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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa attorney general’s office says the Waterloo police chief can keep that post and serve as a Black Hawk County supervisor, if he were to win election. Chief Dan Trelka said after the opinion was released Tuesday that he was pleased by it and planned to pursue his candidacy. He announced plans last month to run as a Republican in the June 5 primary. Two seats are up for election, and Democrats have held all five seats for several years. So far Trelka is the only Republican to declare his intention.

Assistant Attorney General Michael Bennett says in his opinion that Trelka’s holding both positions “may raise significant conflict of interest issues requiring recusal” when such conflicts arise. Trelka says he would do so.

Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson reports 22-year old Austin Van Aernam, of Atlantic, turned himself-in to authorities, Tuesday. He was wanted on a Cass County warrant for Willful Injury-Causing Bodily Injury. Van Aernam was booked into the Cass County Jail.

Creston Police, early this (Wednesday) morning, arrested 26-year old Jeffrey Schaefer, of Orient, on warrants related to Violation of Probation on original charges of Lascivious Acts with a Child, and Sexual Abuse in the 3rd degree. Schaefer was arrested at around 1:30-a.m. at the Union County Law Enforcement Center (LEC), where he was being held while awaiting a bond hearing. Creston Police report 41-year old Joel Gross, of Creston, was arrested today at around 2:15-a.m., for Public Intoxication. He was being held in the Union County LEC on a$300 bond.

At around 11:45-p.m. Tuesday, 29-year old Kayla Hoffman, of Creston, was arrested on a charge of Criminal Mischief in the 5th degree. She was later released on a $300 bond. And, at around 7:30-p.m. Tuesday, 28-year old Rachel Colburn was arrested in Creston for Domestic Assault. She was being held in the Adams County Jail, while awaiting a bond hearing.

Creston Police said also, at around 10:30-p.m. Tuesday, someone attempted to break into a residence in the 200 block of N. Cedar Street. The front door of the residence sustained about $300 damage.

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 (3.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa man and wife have been sentenced for the beatings of an 11-year-old boy. Sioux County District Court records show 36-year-old Matthew Spaans was sentenced Monday to four years in prison, and 34-year-old Nina Spaans was given two years of probation and a suspended prison sentence of four years. Both had pleaded guilty to four counts of child endangerment. Prosecutors dropped several other counts in exchange for their pleas. The two live in Hawarden.

Records say that at least three times since September, Matthew Spaans beat his stepson with his hands, a 56-inch sword and another item, severely bruising the boy. The documents say the boy was told to make up stories about his bruises or his next beating would be worse.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a woman whose body was found in a north Warren County home. She’s been identified as 25-year-old Mercedes Wathen, of Cambridge. Officers and medics were called to the home just south of Des Moines around 7:30 a.m. Monday.

An 18-year-old man has been taken into custody as a material witness. Online court records don’t show that he’s been charged. Authorities have not said how Wathen died but have characterized the case as a homicide.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones will have the honor, this (Wednesday) evening, of swearing-in a new Police Officer.

The event takes place just after 5:30-p.m., during the Atlantic City Council meeting, and is with regard to Jeremy Seufert. He joined the Atlantic Police Force after the Department was down one officer due to a member having joined the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Dave Erickson began to look for a person to fill the spot. Seufert grew up in Atlantic. He’s a veteran of the armed forces and has a wife, Melissa. The couple has three kids, and live in Atlantic.

In other business, the Council will receive a presentation from a local auditing firm, with regard to the FY 2017 City of Atlantic Audit, which is conducted annually. City Administrator John Lund says “The results were good. Money is where it is supposed to be, ongoing practices shall continue as they always have to sustain the City as an organization and remain financially solvent.”

The Council will also act on an Order to close 6th Street, from Chestnut Street, west to the east side of the alley between Chestnut and Poplar, every Thursday evening from 4-until 7, for “Produce in the Park,” that begins May 31st and concludes Sept. 27th. The Council is also expected to act on passing a Resolution that approves the contracts and bonds with Carly Construction, for the 2018 Street Improvement Project.

They’ll also act on passing a Resolution “Approving [a] Bond Purchase Agreement, Providing for the Issuance of General Obligation Corporate Purpose Bonds, Series 2018 and Providing for the Levy of Taxes to Pay the Same.” Action is needed on the matter as the City proceeds to borrow $2.68-million from the open market, with the promise to repay it over 20-years, through property taxes. And, the Atlantic City Council will hold the second reading of an ordinance that would essentially remove the north/south stop signs at 6th and Sunnyside Lane, in an effort to improve traffic flow, and considering the amount of traffic expected to be generated by the ethanol plant currently under construction.

Red Oak Police and officials with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office report three people have been arrested. At around 2:19-a.m. today (Wednesday), 27-year old Kirstin Lynn Wilwerding, of Red Oak, was arrested by Sheriff’s Deputies assisted by Red Oak Police. She was taken into custody for Violation of a No Contact Order. Wilwerding was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 cash only bond.

At around 9:20-p.m. Tuesday, Red Oak Police, assisted by Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies, arrested 59-year old Rodney Lynn Vanderhoof, of Red Oak, for Public Intoxication. Vanderhoof was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

And, at around 4-p.m. Tuesday, Red Oak Police arrested 56-year old Tony Joe Christensen, of Red Oak, after citizens reported he fell down twice in front of kids playing in a park. Christensen was located in the vicinity of 3rd and Joy Streets. He was taken into custody for Public Intoxication, with a preliminary breath test result of .222 (nearly 3 times over the legal limit).

The State Board of Regents office has released the proposed tuition rates for next year. The board will discuss proposed tuition increases of three-point-eight percent for the University of Iowa and Iowa State University and a two-point-eight percent increase at the University of Northern Iowa at their meeting next week in Council Bluffs.

Those increases will meet the promise of the board president who they would keep tuition rates for Iowa residents under four percent in the next academic year. The schools had talked this summer about tuition increases as high as seven percent after state funding was cut, and the board delayed setting rates two times as it waited to find out how much money they would get from the state.

The final vote on tuition rates would come in June.

(Radio Iowa)