Authorities in Council Bluffs say a woman suffered a minor head wound during an altercation Wednesday afternoon. Bluffs Police Sgt. Chad Meyers says officials received word at around 12:37-p.m. that a stabbing had just occurred at 2610 Avenue B. Officers responded.

An investigation determined 33 year old Jennifer Miller and 51 year old Carol Packard had been involved in a physical disturbance in front of the residence they shared, and at some point during the disturbance, Packard displayed a folding knife and swung it several times at Miller.

Miller suffered from a small puncture wound to left side of her head. She was transported to Mercy Hospital by ambulance, treated and released. Packard was arrested for aggravated assault and transported to Pottawattamie County Corrections.

(Updated 7/30 w/full name of suspect & city of residence)

A 18-year old man from Sioux City who tried to evade an Iowa State Patrol Trooper on Interstate 80 eastbound in Cass County this (Wednesday) morning, suffered from an apparent back injury when he wrecked the vehicle in a ditch near the Marne exit off I-80 eastbound. He was not wearing a seat belt. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Jim Bullington told KJAN News the incident began at around 7:42-a.m., near the Walnut exit.

He says Senior Trooper Craig Zenor was traveling eastbound on I-80 when a car came up behind his patrol vehicle. The suspect’s car was traveling 15-miles per hour over the posted speed limit. When Zenor pulled the vehicle over, the driver got out and gave a false name to the Trooper. A check of the man’s ID in his wallet showed the driver’s name was Jacob Parker Erickson.

Shortly thereafter, Erickson got out of the Trooper’s car and into the stolen vehicle, a 1999 Chrylser Concorde, and took off. A pursuit began, with speeds up to 100-miles per hour. Erickson exited the interstate at the Marne exit at a high rate of speed, where he lost control of the car, which vaulted across the exit and landed in a field on the southeast side of the exit.

The car was totaled in the crash. Erickson fled the vehicle on foot, ran up a hill and into some heavy brush and “hunkered down next to a tree.” Trooper Kenny Jensen, who was flying nearby in preparation for a traffic enforcement mission, was able to see the suspect from the air crawling on his hands and knees, and kept him under observation until authorities could arrive on the scene.

K9 units from the Cass and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Departments arrived on the scene at virtually the same time. After Erickson was warned the dogs would be deployed, he surrendered without incident at around 8:17-a.m.  Trooper Bullington says authorities confirmed the car was stolen out of Sioux City, along with tools that were found inside the vehicle.

Erickson was transported to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs for treatment of his injuries. When he’s released, he’ll be taken into custody on warrants for Felony eluding, OWI, and numerous traffic violations. The Iowa DOT’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement officers assisted the State Patrol and Sheriff’s deputies in handling the incident.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Parts of a major cost-savings initiative at Iowa’s three public universities may not save as much or happen as fast as initially projected. Last year, the Iowa Board of Regents and Deloitte Consulting predicted the universities would save $16-$40 million in two years by renegotiating purchasing contracts.

Mark Braun, who’s leading the cost-saving effort, said Wednesday that Deloitte’s purchasing recommendations were “more aggressive in their approach and their timeline” than will be reality. A new report projects the universities will save $3.9 million to $7.8 million annually in buying items such as food and computers. Braun said additional savings could later be pursued in other areas.

A second report says the University of Iowa will save less than projected by restructuring its administration because the medical college will be excluded.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – State and community leaders say the state needs to reduce disparities in the number of minorities in Iowa’s criminal justice system, and they hope an upcoming summit will focus attention on the issue. Leaders including Gov. Terry Branstad spoke Wednesday at the Capitol while introducing the two-day summit in Ankeny in late August. The Iowa-Nebraska National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will host.

Iowa-Nebraska NAACP President Betty Andrews says data show Iowa incarcerates African Americans at a high rate.  Branstad, who will make his first appearance at the annual summit, says Iowa has made progress but more work is needed.

Topics at the summit include fair hiring practices and racial profiling. Community leaders say they hope previously introduced legislation on those issues will pick up momentum next session.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department have identified the body of a man whose body was pulled from the Missouri River, Sunday evening. Police Sgt. Chad Meyers said the victim was 37-year old Jeffrey Kahler of Omaha. Meyers said at this time, there is no evidence to suggest that foul play was involved.

The Council Bluffs P-D’s 911 dispatch center had received a transfer call about the possibility of a body in the river, from the Omaha Police Department at around 5:25-p.m., Sunday. The Council Bluffs Fire Department’s rescue boat was then dispatched to the area located one-quarter of a mile south of the Vets Memorial Highway. Crews were able to recover Kahler’s body from the river just after 5:45-p.m.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on July 21st of 50-year old David Duane Kirchner, of Atlantic. Kirchner was taken into custody on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Prescription Drug Violation. He was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $3,000 bond.

On July 23rd, deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 38-year old Kameo Margaret Smith, of Exira, on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Theft 4th Degree. Smith was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was later released on $1000 bond.

On July 24th, deputies arrested 24-year old Mark Alan Fredericksen, of Atlantic,  on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear and a charge of Driving While Revoked. Fredericksen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on his own recognizance.

On July 25th, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 25-year old Devin Sparks Register, of Atlantic, on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Theft 5th Degree. Register was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $325 bond.

And on Monday (July 27th), deputies arrested 39-year old Marc Edward Ernst, of Bridgewater, on a charge of Theft 5th Degree. Ernst was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance.

Members of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement are turning in petition signatures to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, calling for tougher enforcement of the Clean Water Act. Jess Mazour, I-C-C-I’s farm and environment organizer, says the comments were focused on the D-N-R’s draft list of impaired waterways. She says more accountability is needed.

“We decided we were going to get as many comments as we can, offering a solution to some of these problems,” Mazour says. “In our eyes, issuing Clean Water Act permits and holding factory farms and manure polluters accountable is one way we can start cleaning up Iowa’s waters. We got about 2,000 comments collected online and in person from across the state and then we hand-delivered them to the DNR.” Mazour says tougher rules and better enforcement are needed to protect the state’s waters.

“Not a single hog confinement in Iowa has a Clean Water Act permit and the current permitting system is not working, obviously, because we continue to have manure spill after manure spill,” Mazour says. “We know these factory farms are basically getting away with polluting and the DNR’s not doing anything about it. We think the Clean Water Act will give them tougher regulations to follow and then start cleaning up our water.” Mazour says the agency could use more state dollars to be able to enforce state environmental regulations.

“The DNR needs more funding to hire more inspectors,” she says. “Right now, there’s only 15.75 full-time equivalent inspectors for over 9,000 of these facilities in Iowa. Obviously, the Clean Water Act needs to be implemented. They need to start issuing tough fines and penalties when manure spills occur.” The DNR’s most recent list of impaired waterways in Iowa is at 725, that’s up from 630 in 2012.

(Radio Iowa)

Update on our 8-a.m. lead story, and more news from around western Iowa, with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A search warrant executed at a residence in Defiance late Tuesday night resulted in the arrest of three people on felony drug and other charges. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies served the warrant at around 11:45-p.m., at 313 Railway Street, in Defiance, where three people were residing. The individuals were identified as 26-year old Andrew Nielsen and 27-year old Jackie Thielen, both of Defiance, and 24-year old Anthony Bennett, of Harlan.

Deputies also discovered a controlled substance believed to be methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, packaging material, and related items.

Officials say the suspects were brought to the Shelby County Jail, where Nielsen and Thielen each face felony charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, Gathering where Controlled Substances are unlawfully used, and Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp. Both also face misdemeanor charges of Prohibited Acts and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Their bonds were set at $100,000 each.

Bennett faces a single felony charge of Gathering Where Controlled Substances are Unlawfully Used. His bond was set at $5,000.  Assisting the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in conducting the residential search, was the Harlan Police Department’s K9 unit.