Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report a Nebraska man was arrested just before 2-a.m. today (Thursday), on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County. 24-year old Joshua John Mahloch, of Bellevue, NE., was wanted for Probation Violation. He was also charged with Providing False Identification and Failure to have a valid driver’s license. Mahloch was being held in the Mills County Jail on bond amounting to $2,300.

Mandy Harrigan

Gavin Miller

Two people, a man and a woman, were arrested following a residential burglary that occurred this (Thursday) morning, in Council Bluffs. Authorities say 25-year old Gavin Miller and 25-year old Mandy Harrigan, both of Council Bluffs, face charges in connection with the incident that happened at around 8-a.m. in the 1000 Block of 6th Avenue.

The victim, 65-year old Geoffrey Jennings, of Council Bluffs, told officers that a male and female suspect entered his residence through an unlocked door. Once in the residence the male suspect struck Jennings in the head with a blunt object knocking him to the ground. As they male continued to assault Jennings, the female demanded money and personal belongings from Jennings. Following the attack both suspect fled the residence.

Jennings was able to provide officers with physical and clothing descriptions of both suspects. Officers located two suspects matching the description a short distance from the crime scene. They were identified as Gavin Miller and Mandy Harrigan who were in possession of items stolen from Jennings.

Miller and Harrigan are currently in police custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail charged with Robbery 1st Degree, Burglary 1st Degree, Going Armed with Intent and Willful Injury. Geoffrey Jennings was treated and released at a local Hospital for lacerations to his head.

There’s a new policy in force at the Woodbury County Courthouse in Sioux City that limits who may carry weapons into the building. A new state law allows people with permits to carry concealed weapons in public buildings, but the chief justice of Iowa’s Supreme Court has declared that court-controlled areas in public buildings would remain “weapons-free” zones. In June, the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors voted to allow guns in the courthouse. Now, THIS WEEK, the chief judge in Iowa’s third judicial district banned the public from bringing weapons into the courthouse in Sioux City as well as the adjacent law enforcement center and the second floor of a nearby building where juvenile court hearings are held.

Woodbury County Board of Supervisors chairman Matthew Ung objects. “No one disputes the court’s right and responsibility to secure and set policy for their courtroom,” Ung says. “But when my courtroom becomes my eight-story courthouse and the law enforcement center and the second floor of Trosper Hoyt, you have judicial overreach.”

Law enforcement officers and members of the military who are on duty will be allowed to carry weapons in the complex, but off duty officials will have to surrender their weapons at the entrance. Ung objects to that as well. “I don’t think law enforcement is ever off duty and, indeed, there are many cases where they have prevented crimes and saved lives,” Ung says, “so I think to disarm people like that sends an extremely wrong message to our community.”

Ung says the issue is NOT on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors agenda for next Tuesday, but Ung says he wouldn’t be surprised if someone files a lawsuit challenging this new policy.

(Radio Iowa)

A Page County man turned himself-in to the Page County Sheriff’s Office this (Thursday) morning. Authorities say 40-year old Jeffrey Wade Bartles, of rural College Springs,  arrived at the Sheriff’s Office at around 10:30-a.m. to serve time for a previous sentence.  An active warrant had been issued for Bartles from Page County District Court for Violation of Probation (an aggravated Misdemeanor), with bond set at $2000 cash only.  Bartles was booked into jail for his sentence and will be held until the bond has been satisfied.

MCINTIRE, Iowa (AP) – Apparently it was a not-so-special election in the tiny town of McIntire, Iowa, where none of its 70 registered voters showed up to cast ballots. Tuesday’s ballot asked two questions: Should the term of the mayor be raised to four years from two, and should the terms of council members be raised to four years, staggered, from two years.

A Mitchell County deputy auditor, Barbara Baldwin, told the Mason City Globe Gazette that the poll workers didn’t even vote. None of them live in McIntire. McIntire, population 110, sits near the state line with Minnesota, 137 miles north-northeast of Des Moines. Baldwin says she’s seen low turnouts over her 28 years with the county auditor, but, “This is definitely a first.”

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has ordered a former Atlantic-based company to pay a $7,000 penalty for failure to clean-up soil contaminated with trade waste that includes waste oil, anti-freeze, fuel, and miscellaneous solid waste. The DNR also ordered Recycling Services, LLC (101 State St.) to conduct a site assessment and remediation, as necessary, to properly dispose of all remaining solid waste and contaminated soil. The order was with regard to the company’s failure to comply with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

In June, 2015, the DNR received four complaints alleging that storm water run-off was leaving the property. A subsequent site visit and investigation confirmed the discharge issues. As of late last month, the DNR said the company had not complied with the Order. The company has not been in operation since late 2015 or early 2016.

More details about the Order can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/legal//documents/6363719605079993242017SW11.pdf

(Radio Iowa/Des Moines) — For the 18th straight year, Iowans can take advantage of tax-free shopping on certain items tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday. Nicole Watson, at the Iowa Department of Revenue, says the annual Sales Tax Holiday is a time to save cash, especially for parents who are stocking up on their kids’ school clothes. “It’s a very limited opportunity for folks as they get ready to head back to school to save paying sales tax on clothing items,” Watson says. “They’re intended to be any article of clothing or apparel and footwear that is worn and is under $100.”

Watson says the tax-free shopping period is popular with shoppers and merchants statewide. “We measure success on the number of taxpayers that take advantage of it,” she says. “The most recent information dates from August of 2015 where an estimated $60-million in sales were exempted during the sales tax holiday, so quite a lot.”

The Iowa Department of Revenue website details what items will be tax-free — and what ones aren’t — during the two day period. “What clothing items, like shoes, pants, t-shirts, your general back-to-school clothing items are covered,” Watson says. “Things that aren’t covered are going to be accessories, backpacks, things that aren’t actually clothing.”

Other tax exempt items include: caps and hats, socks, underclothing, uniforms for work and school, coats, bathing suits, leotards and tights, costumes and diapers. Other items that WILL still be taxed include: computers, school supplies, jewelry, fabric, athletic clothing and athletic footwear not usually for everyday wear. The holiday runs from 12:01 A-M on Friday though 11:59 P-M on Saturday. For more information, visit tax.iowa.gov