(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds’ bill to restructure funding for county veterans services has cleared one committee in the Iowa Senate — and is ready for debate in another. Each Iowa county currently gets 10-thousand dollars to pay a veterans service officer. The governor says only a third of Iowa’s nearly 180-thousand veterans are signed up for the benefits they earned and her alternative ties funding to the county’s performance in signing veterans up for benefits. Dan Gannon with Disabled American Veterans says he supports the bill because Iowa can do much better at connecting veterans with the compensation they deserve. “I think by better use of the funds, appropriating the funds correctly, accountability, and holding people accountable will get us where we want to get,” Gannon said. Michael Mortensen is legislative liaison for the Iowa Association of County Veterans Services. He says most counties are opposed to the bill because one-third of them would lose funding based on what he says is inaccurate data.

Mortensen says they’d support incentives created with new funding. “We’re very much in favor of a lot of the ideas behind the bill, but the actual way of getting to it, and this really just hammering down from the state, does not equal out into better services to our veterans,” he says, “and that’s what we’re most concerned about.” Winnebago County Veterans Affairs Director Mary Lou Kleveland says the governor’s plan does not recognize that not all veterans qualify for a pension or disability compensation. “We have wonderful veterans who have served maybe two years or four years and they came out of the military without any problems. They don’t have hearing loss, they don’t have tinnitus, they weren’t injured while they were in service, so they’re not going to ever be eligible for disability compensation. That doesn’t mean we don’t serve them,” she said. “We may help them with VA Health Care. We may help them with…an Iowa Veterans Trust Fund if they have special needs.”

And Kleveland says only veterans who have served on active duty at least 90 days to receive a pension.The plan Governor Reynolds unveiled her proposal in January would see the top third of counties with a high percentage of veterans who are signed up for V-A compensation get 15-thousand dollars annually from the state for veterans service officers. The bottom third would get five-thousand dollars and the middle third would get 10-thousand annually if more of the county’s veterans are signed up for V-A benefits.

(Glenwood, IA) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports six arrests took place between Feb. 23rd and 28th. Listed in order from the most recent to earliest arrests:

• On Feb. 28th: 49-year-old Molly Beth Carr-Gross, of Malvern, was arrested in Glenwood, for OWI/2nd offense (Bond $2,000); 32-year-old Angela Marie Simmons, of Council Bluffs, was arrested by Mills County Deputies in Pacific Junction, for Domestic Assault-Bodily Injury/1st offense (Bond $1,000).
• On the 27th of February, Mills County deputies arrested 39-year-old Tasheena Renee Jennings, of Glenwood, for Failure To Appear – Felony (Bond $5,000). She was arrested in Glenwood.
• On the 26th, 34-year-old Damian Blain, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Glenwood, for Violation of Probation (Bond $2,000).
• Mills County Deputies arrested 40-year-old Erica P. Zeleny, of Omaha in Pacific Junction Feb. 24th, on a charge of Public Intoxication (Bond $300).
• And, on Feb. 23rd, 37-year-old Brandon Paul Goodin, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Glenwood for Theft in the 5th Degree (Value < $300). Bond was set at $300.

(Greenfield, IA) – Two people were arrested on separate warrants in Adair County, last week. According to Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, 28-year-old Taylor Kay Flanery, of Greenfield, was arrested Feb. 27th at the Courthouse in Greenfield, on an Adair County Felony warrant for Assault on persons in certain occupations w/bodily injury, and removing a radio from an Officer w/Intent. Those charges were with regard to an incident that occurred Jan. 12th, at a residence in the 400 block of SW Jackson Street, in Greenfield.

Vandewater says when a Greenfield Police Officer and Adair County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to take Flanery into custody, she allegedly began to resist arrest by throwing her arms erratically. In the process, she struck the Officer and Deputy with closed and open-handed punches, as well as multiple kicks to the face and body of the Deputy’s microphone, and spit into the face and eyes of the Police Officer. The report states that while they were attempting to secure Flanery into a law enforcement vehicle, she allegedly grabbed the Officer’s radio and refused to let go. The Officer suffered injuries during the altercation. Flanery was also arrested on a Dallas County warrant for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order. She was later released on a $10,000 cash or surety bond.

Sheriff Vandewater reports also, 40-year-old Douglas Edward Woodward, of Pleasant Hill, IA, was arrested Feb. 28th at Highway 25 and the Guthrie County line. He was taken into custody on an Adair County warrant for Driving While Barred. Woodward was later released on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

And, on Feb. 23rd, 49-year-old Shane Edwin Davis, of Stuart, was arrested by Stuart Police, for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender. Davis was released the same day on a $2,000 cash/surety bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Des Moines police say a woman is jailed after being shot during a weekend incident. Responding to a 911 call late Saturday, Des Moines police found an intruder had been shot multiple times. The homeowner told officers he heard someone yelling in his back yard, then pounding on his back door. When he unlocked the door, he says the woman forced her way in and attacked him, so the homeowner fired a handgun.

The suspect is identified as 46-year-old Stannita Wilson. After she was released from the hospital, Wilson was charged with burglary. Police say the two didn’t know each other and the homeowner was not charged.

(Radio Iowa) – Marshalltown police have made an arrest in a weekend shooting that left one person dead, three wounded. Officers found two victims who had been shot and the suspect had fled on foot. The victims were then taken to Unity Point hospital for treatment, one of the victims died from their injuries. A short time after the original two victims arrived at the hospital two more gunshot victims were admitted to the hospital.

This (Monday) morning the MPD announced the arrest of 29-year-old Allen James Hart from Mount Pleasant. Hart has been charged with three crimes including intimidation with a dangerous weapon with intent.

The names of the victims have not been released and the three remaining victims have been released from the hospital.

(Red Oak, IA) – The 16-year-old male driver of a pickup faces an OWI charge and was issued three citations, following a crash early Friday morning. According to Red Oak Police, the teen was driving a 2009 Ford F-150 pickup when it went out of control and crashed into a house and legally parked GMC Sierra pickup truck in the 1500 block of E. Coolbaugh Street. The accident happened at around 3:30-a.m.

The teen told Officers he was going too fast and missed a turn before the pickup went up a driveway and struck a residence and the GMC pickup that was parked in the driveway. The Ford pickup came to rest on the driver’s side.

Upon further investigation, however, Police determined the teen driver appeared to have been under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Police spoke with the owners of the residence, who confirmed that there were 4-or 5 other persons in the pickup that crashed, and who crawled out of the vehicle before taking off on foot before Officers arrived on the scene. None of the passengers were injured. The unidentified teen driver suffered suspected minor/non-incapacitating injuries, but was not transported to the hospital in Creston.

He was investigated and charged with OWI/1st offense. The teen was also cited for Failure to Reduce Speed to a reasonable and proper rate, Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability – Accident related, and Violation of his Instruction permit limitations. Damage from the crash, including the vehicles and front porch of the house, amounted to a police-estimated $16,500 altogether.

(Creston, IA) – The Creston Police Department says a woman from Adams County was arrested on drug charges,  Sunday morning (March 1st). Authorities report 50-year-old Colleen Ann Reed, of Prescott, was arrested at around 2:50-a.m., at the intersection of Highway 34 and Smith Street. Reed was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Controlled Substance Methamphetamine 1st Offense. She was taken to Union County Jail and released after posting a $1,300 cash or surety bond.

Early Saturday afternoon, Creston Police arrested 60-year-old Lester Glenn Franke, of Creston. Franke was charged with three counts of Harassment in the 1st Degree. He was taken to Union County Jail and later released after posting a $6,000 cash or surety bond.

And, at around 7:45-a.m. Friday, Officers in Creston arrested 19-year-old Rey Santiago Saturno-Hernandez, of Creston, at 908 W. Summit. Saturno-Hernandez was charged with Public Intoxication. He was seen by a Magistrate Judge, and then Released on his Own Recognizance (ROR).

(Radio Iowa) – Authorities plan to release more details later today (Monday) after three people were found dead in a house in Mason City on Saturday. Mason City Police Chief Mike McKelvey says shortly before 5 o’clock Saturday afternoon, emergency responders were dispatched to a residence in the 500 block of South Adams following a report that multiple individuals were found unresponsive inside the home. On arrival, personnel from the Mason City Police and Fire Departments entered the residence and located three deceased adults.

McKelvey said there were no signs of foul play or a struggle. He said no additional information was going to be released until today to ensure proper notifications and investigative steps were completed.