COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Iowa DNR Conservation Officers have charged 31-year old Nicholas W. Slater, of Glendale, AZ, with deer poaching in Lake Manawa State Park. The incident allegedly happened November 19, 2016.

Slater faces the following charges in Iowa:

No valid non-resident deer license
No valid non-resident deer license (antlered or any sex)
Restrictions on taking game – illegal transportation of deer
Restrictions on taking game – illegal taking of deer
Restrictions on taking game – illegal possession of deer
Hunting on game refuge
No non-resident hunting license and habitat fee.

The total fines for Slater are $2,243.20, plus liquidated damages for an antlered deer scoring 150 points or less. A judge will determine the exact total of liquidated damages. The charges are part of a large, multi-state investigation that is ongoing.

Officers with the Red Oak Police Department were called to the Red Oak High School this (Tuesday) morning, after receiving word a students was acting out of control. Upon arrival and an investigation, a juvenile male was arrested for Disorderly Conduct and Simple Assault on a Teacher. There were no injuries reported following the assault. The youth was cited into Juvenile Court and released to their parent. The offender’s name was not released.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, today (Tuesday), released his latest report on arrests.  Last Saturday night, 22-year old Dakota Dean Rosch, of Creston, was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation. Rosch remains in the Adair County Jail. Last Friday afternoon, 38-year old Michael Ross Waddingham, of Orient, was arrested on warrants for two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense.

On November 1st, 32-year old Joseph Leonard LeClair, Jr., of Greenfield, was arrested by Greenfield Police on a warrant for Assault with bodily injury of mental illness. He was later released on bond. And, 25-year old Diego Ricardo Mazanarez, of Greenfield, was arrested Nov. 1st in the 2000 block of Highway 25 at around 9-p.m., for Driving While License Denied or Revoked for OWI. He was later released on bond.

And, on Oct. 30th, 48-year old Joseph Anthony Ford, of Council Bluffs, was arrested while walking in the 1900 block of Highway 25, in the center of the road. Authorities say he was holding an open bottle of alcohol. Ford was arrested for Public Intoxication, and Theft in the 5th Degree, for allegedly taking items from the home of a female in Greenfield, where he had previously stayed. The items were valued at less than $200. Ford was later released after time served.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following an accident that occurred at around 1-p.m., Friday.  Sheriff Lyle Palmer said the accident happened about 6-miles east of Shenandoah, near the intersection of G Avenue and 220th Street. An investigation determined 89-year old Helen Loy Beach, of rural Shenandoah, was driving a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox SUV.  As she was turning east from G Avenue onto 220th Street, a white van coming from the East on 220th struck Beach’s SUV. The white van left the scene without its driver rendering aid or leaving any information. Beach was not injured. Her vehicle was not drive able and was towed from the scene.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are voicing concerns about the number of recent accidents involving hunters who have fallen from tree stands. One of the incidents happened Sunday, in Adair County. The DNR says at around 6:30-a.m., first responders found 58-year old Jeffrey S. Newman, of Winterset lying at the base of his tree stand at the end of York Road in Adair County, near the Middle River. Newman was conscious, but in pain from the 20-foot fall. He was transported to a local hospital and then by medical helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Through the investigation, it was determined the stand was loosely hanging by the bottom strap.

On Saturday, November 4th, at around 7:05-a.m., 45-year old Philip Patrick Rolfe, of Dubuque, was injured when he fell approximately 20 feet from a tree stand while bow hunting in rural Clayton County near Garber.   Rolfe was taken to a nearby hospital and eventually transported to the U of I Hospital. Rolfe received injuries to his jaw and lower body. Through investigation, it appears that Rolfe had climbed to the top of his hang on platform stand when the anchor strap failed causing him to fall.  In addition Rolfe was not wearing a safety strap.

Another incident happened Oct. 29th in Linn County. 51-year old Jeff Pavek, of Palo, was injured while bow hunting near Ross Road in Linn County, when he climbed out of his tree stand and fell backwards approximately 20 feet below, landing on his back. A friend found Pavek nearly two hours later lying face down on the ground and called 911. He was transported to the U of I Hospital. Pavek received serious neck and back injuries from the fall, but is expected to survive. According to Pavek, the fastener came undone causing him to fall to the ground.

The Iowa DNR reminds hunters of the following safety tips related to tree stands:

• Always use a full body harnesses and remember to maintain three points of contact at all times when climbing in and out of tree stands.
• Tree stands should not be left up year round and should always be inspected for safety prior to the hunting seasons.
• Hunters should always use a haul line when getting equipment in and out of the stand.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County report an Adair County man was arrested Friday afternoon at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant. 32-year old John Lyle Vanscoy, of Bridgewater, was arrested on the warrant for failure to appear on charges of possession of controlled substance, eluding, driving while barred, and OWI 1st offense. Vanscoy was being held on $13,000 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Des Moines are considering turning most one-way downtown streets into two-way and adding more bicycle lanes in an effort to increase safety and promote retail development. The Des Moines Register reports that the city, the Urban Land Institute of Iowa and the Greater Des Moines Partnership worked together to create the Connect Downtown plan. Connect Downtown would cost about $33 million, with an additional $500,000 in annual maintenance.

A report on the plan says reintroducing two-way traffic will make the area safer by reducing vehicle speeds and benefit local businesses by making them more accessible. The report says changes could increase commutes for drivers during peak hours by one to three minutes. City Council will consider adopting the plan on Nov. 20.

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

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(DES MOINES) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections report 30-year old Samuel Marcel Washington Jr., failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines Residential Facility, Monday, as required, following his work release. Washington, Jr., was convicted of domestic abuse assault- 3rd or subsequent offense in Polk County.  He was admitted to the work release facility on July 28, 2017.

Washington is a black male, height 6-feet tall, and weighing 295 pounds. Persons with information on Washington’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports two arrests. On October 25th, 39-year old Joshua Robert Saunders, of Audubon, was arrested for Trespassing.  Saunders was brought to the Audubon County Jail to appear before a magistrate. And, on Nov. 2nd. 27-year old Scott Nathaniel Belew, of Audubon, was arrested for for Driving Under Suspension.  Belew later pled guilty to the charge.