If you drive on westbound Interstate 235 near 63rd Street in Des Moines you need to be aware of a construction project that may slow down your trip beginning on Sunday night, Sept. 24, until Friday, Oct. 13, weather permitting.

Construction crews need to shift traffic on westbound I-235 near 63rd Street and close the westbound I-235 exit ramp to 63rd Street (exit 4) so they can work on bridge abutment repair work. During this project, to reach 63rd Street you will take westbound I-235 to 73rd/8th Street (exit 3) and then travel on eastbound I-235 from 73rd/8th Street to reach 63rd Street (see map).

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

Red Oak Police report a pair of arrests on Wednesday, September 20th.  At 11:15 am, officers were called to the 200 block of East Nuckols Street for a report of a dispute.  After investigation, 61 year old Daniel Mark Kinnersley of Red Oak was arrested and charged with harassment in the first degree.  He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.

At 12:01 pm Wednesday, police were called to the alley in between the 500 blocks of East Elm and East Prospect streets.  Officers arrested 24 year old Harley Renea Strutton of Red Oak for possession of drug paraphernalia.  She was held on $300 bond at the Montgomery County Jail.

(Radio Iowa) – A Laurens man has been charged with attempted murder following a stabbing in Storm Lake. According to the Storm Lake Police Department, the incident happened late in the afternoon on Monday. An investigation determined that 31-year-old Oscar Ortiz confronted the victim outside of a residence and stabbed him five times in the upper torso. Ortiz also allegedly stole the victim’s phone.

The victim was treated for serious injuries at the hospital in Storm Lake, and was flown to another hospital for further treatment. Ortiz initially fled the scene in a vehicle, but surrendered shortly after at the Storm Lake Police Department. Ortiz was charged with Attempted Murder and 1st Degree Robbery. He also received three other felony charges.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – An Omaha, Nebraska man was sentenced in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, Monday (September 18, 2023) to 151 months (nearly 12 1/2 years) in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Timothy James Monte, 58, was stopped for a traffic violation in November of 2022 in Council Bluffs. A search of Monte’s vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 6.5 ounces of pure methamphetamine.

Monte must serve a five-year term of supervised release following the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case.

Volunteers are needed to help run the second annual IowAbility Fair next weekend in central Iowa, a free event designed to remind Iowans who have limited mobility how many other abilities they still have. One of the fair’s organizers is Angie Hulsebus (HULSE-ah-bus), who’s been in a wheelchair half her life, following a motor vehicle accident when she was 20. She’s hoping hundreds of Iowans with disabilities will turn out on Saturday, September 30th.

Hulsebus says the event is a one-stop shop for networking, researching and finding new ways to have fun. The fair will feature a vendor area that will offer a host of medical equipment, devices and things like adaptive vehicles, while there will also be a wide array of adaptive sports and recreational activities to sample.

The fair will be held at Easter Seals’ Camp Sunnyside in north Des Moines. At 10:30 that morning, there will be a Walk-N-Roll fundraiser. There’s also a raffle, a shopper’s alley where all business owners have a disability, and a free swap meet.

The event is co-hosted by the Iowa chapter of the United Spinal Association and the Spina Bifida Association of Iowa. The register to attend or to volunteer, visit: https://iowabilityfair.com/

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna today (Wednesday) updated the list of candidates who have filed nomination papers for various city offices in advance of the Nov. 7, 2023 elections.

Offices that will be on the ballot and Current Candidates Filed:

*Mayoral seats are 2 year terms (Except Stanton & Coburg, where the Mayor is a 4-year term)

*Council Member positions are 4 year terms (Except Grant – Council is 2-year terms)

Red Oak City Offices- Candidates Filed

Mayor 2yr term—Vote for 1–Shawnna L. Silvius

Council Member Ward #1 4yr term—Vote for 1–

Council Member Ward #3 4yr term—Vote for 1–

Council Member At Large 4yr term—Vote for 1–Sharon Bradley.

Elliott City Offices

Mayor 2yr term -Vote for 1– Michael Carson

Council Member At Large 4yr term—Vote for 2– Leta Rush, Lisa Jamison

Grant City Offices

Mayor 2yr term—Vote for 1—John J. Giefing

Council Member At Large 2yr term— Vote for 5– Chelsea Dvorak, Nancy Taylor, Greg Karwal, Clay Amos, Connie K. Giefing, Jeff Brown

Villisca City Offices

Mayor 2yr term—Vote for 1–

Council Member At Large 4yr term—Vote for 3– Robert Tripp Narup, Marsha S. Shepherd

Stanton City Offices

Mayor 4yr term—Vote for 1–

Council Member At Large 4yr term-Vote for 2– Pier Osweiler, Greg Hampel

Council Member At Large – TFV 2yr term—Justin R. Rhamy

Coburg City Offices

Council Member At Large 4yr term—Vote for 3–

(Radio Iowa) – An Illinois man who was convicted of robbing a northwest Iowa bank is sentenced to eight years in federal prison. According to the United States Attorney’s Office, 38-year-old Leon Sutton, of Chicago, received the prison term after he pleaded guilty to bank robbery in May. The court says Sutton entered Iowa State Bank in Sheldon about noon on June 3rd, 2021, armed with a handgun, and demanded money.

Sheldon Police officers were able to trace the recently purchased car Sutton was driving back to him through video surveillance and the previous owner of the car. Sutton fled to Chicago, where he was apprehended.

In addition to eight years in federal prison, Sutton will also serve three years of supervised release.

(Neola, Iowa) – A family dog traveling with the family, alerted them to a dangerous build-up of suspected carbon monoxide. The incident happened as the family was traveling in an SUV on Interstate 80, near Neola. Soon after, the father of three children in the vehicle smelled the fumes and when he looked back, saw the children were lethargic. A two-year old traveling in the vehicle was unresponsive, but his eyes were open.

The family pulled over onto the shoulder and called 911. Law enforcement arrived within minutes. All three of the children, ages 2, 4 and 6, were at the hospital Tuesday night. The incident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – Private colleges in Iowa have been cutting their tuition costs in an effort to retain students. Graceland College in Lamoni is the latest, with president Pat Draves making the announcement Tuesday.

She says cost has become one of the biggest factors for students in selecting a school.

Graves says that left them without the chance to even discuss what they had to offer.

Wartburg College in Waverly recently announced it was reducing its published tuition price by more than 45 percent to 25-thousand dollars. Wartburg president, Rebecca Ehretsman says that is part of an overall plan.

Wartburg also offers students what they call the “Knights Experience Fund. ”

Ehretsman says scholarships and other programs sometimes don’t get figured in when students are searching for a school.

Ehretsman says that is even more important with the nationwide drop in college students after the pandemic.

Wartburg has an enrollment of around 15-hundred students.

Red Oak Police report that on Tuesday, September 19th, they arrested a 14 year old juvenile from Red Oak on a pair of drug offenses.  The teen was charged with delivery to a minor, and distributing drugs near a school, both charges are class B felonies.  The juvenile was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs.