DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a deputy shot a driver during a struggle after a traffic stop in Davenport. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting occurred around 1:10 a.m. Tuesday, just south of Interstate 80. A news release says the deputy “was interacting with a subject during the course of traffic enforcement when a struggle ensued between the driver and the deputy. The incident escalated and resulted in shots being fired by the deputy.”

The injured driver was taken in critical condition to a hospital. The news release didn’t say whether the deputy was injured. The names of both haven’t been made public. The deputy has been placed on administrative leave in line with department policy.

(Radio Iowa) — Dordt College in Sioux Center says the school’s Board of Trustees has fired their band director, who has been on leave for nearly two weeks following accusations of inappropriate contact with students. Dordt Vice President of Enrollment & Marketing, Brandon Huisman, made the announcement. “The board of trustees deliberated late last week and voted unanimously to affirm the president’s recommendation to discharge Doctor Bradley Miedema from his employment at Dordt College — effective October 22 of 2018 — for the causes of moral dereliction and professional irresponsibility,” Huisman says. Information surfaced beginning October 8th regarding Miedema’s inappropriate solicitation and elicit contact with students.

Huisman says the investigation continues. “While not yet complete, the Title Nine investigation has uncovered nothing to indicate criminal activity,” according to Huisman. “Yet, to ensure that we are acting with care and caution for those involved — we have consulted with law enforcement as we continue to conduct an appropriate review.” Huisman says the school takes the events seriously and says they and are committed to the health of their students and faculty by providing care and counseling for everyone involved. He says Dordt remains committed to finding healing, while remaining centered on their mission to equip students, alumni, and the broader community to work effectively towards Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life.

The college asks if anyone has information that may be relevant to the investigation, to contact either Howard Wilson, Chief Administrative Officer or Robert Taylor, Dean of Students.

A man from central Iowa was arrested Monday afternoon on a drug charge, in Creston. Authorities say 18-year old Isaiah Jones, of Dallas Center, was arrested at around 3:30-p.m. at Lincoln and Spencer Streets, for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Jones was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

And, an Afton man reported to Creston Police, Monday evening, that sometime over the past few days, a vehicle parked in the 600 block of E. Fremont Street, and a residence near there, had been broken into and items removed. Taken from the vehicle, was an air hose, generator and a saw. Missing from the residence, was a small table, tennis shoes, a bag of clothing, a 32-inch TV, a drill, and cleaning supplies. The loss was estimated at $1,435 altogether.

OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) — A county attorney in southern Iowa who’s accused of being drunk in a courtroom has apologized and has asked voters to let her continue her work. Clarke County court documents say 42-year-old Michelle Rivera is charged with public intoxication. A sheriff’s deputy says in a criminal complaint that he noticed Rivera “slurring her words and stumbling on her feet” in the Osceola courtroom last Thursday afternoon. He arrested her after she refused to take a breath test.

Rivera, a Democrat, is running for re-election against Republican Adam Ramsey on Nov. 6. She issued a statement in which she said she’s “taking every step necessary to get help, to fix this problem and to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again.”

She apologized for what happened Thursday and said she hopes voters “will afford me the opportunity to continue this endeavor next term.”

Acorn Acres in Red Oak will be the site for a free, interactive and educational program one-week from today, designed to improve older driver safety. Red Oak Police Certified Reserve Officer Brad Baker told KJAN News the program is provided by the Iowa DOT, in associations with the Red Oak Police Department, Southwestern Community College, Acorn Acres, the Red Oak Rotary Club, AARP and AAA (Triple A).

Baker said the program on Oct. 30th is called “CarFit.” Trained volunteers will provide information to ensure the safest “fit” for older drivers and their vehicles. He says the volunteers offer a 12-point inspection, where a senior driver can pull-in and get a car safety check-up as well as ideas on how to drive safely and comfortably through the use of adaptive equipment, if necessary. The equipment may include assistance with a seat belt puller/extenders, better mobility with keys, a swivel seat device, pedal extenders, and more. It’s all designed to make senior drivers safer. The equipment, and the check-up, will help to lower insurance rates with some companies. Some seniors are noticeably too close to their steering wheel, for various reasons.  Being that close to your airbag can result in severe injuries. Baker says with airbag deployment, there should be a 10-inch gap between the driver and steering wheel.

The event begins at 9-a.m. Oct. 30^th, with a Distracted Driving Program set-up by Red Oak Police Chief Justin Rhamy, Brad Baker, and Katie Lewis with Southwestern Community College. It features a 10-to 12-minute video with a local woman who lost her two young sons in a distracted driving accident. Nina Todd was returning to her home near Cumberland after a Thanksgiving Holiday visit in Shenandoah, when her car was struck head-on by an 18-year old woman who was speeding and texting as her vehicle came over a hill near Red Oak. The accident happened Nov. 28^th, 2010.

The program is geared to all ages. Coffee and rolls will be available in the Acorn Acres meeting room, before the Car Safety check-up is performed in the north drive of the facility. Baker says they are taking appointments for the 10-to 20-minute inspections/safety checks, but no one will be turned away if you just stop by from 10-a.m. Until Noon on Oct. 30^th. If you’d like to make a reservation for the CarFit event, call Brad Baker through Montgomery County Communications at 712-623-6500.

Baker says you won’t be cited if you have defective vehicle equipment or violations. The program is simply meant to provide safe solutions to issues affecting drivers, especially those who are older.

(Radio Iowa) – A 37-year veteran of the Iowa Army National has become the first African-American promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major in the organization. Sergeant Major is the highest enlisted rank you can reach without becoming an officer. Sergeant Jeffrey Lewis of Johnston has been in the Iowa Guard for 37 years. “I was excited, very excited, I told everyone I talked to it was the most happiest time of my life besides when I joined the military,” Lewis says. “I’m the type of person I don’t want praise for doing my job. I know what my job is, I will do my job every single time I’m out there.”

Sgt. Major Jeffrey Lewis

Lewis is a 54-year-old medic who has worked for the guard full time for 15 years. As Sergeant Major he will now assumes the duties of chief operations sergeant, 109th Multifunctional Medical Battalion (MMB), located in Iowa City. Lewis says becoming the first African-American to achieve this rank is important. “I think what it does to me, it holds that people of color…either women, minorities, people who have different ethnic backgrounds, different beliefs, can become a sergeant major,” according to Lewis.

While he is proud of making history, he doesn’t think it puts any more pressure on him as a role model for others. “I’ve been a medic for 37 years and my job is to take care of people. So, me becoming a Sergeant Major has no affect on me to put added pressure onto me to do better or do anything different. I am going to do the exact same things I’ve done when I was a private as a sergeant major,” Lewis says. “And that is to take care of everyone below me and make sure I follow the rules and regulations the military puts out for me.”

Lewis has deployed twice, supporting Operation Desert Storm with the 209th Area Support Medical Company and Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 134th Ground Ambulance Company. He says you sometimes see soldiers in the worst of times as a medic — but he finds the job rewarding. “You see the good and the bad. But the reward is you do see the bad and you see someone and if you save their life and they recover, that is the reward out of it,”Lewis says.

Lewis says he has seen the Iowa National Guard improve since the time he first joined in 1981. He has two more sergeant major steps in rank above him and he says he would like to continue up the command chain to one day become the Command Sergeant Major.