A former Sioux City man who headed the federal prison system for seventeen years has died in Arizona at the age of 87.
Norman A. Carlson was promoted by then Attorney General John Mitchell in 1970 to become the 4th Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a position he held until his retirement in 1987.
Carlson was born in Sioux City, graduating from Central High School and then Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota.
One of his first jobs was working during the summer on a local ambulance crew with George Lindblade, who became a longtime friend:
Carlson went on to the University of iowa where he received his Master’s Degree in Criminology and began working in the State of Iowa’s corrections department.
Lindblade says Carlson got a push to join the federal prison system from an unlikely source:
Carlson and his wife Pat moved to Leavenworth, Kansas and then Kentucky before being transferred to Washington, D.C. to work on then Attorney General Robert Kennedy’s new halfway house program.
He served throughout the Watergate era and ultimately had custody of those convicted, including Attorney General Mitchell, who appointed him.
Carlson was credited with improving the Bureau of Prisons through many innovative changes with a focus on protecting inmates, prison staff and the public.
Lindblade says Carlson worked to reduce overcrowding in facilities and also spearheaded the development of the super max prison;
Carlson also championed increased diversity in the workforce and developed an independent research branch to monitor and track results of programs.
During his 17-year tenure as Director, he served under eleven different Attorneys General, and four Presidents, representing both political parties.
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Two of Iowa’s top Republicans will be speakers at this week’s Republican National Convention. President Donald Trump’s campaign announced that Iowa Governor Kim Reyolds will speak during the convention tonight. Senator Joni Ernst will be among the speakers on Wednesday. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is also set to speak at the Republican National Convention this Wednesday. Noem has gained national attention for her close ties to President Donald Trump, who recently visited South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore for an Independence Day celebration. Noem is also being praised for her response to handling the COVID-19 pandemic in her state. The virtual convention runs through Thursday.
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A CROOKSTON, MINNESOTA MAN IS IN CUSTODY FACING ROBBERY AND TRAFFIC RELATED CHARGES FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT IN WOODBURY COUNTY FRIDAY NIGHT.
27-YEAR-OLD LARRY ROBERTSON JUNIOR IS CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF SECOND DEGREE ATTEMPTED ROBBERY, RECKLESS DRIVING AND LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT.
WOODBURY COUNTY DEPUTIES RESPONDED TO A CRASH ON INTERSTATE 29 WHERE ROBERTSON ALLEGEDLY DROVE A VEHICLE NORTH IN THE SOUTHBOUND LANES AND STRUCK A SOUTHBOUND VEHICLE AT MILE MARKER 134.
HE ALLEGEDLY THEN TRIED TO FORCE HIS WAY INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES THAT STOPPED TO HELP AT THE CRASH SCENE AND THEN RAN OFF INTO A CORNFIELD.
A SEARCH LED TO THE ARREST OF ROBERTSON IN THE 1500 BLOCK OF 275TH STREET.
HE IS BEING HELD IN THE WOODBURY COUNTY JAIL ON $11,300 BOND.
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ONE PERSON IS DEAD AND TWO OTHERS INJURED FOLLOWING A TWO VEHICLE CRASH JUST BEFORE NOON SUNDAY IN LYON COUNTY
THE IOWA STATE PATROL SAYS 35-YEAR-OLD CARISSA MOSIER OF SIOUX FALLS WAS KILLED WHEN THE JEEP CHEROKEE SHE WAS DRIVING COLLIDED WITH AN S-U-V DRIVEN BY 20-YEAR-OLD BROOKLYN RADLOFF OF INWOOD, IOWA AT A RURAL INTERSECTION.
RADLOFF AND A THREE-YEAR-OLD PASSENGER IN HER VEHICLE WERE INJURED AND TAKEN TO A ROCK RAPIDS HOSPITAL.
THEIR CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED.
THE ACCIDENT REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
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A pursuit that was fast and furious but short lived has ended with a Georgia man in custody in a Nebraska jail. A trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol had a westbound Chevy Camaro blow by him at 128 miles per hour in the 65 miles per hour zone on I-80 in Lincoln about 12:30 a.m. Monday. The trooper tried to perform a traffic stop, but the Camaro driver, 33-year-old Jamell Martinez of Hinesville, Georgia, increased his speed to 155 miles an hour and fled. Other troopers successfully deployed stop sticks to slow the vehicle and Martinez was taken into custody. The entire pursuit lasted less than ten minutes. Martinez was arrested for willful reckless driving, flight to avoid arrest, and traffic violations. He was lodged in Lancaster County Jail.
