SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa (AP) — Residents in northwest Iowa have banded together to save their local park. Jon Anderson told the Sioux City Journal that he and his neighbors recently petitioned to save the Oak Hills park in Sergeant Bluff. The pocket park is small and consists of basketball courts and playground equipment, but it’s still used by children in the neighborhood, Anderson said.

“When we heard the city was considering taking the basketball hoops down, we had to spring into action,” he said. Anderson and his neighbors were able to secure 118 signatures in a petition to save the park. The move led to the City Council deciding not to get rid of the basketball hoops and agreeing to help write a grant for new playground equipment.

“There are other, newer parks in Sergeant Bluff,” Brandy Cook, a longtime resident in the neighborhood. “But this park was our park.” Anderson believes showing the City Council that residents were passionate about bettering the neighborhood is what made the difference.

“It wasn’t a handful of people making a decision,” he said. “Instead, this was an entire neighborhood wanting to preserve something that was important to everybody.”
Anderson has planned a community day with food and music to clean up the park Aug. 19.

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) — Investigators searching for a University of Iowa student who vanished last month are launching a new website to generate tips from potential witnesses. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation unveiled FindingMollie.Iowa.gov at a news conference Monday.

Mollie Tibbetts has been missing since July 18, when the 20-year-old was last seen jogging in her small hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa. Her disappearance has sparked an enormous search involving local, state and federal authorities and volunteers.

Assistant DCI Director Mitch Mortvedt says investigators are considering all scenarios but that it’s “possible that Mollie has come into contact with someone who has caused her harm.” He asked the public to report information about anyone who has recently displayed odd behaviors.

The site seeks tips from people who were in specific Brooklyn locations on July 18, including a car wash and a truck stop.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports 39-year old Terry Hannan, of Council Bluffs was sentenced Friday to slightly more than five-years in prison for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. United States District Court Senior Judge Robert W. Pratt sentenced Hannan to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Hannan pleaded guilty to the offense on March 13, 2018. On December 29, 2017, the Council Bluffs Police and Fire Departments responded to a fire at Hannan’s home. Officers entered the house and observed ammunition and a gun safe, but did not locate anyone in the residence. As the fire inspector investigated the cause of the fire, Hannan was seen in a car near the home.

The car left abruptly when the fire inspector approached Hannan, and a short pursuit ensued. When the vehicle was stopped, Hannan was found in possession of a loaded Taurus Titanium .38 revolver.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The case was investigated by Council Bluffs Police Department, Council Bluffs Fire Department, and The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County, Monday, released a report on seven arrests made over the previous four days. On Sunday, 56-year old Roderick Jerom Bequette, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Driving While Barred. His bond was set at $5,000. That same day, 38-year old Marcella Janine Mutchler, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office, on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear in court, after being issued a citation. Her bond was set at $2,000. And, 21-year old Kyle Ethan Grudle, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday for OWI/1st offense. Bond was set at $1,000.

On Saturday: 61-year old Norman Duane Lutter, of Bellevue, NE., was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Bond $1,000); 20-year old Katelynn Marie Wickman, of Glenwood, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. (Bond $1,300); and, 31-year old Mitchell Brian Probst, of Glenwood, was arrested Saturday for Public Intoxication (Bond $300).

Last Thursday, Mills County Deputies arrested 23-year old Dakota John Allen, of Hastings (IA), for Interference with Official Acts causing injury, Driving Under Suspension, Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree, and Theft in the 1st Degree (Bond $6,600).

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Monday afternoon, released details about a fatal motorcycle accident that took place at around 6:30-p.m., Saturday. Authorities say 28-year old Bryan Brown, of Council Bluffs, died at the scene of the crash located in the area of Old Lincoln Highway and Iowana Lane.

A preliminary investigation determined that Brown was northbound on Old Lincoln Highway on a 2005 Kawasaki motorcycle.  A 2010 Ford Edge was southbound on Old Lincoln Highway driven by 18-year old Jamie Hackett, of Carson.  Near the intersection of Old Lincoln Highway and Iowana Lane, Brown attempted to pass a vehicle.  In doing so, his cycle and the SUV collided.  Hackett was not injured in the collision.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports three juveniles face charges following a series of incidents on the Wabash Trace. Deputies began receiving reports during the month of July of logs, rocks, tree branches, and fishing line being placed across the trail. This was occurring on Thursday evenings during the bicycle ride known as “The Taco Ride”. This lead to the potential of serious injury if a rider were to be thrown off a bicycle.

Deputies patrolled the trail on Thursdays in an attempt to catch those responsible. On August 9th Deputies were alerted to three suspicious individuals on the trail and were able to locate three male juveniles. It was determine that the three males had placed fishing line across the trail. The line was located and removed. The three juveniles were then charged with Harassment in the 3rd Degree in juvenile court.

No injuries were reported as a result of the activity.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man charged with murder says his actions in an Urbandale bar fight are protected by Iowa’s “stand your ground” law.

The Des Moines Register reports that a judge has set a hearing for Aug. 20 to consider the motion filed for 49-year-old Rodney Henricksen. He’s pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the Jan. 18 death of Joshua Sadlon, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The motion says Henricksen was defending himself from an intoxicated and aggressive Sadlon. Henricksen told three people at the bar that Sadlon had threatened his life. The law says a person doesn’t have to retreat before using deadly force if he or she reasonably thinks his or her life is being threatened.

The motion says Henricksen was entitled to use reasonable force to preemptively strike at Sadlon to avoid injury to himself.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous recent arrests.

On Saturday, August 11th Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 23-year-old Cailyn Elizabeth Morris of Omaha, NE for Driving While Revoked. Morris was stopped in a Hyundai Elantra at the 55 mile-marker of the I-29 Northbound at 3:16pm Saturday.

Also on Saturday, August 11th at 9:19am a traffic stop was conducted on a Jeep at Highway 92 and Highland Park Drive. It was determined that the driver 39-year-old Obed Thomas Wells VI of Council Bluffs was Driving While Revoked for an OWI failure. Wells was taken into custody and booked in to the Pottawattamie County Jail.

Also Saturday at 4:53am Deputies observed 28-year-old Shane Elam Rouse Jr. of Oakland at the Oakland Casey’s store. Rouse Jr. was known to have multiple outstanding warrants. Rouse entered the restroom and locked the door. After a few minutes of knocking Rouse opened the door and Deputies placed him under arrest. Deputies smelled the odor of Marijuana in the restroom and Rouse admitted he flushed the Marijuana when Deputies knocked on the door. Rouse Jr. was placed under arrest on valid warrants for Criminal Mischief 4th Degree and OWI 1st Offense. He was additionally charged with Interference with Official Acts.

Early Saturday morning at 12:21am Deputies stopped a vehicle traveling the on the wrong side of a two-way highway. Deputies then arrested 53-year-old Kirsten Kaye Botello of Underwood for OWI First Offense, as she showed signs of impairment.

On Friday, August 10th an inmate at the Pottawattamie County Jail was served additional arrest warrants out of Oklahoma for being a Fugitive from Justice. 29-year-old Zachary David Priesmeyer of Omaha, NE was read the additional warrants and also informed of non-extraditable warrants out of Arkansas. He was already being held on a Fugitive from Justice warrant out of Arkansas. After being read the new warrants Priesmeyer was returned to custody of jail staff.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, is expected to act on approving the changing of a street name to honor one of Atlantic’s most famous graduates. The City Council meeting begins 5:30-p.m., at City Hall. If approved, East 11th Street, between Linn Street to South Olive Street, will be named “Ed Podolak Drive.” The selected street is north of the Schuler Elementary and Middle School, and south of undeveloped land owned by the Atlantic School District.

Ed Podolak

The 70-year old Podolak, a Super Bowl Champion, was born and raised in Atlantic. He played college football at the University of Iowa, where he was a quarterback, running back and half back. He’s also a former professional American football player, a running back for nine seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League and National Football League. He currently serves as color commentator for Iowa Hawkeyes Football, alongside Gary Dolphin. Podolak will be honored this Sunday during the Atlantic Sesquicentennial Block party which takes place at the Atlantic Middle School, from 11-a.m. until 3-p.m. The dedication ceremony for Podolak will begin at 2:00pm in the Trojan Bowl.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on adopting a key policy for City Hall, in light of the recent theft of keys from a City employee. The Council will also act on appointing Alexis Fleener to the Community Promotion Commission, and Megan Mewhirter to the Planning and Zoning Commission. The appointments are necessary due to Christina Bateman no longer being able to serve on those commissions.

The Council will also act on the third and final reading of: An amended Zoning Ordinance, and an amended Animal Control Control Ordinance, as well as the first reading of an amended ordinance with regard to Traffic Code Enforcement Procedures, which calls for an increase in the fine for repeat, regular parking offenses from $10 to $30, and for snow parking offenses from $25 to $50. The new rates are comparable to those assessed by cities of similar size.

If the fine is not paid within 30-days, there is a $5 additional fee. The fine for parking in a handicapped spot without proper permit, is $100. Police Chief Dave Erickson has said the current fines for regular parking and snow parking offenses have not changed since 1997. This past winter, there were over 100 tickets written for snow parking offenses, which officials say is an unusually high amount.

Officials with the Creston Police Department say two incidents of theft were reported on Friday. A woman from Greenfield told authorities that sometime between
midnight and 5:30 am on August 9th,  someone entered her vehicle that was parked on Pine St and stole medications, a TV and 20 DVD’s. The loss was estimated at $550.

And, a Creston woman reported that on Aug. 8th, someone had used her prepaid PayPal card in Miramar, FL, to make multiple purchases. The loss was estimated at $150.