The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman was arrested Tuesday night for being a Fugitive from Justice. 56-year old Kelly Jo Horgdal, of Henderson, was taken into custody at around 9:454-p.m., and held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

Strong to severe thunderstorms remain forecast today into tonight for the KJAN listening area. Large hail and damaging thunderstorm wind gusts look to be the main threat later this afternoon into tonight. Heavy rain is also anticipated and may lead to localized flash flooding by tonight. The weather pattern will stay active Thursday into the weekend with periodic chances for thunderstorms. Severe weather potential is forecast Thursday and Friday.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former janitor accused of video recording people in a northern Iowa school staff restroom has changed his plea to guilty. Mason City station KIMT reports that 47-year-old David Bemis, of Mason City, entered the pleas to four counts of invasion of privacy. Court documents say the prosecution will recommend a 60-day jail sentence for him and a year of probation in return for his pleas. He’d originally pleaded not guilty. Bemis’ sentencing is scheduled for July 18.

Investigators say Bemis was working at Clear Creek Elementary in Clear Lake in May 2013 when he hid a camera in the restroom and recorded four school employees in varying degrees of nudity. He no longer works for the district. Clear Lake Superintendent Doug Gee has said no students were recorded.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former caretaker has been given three years of probation for stealing from clients of a Sioux City organization that helps people with intellectual disabilities. Court records say Jessica Rivera, of Sergeant Bluff, pleaded guilty Tuesday to dependent adult abuse-exploitation. She also was given a suspended prison term of five years and was ordered to make restitution of more than $1,100 to her victims. The records say that between January and July 2017, while she worked for Mosaic, Rivera made unauthorized purchases using gift cards or other funds from the clients and kept the items.

Republican Governor Kim Reynolds wasted no time in targeting the man who will be her opponent in the general election this fall. Speaking before supporters at the Iowa G-O-P headquarters in Des Moines last (Tuesday) night, Reynolds blasted Democrat and Des Moines businessman Fred Hubbell for his lifestyle and hefty bank account.

“My opponent grew up very differently from most of us and that’s okay, because we celebrate wealth in this country,” Reynolds says. “The issue isn’t that Fred Hubbell has been rich his entire life, it’s that he has no idea what it’s like not to be.” Reynolds talked about her days of growing up in Saint Charles, waiting tables and checking groceries at Hy-Vee, and contrasted that with Hubbell, the former C-E-O of a life insurance company whose family built a fortune over the decades in finance and real estate.

Reynolds says, “He has no idea what it’s like to balance a family checkbook or to make the tough decisions most of us make each and every day when we’re trying to make ends meet.”  Reynolds, who ran unopposed in Tuesday’s primary, continued to poke at her November opponent, painting Hubbell as a wealthy elitist.

“Just last week, Fred admitted that he doesn’t think Iowa is the best state in the country to live,” Reynolds says, drawing boos from the crowd. “Well, Fred, if you don’t think Iowa is the best place to live, then you absolutely don’t know the Iowa that I know.”  Hubbell spent a reported seven-million dollars on this primary election, including three-million of his own money.

“If you think eliminating rural jobs to increase profits is the right way to lead, then you don’t know Iowa,” Reynolds says. “If you think the governor’s office is for sale to the highest bidder, guess what? You don’t know Iowans. You don’t know Iowa, but I do.”
Reynolds called Iowa a “wonderful state, filled with opportunities…a place where dreams can come true.”

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors have decided not to file charges in the shooting death of a Des Moines man. Police say 40-year-old Jerry Goff was fatally shot early Sunday morning at a residence west of downtown Des Moines. Polk County Attorney John Sarcone says the shooting was domestic in nature and a “clear case of self-defense.” Authorities have not released the name of the person who shot Goff nor provided details on what led up to it.

Red Oak Police say a woman from Nebraska was arrested today at around 4:25-a.m.  30-year old Roberta Shirlene Lapp, of Omaha, was arrested in the 2400 block of N. Broadway Street, for Possession of a Controlled Substance (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

There were a few close races during the 2018 Primary Election held Tuesday. In Cass County, just four votes separated Dana Halder and John Hartkopf, in the Republican race for Board of Supervisors in District 3. Hartkopf was the unofficial winner with 161 votes compared to Halder’s 157 votes. A third challenger, Linda Templeman, garnered 103 votes. In the Cass County Board of Supervisors – District 2, Republican Mark T. O’Brien defeated fellow Republican Pat McCurdy for the seat. The votes tallied 154 for O’Brien, and 137 for McCurdy. Voter turnout in Cass County was 16.63-percent.

In Adair County, Republican Brenda Wallace defeated fellow Republican Kim Crosswhite-Perkins for the County Treasurer’s post, 534-to 108. In Adams County, Republican Scott Akin handily defeated Republican challenger Laurie Greenlee (82-25) for the County Board of Supervisors in District 3. On the Democratic ticket, Tony Mullen beat Judith Butcher, by a vote of 66-to-16. In Audubon County, three Republicans were running for the Board of Supervisors. Incumbent Gary Van Aernam won the seat with his 142 votes against challengers Duane Deist (126 votes) and Jean Hinners (95 votes). Guthrie County voters elected Republican J.D. Kuster to the Board of Supervisors in District 4. Kuster received 114 votes to Dana Tewes’ 100. Republican Everett Grasty will face Democrat Kevin Wirt in the Board of Supervisor’s race in District 3.  Grasty won against three other Republican challengers, with his 91 votes. Randy Sparks had 79, Joel Hester 32 and Scott Calmer, 29. It was a close race for the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors in District 2, where Clifford Carney beat Rick Kness on the Republican ticket, by 90-to 87 votes.

On the Montgomery County Republican ticket, Tera Hughes won the Treasurer’s seat with 537 votes to Jackie Porter’s 292. And, Rudy Kinard defeated Roger Waggener, for the Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County District 1. The tally was 179 votes for Kinard and 29 for Waggener. In Pottawattamie County, Three Republicans out of a field of five, will move on to the November General Election, in the County Board of Supervisors race. The winners were Scott Belt, with 1,690 votes, Lynn Grobe (1,460) and Justin Schultz (1,564). The Democrats send Glen Hurts, Frances Parr and Marshal Pilger to the race in November.

There were no contested races in Shelby County.  All vote totals are unofficial until canvassed by the Boards of Supervisors in each respective county.