(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man was taken into custody Monday (today) in Red Oak, on Burglary and other charges. According to Red Oak Police, 40-year-old Michael Scott Stafford, of Red Oak, was arrested on felony charges that include Burglary in the 3rd degree, Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd offense, and on Simple Misdemeanor charges of 5th Degree Theft, as well as Violation of a No-Contact order.

His arrest took place at around 2:15-p.m., in the 200 block of North 4th Street in Red Oak. Stafford was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports two arrests. Today (Monday), 37-year- old Elayna Werner, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. Werner was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail, until seen by a Magistrate judge.

On Saturday, 29-year-old Hailey Waters, of Red Oak, was arrested in Glenwood for OWI 2^nd offense. She posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond, and was released.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says the 2024 election was a political lesson on how voters view the abortion issue.  “Abortion extremism was just resoundingly defeated in the presidential race and in Iowa,” Reynolds said. Reynolds was the keyonte speaker at the annual Iowa Rally for Life at the state capitol. Pastor Michael DeMastis of the Fort Des Moines Church of Christ delivered the opening prayer at the event.

“God, we pray for an end to abortion in America,” DeMastis said. The crowd cheered as Governor Reynolds talked about the repeal of Roe v Wade and the Iowa law she signed that bans most abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy. Reynolds signed the law twice, in 2018 and 2023, but it wasn’t until last summer that the Iowa Supreme Court turned back lawsuits and declared the law constitutional.

From Gov. Reynolds’ Facebook page (1-27-25)

“In this environment, some say that defending life is too hard, that our only option is to abandon our principles and give up the fight but Iowa’s own experience proves that theory wrong,” Reynolds said. “We’ve repeatedly won that debate at the ballot box.” Reynolds says she is committed to standing against the culture of death in all its forms.

In late November, after the election, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland president Ruth Richardson said Iowans now face significant hardships when trying to access abortion and are forced to travel out of state. She cited a study that found abortions had declined nearly 40 percent in Iowa after the six-week abortion ban took effect July 29th.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department says a teen was cited for a turning violation, after the SUV she was driving struck a vehicle this (Monday) morning. The accident happened at around 10-a.m., at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Summit Street, in Red Oak. Authorities says 17-year-old Ryelan Kruse, of Red Oak, was traveling westbound on Summit and attempting to turn left onto Eastern Avenue, when the 2018 GMC Acadia she was driving struck a 2011 VW sedan driven by 52-year-old Stanford Rolence, of Red Oak, as his vehicle was stopped at the posted intersection, facing north.

Damage from the collision amounted to a police estimated $12,000 altogether. No injuries were reported.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office is reporting eight arrests took place over the past week. Most recently:

• Monday morning (Jan. 27th), 45-year-old James Leonard Burson, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for Felon in Control of a Firearm. Bond was set at $5,000.
• At around 3:45-a.m. Sunday, Mills County Deputies arrested 33-year-old Luis Oswaldo Pena Cango, of Omaha, following a traffic stop in the area of Bunge Avenue/Interstate 29. Cango was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000.
• 29-year-old Hailey Marie Waters, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 1-a.m. Saturday, in Malvern. Waters was taken into custody for: Intent to Deliver False Cocaine; Possession of a Controlled Substance, 1st, 2nd or 3rd offense, and Poss. of Marijuana-1st offense. Her bond was set at $13,000 altogether.
• 55-year-old David William Malcom, of Glenwood, was arrested in Glenwood at around 12:35-a.m., Saturday, for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000.
• Late Friday morning, Mills County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 18-year-old Gabriel Austin Richardson, of Hamburg, on two counts of Enticing a person under the age of 16 – sex abuse; and one count of Entice a Minor under 16 – Illegal Act. His arrest occurred in Hamburg. Bond was set at $15,000.
• Thursday afternoon, 58-year-old Christopher Allen Vanderloo, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in the vicinity of Industrial Road in Glenwood, for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. His bond was set at $300.
• At around 6:45-a.m., Thursday, Mills County Deputies arrested 42-year-old Mark Charles Pontefract, of Glenwood, for False Report – 911 Call, and Interference with Official Acts. Pontefract was taken into custody in Glenwood. His bond was set at $300.
• And, at around 11-p.m. Wednesday, 20-year-old Obbie Mariah Avirgin, of Omaha, was arrested in Glenwood for Failure To Appear (in Court). Bond was set at $1,000.

(Radio Iowa) – Some educators and parents are pushing back on proposed changes to Iowa’s K-12 science standards that changes the phrases “biological evolution” and “climate change” to “biological change over time” and “climate trends.” During a recent forum on the issue Panorama science teacher Mark Dorhout says teachers in small schools like his use the standards to make their own curriculum. He says new teachers might be more likely to follow them word for word. “If you choose to teach the fossil record correctly, you’re going to be using the word evolution on a repeated basis. And if you were a younger teacher, all of a sudden there is fuel to the ‘Well, that’s not in the standards. You shouldn’t be doing that,” he says.

Drake professor Jerrid Kruse, is one of the original committee members and says he’s concerned about the shift in language.  “I guess my concern then is that they don’t want to live in a state where the legislators are afraid of science words, because that’s really what this comes down to. Not changing the concepts. We’re just changing the words,” Kruse says.

The standards will be reviewed by another committee made up of parents and educators before getting final approval by the State Board of Education. You can submit feedback on the changes through the Bord of Ed’s online survey through February 3rd.

AMES, Iowa – Jan. 27, 2025 – The freezing and thawing we’ve experienced so far this winter along with ample snow and moisture has caused potholes to show up on Iowa’s roadways. Officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) say potholes are mostly caused by moisture getting into or underneath pavement. During freeze and thaw periods, moisture causes the asphalt or concrete roadways to shift, buckle, or break. When vehicles drive over these weakened areas, the patches can come loose, leaving those dreaded potholes.

The Iowa DOT says their crews, as well as city and county crews, are patching potholes as quickly as they can using cold-mix asphalt. In many cases it’s not a long-lasting solution, but it does improve your driving experience, especially on larger potholes on busy roads, until the weather warms up enough to place a more permanent patch in the spring. Permanent patches use hot-mix asphalt (HMA) or Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) which work best when the temperatures are above freezing, so this work is usually completed in the spring and summer.  We are also proactive in the spring and summer, patching roads where we see significant cracking or deteriorated pavement, which can eventually lead to potholes.

For potholes on streets or county roadways, please contact the local city administrator/engineer or county engineer so they can make sure the potholes are filled. You can report the potholes you find on the interstates, Iowa numbered routes, and U.S. highways to one of the following Iowa DOT maintenance offices.

District 1 maintenance, 515-239-1634
District 2 maintenance, 641-423-7584
District 3 maintenance, 712-276-1451
District 4 maintenance, 712-323-6125
District 5 maintenance, 641-472-4171
District 6 maintenance, 319-364-0235

STORM LAKE, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Public Safety reports that at approximately 8-a.m. Sunday (January 26, 2025), Deputies with the Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office stopped a pickup truck for speeding outside of Storm Lake. During the traffic stop, the driver, 45-year-old Daniel Joseph James Palenik, was uncooperative, made threats towards law enforcement, and fled from the traffic stop at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement located Palenik at his Storm Lake residence a short time later. Palenik subsequently barricaded himself inside his residence. At approximately 10-a.m., Sunday, law enforcement evacuated residents in the area surrounding the 300 block of Oneida Street and set up a perimeter around the home.

At approximately 4-p.m., Sunday, Palenik fired several rounds at law enforcement.  Numerous law enforcement agencies, to include the Storm Lake Police Department, Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Council Bluffs Fire Department, Storm Lake Fire Department, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux City Police Department, Sac County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office, responded to assist with negotiations and tactical support.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, Palenik fired dozens of rounds at officers, striking both occupied vehicles and law enforcement equipment.  Shortly before 3-a.m. Monday, January 27th (2025), Palenik again fired at law enforcement.  Officers returned fire, striking Palenik, who died at the scene.  The officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave consistent with departmental policy. This is an ongoing investigation, and no further details will be released at this time.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has been requested to investigate.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Department reports four arrests occurred over the past week:

• On January 19th, Police in Stuart arrested 19-year-old Deakon Aidan Mullen, of Adair, on a Polk County warrant originating from the Johnston Police Department, for a Felony, Controlled Substance Violation. Mullen was released later that same day on a $10,000 bond.
• On Jan. 20th, Stuart Police arrested 47-year-old Justin Dale Harlan, of Stuart, on charges that include: Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine; Possession with the Intent to Deliver/Marijuana; and Driving While Revoked. Harlan was released the next day on a $7,000 bond.; Separately, the Iowa State Patrol, on Jan. 20th, arrested 37-year-old Juan Alberto Perez-Salazar, of Des Moines, for OWI/2nd offense and Driving Under Suspension. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop on eastbound Interstate 80 in Adair County, at mile marker 75. Perez-Salazar was released the next day on a $2,000 bond.
• And, on Jan. 23rd, Adair County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 29-year-old William Ronald Johnson, of Fontanelle, following a traffic stop in Fontanelle. He was cited for OWI/2nd offense, Poss. Of Drug Paraphernalia (A THC smoking device), and Child Endangerment.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections report 44-year-old Tuffy Delray Jackson, who was convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree and Conspiracy/Commit Forcible Felony in Polk County, failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines Building 70 as required yesterday (Sunday). Jackson is a Black male, 6-feet 1-inches tall. He weighs about 217-pounds, and was admitted to the work release facility on May 16, 2024.

Tuffy Delray Jackson

Persons with information on Jackson’s whereabouts should contact local police.