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Iowa mother charged in August drowning of baby in bathtub

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

BAGLEY, Iowa (AP) — A 24-year-old Guthrie County mother has been charged in the bathtub drowning of her 11-month-old son. The Des Moines Register reported Thursday that Seaira Briceno has been charged with child endangerment resulting in death. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says Briceno’s baby drowned Aug. 10 when she left him and his 2-year-old brother in the tub at their Bagley home.

Briceno told investigators she left the boys for about five minutes, but deputies believe the children were left alone longer. Briceno was already facing a child endangerment charge from April when the drowning occurred. In that case, officials say she was driving under the influence of methamphetamine and marijuana while her older son was in the vehicle.

Briceno remained jailed Thursday on $25,000 bond. Her preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 13.

Corning Opera House Receives National Recognition as Outstanding Community Impact Business from The SCORE Foundation, Sponsored by MassMutual

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Corning Opera House Cultural Center, in Corning, has been chosen as this year’s recipient for the prestigious Outstanding Community Impact  Small Business award, sponsored by MassMutual and given by The SCORE Foundation. SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, holds 750,000+ free small business mentoring sessions, workshops and educational services annually, and honors its most successful clients at The SCORE Foundation’s annual awards ceremony.

At this year’s SCORE Awards, to be held on September 13 in the Washington, D.C. metro area, Corning Opera House will be honored for demonstrating unique vision, innovation and achievement as an Outstanding Community Impact Small Business. Tune in live on September 13 at 6 p.m. and watch us receive our Outstanding Community Impact Business award http://ow.ly/FSSO30lxNVX (SCORE Mentors Facebook page)

“This year’s SCORE Awards are particularly special, as we have reached a milestone of 10 years of celebrating the American entrepreneurial spirit through this awards ceremony,” said Resa Kierstein, Vice President of Development for SCORE. “Our winners come from all across the country, with diverse backgrounds and businesses in varied industries, but they share the courage and determination to make their dreams a reality. In addition to recognizing them, and our dedicated SCORE mentors, we also thank our partners, all of whom strengthen our efforts to educate and support American entrepreneurs.”

Executive Director De Heaton attended many SCORE webinars and worked with SCORE Mentor Sherry Bonelli of Early Bird Digital Marketing. As a result, The opera house was able to improve their social media and website presence and increase website traffic. The opera house also saw an increase in the number of organizations and people renting the opera house for meetings, conferences, training sessions and special events.

Read more about Corning Opera House’s journey to business success and the SCORE Awards at: www.score.org/score-awards. The 1902 National Historic Register Corning Opera House is located at 800 Davis Avenue, Corning, IA. For more information about events, rentals and tours, visit our website at www.CorningOperaHouse.com, follow us on Facebook or Instagram (COHCC) or by calling 641.418.8037.

Turner named recipient of NASA Space fellowship

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Emma Turner, the daughter of Darrick and Laura Turner, of Loveland, CO., and the granddaughter of Dennis and Jane Turner & Norman and Sherry Templeman, all of Atlantic, has been named a recipient of the 2018 NASA Nebraska Space Fellowship.

Emma Turner

The grant allows Nebraska colleges and universities to engage in research, education, and public service programs related to aeronautics, space sciences, and technology. Emma is a student at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Nebraska studying biology and chemistry.

She embraces the academic opportunities to conduct research projects with strong deliverables and positive outcomes. In addition to a strong interest in scientific research, Emma swims for the College of Saint Mary Swim Team as a NAIA national qualifier.

Judge ruling in Iowa abortion case could spur federal suit

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge says an organization that fights against rape, incest or fetal abnormality exceptions in abortion-related legislation cannot intervene in a lawsuit challenging Iowa’s fetal heartbeat law. The Iowa affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit in May challenging the constitutionality of a law that would prohibit most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Michigan-based Save The 1 sought to intervene in the lawsuit, alleging the law is unlawful under the state and federal constitutions because it discriminates against fetuses created by rape or incest and those with medical anomalies by allowing them to be aborted. Judge Michael Huppert in an order filed Wednesday says the group’s claims go beyond the issues of the initial lawsuit and would delay the case.

An attorney for Save The 1 says she will file a federal lawsuit seeking to remove the exceptions portion of the law. If successful, that could leave Iowa with among the nation’s most restrictive abortion laws, banning abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected with no exceptions.

Woman from Council Bluffs sentenced to nearly 12 years on drug & weapon charges

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A District Court Judge in Pottawattamie County, Wednesday, sentenced 29-year old Paige Elizabeth Thurman, of Council Bluffs, to 140 months (11.6-years) in prison, for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Thurman was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow her prison term. She plead guilty to the charges on April 5th, 2018.

Thurman admitted she possessed $6,100, a Colt .380 Mustang semi-automatic handgun, digital scale, ammunition, plastic baggies, knife, stun gun, and had 140.5- grams of methamphetamine on her person, as well as in the vehicle she was driving on September 8, 2017. Those items were discovered after she lead law enforcement on a high speed chase in Council Bluffs. Thurman admitted she possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it and she possessed the handgun to assist in the distribution of methamphetamine.

Her case was investigated by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department and Council Bluffs Police Department. It case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Orient teen injured in single-vehicle accident Wed. evening

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Creston Police Department report a teenage female was injured during a single-vehicle accident at around 7:15-p.m. Wednesday. 13-year old Kayla Marie Mills, of Orient, was transported by EMS to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, for treatment of possible/unknown injuries, after the girl complained of pain. Mills was a passenger in a 2007 Saturn Ion driven by 16-year old Courtney Marie Gross, of Greenfield. The car was traveling south on Cedar Street, and while attempting to turn right onto Adams Street, went out of control.

The car hit the curb and continued off the road before coming to rest. The vehicle sustained damage to the front wheel assembly from hitting the curb with speed and force. Damage to the vehicle amounted to $800. Both girls were wearing their seat belts. And, while no citations were issued, authorities said excessive speed was a factor in the accident.

Harlan Police report (9/6/18)

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Harlan Police Department has issued a report on arrests. On Tuesday, 29-year old Dustin Allen Delgado, of Harlan, was arrested following a call about a reckless driver in the 3000 block of 12th St. Upon further investigation, Police saw track marks where the 1998 Ford Expedition Delgado was driving, had left the road, entered a yard, and then went back on the road. There was a small light pole lying in the roadway, which was struck by the vehicle. Delgado was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while revoked and failure to show proof of liability.

On Sept. 3rd, 29-year old Johnathon Lee Paull, of Harlan, was arrested for driving while suspended. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop near Highway 59 and Roland Lane. And, on Aug. 31st, 36-year old Kristina Marie Namanny, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for a domestic situation in the 600 block of Tarkington. Namanny was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with domestic abuse assault, and criminal mischief 4th degree.

Fatal shooting of dog leads to firing of Cherokee County Sheriff’s deputy

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — A sheriff’s deputy in northwest Iowa has been fired over the fatal shooting of a dog. Cherokee County Sheriff’s Deputy Alec Wolf was fired this week after video of the incident surfaced on social media. The shooting happened in early August after a report in Cleghorn that a dog had attacked two other dogs, killing one of them. Deputy Wolf had claimed he shot the animal outside of city limits. He was placed on leave days later, after a Cleghorn resident reported the dog was actually shot in his yard. He took photos and said the deputy shot the dog 10 times before trying to clean up the scene.

2 arrests in Page County last weekend

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s Deputies in Page County, last Saturday night, arrested 37-year old Darin James Vanatta, of Emerson, following a traffic stop near Essex. Authorities said today (Thursday), Vanatta was taken into custody for OWI 2nd Offense.  Vanatta was transported to the Page County Jail where a $2000 cash bond was posted, and he was released pending further court proceedings. And, a Shenandoah woman was arrested Sept. 1st on a Page County warrant charging 38-year old Ronda Allison Howard with two-counts of Probation violation. Howard was transported to the Page County Sheriff’s Office, where remains after being unable to  post a $10,000 cash only bond, and pending further court proceedings.

Delayed Page County accident report

News

September 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Page County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday), released details about a single-vehicle, personal-injury accident that took place at around 7-a.m. Saturday, September 1st. The accident happened near the intersection of Highway 2 and W Avenue, or about three-miles east of Clarinda. An investigation determined 22-year old Braddley Horatio Lehman, of Sacramento, CA, was driving a 2013 Chevy Cruz owned by Kevin Ritchie of Bedford. The car was traveling east on Highway 2, when it left the road to the south, and entered the ditch. The vehicle continued in ditch, while Lehman attempted to get it back on the road.

The vehicle then struck a cable guard barrier on the ditch side of the roadway and continued east along the ditch side of the guard barrier causing damage to the guard barrier. The car came to the intersection of W Avenue and Highway 2, where it turned south at the embankment of W Avenue, and came to rest on the edge of a pond at that location. Lehman was the only person in the vehicle. He was transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center for treatment of unknown injuries by the Clarinda Ambulance Service. Charges are pending at this time.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Clarinda Police Department, Clarinda Fire Department and Clarinda Ambulance service.