ZWINGLE, Iowa (AP) — Several Dubuque police officers found themselves in an unusual environment at the bottom of a quarry pond. The police department’s nine-member dive team was undergoing its monthly training exercises, The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reported . Training is held monthly so divers can keep their skills sharp.

The team had four newer members recently receive their advanced open-water certifications. Training began with technique practice, where members practiced following commands given over a radio. “We’re starting with basics, and then we’ll get into search patterns,” said Lt. Dave Haupert, a member of the team.

The department received a grant about three years ago to purchase dive equipment to begin building the specialty team, said Dubuque Police Chief Mark Dalsing. “We had individuals that had dive skills,” Dalsing said. “But it was really limited, and we recognized we needed to increase our capacity.”

The city’s location on the Mississippi River means investigators must sometimes go underwater to salvage evidence. “We know for a fact that evidence is thrown into the river,” Haupert said. “So if we are doing an investigation and somebody said, ‘I threw the gun in the river,’ we can go try to recover that evidence, which can be crucial to a case.”

The department plans to pursue additional training for tasks such as first aid and diving in icy water, Haupert said. Dalsing said he’s looking into forming a multi-agency dive team with the Dubuque Fire and Dubuque County Sheriff’s departments.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines Police say a shooting in the capital city late Saturday night was an act of self defense. Officers responded at around 11:30-p.m. to the 200 block of east Park Avenue for a reported shooting. When officers arrived, they found 32-year-old Joshua Wheeler, of Des Moines, suffering from a gunshot wound. There were also two children in the home. Wheeler later died at a hospital.

Police say a 25-year old woman and her 27-year old male friend were in the home. They discovered what was believed to be intentional damage to the man’s tire. Wheeler, who was prohibited from having contact with the woman under a court order, arrived at the home and forced his way in. Once inside, he allegedly begin to physically assault the male resident.

The assault stopped briefly and then began again. That’s when the man, who legally possessed a handgun, fired one shot at Wheeler, causing fatal injuries. The Polk County Attorney’s Office determined the shooting was lawful self-defense, and no charges will be filed.

The City of Atlantic’s Community Protection Committee is set to meet 5:30-p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 14th) in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On their agenda is a review of changes to the right-of-way tree ordinance. The changes reflect policy with regard to dead, diseased and dying trees, and returning the Forester’s responsibilities to the Street Superintendent instead of the Parks and Rec Director. The Forester will have the sole determination about tree health and prioritization of dead tree removal. They will be responsible for removing all dead, diseased, or dangerous trees, broken and decayed tree limbs within the public right-of-way when necessary, to protect the safety of the public. The proposed changes will be forwarded to the City Attorney for review before being recommended to the City Council.

And, the CPC will continue with discussions held during their meeting late last month, with regard to changes to the Fireworks Ordinance. The discussion focused on persons violating the ordinance with regard to when the hours of use for fireworks on private property, which are currently Noon-to 10-p.m. July 2nd and 3rd, and from Noon-to 11-p.m. July 4th. Fireworks are also currently allowed from 6-p.m. New Year’s Eve until 12:15-a.m. New Year’s Day.

Any decisions on changing the Ordinance are not expected until next Spring.

Atlantic, IA – Dr. Edna Becht is presenting on osteoarthritis at the next session of Healthy U on Thursday, August 16th in Conference Room 2 at Cass County Health System. According to Dr. Becht, “50% of adults over 65 years of age have arthritis in at least one joint. While there is no cure, there are a number of management options to consider.”

Dr. Becht

During the presentation, Dr. Becht will cover the basics of osteoarthritis, treatments, medications, and therapy. Dr. Edna Becht is a family medicine physician at Atlantic Medical Center. She provides comprehensive family medicine services, including obstetric care. Healthy U will be offered at both 7:30 am and noon on Thursday, August 16th.

Healthy U is a free educational series at Cass County Health System held monthly in Conference Room 2. The public is invited and welcome to attend, but reservations are required as a meal is provided for all attendees. Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat.

Three people have been arrested on Public Intoxication charges, in Red Oak. Red Oak Police report 29-year old Curtis Kit Blystone, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 4:18-a.m. today (Sunday), in the 400 block of E. Reed Street, in Red Oak. His bond was set at $300. A little after 6-p.m. Saturday, Red Oak Police arrested 58-year old Dennis Edward Elliott, of Red Oak, for Public Intoxication/2nd offense, and 53-year old Valerie Zamora, of Red Oak, for Public Intox./1st offense. Zamora’s bond was set at $300, while Elliott’s bond was set at $2,000.