INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) — A former nurse at a state mental health center is blaming changes to collective bargaining rules for a decision to fire her after a patient severely beat her last fall.

The Des Moines Register reports Tina Suckow was fired from her job at the Independence Mental Health Institute in March, days after her federally entitled medical leave expired. Her request for time off without pay was denied.

A patient apparently experiencing a manic episode beat Suckow with his fists last October, causing her to lose consciousness and require surgeries and neurological treatments.

Suckow and union leaders blame reduced staffing and more limited bargaining rights approved in 2017 for a climate that leaves workers vulnerable. The bargaining changes limit negotiations to salary issues. State spokespeople declined to comment on Suckow’s situation.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday), released a report on arrests/court cases and/or incidents taking place from May 12th through the 29th. Most recently:

On Wednesday (5/29) Authorities were called to the 1200 block of Cedar road for a vehicle in the ditch and occupant attempting to remove the vehicle.  Upon further investigation, 21-year-old Dustin Paul Updike, of Portsmouth, was arrested on charges of public intoxication, and cited for failure to maintain control and transported to the jail without incident.   Updike was released after posting the bond a short time later.

On May 24th, 54-year-old Richard Vernon Schiernbeck, of Harlan, was sentenced to 5 years in prison in the District Court of Shelby County.   Schiernbeck, originally arrested on charges in March 2018 for Delivery/Manufacture of controlled substance, felon in possession of a firearm, prohibited acts, and possession of drug paraphernalia, among multiple traffic tickets.  Schiernbeck was turned over to custody of the Sheriff to be transported to the Iowa Department of Corrections.

Also on May 24th, Shelby County authorities were dispatched to residence in Irwin around 8:30-a.m., for an assault that had taken place.  Upon arrival and further investigation, 29-year-old Rick Allen Gorka was arrested for domestic abuse assault and transported to the jail.

On May 23rd, 61-year-old David Lowell Harris, of Atlantic, was arrested and charged with operating while intoxicated – 1st offense, driving while license revoked, and no proof of insurance as a result of a traffic stop along highway 173 in Elk Horn.   Harris was transported to jail without incident and released a few hours later after posting the required bond.

On May 20th, in Shelby County District Court 28-year-old Khadijah Meeks, of Harlan, was sentenced to 28 days in the county jail for being found guilty of violation of probation from previous charges.  Meeks was turned over to custody of the Sheriff and transported to the jail where she will serve her sentence.

May 16th, 52-year-old Kristina Marie Merical, of Greenfield, was arrested in Shelby County, as a result of a traffic stop along the 300 block of Highway 173.   Merical was charged with possession of controlled substance (meth) 3rd or subsequent, possession of controlled substance (marijuana) 2nd offense, prohibited acts, along with traffic tickets.  Merical was transported to the jail where she was held until posting bond later that evening.

On May 15th, 52-year-old Sean Lee Zellers (homeless) was arrested at a county park and transported to jail being charged with possession of controlled substance (meth), prohibited acts, possession of drug paraphernalia, and multiple traffic tickets.   Zellers was transported to the jail and is currently being held under $5,000 cash/surety bond pending future court date.

May 14th, Shelby County authorities arrested 31-year-old Cory Robert Kyle, of Avoca, on drug charges.  Kyle was charged with Controlled substance violation (B Felony) and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Kyle was transported to the jail where he is being held under $50,000 cash/surety bond and awaiting a future court date.

On May 13th, 24-year-old Jonathan Lee Jay Behrens turned himself into authorities at the jail for an active warrant for violation of probation.   Behrens was processed into the facility without incident and held under bond pending future court date.  Behrens was later released to another agency for an outstanding warrant on May 20th, after pleading guilty on Shelby County charge and given credit for time served.

And finally, on May 12th, 21-year-old Preston Blakely Scott was arrested as a result of a traffic stop in Shelby County, by the Iowa State Patrol.   Scott was charged with driving while license suspended and transported to the jail without incident, and released the following morning pending appearance from the magistrate.

(Radio Iowa) — A small group of rural residents in western Iowa’s Mills County have been warned they may have to evacuate due to recent heavy rains and increased flows on the Missouri River. Mills County Public Information Officer Sheri Bowen says “significant flooding” is occurring again west of Interstate 29. “We’ve just seen a large amount of water that has backfilled into that western edge of Mills County,” she says. The advisory about evacuation preparation covers a limited number of people because many homes in the area remain empty following the major flooding in March.

“The greatest percentage of families and businesses are not back and they’ve been working on their properties, but are not living there,” Bowen says, “so we just wanted to be sure the few families that are out there, the few businesses that have been back in are aware of the water situation and they can take steps to make sure they’re safe in the event that water does close more roads.”

The Iowa D-O-T closed Interstate 29 from Highway 34 south to the MISSOURI border yesterday (Wednesday). Highway 34 ALSO was closed west of the interstate to the NEBRASKA border. The closures come after the roads were briefly reopened following repairs. Bowen says the continuing problems have frustrated residents and commuters like.”This just makes us all aware that this is a long way from over,” Bowen says. The governors of Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas met with Army Corps of Engineers officials yesterday (Wednesday) to discuss management of the Missouri River.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office said today (Thursday), that a man from Shannon City reported to authorities the theft of his vehicle. The 2004 Mercury Marquis, with Iowa license plate EJW 621 has been missing since May 14th. The vehicle was valued at $5,000

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 45-year old Rob Lee Bent, of Grant, was arrested today (Thursday), on a charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bent was taken to the Cass County Jail and later released on his own recognizance. Last Sunday, 60-year old Robert John Rasmussen, who is currently incarcerated in the Cass County Jail, was assessed two additional felony charges of Controlled Substance Violations. Rasmussen was initially incarcerated on May 10th, 2019, on drug possession, drug paraphernalia and drug tax stamp violation charges. He remains held at the Cass County Jail on $75,000 bond.

And, there were two arrests in Cass County last Friday: (as previously reported) 30-year old April Lynn Medina, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cass County Deputies on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Failure to Appear for violation of Compulsory Education Mediation Agreement/1st offense. Medina was taken to the Cass County Jail where she later posted $300 bond and was released; 35-year old Matthew James Bruns, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cass County Deputies, on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Violation of No Contact Order-Contempt. Bruns was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on without bond.

On Tuesday, May 28th, the Atlantic Lions Club opened the Country Schoolhouse in Sunnyside Park for the annual 6th grade class field trip as part of their Iowa History class curriculum and end of school year activities.   Bob Anderson provided interesting insights into what it was like for students to attend a country school.

(Photo submitted)

At one time there were as many as 149,282 one-room schoolhouses in the United States, predominantly in rural areas.  They provided education for students in kindergarten through the 8th grade, although a few students also attended the schools long enough to receive a high school diploma.  There were 12,000 to 14,000 in Iowa, depending on what report you use…more than any other state in the union, but starting in 1935 these schools began to close and students were transported via bus to consolidated schools for elementary education.  The last one-room school houses closed their doors permanently in 1967 through legislative decree.

Approximately only 2,800 one-room schoolhouses still stand in Iowa…many of them houses, garages or gradually being reclaimed by nature.  A few have been retained as museums and one of these can be found in Sunnyside Park in Atlantic.  The Bear Grove Township #5 schoolhouse was built in 1870.  It was donated to the community of Atlantic and moved to Sunnyside Park in 1960 by the Atlantic Lions.

The Lions will have the school house open again this year during the Block Party sponsored by Atlantic Parks and Rec and the Atlantic Kiwanis Club this Saturday, June 1st, from 4 to 6 PM.

(Radio Iowa) — A 48-year-old Sioux City man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on five different drug charges. A jury convicted Shelton Oliver — who also went by the name “Sinbad” — of distributing heroin. Prosecutors say Oliver gave heroin to an informant on four different occasions — and he did it near several “drug-free” zones, including a Sioux City elementary school and four different Sioux City parks.

Authorities linked Oliver to two different heroin overdoses as well. One man died in October of 2017. Evidence showed Oliver was selling heroin out of his car to an informant last year — while a person in Oliver’s passenger seat was overdosing. That person was revived by medical personnel.