The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests that took place over the past couple of weeks. Most recent, at around 12:30-a.m. Friday, Deputies arrested 33-year-old Ryan Michael Carter, of Irwin, following a disturbance in the Myrtue Medical Center Emergency Room, in Harlan. Carter was charged with disorderly conduct and transferred to the Shelby County Jail. He was released Saturday (9/15) on his own recognizance and the transferred to another facility.

On Thursday, Deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office were called to an address along 1700th in Earling, for a male-female disturbance. Upon arrival and further investigation, 42-year-old Phillip Bradley Pool was taken into custody and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Airway. Pool was transferred to the Shelby County Jail without incident where he remains under a $5,000 bond after appearance from magistrate.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office said Friday, they are looking for a man wanted in connection to an incident that was occurred in August at a residence in Tabor. Deputies received information about a viral video that appears to show a domestic assault that occurred in Tabor in August of 2018, and then recently published on Facebook.

Marcus Pierce

Through investigation, a warrant has been issued for the arrest for 22-year old Marcus Anthony Pierce, of Glenwood. Pierce is currently wanted on several felony charges in connection with the incident. Pierce is considered possibly armed and dangerous.  If you see him, contact the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424 or your local law enforcement agency.

A Crime Stoppers reward up to $1,000.00 is available for information leading to the capture and arrest of Pierce.

A transient who was being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail in connection with a robbery that led to the death of 44-year old Lee Johnson, the night of March 21st, was served with a warrant, Friday, for first-degree murder. 20-year old James Michael McCauley was released back to the custody of Pottawattamie County Corrections after being served with the warrant.

James Michael McCauley

Authorities said previously, that on March 21st, 2018, shortly after 11:30-p.m., Council Bluffs Police and Fire personnel were dispatched to the Joshua House, 1435 North 15th Street, regarding an assault. The Joshua House is a 24-hour men’s emergency homeless shelter.

Upon their arrival, officers located Lee Johnson’s deceased body laying outside the building. Johnson had multiple, deep lacerations to his face and neck. Joshua House staff directed officers to Vance Good and Brandon Hollis, who were both still inside the facility. A preliminary investigation revealed that Good and Johnson were in an altercation inside the Joshua House. Good allegedly used a sharp cutting instrument to fatally wound Johnson. Good and Hollis then proceeded to carry Johnson’s body out of the building, to dispose of it in the parking lot. Neither Good or Hollis attempted any life saving measures nor did they contact anyone to provide emergency medical assistance for Johnson.

Good was booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail on one count of Murder 1st Degree, while Hollis was booked for one count of being an Accessory After the Fact (Murder).

A single-vehicle accident claimed the life of a woman in Crawford County, Friday. The Iowa State Patrol reports 27-year old Christina Foote, of Dunlap, was driving a 2005 Chevy Malibu, when the vehicle left the roadway in a curve, and rolled into the ditch. Foote, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene.

The accident happened at around 2:40-p.m. near 210th Street and U Avenue, east of Dow City. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Dunlap Police and Dow City Fire and Rescue.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal agency has denied disaster assistance for residents and business owners of Marshall and Polk counties who endured tornadoes in July.

Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office announced Friday the Federal Emergency Management Agency had denied the governor’s request for assistance through the Individual Assistance Program for losses from the July 19 tornadoes. In denying the governor’s request, FEMA stated that the impact from the tornadoes wasn’t severe enough to warrant the help.

The program helps survivors with housing, property replacement, medical expenses and legal services. Reynolds has 30 days to file an appeal. In August, FEMA also denied Reynolds’ request for assistance through the same program following severe storms from June 6 to July 2. The governor has submitted an appeal of that decision.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A property tax official in Arizona says Iowa Democratic candidate for governor Fred Hubbell was fined $600 for improperly claiming a home he owns there was a primary residence. Hubbell owns a home in Des Moines that he listed as a primary residence. The designations reduced his property taxes in both states.

Hubbell owns a $2 million home in Scottsdale, Arizona, built in 2007 and it carried the primary residence designation qualifying it for a $600 a year tax credit. Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen says a new Arizona law in 2012 cracked down on absentee owners, denying the exemption for homes not permanently occupied. He says more than 100,000 parcels have had the exemption removed.

Hubbell failed to respond to several notices, allowing the assessor to impose a $600 fine and remove the credit in 2014. A $1 million Des Moines home Hubbell owned from 2007 to 2016 also received a homestead exemption of up to $231 a year.
A spokesman for Gov. Kim Reynolds’ campaign criticized Hubbell for talking about wasteful tax giveaways but “when no one is looking he lines his pockets with our tax dollars every chance he gets.”

Hubbell campaign spokeswoman Remi Yamamoto says Maricopa County misclassified many homes and Hubbell’s was one of them, and he’s glad they reclassified it in 2014. She says he’s never asked for nor wanted a $600 rebate.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Nebraska man has been imprisoned for holding several people at gunpoint and beating some of them inside a western Iowa apartment. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Derrick West-Jones, of Omaha, Nebraska, pleaded guilty and was sentenced Thursday to 20 years. He’d been charged with kidnapping, assault and other crimes before charges were amended.

Police say he pulled a gun June 18 after a disturbance in the Council Bluffs apartment and wouldn’t let anyone leave. Police say he also pistol-whipped and beat some of the captives with a wrench, holding them about two hours. Two people were taken to a hospital.

A Council Bluffs woman charged in the case has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and other crimes. Jawanna Moten is scheduled to go on trial Oct. 9.

A man from Illinois died as the result of a crash this (Friday) on Highway 6 and Sunnydale Road in Pottawattamie County, a few miles east of the Interstate 80 interchange. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office says 65-year old Peter O’Mahony, of LaGrange Park, IL, died at the scene of the crash that happened at around 8:37-a.m. Authorities say O’Mahony was eastbound in a 2005 Honda Civic, when he turned onto Sunndale Road in an apparent attempt to make a U-turn. In doing so, his car was struck on the driver’s side, by an eastbound 2014 Ford Econoline van. The driver of the van was identified as 64-year old Paula Moody, of Omaha.

Following the collision, both vehicles ended-up in the ditch. The accident remains under investigation.

(12:40-p.m. News)

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged ag businesses, farmers, rural residents and other Iowans that use propane to consider taking steps to ensure adequate propane supplies this fall and winter. “It is important for users to be prepared. By working with your supplier to fill tanks now and book future fills, users can help avoid any unforeseen price spikes later this year,” Naig said. As of Sept. 7, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports propane stocks in the Midwest “PADD 2” region at 25.9 million barrels. That is up from 25.8 million barrels a year ago. EIA reports that U.S. propane stocks as of that same date at 74.6 million barrels compared to 82.2 million barrels a year ago. Lower supply levels are attributed primarily to export pressures.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s most recent weekly heating oil and propane price report showed the average price for propane in Iowa at $1.26 per gallon.  Last year’s price at this time of year averaged $1.13 per gallon. Actions that farmers and other propane users can take now in order to prepare for this fall and winter include:

·         Make sure propane supplies for grain drying, livestock facilities, homes and machine sheds are full going into the fall season.

·         Take advantage of early buy/booking programs.

·         Consider expanding on-site capacity at facilities and homes.

·         Communicate early and regularly with propane suppliers.

According to the Sept. 10 USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Iowa Crop Progress & Condition report, 87 percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage or beyond with 28 percent mature, one week ahead of the five year average. “The Iowa Propane Gas Association and the state propane suppliers do a great job keeping abreast of supply and demand issues for this vital agricultural energy resource. We communicate regularly with all of our partners, especially during the harvest season, to ensure we are aware of and responding to any issues,” Naig said.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Board of Regents will ask the governor and lawmakers for an additional 20 million dollars state funding during the next legislative session and also plan to make annual increases in tuition at the three state schools. Board president Michael Richards told the board at their meeting Thursday they have to start taking an overall view of the four areas that are used to fund the three state universities

“State appropriations, savings and reallocation, tuition and research and funding from both public and private sources. One thing that has become clear — I believe strongly that we cannot continue to look at these segments of funding individually,” Richards says. He says they have to find a way to use all the sources to provide the funding to maintain the quality of the three state universities. “Finding the right mix is the challenge,” Richards says, “but in the end, we need to arrive at a total resources number.”

Richards says the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa are doing their part in making the best use of their resources. “Our universities have saved or reallocated more than 125 million dollars in the last decade,” Richards says. “The board’s and our university presidents take this seriously. And our enterprise has made great strides in this area. This is a priority and we must and will do more with savings and reallocations in the future.”

Richards says they will also have to ask students to pay more. “At our November meeting we intend to discuss a multi-year tuition model with a baseline percentage increase for resident undergraduates for the next several years — starting with the 2019-2020 academic year,” Richards says.

Richards says the amount of money they are asking for from the state is a fair amount.