Craig Man Pleads Guilty To Sexual Exploitation And Invasion Of Privacy
(Le Mars) — The Craig man that was accused of sexual exploitation of a minor, and invasion of privacy has pleaded guilty in Plymouth County District Court. 66-year old James Grasz entered his guilty plea on Monday. Sentencing is scheduled
for March 3rd. The incident dates back to March of 2016 when a complaint was reported to the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office regarding some suspicious activity that had occurred at a Craig residence. The victim reported that she felt she was being spied on by a male subject. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation and found that individuals had been videotaped in various states of nudity without their consent or knowledge. The individuals were both adults and juveniles at the time of the incidents. The investigation determined the incidents had taken place over the course of ten years. Grasz
faces a possibility of serving 41 years in prison as a maximum penalty.
Woodbury And Ida County Authorities Arrest Burglars
(Sioux City) –Woodbury County Deputies were dispatched to a burglary in progress at the C Shop, in Danbury, Iowa. on Tuesday early morning at about 5:00 a.m. An employee of the C Shop was arriving at work and an employee of CHN Garbage
Services picking up garbage at the business, found three subjects inside the business. The three subjects fled with a bank bag containing an undisclosed amount of cash, checks and receipts. Descriptions of the subjects and their vehicle were broadcast and shortly thereafter, they were located in Ida Grove,
Iowa and taken into custody by the Ida County Sheriff’s Office.
A joint investigation involving Woodbury County and the Ida County Sheriff’s Offices ensued. A search warrant was executed as a result of the on-going investigation, and the stolen items were subsequently recovered.
Two of the suspects are juveniles and the third is an adult, Trenton Mathews, age 19, of Danbury, Iowa. Mathews is being held in the Ida County Jail.
Pork Producer Uses Social Media To Answer Consumer’s Questions
(Des Moines) — Many consumers may have wrong, or misled information when it comes to their food and modern agriculture. An advocate for Iowa agriculture from central Iowa is fighting back using blogs through social media. Cristen Clark is a mother, a pork producer, and a public speaker and writer from
Runnells, Iowa which is a small town about 30 miles southeast of Des Moines.
Clark was a featured speaker during the recent Iowa Pork Congress held in Des Moines, and she spoke about connecting with the consumer. Clark has resorted to writing blogs sharing information with consumers about food and farming, or as
she says, to “set the record straight”.
Clark says she is able to establish credibility and trust with consumers when she explains that she, too, consumes the same food, and feeds her family members with the same food products.
The agriculture advocate says she responds to consumers questions about animal
welfare, food safety, and the environment.
Clark suggests farmers to voice their opinion, and to be there with answers when consumers have questions. She says opponents have a strong voice, but farmers simply need to be heard. She says farmers need to write a letter to the editor,
offer ag tours, but more importantly, speak to one consumer at a time.
She says not everyone needs to write a blog, but simply speak up for agriculture.
Clark also says it isn’t just urban consumers that may have misunderstandings about agriculture, but those false ideas also come from small rural communities as well.
Business Survey Indicates Economy Making Slight Improvements
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Results from a monthly survey of business supply managers suggest economic conditions continue to improve in nine Midwest and Plains
states.
The Mid-America Business Conditions Index report released Wednesday says the overall economic index for the region rose to 54.7 in January from 53.1 in December. It’s the highest figure since February 2015 and the third monthly
increase in a row.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the increases point to an improving regional manufacturing economy.
The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.
The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
State Legislative Panel May Vote Today On Funding Of Planned Parenthood
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Some Iowa Republican lawmakers are slated to vote on a bill that would remove state funding for Planned Parenthood.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled Tuesday afternoon to vote on the measure. It is expected to be approved and sent to the full, Republican-led Senate.
The bill proposes Iowa give up millions in federal Medicaid money in order to fund its own state-run program that distributes funding for family planning services. The bill excludes money for organizations that provide abortions, though no family planning dollars are now spent on abortions.
Supporters and opponents of the bill gathered at the Iowa Capitol for the vote.
Republicans say the bill would redistribute money to rural health clinics that offer family planning services. Democrats contend it would hurt access to quality health care.
Dog Saves Family From Fire
CLARINDA, Iowa (AP) – A dog is being credited with saved a Clarinda family from a house fire.
Clarinda Fire Chief Roger Williams says that firefighters were called just before 3:30 a.m. Tuesday to the home in southwest Iowa.
Williams says the family dog awoke a 17-year-old girl, who was then able to get her mother and a man out of the house. Williams says there were no smoke alarms in the rented house.
The teen was treated at a health center for smoke inhalation. No one else was injured.
Williams says the fire started in a living room couch, but the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation..
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Man Charged With Murdering Father In Arson Case
HARTFORD, Iowa (AP) – Warren County prosecutors have added a murder count to the charges against a man accused of setting a fire in which his father died.
The first-degree murder charge was filed Monday against 28-year-old Stephen Major, who’s also charged with arson. Authorities say 50-year-old Robert Major died in the Jan. 20 fire at his home in Hartford.
Stephen Major pleaded not guilty to both charges Monday. The court records don’t show that a trial date has been set.
One Person Injured From Mobile Home Fire
SHELLSBURG, Iowa (AP) – One person has been injured in a fire at a mobile home in rural Benton County.
The fire was reported a little before 5 a.m. Tuesday, about two miles south of Shellsburg. Officials say it took firefighters about 30 minutes to control the blaze after arriving to find the home engulfed in flames.
Officials say one of the two occupants suffered a minor injury. Their names haven’t been released.
The fire cause is being investigated.
