FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Closing arguments have begun in the case of a northwest Iowa man accused of killing his mother and kidnapping another woman.  The Messenger in Fort Dodge reports attorneys gave closing arguments Thursday in Webster County. Both sides finished presenting evidence Wednesday. Kirk Levin, of Early, is charged with first-degree murder in the January death of Marilyn Schmitt. He also faces third-degree kidnapping for allegedly abducting 21-year-old Jessica Vega, a woman he met online.

Jurors have heard testimony for several days, including from Vega and a law enforcement official who later found Schmitt’s body. On Wednesday, prosecutors showed two videotaped interviews where Levin confessed to killing his mother and kidnapping Vega but also denied it.    Levin declined to testify on his own behalf.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – Missouri Western State University is offering the equivalent of in-state tuition to students from 51 selected counties in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Nebraska, potentially saving them $6,000 per year. The university says its “Griffon Rate” will be in effect this fall. It applies to both undergraduate and graduate tuition, for new and current students. 

Undergraduates taking classes on the main campus in St. Joseph will save about $200 per credit hour. Regular tuition for out-of-state students is $392 per credit hour. The “Griffon Rate” will be roughly $192 per credit hour. Missouri Western says it also will continue to offer scholarships for out-of-state students who meet academic requirements, but the “Griffon Rate” can’t be used in conjunction with them.

About 11-hundred “military federal technicians” who are part of the Iowa National Guard soon will be furloughed one day a week for 11 consecutive weeks, because of the so-called “sequester” cuts in the federal budget. Colonel Greg Hapgood, a spokesman for the Iowa Guard, is one of the employees who will be going without pay for 11 days over those 11 weeks. “A federal technician is in some respects a federal civilian employee Monday through Friday, but they’re also a military member of the Iowa National Guard, for the most part,” Hapgood says. “We do have some that are purely civilian federal technicians, but the vast majority are what we would call dual-status technicians that are both a member of the Iowa National Guard and work for the federal government, for the Department of Defense.”  

The furloughs for those 11-hundred Iowa Guard personnel start July 8th and will end September 30th, which is the last day of the current federal fiscal year. “The 1100 that will be furloughed, the vast majority of those will be either between the headquarters of the Iowa National Guard and also at our Air National Guard units which have a number of technicians in Sioux City, Fort Dodge and also here in Des Moines,” Hapgood says. “But it will be felt in all four corners of the state.” The Iowa Guard has facilities in 43 Iowa communities.”The furloughs will affect, roughly, less than 10 percent of our force, but it will make some of our processes more time-consuming,” Hapgood says. “Things may be slower than usual, whether it’s acquiring logistics or doing personnel actions or the wide variety of things we do with our federal technicians.”  

Hapgood says the Guard will be prepared to deploy whenever activated, regardless of the furloughs. “The Iowa National Guard, though hindered by these furloughs, we still will be able to maintain readiness to the best possible degree and also respond to the state in a timely manner.” The Iowa National Guard dates back to Iowa’s territorial days, with Iowa Militia units forming in 1846 to help fight on the U.S. side in the Mexican War.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with Miller Orthopedic Specialists in Omaha have announced a new physician has joined their staff. Bradley B. Copple, DPM, has joined Dr. Inderjit S. Panesar to create a Podiatry team which will serve the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. Copple is an Omaha native who practiced with Methodist Hospital’s Foot and Ankle Center/Dept. of Orthopedics for four-years, before joining Miller Orthopedic Specialists.

With the latest addition of Dr. Copple, Miller Ortho now has five orthopedic surgeons, a hand and vascular surgeon, and now, two podiatrists who will diagnose and treat patients with pain and conditions related to bones, joints, muscles and tendons.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 402-991-9958, or visit www.millerortho.com.

The Atlantic Police Department reports an Audubon County man was arrested today (Thursday) on a warrant out of Shelby County.  38-year old Christopher Snyder, of Audubon, was arrested on a warrant charging him with 5th degree theft. Snyder was brought to the Cass County Jail and turned over to Shelby County deputies for transportation to the jail in Harlan. Also arrested this (Thursday) morning, was 62-year old Thomas Harrelson, of Atlantic. The A-PD says Harrelson was taken into custody for Interference with Official Acts. He was booked into the Cass County Jail and held pending an initial court appearance.

On Wednesday, police in Atlantic arrested 26-year old Jared Joyce, of Atlantic, and 24-year old Jay Pedrin, of Audubon. Both men were charged with Simple Assault and booked into the Cass County Jail.

(9-a.m. News)

w/ Ric Hanson

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The City Council in Walnut will hold a regularly scheduled meeting this evening. On their agenda for the 5:30-p.m. session, is the consideration of, and possible action on: Resolutions calling for the transfer of funds from: the Local Option Capital Improvements Fund into the General Fund, the transfer of Tax Increment Financing funds into the Debt Service Fund, the transfer of funds from the General Fund into the Fire Department Equipment and Ambulance Trust Funds.  

The Council will also consider and possibly act on a resolution approving and adopting the Pottawattamie Countywide Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Other business includes discussion with regard to: the regulation of agricultural spraying within the City Limits of Walnut; a Law Enforcement Services contract with the Pott. County Sheriff’s Dept.; a possible Streetscape Enhancement Project; and the Walnut Antique Show, including the use of pubic streets and rights-of-way, camping fees at the City Park, and residential trash collection during the June Antique Show. 

The Council may also act on a recommendation for a replacement on the Board of Adjustment, with that person’s term to expire in June, 2018.

Officials in Council Bluffs say the Water Works plant received a letter Wednesday containing a suspicious white substance. Council Bluffs Fire Chief Alan Byers told the Omaha-World Herald a Hazardous Materials crew determined the letter contained granulated sugar. The letter had been left in a drop box for water bill payments, and was not sent through the mail. It was the fourth time in a week suspicious substances had been received by authorities in Council Bluffs.  

On May 30^th and June 3^rd, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office received bulky packages containing a white substance. The substance received last month was said to be non-toxic, but additional tests were being conducted to determine what it was. Monday’s package was also deemed non-hazardous.  

Sheriff Jeff Danker told the paper investigators have an idea of where the packages came from, but their investigation was ongoing. Surveillance video at the Water Works plant is being reviewed to see if a suspect is observed placing the latest suspicious letter into the drop-box. Council Bluffs Police Sgt. Dave Dawson told the World-Herald a woman filed a complaint Tuesday with police, saying her brother had placed a letter with a powdery substance in it.  

All of the incidents are said to be related.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa man accused of killing his mother and kidnapping another woman says in a written statement to police that he doesn’t remember killing his mother, though he recalls choking her. The Messenger in Fort Dodge reports the statement by 21-year-old Kirk Levin of Early was presented to jurors Wednesday in Webster County during his trial. Levin is charged with first-degree murder in the January death of Marilyn Schmitt. He faces third-degree kidnapping for allegedly abducting 21-year-old Jessica Vega.

The newspaper reports Levin gave the statement after a videotaped police interview where he repeatedly denied killing Schmitt. Levin says in the statement that he is the only person who could have killed his mother. He says he can’t explain his thinking, and he doesn’t remember picking up Vega.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DAYTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities plan to resume their search by river for a teenager in central Iowa abducted last month. Dayton Police Chief Nick Dunbar says the state Department of Natural Resources will deploy boats on the Des Moines River this week to search for 15-year-old Kathlynn Shepard. Authorities halted their search for Kathlynn last week, which included more than 250 square miles in the Dayton area. Flooding also affected their efforts.

BUFFALO CENTER, Iowa (AP) — Agriculture officials have revoked the permit of a dairy plant in northern Iowa because of food safety concerns. An administrative law judge ruled yesterday in favor of the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, which revoked the dairy plant permit for Meinders Farm Fresh Dairy in Buffalo Center. The company must cease all operations and sales.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in Waterloo are investigating the vandalism of 11 police squad cars. The Waterloo Police Department discovered broken windshields on the Ford Crown Victoria vehicles on Monday. They were parked by city gas pumps on Black Hawk Street.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport man has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with the assault of a man at a county courthouse. Court records filed last week show 46-year-old Jimmy Lightner pleaded not guilty to willful injury causing bodily injury and going armed with intent. He also is charged with an aggravated misdemeanor of interference with official acts causing bodily injury.