Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) has announced the launch of her 99 county tour for 2018 which includes public events in Montgomery and Boone counties. Ernst says “In 2017 I heard from Iowans who were concerned about skyrocketing taxes, the rising costs of health care, and the harmful impacts of burdensome regulations. Throughout the year, I worked to translate those concerns into action in Washington,” said Senator Ernst. “While we have made some gains on behalf of Iowans, there is more work to be done in 2018. I am looking forward to my fourth 99 county tour as a U.S. Senator to continue hearing directly from Iowans so we can build on the progress we’ve made.”

Details for the Montgomery County event are as follows:

“Coffee with Joni”, 2-p.m. Sunday, January 14, 2018, at the Montgomery County Family YMCA (101 East Cherry Street), in Red Oak.

In an update to our previous reports, Council Bluffs Police have identified the suspect allegedly involved in the robbery of a convenience store at around 3-a.m. Today (Friday). Officials had taken 23-year old Matthew A. Campbell, a transient, into custody for questioning, after he was found hiding in a pickup not far from where the incident occurred. Campbell was being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on a charge of robbery.

Campbell,Matthew

Officers were dispatched to the Kwik Shop at 1749 W. Broadway for a reported robbery. Upon arrival officers made contact with the victim. The victim said he was returning to the store after taking out the trash, when the suspect (Campbell) approached the victim and displayed a handgun ordering the victim back into the store. Once inside the store Campbell demanded money. The victim gave Campbell money out of the register. There were no injuries reported.

Campbell left the store and fled west and then south. The victim told officers that he noticed a red Chevy truck pass the store a short time prior to the robbery. While officers were checking the area for the suspect they located a red Chevy truck. The truck had no plates and when officers investigated further they located the man later identified as Campbell, hiding on the floor of the truck attempting to hide under a coat. He was was transported to the Criminal Investigation Division for further questioning. Inside the truck, officers located under a seat, a firearm matching the description given by the victim.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery game has climbed to $450 million, just hours before the drawing. The top prize was raised ahead of the drawing Friday night. Lottery officials also increased the jackpot of Powerball, the other national lottery game, to $570 million. That drawing will be Saturday night. The jackpots refer to the annuity options for both games, in which payments are made over 29 years. Most winners opt for cash options, which would be $281 million for Mega Millions and $358.5 million for Powerball.

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot is one in 302.5 million. Powerball has odds of one in 292.2 million. Both games are played in 44 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico also participates in Powerball.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, today (Friday), released a report detailing numerous arrests occurred this first week of January. Early Thursday morning, 25-year old Ashly Nicole Duncan, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, and 42-year old Auscencio Rivera, of Omaha, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, and interference with official acts. Thursday afternoon, 27-year old Cory David Cleveland, of Malvern, was arrested for Driving While Revoked and No SR-22 on file. And, Thursday night, 57-year old Russell Paul Barton, of Omaha, was arrested for Interference with Officials Acts.

Early Wednesday morning, 22-year old Dakota John Allen, of Hastings, was arrested in Mills County for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possessing Contraband, Possession of Paraphernalia, Burglary in the 3rd and Theft in the 2nd, degrees, as well as Driving Under Suspension. And, 22-year old Morgan Rae Green, of Glenwood, was arrested for Dominion/Control of a firearm or offensive weapon by a felon. Wednesday afternoon, 34-year old Shawn Lee Richter, and 19-year old Morgan Raye Wooton, both of Glenwood, were arrested on separate warrants for probation violation.

Wednesday night, 46-year old Ann Kristine Harding, of Red Oak, was arrested in Mills County for Possession of a Prescription Drug (without a prescription), and on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Theft in the 3rd degree.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri state trooper who was fired after he was convicted of a misdemeanor for the drowning death of a handcuffed Iowa man is suing to get his job back. KQFX-TV reports that Anthony Piercy filed a petition last week for judicial review in Missouri’s Cole County. The lawsuit claims Missouri State Highway Patrol Col. Sandra Karsten overstepped her authority in firing Piercy.

Piercy pulled 20-year-old Brandon Ellingson over on the Lake of the Ozarks for suspicion of boating while intoxicated in May 2014. Piercy’s was taking Ellingson for a breath test when the Arizona State University student tumbled into the water wearing an improperly secured life vest and drowned. Ellingson was from the Des Moines suburb of Clive.

Patrol Lt. Paul Reinsch said he couldn’t comment on personnel issues.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha teen has been sentenced to up to 12 years in prison for his role in the gun-play death of another man last year. Omaha television station WOWT reports that 18-year-old Montana Garbez was sentenced Friday to six to 12 years for manslaughter for the April death of 20-year-old Scott Evans, of Council Bluffs. Garbez pleaded guilty to the charge in September. In exchange, a felony weapons count was dropped.

Police found Evans dead inside a home in north Omaha home after being called to the house for a report of a shooting. Prosecutors say Garbez and another man appeared to have been using a gun in a game similar to Russian roulette, and Evans was shot in the head. Prosecutors say Garbez fired the deadly shot.

Glenwood Police arrested a man for Domestic Abuse Assault this (Friday) morning. Officials say 19-year old Dylan Barrett, of Glenwood, was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail, pending an appearance before a magistrate judge.

A traffic stop this morning near Prescott, in Adams County, resulted in the arrest of a Montgomery County woman. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies conducted the traffic stop a little after 6-a.m. near Highway 34 and Redwood Avenue. Upon further investigation, the driver, Summer Brooke French, of Red Oak, was arrested for OWI/refusal, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Authorities say French was found to be in the possession of meth and marijuana pipes.