Iowa Department of Natural Resource officials are stepping up efforts to catch intoxicated boaters on the state’s waterways.

Susan Stocker is the boating law administrator and education coordinator for the Iowa DNR.

“In 2012, we had 95 boating while intoxicated arrests in Iowa and that’s an increase over previous years,” Stocker says. The 95 arrests last year compared to 55 in 2011 and 40 arrests in 2010. This weekend, DNR law enforcement officers are taking part in a national campaign called “Operation Dry Water.”

Stocker says the officers will increase patrols, conduct check points, and administer breath tests. She believes too many boat operators don’t recognize how dangerous drinking and boating can be. “The effects of the wind, the water, the sun, and the glare also enhance the effects of alcohol. So, someone who is having one alcoholic beverage on a boat will feel the effects of two or three times the alcoholic beverage,” Stocker says. “That’s what we believe the public isn’t aware of.”

Operators may not think they are under the influence, but their judgment, reaction time, balance and vision indicate that they are, Stocker added. “Having a sober driver is the best course of action,” Stocker said.

During the Operation Dry Water campaign last year, officers in Iowa contacted nearly 550 vessels, resulting in 136 citations or warnings. The 2012 effort was conducted on the Mississippi River Pool 15, the Coralville Reservoir, Saylorville Reservoir, North Twin Lake, Storm Lake and the Missouri River.

Of the 95 BWI arrests in Iowa last year, 32 were made on the Mississippi River. There were 16 BWI arrests on Saylorville Lake, 15 on the Iowa Great Lakes, 14 on the Coralville Reservoir, and six arrests on Clear Lake.

(Radio Iowa)

On June 25th, 48-year old Michael James Allison of Marshalltown pled guilty to mail fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud his employer through the mailing of fraudulent expense reports for reimbursement. The plea agreement was announced by United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.

According to the written plea agreement, Michael Allison, while in his position as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Finance of a regional subsidiary of Airgas, Incorporated headquartered in Chicago, mailed falsified expense reports to the region’s accounting office. Allison categorized personal expenses as business expenses and fabricated expenses on the reports. From 2003-2012, Allison obtained at least $300,000 as a result of his scheme.

Allison will be sentenced on October 9, 2013 before Judge John A. Jarvey. Mail fruad is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, following a referral from Airgas, Inc., and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

On Tuesday June 25th around 11pm, Council Bluffs Police Officers were attempting to deploy stop sticks at the intersection of N. Broadway and Coit Road to aid in pursuit of a vehicle traveling south on Highway 183. The Sheriff’s Department had terminated their pursuit and Council Bluffs Police were picking up the stop sticks when they observed a vehicle traveling toward them at a high rate of speed. The vehicle swerved around the stop sticks and toward two Council Bluffs Officers forcing them to dive out of the way. Officer Troy McIntosh was struck in the right hip by the passenger side front bumper. The force of the impact threw Officer McIntosh into a utility pole. He was treated at a local hospital for bruises and abrasions and was released a short time later. No other Officers were injured.

After striking Officer McIntosh, the suspect vehicle fled westbound onto Coit Road. Officers located the suspect vehicle, abandoned in the 1800 Block of Grand Avenue. The vehicle had been reported stolen from a gas station in Omaha, earlier in the evening.

The suspect is a white male, 20-30 years of age, average height with a slender build, short light brown hair, a thin beard, wearing a white tank top, jeans and gray shoes. It appears that the suspect may have a tattoo on his back and possibly one on his chest.

The Council Bluffs Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying this man. The vehicle that was stolen was a black 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe. That vehicle is being processed for evidence by the Council Bluffs Police Department. Please call 328-STOP or 328-4728 with any information.

Suspect in car theft and officer assault

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest of 27-year old Nicholaus Petty of Atlantic for Theft/5th degree (shoplifting). Petty was transported to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

w/ Marissa Hovde

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Each year, land owners and others are allowed to harvest hay out of highway rights of way by permit. The Iowa Department of Transportation requires those permits for several reasons, one of which is the protection of habitat.

The Iowa DOT begins the permitting process in the spring, but harvesting hay is not allowed until July 15.

Joy Williams, an agronomist with the Iowa DOT’s roadside development section, said, “July 15 was chosen as a compromise for hay harvesting to begin to both help those wanting to harvest hay and to protect bird habitat. Many people would like to harvest hay sooner and then take a second cutting in September, but that conflicts with the nesting season. It is also hard on the native grasses and does not allow winter cover for birds.”

When early spring weather is cold and damp, later harvesting of hay from the right of way is even more important, especially for pheasant habitat. “Pheasants nest several times throughout the year,” says Todd Bogenschutz, the upland wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “Sometimes nests are destroyed by floods. We probably had a lot of that this year. About 35 to 45 percent of pheasant, 62 percent of quail, and 60 to 70 percent of songbird nests hatch after July first.”

The Iowa DOT has established two periods for harvesting grass within the state-maintained highway right of way.

July 15-Sept. 1:For cool-season grasses and forage legumes (e.g., smooth brome, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, alfalfa, bird’s-foot trefoil)
July 15-Aug. 15:For areas containing warm-season native grasses (e.g., switchgrass, big bluestem, little bluestem, Indian grass, sideoats grama, Canada wildrye)
An Iowa DOT Harvesting and Mowing Permit Application is available from your area representative listed or online at https://forms.iowadot.gov/FormsMgt/External/810050.pdf. The application covers three types of operations: (1) mowing only; (2) harvesting hay in large or small bales; or (3) harvesting plant material other than hay with machinery, by hand or with hand tools.

Contact the representative serving the area nearest where you would like to harvest grass to receive assistance in processing your permit application. In Atlantic contact Vicki Brown at 712-243-7621 or email at vicki.brown@dot.iowa.gov.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Nebraska man early this (Thursday) morning. Twenty-year old Timothy Gene Humphrey of Omaha, NE was arrested and charged with Possession with intent to deliver (Meth), Possession of Marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and on a warrant for failure to appear for trespassing. Humphrey’s bond was set at $50,000.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Senator Charles Grassley says a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage essentially returns the issue to states where he hopes the idea of marriage between a man and a woman is upheld. Grassley says the two 5-4 high court rulings issued yesterday stand as the law of the land and he realizes his opinion makes no difference.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republican businessman Mark Jacobs says he’s exploring a run for U.S. Senate in 2014. Jacobs, the former CEO of the Texas-based Reliant Energy, says today he’s forming an exploratory committee to review running for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Tom Harkin. The 51-year-old native Iowan moved his family to Iowa last year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines police say a man has been found shot to death in his house. Police and medics were called to the home about 2:30 p.m. yesterday. Sergeant Jason Halifax says they found a man identified as 20-year-old Christopher Byers inside the residence with a gunshot wound. Byers was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State will host the Iowa women’s basketball team on December 12th, according to a schedule released yesterday by the Hawkeyes. The matchup with the Cyclones is one of three true road games in non-conference play for Iowa. The Hawkeyes will face Colorado and Northern Iowa in back-to-back road games in late November.

The Atlantic Police Department reports an accident today at 22nd and Palm Streets. James Sievers of Audubon was traveling eastbound on 22nd Street when his vehicle left the road and entered the south ditch, struck a utility pole and then bounced back 50 feet. Sievers was transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital with non life threatening injuries. Damage to his vehicle was estimated at $10,000.