The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports several recent arrests. On July 26th, 57-year old Jeffrey Allen Hallman, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance; 47-year old John Russell Bainter, of Malvern, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault with Intent or Displays a Weapon, Reckless use of Firearms w/Damage. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail; and, 34-year old Casey Dean Freemyer, of Tabor, was arrested for Failure to Report an Accident, Operation of a vehicle without Interlock, DUS, Failure to Maintain Control and Use of Electronic Communication Device.

Last Friday, 39-year old Andrew Eric Main, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on I-29 in Mills County, for Driving while Barred; 51-year old Tashia Ann Veteto, of Sidney, was arrested on a warrant for Wanton Neglect of Health Care Facility Resident.

On Saturday, 42-year old Joseph Lee Hastie, of Glenwood, was arrested for being a  Fugitive from Justice. And on Sunday, 24-year old Daniel Curiel-Cortes, of Hawarden, was arrested for Possession of Contraband in Correctional facility, OWI 2^nd, Driving while Barred, Other Violation or Chapter, Failure to Maintain Control and Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — The state medical examiner’s office says a 5-year-old southeast Iowa girl found unresponsive in her home was strangled. The office also said in a news release Monday that Cloe Chandler’s death was a homicide. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has said that 22-year-old Kelsie Thomas told investigators that she killed her daughter. Wapello County court records say Thomas has been charged with first-degree murder. Her bail originally was set at $100,000 but has been raised to $500,000, cash only.

Police and medics were sent July 19 to Thomas’ home in Ottumwa. The child was pronounced dead later at a hospital. Her mother was arrested Thursday.

DECORAH, Iowa (AP) — A prominent Iowa brewery is pseudo-suing its former head brewer. A legal action filed by Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. seeks to stop Chris Flenker from helping run a new brewery in Cedar Rapids, alleging he is violating a non-compete agreement. Toppling Goliath is known for its popular Pseudo Sue pale ale and other beers that have made it one of the nation’s top ranked breweries. Flenker worked at the Decorah-based company from 2015 until his departure in January 2017. Flenker is now working at Thew Brewing in Cedar Rapids, which opened earlier this year.

Toppling Goliath says Flenker agreed not to work for a rival business within 150 miles of Decorah for two years after his departure. The company says Flenker had access to its proprietary recipes, formulas and techniques and is using those trade secrets for gain. The lawsuit seeks an injunction blocking Flenker’s work at Thew.

Democrat Sara Ramsey, from Corning, was at the Cass County Fair, Monday, talking with voters about her bid for Iowa Senate District 11, which encompasses Adams, Pottawattamie and Union Counties, as well as most of Cass County. Republican Senator Tom Shipley, of Nodaway, has served as the District 11 since he was elected in 2014. He’s running for re-election in November. Ramsey’s bio says she’s running “As an alternative for those who are unsatisfied with the Iowa Republican Party’s performance.” She currently works as a psychiatric technician in Douglas County, Nebraska. She said she decided to enter the race for District 11 because she disagrees with Shipley on the several issues and some of the actions he’s backed in the Senate.

Sara Ramsey, candidate for IA Senate D-11

She says in her visits with district constituents, she’s heard their concerns on issues ranging from poverty to mental health care and healthcare in general. Being a psychiatric technician, Ramsey says mental health care has been affected by decisions made in the Iowa legislature, especially with regard to the closing of two out of four mental health institutions in Iowa. “When they closed down [the] Clarinda and Mt. Pleasant [mental health institutes] for financial reasons, they also took away 80 jobs…then they gave tax cuts to Apple to create 500 something temporary jobs and maybe 50 long-term jobs in a suburb of Des Moines. Policies like that are impacting [rural Iowa], areas that need services desperately, like mental health beds.”

Ramsey says if they were brought back, those services would bring in licensed professionals to staff the institutes and hospitals, creating good paying jobs. Other issues she supports include raising the minimum wage, ensuring consumer protections, protecting reproductive rights, supporting LGBTQ issues, and enforcing environmental protection. She says the rural area needs to make its voice heard by electing leaders who listen to their concerns and act upon them, and she believes she can be that voice in Iowa Senate District 11.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Monday (today) said as the result of an ongoing investigation, on or about July 20^th, deputies arrested on Sheriff’s Office warrants: 32-year old Stephen Kenneth Sheeder, of Anita, on a felony charge of Sexual Abuse 3^rd Degree. Later, nine more counts of felony Sex Abuse 3^rd Degree were added to Sheeder’s charges as well as three charges of Lascivious Acts with a child, also a felony offense. And, Dana Walker was charged with Child Endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor. Sheeder was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $100,000 bond; Walker was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $25,000 bond. On July 24th, Deputies in Cass County arrested 48-year old Sean Patrick Ryan, of Anita, on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for felony Sexual Abuse in the 2^nd Degree, and a felony charge of Lascivious Acts with a Child. Ryan was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $25,000 bond.

On July 24th also, Robert John Rasmussen was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear, and a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registry 2^nd Offense (a Class D Felony). Rasmussen was also arrested on a new charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Rasmussen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $15,000 bond.

Last Friday, Cass County Deputies arrested 38-year old Jared Eldon Finnell, of Cumberland, after he turned himself in at the Cass County Jail on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Finnell was released the following day on his own recognizance.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Another trial date has been set for an eastern Iowa woman accused of letting seven children live surrounded by garbage, rotten food and feces. Dubuque County records say 35-year-old Tiesha Martin has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of child endangerment. Her trial originally was scheduled to begin March 19 but was delayed until April 23, then June 11, June 25 and now Sept. 5.

The records say police and a social worker checking on the children at Martin’s residence Jan. 2 found the squalid conditions and say the children were sharing just one bedroom and bed. Thirty-four-year-old Jermaine Watson is the father of Martin’s youngest child, and he pleaded guilty to child endangerment and two drug counts. He’s been given two years of probation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will be holding a judicial conference in Des Moines next month. Organizers say U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will be among the speakers at the Iowa Events Center, Aug. 15-17. Also speaking will be Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Va. They are chairmen of the Senate and House judiciary committees, respectively.

The conference is open only to judges, attorneys, law school students and court employees.