DUNN CONTINUANCE
The trial of former Kingsley police chief James Dunn has been continued to October 10. Dunn’s attorney filed for the continuance earlier this month. Last week, attorney Jacklyn Fox filed a motion to withdraw as counsel in the case, and to appoint a new attorney to represent Dunn. That motion was granted by District Judge James Daane.
Dunn faces 19 charges, including unauthorized use of law enforcement data bases, stalking with a dangerous weapon, and misconduct. He is accused of using official databases to stalk a former girlfriend, and gather information on her current boyfriend and his roommate.
FAMILY ACCESS CENTER LEASE
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved a lease agreement with Family Access Center. This agency provides mental health and substance abuse counseling service. Their Le Mars office is located in the county’s social services building. Family Access Center was former known as Transitional Service of Iowa. They have regional offices in Sioux City, Spencer, and Council Bluffs.
HIT AND RUN CAUSES POWER OUTAGE
A motor vehicle accident caused a power outage in Sioux County.
Early on Monday, the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office investigated an accident that occurred on Highway 10, one mile east of Hawarden, IA.
A car owned by Alfonso Martinez, had been traveling north on Buchanan Avenue, crossed Highway 10, left the roadway, struck a support wire for an electrical utility pole and came to rest in a creek north of Highway 10; the driver of the vehicle had fled the scene. The support wire detached and struck overhead power lines, causing a power outage for the City of Hawarden.
Investigating deputies located a wallet and identification belonging to Martinez and open containers of alcohol in the vehicle. Martinez was located at his residence. Deputies suspected that he was under the influence of alcohol but Martinez denied driving the vehicle that struck the utility pole. The case remains under investigation.
RAIN HAMPERS HARVEST
The rain farmers have been hoping for slowed some of the harvest last week. Radio Iowa’s Dar Danielson reports.
POLICE CHASE
Authorities have a male suspect in custody facing charges following a pursuit through Sioux City that ended in Plymouth County Tuesday afternoon.
Sioux City Police Sgt. Tom Gill says events started when a pickup truck was stolen around 10 a.m.from the 2500 block of West Solway:
Sgt. Gill says an officer spotted the vehicle near 4th and Floyd just before 1pm:
The suspect had run at least two red lights and sped through Leeds towards Highway 75 at increasing speeds, reaching 100 miles an hour heading into Plymouth County:
Sgt. Gill says no other property damage occurred and nobody was injured.
He says the suspect faces several charges:
The suspect, 42-year-old Richard Weston Snyder of Sioux City, was returned to Sioux City and booked into the Woodbury County Jail.
He is being held on $15,600 bond.
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS
A correction on a story yesterday on school board elections in the Le Mars School District. In Director District 3, Zach Davis (not David) and Joe Sitzmann filed for the election. There are four candidates seeking an open seat on the board. They include Scott Eilts, Zach Lancaster, Shawn Olson, and Kyle Plathe.
SCHOOL BOARD SNAFU
There’s been a filing snafu in the Akron-Westfield School District. Superintendant Derek Briggs says four board members seek election, but two filed in the wrong director districts. Cory Tucker and Kaylene Hawkins were filed as at large candidates, but they represent districts 4 and 5 respectively. Briggs takes the blame for the mistake. He says Tucker and Hawkins have withdrawn their candidacy for the at-large seat. But since the filing deadline has passed, Briggs says there will be an organized write-in effort leading up to the vote to elect these candidates to their districts. The other two candidates are incumbents Debra Jordt in District 6 and Nicholas Mathistad for the at-large seat.
The Hinton School Board election will have three candidates seeking three at-large seats. They include Veronika Cummings, and incumbents Kyle Hoefling and Cam Kounkel
In the Kingsley-Pierson School District, three people stand as candidates for three at-large seats. They include Lindsay Smit, Curtis Motz and incumbent Phillip Herbold
In the Remsen-Union School District, three people have filed for election for two at-large seats. They include incumbent Travis J. Tentinger, David Nicks and Justin Tentinger.
MUNICIPAL ELECTION CANDIDATES
In Remsen, there is no candidate filed for election for mayor. For city council, Incumbent Kendra Rensink and Douglas Ruhland have filed for election to two city council seats.
In Merrill, there is no candidate listed for election to mayor. There is a five-way race for three city council seats in Merrill. The candidates include incumbent Logan Held, and four others – Vicky Hemmelman, Karson Morehead, Deb Gillaspie, and Carla Rieken.
Hinton’s mayor, Kelly Kreber, seeks re-election, running unopposed. One incumbent, Jeffrey R. Johnson, is running for city council. There are three council seats open in Hinton, but only one candidate – Johnson.
In Kingsley, incumbent mayor Rick Bohle is seeking re-election, running unopposed. There are three incumbents who filed for three city council seats, with no opponents. They include Keith Bohle and Todd Beelmer running for four-year terms, and another incumbent, Justin Baker, filed for a two year council term to fill a vacancy.
In Akron, there are no candidates listed for mayor. There are three people listed for the election for three city council seats. They include Sue Gabel, Adam Loutsch, and incumbent Ryan Bergman. There is a three way race for two seats on the Akron Care Center Board of Trustees. They include Richard Gabel, and incumbents Diane Von Hagel and Angela Auchstetter Carey.
Three people have filed for election to three council seats in Brunsville. They include Mary Korthas, Nick Dickman, and Ronald Ludwigs.
In Craig, Barry Cornish has filed for mayor. Mona Schiltz, Tammy Eyer, Kelly Plueger, Julie Plueger, Glenn Moller have filed for five council seats.
Donna Poulsen has filed to run for mayor of Oyens. Kyle Thomas and Jacqueline Benstead filed for election to two council seats.
Michael Vander Molen filed for the mayor’s election in Struble. Five others – Troy Hughes Robert D Hughes, Richard Weiler, Kenneth C Urban, and Timothy R Nicholson: have filed for election to five council seats.
Jenny Hartman-Mendoza will run for mayor of Westfield. Lisbeth Terpstra is the lone person who filed for election to city council. There are two seats open up for vote.
SHERIFFS SCAM
The Woodbury and Sioux County Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents about a telephone scam involving the sheriffs departments and local police.
People report receiving a phone call from 712-737-2280, which is the Sioux County Sheriffs Office actual business phone number. The same thing has happened with the Woodbury County Sheriffs Office.
The caller claims to be a sheriff’s office employee, gives a fictitious name, tells you that you missed a certain court date and you are in contempt of court. In some cases, the caller wanted the person to record their name on a recorded line.
DO NOT agree to do this. The scammer wants to use your recorded name to use in fraudulent transactions posing as you.
The sheriffs office says phone calls like these are not coming from their agency or any local police departments in Sioux County.
Residents receiving such calls should not give out any personal information.
