(Radio Iowa) – Cedar Rapids officials say their investigation continues after an explosive device was found in a residential neighborhood that’s about a mile northeast of downtown Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids Police say on Tuesday morning, a concerned citizen notified police there was something suspicious in an alley behind a home that’s near an elementary school. Technicians from the Cedar Rapids Metro Hazardous Devices Unit determined it was an improvised explosive device.

The immediate area was cordoned off, the device was safely removed and a statement released by city officials says the device was mitigated.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa D-O-T is urging drivers to slow down and pay attention to what’s ahead after a D-O-T vehicle was heavily damaged Tuesday in a crash on Interstate 29 in western Iowa. According to a spokesperson for the Iowa D-O-T, a motor enforcement officer was inside his vehicle, providing traffic control at a crash south of Onawa, in the southbound lanes of I-29, when a semi hit his S-U-V from behind. The officer inside the S-U-V was injured, taken to a hospital and has been released.

The D-O-T says investigators do not know yet if the winter weather conditions at the time of the crash played a role in the accident — but the agency is urging drivers to slow down and focus on the task of driving, especially when conditions are less than perfect.

(Radio Iowa) – The Fort Dodge couple who allegedly drowned their infant daughter shortly after she was born on November 16th have pleaded not guilty to first degree murder. In a Webster County District Courtroom on Tuesday, 24-year-old Taylor Blaha and 31-year-old Brandon Thoma submitted written pleas of not guilty during their arraignment. Both were arrested and charged with first degree murder last month for the death of their infant daughter. Thoma faces an additional charge of abuse of a corpse after allegedly disposing of the baby’s body.

Webster County Attorney Darren Driscoll says the search for the baby’s remains continues. There’s a $1500 reward through Webster County Crimestoppers for information that leads to the discovery of the baby’s body.

Court documents show Blaha gave birth in the bathroom of her apartment. Blaha told detectives she and Thoma panicked and drowned the baby to stop her from crying.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors held their second meeting of the week today (Wednesday, Jan. 4), during which they heard a report from County Engineer Nick Kauffmann. Kauffman spoke with regard to a Right-Of-Way (ROW) and Temporary Easement Purchase, which the Board approved. The Resolution reads as follows…

He also addressed the matter of a Resolution pertaining to Fence Compensation with regard to changes in the ROW.

That Resolution also passed. The Board accepted also, a Rolling Hills Windfarm Road Use Agreement and acknowledged completion of work. The Adair County Supervisors heard FY 2024 funding requests from the Adair County Historical Museum, MATURA, and the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG).

The request for the Museum was for $4,000, the same amount requested in previous years, according to the museum’s George Feazell.

The funding request for MATURA was for $20,660, which was slightly more than they requested last year ($18,663). And, the funding request from SICOG Executive Director Beth Waddell was for $6,384.35 for the non-incorporated areas of Adair County.

All of budget requests were taken under consideration for when the Adair County Supervisors begin work on their budget.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department has issued a report on numerous arrests dating from Dec. 22nd through Jan. 3rd. Most recently:

• 37-year-old Katrina Shotwell, of Atlantic, was arrested January 3rd, on Cass County warrants for Tampering with Records and Violation of Compulsory Education 2nd Offense.
• On the 2nd, 31-year-old Hans Chanson, of Atlantic, was arrested for Burglary 2nd Degree, Assault Causing Bodily Injury, Criminal Mischief 4th Degree, and Public Intoxication.
• There were three arrests in Atlantic on January 1st: 20-year-old ST Sam, and 19-year-old AM Marino, of both Atlantic, were arrested for Public Intoxication; and, 37-year-old Eric Mark, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault.
• Atlantic Police cited 54-year-old Amy Christensen, of Atlantic, in court on Dec. 31st on a charge of Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. She was released at the scene.
• On the 29th, 44-year-old Todd Glade, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While Barred.
• Atlantic Police arrested 22-year-old Nathaniel Gangwer, of Atlantic, on Dec. 28th, for Driving While License Denied, Suspended, cancelled or revoked.
• On the 27th, 42-year-old Amanda Michaels, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.
• On Dec. 26th, Atlantic Police arrested 50-year-old KR Takauo, of Atlantic, for Public Intox., and 50-year-old Barnes Narious, of Atlantic, for Going Armed with Intent, and Dangerous Use of A Weapon in the Commission of a Crime.
• And, on December 22nd, Police in Atlantic arrested 29-year-old Benser Mark of Atlantic, for Public Intoxication.

With the exception of Amy Christensen, all of the aforementioned individuals were transported to the Cass County Jail, booked-in, and held, pending a court appearance.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – James Matthew Hargens, age 37, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on December 15, 2022, to 121 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography. Hargens will be required to register as a sex offender and serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison. Hargens was also ordered to pay restitution.

In November 2021 a social media application sent a cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an account that uploaded several images and videos of child pornography. The cybertip was referred to Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children and the Council Bluffs Police Department initiated an investigation. The investigation led to a search warrant at Hargens residence. A forensic analysis identified that Hargens received, possessed, and downloaded numerous images and videos of child pornography.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department, the United States Secret Service National Computer Forensics Institute who provided training and equipment and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – A man from the East Coast is now charged with leaving his dog tied up in freezing weather outside the Des Moines International Airport. An airport worker found the one-year-old brown and white female dog leashed to a pole outside the airport on December 29th with no food, water or protection from the frigid temperatures. Des Moines police say the dog most certainly would have died.

Reports say the owner, identified as 24-year-old Charles Bigsen of Newark, New Jersey, didn’t have the proper kennel for the dog, and left it so he could board a cross-country flight. Police are charging Bigsen with animal abandonment and animal neglect. The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says once the dog, which they’ve named Allie, is spayed and micro-chipped, it’ll be placed up for adoption.

(Radio Iowa) – The first Iowan to reach orbit has died. Astronaut Walter Cunningham was born in Creston and said in a recent interview that he grew up poor, dreaming of flying airplanes, not spacecraft, though he went on to do both. Cunningham enlisted in the U-S Navy in 1951 and later became a Marine Corps pilot, serving in Korea. After getting a doctorate in physics, Cunningham became an astronaut and in 1968, was the lunar module pilot on the Apollo 7 crew. They spent 11 days in space and paved the way for the moon landing the following year. Cunningham died Tuesday in Houston at age 90.

Walter Cunningham (NASA Photo)

(Guthrie Center, Iowa; Article submitted) – The Guthrie County SESS Range Finders 4-H club held their annual awards night on Sunday, December 4 at the Guthrie Fairgrounds Events Center. Huge thank you to the Guthrie Fair Board for allowing us to use their facility! All club member families were invited to attend this event and we had 11 members present. The evening started off with a potluck dinner with some amazing food. Next, we inducted our new 2022-2023 club officers of: President Emma Rutledge, Vice President Michelle Brooks, Secretary Kaylee Oberholtz, Treasurer Max Owen, Reporter Corrie Knapp, Photographer Piper Downing, Historian Gracie Hodges. It was then time to have our new officers run the monthly meeting. We welcomed our new club members of Dalton Carney, Payson Downing, and Ian Griffith. We ended the night with our club award presentation from the 2021-2022 4-H year.

Emma Rutledge, President, started off with recognizing and thanking SESS volunteers with year of service pins.

Left to right in front row: Max Owen, Alala Derry, Payton Downing, Ian Griffith, Corrie Knapp
From left to right in back row: Trever Derry, Aries Derry, Emma Rutledge, Kaylee Oberholtz, Michelle Brooks, Piper Downing (Photo submitted)

The instructors then took turns reading and handing out club awards. SESS awards recognize the following: Officers, Committee Participation, Club Presentations, Club Tour Participation, County Fair Participation, Community Service Event Participation, Discipline Safety Awards, Postal Shoot Participation, State Shoot Participation, Nationals Participation of Eli Madsen and Max Owen, Graduation, Perfect Attendance of Trever Derry and Max Owen, and most importantly our Member Excellence Award. Although all SESS awards are an honor, the Member Excellence is our highest award and the following members received it: Trever Derry, Corrie Knapp, Jalen Michaelson, Kaylee Oberholtz, Max Owen, and Emma Rutledge.

(Submitted by Corrie Knapp, Reporter)