A teenage back seat passenger in a vehicle that was on the shoulder of Interstate 80 died Friday evening, when the vehicle she was in was hit from behind. The Iowa State Patrol says 17-year old Angel Martinez, of Medina, OH, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene of the crash that took place at around 6:25-p.m. on eastbound I-80 near mile marker 23, in Pottawattamie County.

Authorities say a 2016 Kia Sportage driven by 52-year old Karen Marchbanks, of Wilmington, NC, was eastbound on I-80 approaching the 22.7 mile marker. A 2005 Honda Civic, operated by 36-year old Fabian Prado, of Brunswick, OH, was parked on the right shoulder near the same location, when the Kia entered the shoulder of the road and struck the Honda from behind.

Both vehicles sustained heavy damage during the collision.  Prado, who was wearing his seat belt, was injured in the crash and transported by Underwood Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:00 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A budget aide to Gov. Terry Branstad has released details about $11.5 million in cuts that will help close a mid-year budget shortfall. The Iowa Legislature earlier passed a budget bill with roughly $117 million in cuts. David Roederer, with the Iowa Department of Management, indicated at the time that $11.5 million of that amount would come from unspecified cuts. He’s now disclosing that includes an extra $2.7 million in cuts to Iowa’s public universities and $1.7 million to community colleges.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol says all lanes of Interstate 80 have reopened after being closed earlier Friday because of blizzard-like conditions. A slow-moving storm dropped more than 2 feet of snow in parts of western Nebraska as it moves east through Iowa. A winter weather advisory remained in effect late Friday afternoon for east-central Nebraska and parts of western Iowa into northeastern Iowa. A blizzard warning remained in effect for a portion of northwestern and northern Iowa.

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — A man shot by an officer during a standoff at a Bettendorf store has pleaded not guilty to several charges. Court records say 19-year-old Joshua Price filed the written pleas Thursday to kidnapping, burglary and assault. Authorities say Price had taken the store manager hostage on Dec. 19 after ordering him to evacuate the store. Authorities say Price was carrying only an airsoft gun that looked like a deadly handgun.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A civil liberties group is taking up the case of a central Iowa transgender high school student who was ordered to wash “love trumps hate” written on his arm or be sent home. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says the incident happened in November at Newton High School. The ACLU says a teacher also repeatedly referred to the student as “girl,” even though he openly identifies as male.

(**UPDATE 8-a.m. 2/25…meeting to take place at the Bridgewater Community Center)… An event set to take place Tuesday, Feb. 28th, in Bridgewater, is aimed at curbing the proliferation of methamphetamine use in the community. Organizers say the “Take Back Bridgewater, Iowa” campaign began to take root after some citizens were outraged over someone spray painting the word “Meth” and an arrow pointing toward Bridgewater, on a county road rock storage pile at the intersection of Highway 92 and the Bridgewater Road.

The Mission Statement for the community-based effort is “Working in partnership with citizens to address criminal activity and improve the quality of life in and around Bridgewater.” A Facebook page has been set up with the same goal in mind.

County Road rock pile near Bridgewater (Photo submitted)

The organizational meeting is tentatively set for 7-p.m. Tuesday, at the Bridgewater Community Center** (Old Elementary School) 605 North Main Street in Bridgewater). The first meeting is to designed organize and develop a strategy, with a later public meeting to be held in order to moderate discussions and further plan actions for the group.

Agenda for the organizational meeting will be as follows: Introduction; State initiative purpose; Determine citizen interest; Establish initiative leadership; Establish action direction; Discussion on next public meeting; Adjournment

Additional information can be found on the “Take Back Bridgewater, Iowa” Facebook page.

A judge in western Iowa, Friday, sentenced a Mills County man to a little more than seven-years in prison for possession of child pornography. 69-year old Daniel Logan Walden, a former Glenwood resident was sentenced to 87 months in prison by Senior United States District Court Judge Robert W. Pratt. Walden’s term of imprisonment is to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says on October 7th, 2016, Walden entered a guilty plea to a federal indictment charging him with possession of child pornography on or about May 9th, 2014. The charge was the result of an investigation by the Glenwood Iowa Police Department into an allegation that Walden sexually assaulted a minor female.

Law enforcement obtained a search warrant and during the May 9, 2014, search of Walden’s residence, numerous images of child pornography were recovered, both in printed form and on computer storage devices.

The investigation was conducted by the Glenwood Police Department, the Ralston Nebraska Police Department, the Mills County Attorney’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Cyber Crimes Unit. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A top budget official for Gov. Terry Branstad has released details about $11.5 million in cuts that will help close a mid-year budget shortfall. The Iowa Legislature passed a budget bill earlier this year that included roughly $117 million in cuts to cover the shortfall. David Roederer, with the Iowa Department of Management, indicated at the time that $11.5 million of that amount would come from unspecified cuts to operational expenses, such as supplies and equipment purchases.

Roederer said in a Friday afternoon news release that the $11.5 million in cuts would include an additional $2.7 million in reductions to Iowa’s three public universities and about $1.7 million to community colleges. Lawmakers had already ordered the schools to cut $21 million from the current budget, which began last July.

A collision between a school bus and a car Thursday afternoon in Union County resulted in injuries to an Adair County man. The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a Creston Community School District 2004 Blue Bird Bus driven by 78-year old James Wardlow, of Creston, was traveling east on 150th Street at around 4:40-p.m. and had stopped at the stop sign at the intersection with U-S Highway 25. After looking both directions, he failed to see a northbound 2008 Pontiac Grand Am, driven by 49-year old Rodney Carroll, of Greenfield.

When the bus proceeded into the intersection to cross Highway 25, it was struck by the car. Carroll suffered suspected, minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston. Damage to his car was estimated at $4,500. Damage to the bus was estimated at $3,500. Authorities say Wardlow was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund recently donated $500 to the Kiwanis Club for their annual bike helmet project. Fund spokesperson Melanie Petty said “Each year the Kiwanis Club give each 3rd grader a bicycle helmet. We are happy to support a project that not only puts a smile on children’s faces but keeps them safe while they are enjoying the outdoors.”

Grant Petty is presenting the check to Deb Schuler of Kiwanis.

Iowans are being warned about a puppy scam that cost an Omaha-Council Bluffs woman several hundred dollars. Free Yorkie pups were being offered in an online ad, free except for the transportation costs. Pam Wiese, with the Nebraska Humane Society, says this kind of thing happens all too often.

“It was a scam where somebody put some money down on a puppy and then the puppy wasn’t actually a puppy,” Wiese says. “Buyer beware, that’s what we advise people, whether you are buying a dog from a reputable breeder, whether you are looking at an animal from a rescue or a shelter.” In this case, the woman received pictures from a man claiming to own the puppies. He requested she send money, in excess of 500-dollars, for transportation costs. She complied, but never received the dog and the seller has vanished.

Wiese says there are several red flags in the scenario. “A sight-unseen amount of money down for a puppy that you may or may not bond with might not be the best idea,” Wiese says. “Go to where the puppies are. Play with them. Depending on which one tugs at your heart, that will be the one that you wish to take home. You may not get that simply looking at them online.” Investing in a pet shouldn’t be taken lightly, she says, and likely shouldn’t be done exclusively online.

“You’ll want to see the animal itself and see if you bond with it,” she says. “If you’re going the breeder route, you want to make sure they’re responsible and that they’re doing it appropriately. The best way to do that is to actually visit the facility instead of simply sending in money.” Check out the conditions and make sure you’re not perpetuating a “puppy mill” scenario. She says legitimate breeders typically have no problem with potential buyers wanting to visit.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County say a Cass County man wanted on a warrant for Harassment by personal contact/communication, was arrested Thursday afternoon in Treynor, following a traffic stop. 64-year old Duane Edwin Myers, of Griswold, was taken into custody at around 3:30-p.m., in association with ongoing alleged incidents of Harassment involving a teenage female neighbor.  While at the Pott. County Jail, Myers was also charged with Harassment in the 3rd Degree.

And, a man who was already in the Pott. County Jail, was served with a warrant Thursday afternoon for felony Escape from Custody. 23-year old Matthew Duane Baker, of Council Bluffs, remains in the Pottawattamie County Jail.

Officials with the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency say “Due to wet and heavy snow conditions in the City of Harlan, parallel parking is required in any area where the snow is windrowed. This is primarily in the downtown area of Harlan.”

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