago-based Conagra said it is still determining what other countries may be impacted.

In a statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it informed Conagra after it tested a sample of cake mix and found that it contained salmonella. It was the same strain that sickened people in five cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control. The FDA says consumers should not eat or bake with the mix.

Agencies appeal judge’s conclusion in shooting records case

News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Criminal Investigation Division and the Burlington Police Department have appealed a judge’s conclusion that they broke state law by refusing to turn over all records after investigating a city officer’s accidental shooting of a woman. Autumn Steele was fatally shot on Jan. 6, 2015, by an officer responding to a fight between Steele and her husband. The Hawk Eye newspaper and her family filed complaints with the Iowa Public Information Board when the two agencies didn’t turn over all the records.

The Hawk Eye reports that lawyers for the two filed separate appeals Friday to the information board, which will decide whether to accept or reject Administrative Law Judge Karen Doland’s proposed opinion.
The police attorney argues that Doland relied on an “incorrect application” of Iowa code governing open records law. The investigation division’s attorney argues that Doland is wrong in interpreting “what materials may be part of an investigative file.”

Quail hunter hurt last week in Page County hunting incident

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources said today (Tuesday), that DNR Conservation Officers are investigating a Nov. 1st hunting incident involving a group of quail hunters in Page County. Authorities say 58-year old Neil Bartelt,  of Fruitland, Iowa, was injured while upland bird hunting in the northwest corner of Page County, near the Montgomery, Mills, and Fremont county lines, around 3-p.m. on November 1st, when he was acting as a “blocker” for his hunting group.

The four other members of the hunting group were walking towards Bartelt when they scared up a group of quail. Several of the hunters fired shots at the quail striking Bartelt with pellets in the face and abdomen. Bartelt was transported to the Shenandoah Medical Center Hospital with minor injuries. The investigation continues into this incident.