A Sheriff’s Deputy from Cass County was recognized Wednesday night at a State conference held in Okoboji.  Deputy Ben Bartholomew received the “Outstanding Achievement Award” as a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) for the Southwest Region of Iowa.  It’s the 5th year in a row he’s won the award, which was presented April 27th during a conference of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB).

Police in Creston arrested a man on a Domestic Assault charge, late Thursday morning. 37-year old Demion Garrison, of Creston, was brought to the Union County Jail and later released on $1,000 bond.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A trial has been delayed for a western Iowa man accused of fraudulently billing Medicaid. Online court records say 52-year-old Darren Washington, of Avoca, has pleaded not guilty to charges of theft and fraudulent practice. His Pottawattamie County trial was to have begun Tuesday but now is set to begin May 31.

The Daily Nonpareil reports that Washington allegedly billed Medicaid for services he didn’t perform while working for Health Homes Family Services. Court records say the fraudulent billings totaled more than $13,400.

The Mayor for the City of Exira has resigned. According to a statement issued by Mayor Brenda Bengard, she has had health issues related to stress over City bills, payroll and closing of accounts. Her health began to decline, according to Bengard, after the retirement of Exira’s City Clerk forced her to take on additional duties for the City.

Bengard said she was proud to have served the City and to have been the first woman elected as Mayor of Exira. According to the Audubon County Auditor’s Office, the City of Exira has 60 days to appoint a new mayor, and must publish its intention to appoint a mayor for the vacancy.

The publication must also notify city residents of the right to request a special election by filing a petition.

Police in Council Bluffs responded to a report Thursday evening of a woman who had been shot. Officers who were sent to 3141 Ave. A at around 6:30-p.m., found a woman inside of a Ford Ranger truck. The woman, whose name was not released, had a single gunshot wound to the upper torso.

She was transported to a local hospital. Officers and detectives investigating the incident said at this point it appears that the woman’s wound may have been self-inflected. Authorities say they are not currently looking for any suspects with regard to the incident.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

(IOWA/GEORGIA) — The Iowa Department of Public Safety, Thursday evening, issued an Amber Alert for a missing teenager from Washington County, Iowa. 17-year old Dominique Nicole Lloyd, of Washington, was reported missing to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, April 23rd,  and was recently seen in Georgia. She is believed to be with 24-year old Micheal Brad Knuth, who’s also from Washington, and is a registered sex offender in the state of Iowa. Knuth is wanted for violating a no-contact order, involving Lloyd, and failure to comply with the Sex Offender Registry. DPS officials are working with Georgia law enforcement to coordinate efforts in locating Lloyd and Knuth.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The water utility serving a half a million customers in central Iowa including the city of Des Moines says it has switched on its nitrate removal system. Des Moines Water Works CEO Bill Stowe says nitrate concentration in untreated water from river sources is approaching 10 milligrams per liter, the limit the Environmental Protection Agency says is no longer safe for babies to drink.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers attempting to finish up the legislative session are returning to the Capitol after failing to reach compromise on several budget issues, including state funding for Planned Parenthood. Members of the Democratic-controlled Senate and Republican-majority House were expected to meet Friday to try to hash out deals over some bills that will make up the roughly $7.35 billion budget that goes into effect in July.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Texas man accused of helping a lottery computer manager in Iowa collect jackpots from rigged lottery games has given up an extradition fight to face charges in Iowa. Assistant Iowa Attorney General Rob Sand says Robert Rhodes, of Sugar Land, Texas, reported to the Polk County jail Thursday to face lottery fraud charges filed against him last year. Rhodes’ attorney declined to comment on the allegations.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An outgoing regent who is a director for a national furniture company failed to disclose that before its local distributor signed a major no-bid contract with the University of Iowa last year. Mary Andringa abruptly resigned Wednesday from the Board of Regents, one year into her six-year term.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County said Thursday, a man from Mills County was arrested Thursday morning at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Union County warrant. 21-year old Dominique James Schlup, of Hastings, was wanted for Violation of Parole. He was transferred to the authority of Union County and held without bail at the jail, in Creston.

(Updated) — The Iowa Department of Public Safety, Thursday evening, issued an Amber Alert for a missing teenager from Washington County, Iowa. 17-year old Dominique Nicole Lloyd, of Washington, was reported missing to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, April 23rd,  and was recently seen in Georgia.

Lloyd is a white female, 5’6”, 130 pounds, blonde hair and blue eyes. She is believed to be with 24-year ol Micheal Brad Knuth, also of Washington, Iowa. Knuth is a white male, 6’1”, 168 pounds, brown hair and blue eyes. The subjects are believed to be in a black 2008 Mazda MZ3 with the Iowa license plates DXL 519. Authorities believe they may be in the Georgia or Florida area.

Iowa Department of Public Safety officials are working with Georgia law enforcement to coordinate efforts in locating Lloyd and Knuth. Micheal Knuth is a registered sex offender in the state of Iowa.  He was charged with 3rd Degree Sexual Abuse for an incident on March 13th, 2014, in Washington County, involving a victim between the ages of 14-17. Knuth is wanted for violating a no-contact order, involving Dominique Lloyd, and failure to comply with the Sex Offender Registry.

Anyone with information on their location, is asked to call their local law enforcement.

Dominique LLoyd

Michael Knuth

A jury in Atlantic has found a Harrison County man guilty of homicide by motor vehicle. KETV in Omaha reports the verdict was handed down Thursday afternoon against 50-year old Paul Marshall, of Modale, who drove the wrong way on Interstate 80 in Cass County last summer, and whose vehicle collided head-on near Atlantic, with a vehicle driven by 31-year old University of Nebraska Soccer Coach Peter Underwood, who died at the scene of the May 16th crash.

Marshall was taken into custody after the verdict, and was being held without bond pending sentencing, which was set for June 17th. Marshall will face up to 25-years in prison. His trial began Tuesday.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The father of a Council Bluffs woman who was killed in a hit-and-run crash has addressed members of the Congress, speaking about losing his daughter and questioning the handling of her suspected killer. KMTV reports Scott Root testified before a U.S. House committee Thursday about the events following the January death of his 21-year-old daughter, Sarah Root.

Investigators say 19-year-old Eswin Mejia was in the country illegally when he was driving drunk in Omaha and crashed into Root’s car, killing her. Authorities haven’t seen Mejia since he posted bail and was released from jail in February. He’s on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s list of most wanted suspects.

Scott Root said his family wouldn’t stop until local and federal officials are held accountable and Mejia is caught.