(Council Bluffs) -- A Council Bluffs man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison on amended charges related to the death of a 28-year-old woman Court records show that 46-year-old Justin Sickler of Council Bluffs was given the maximum allowable sentence Thursday by Judge Eric Nelson on the charges of willful injury--causing serious injury and first degree robbery as part of a plea deal Sickler had originally been charged with first degree murder and third degree theft before pleading guilty to the amended charges The charges stem from the death of Brianne McIntosh who was reported missing in December 2023. She was later found dead in rural Fremont County in February 2024 with autopsy results indicating that McIntosh had sustained "severe facial injury related to her death." Sickler was arrested in October of last year we attempt to be accurate in our reporting please contact us by emailing kmaradio@kmaland.com (Council Bluffs) -- A Council Bluffs man faces first degree murder charges in connection to … Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Eight local artists were on site at Cochran Park Saturday afternoon to paint a series of miniature murals during the City of Council Bluffs' Murals and Music event Artists are being sought to help create the largest mural yet as part of a public art project in Council Bluffs A Midsummer's Mural will tell the history of Katelman Steel Fabrication Inc Concept art depicts a locomotive pulling train cars "This mural will add to the beautiful mural collection along the First Ave Boke Trail and grow the already robust public art presence in Council Bluffs," according to a call for artists The mural will be painted on a 561-foot wall with a team painting the background of the freight train Twenty artists will paint designs on each car with train cars being painted in early June through the third week of August Special days will be planned for all artists to paint simultaneously A public mural dedication will follow completion of the project Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter Eight local artists were on site at Cochran Park Saturday afternoon to paint a series of miniature murals during the City of Council Bluffs' M… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account was sentenced to 45 years for three felonies connected to the death of 28-year-old McIntosh on Thursday He accepted a plea deal that removed a first degree murder charge "That monster didn't realize how many people loved and cared for her Or maybe he did and he just didn't care," said Brianne McIntosh's sister Emotional victim statements from Brianne McIntosh's family on Thursday as the man connected to her death is sentenced in Pottawattamie County "You were just going to walk around like you did nothing," her friend Liz said Judge Eric Nelson gave Justin Sickler the maximum allowable sentence under a plea agreement giving him at least 17 and a half years in prison "You transported her corpse and just dumped her on the side of the road," Nelson said Sickler was originally charged with first-degree murder in the death of the 28-year-old Iowa woman She was found in a remote part of Fremont County more than a month after her death visited the site: "In the middle of complete nowhere." is why he agreed to a plea bargain — taking murder off the table "I'm not saying I'm not struggling with this one," he said."It's not been an easy choice but looking at all the evidence I think it's the best choice we could make under the circumstances." Brianne's family was frustrated that Sickler couldn't be tried for murder Tommy Thompson: "Under the circumstances I'll have to take what I can get and it's the best I can get." This is the best outcome we could have asked for," Royal said Tina Baker: "I am extremely happy with the judge's decision Not so happy that he didn't get the charges he deserved." Wilber told me he believes powerful statements from loved ones encouraged the judge to impose the strongest sentence possible Thompson directly addressed Sickler at times: "Look at me Sickler won't be out of prison until he's in his sixties I'm your Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter The Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs held their annual Fifth Grade Career Fair at Iowa Western on Tuesday Nancy Schulze with the Noon Rotary Club was at the event and spoke about it on its 16th year of being held Veterinarians do a lot more than care for animals Melissa Harrer of the Animal Clinic of Council Bluffs said vets play an important role in public health new surgery techniques,” she told local students during a career fair Tuesday held at Iowa Western Community College Some of the students walked away from Harrer's presentation impressed “It was nice hearing about all these jobs,” said Hazel Louise Medeiros of Bloomer Elementary School “It is interesting,” added Hudson Rushing of Heartland Christian School sits in on an informational session about veterinary careers during the Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs’ annual Fifth Grade Career Fair inside Reiver Arena at Iowa Western Community College on Tuesday Veterinary medicine was one of dozens of occupation fields that hundreds of children got a quick glance of at the annual Fifth Grade Career Fair sponsored by the Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs The event was hosted by Iowa Western Community College and brought in students from the Council Bluffs Community School District Lewis Central Community School District and Saint Albert Catholic Schools Workers in a wide variety of careers highlighted what they do and the education required those interested in becoming a veterinarian must receive college and veterinary medicine schooling “It takes eight years to be a veterinarian,” Harrer said it's important to get good grades in school because admittance to a veterinary school is limited “There are only 32 veterinary schools in the U.S and just 49 in the world,” she told the students photographer Amy Kennedy of Glenwood told the students her schooling involved getting a four-year college degree in photography Amy Kennedy with Glenwood’s Portraits by Amy shows students some photos she took of their group during the Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs’ annual Fifth Grade Career Fair inside Reiver Arena at Iowa Western Community College on Tuesday “An important skill for a photographer is to know your camera and I have backup cameras,” Kennedy told the students “Education is such a priority for both clubs and this program fits the needs of local students so well,” said Nancy Schulze of the Noon Rotary Club Harrer expressed hope that students might consider veterinary medicine as a career because the profession needs more talented workers “We don’t have enough veterinarians,” she said Roosevelt Elementary School students Tonie O’Shea RJ Powell and Noah Rios shield their eyes as Council Bluffs Police Sgt Dale Schmitz shows off the light on one of his department’s riot shields during the Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs’ annual Fifth Grade Career Fair inside Reiver Arena at Iowa Western Community College on Tuesday Roosevelt Elementary School fifth-grader Zane Jensen takes one of the Thomas Jefferson High School robotics team’s machines for a spin during the Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs’ annual Fifth Grade Career Fair inside Reiver Arena at Iowa Western Community College on Tuesday Iowa Western Community College Dean of Health Jessica Pauley speaks to area students about nursing and other health-related careers during the Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs’ annual Fifth Grade Career Fair inside Reiver Arena on Tuesday Area students get ready to enter Reiver Arena for the annual Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs' annual Fifth Grade Career Fair at Iowa Western Community College on Tuesday Melissa Harrer of the Animal Clinic of Council Bluffs shows off her pet dog at the annual Fifth Grade Career Fair on Tuesday She told the students that vets do more than provide animal care but also play key roles in public health Stephen Urlaub with Edward Jones speaks to local kids about financial careers during the Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs' annual Fifth Grade Career Fair inside Reiver Arena at Iowa Western Community College on Tuesday Local students learn about trucking and transportation logistics careers from Werner Enterprises during the Council Bluffs Noon and Centennial Rotary clubs' annual Fifth Grade Career Fair inside Reiver Arena at Iowa Western Community College on Tuesday Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox Kelsey is in your neighborhood covering the sports stories that matter most She's always on the lookout for the next local star and stories that inspire Iowa (KMTV) — The Council Bluffs Community School District Innovation and Sports Center opened earlier this year middle and high school can use the space to refine their skills in golf “To me it’s just so satisfying to see a line drive go right up the middle.” Thomas Jefferson High School senior Kendall Bell–a three sport athlete–getting set for baseball season “This year we’re installing that winning mentality,” he said The team had a chance to work on that and more in the winter months at the new Innovation and Sports Center “Extra practice has given us more time to one-on-one with our coaches for the very itty bit details of our swings and making sure we can get the most out of it,” Bell said It’s shared with cross town rival Abraham Lincoln the first facility like this for schools in the Council Bluffs metro “The first question out of some of our players’ mouths was ‘are we going to have access to this anytime we want to go there?’” Abraham Lincoln baseball coach Tyler Brietzke said the district saw a need for multiple sports (to have a space like this) “I want them to put that glove and a hat on and walk out and go ‘I can compete,” CBCSD Superintendent Dr donations and equipment they already had.; about $50,000 alone for turf “The district stepping up and saying ‘hey this is a space we want to give you,’ puts us on kind of an equal playing field,” Brietzke said They also hope to develop a pipeline with elementary and middle schoolers “Students that come here for robotics (can) see in the off season they can swing a golf club or they can throw a baseball or a softball,” Murillo said Bell with some advice for prospective Yellow Jackets and Lynxes at the facility you’ll have memories that’ll last for a while.” esports area and even a broadcast media training center Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOUNCIL BLUFFS Iowa (WOWT) - A redevelopment project in the Council Bluffs area will replace two long-closed retail buildings with brand new places to shop The Lake Manawa Power Center is a regional attraction many of whom are excited that a project is underway to fill the building that once housed Toys-‘R’-Us and Gordman’s with three national brands: HomeGoods “The front façade is really going to change the whole look of the area,” said Adam Ramaekers with Montage Builders it’s something that this building really needed.” Margaret Schiltz drives up from Mills County to shop She welcomes more variety to the Manawa area “So many of us have to go into Omaha to get that broader availability for items and things of that nature,” said Schiltz “I live in Glenwood but this is where I shop I come over here [to Lake Manawa] twice a week.” Kristel Mayberry also makes frequent trips to shop here “I’m from Glenwood and we don’t really have a lot of shopping there Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh says opening up buildings that have been sitting idle will bring more money to the area “It creates a synergy in the shopping mall that helps drive sales for everyone,” Walsh said “It’s a pretty active regional shopping center that people form southwest Iowa It’s closer than some of the shopping centers out west.” Officials with Montage Builders expect to have the new stores complete this fall Iowa (WOWT) - A 39-year-old has been charged with a misdemeanor after a scary situation Tuesday morning at a Council Bluffs elementary school Council Bluffs Police said officers quickly responded to Franklin Elementary School someone was on their way to “shoot up the school.” The school went into lockdown for about 25 minutes as authorities investigated Police said other nearby schools were also advised to go into lockdown “as a precaution.” Once the threat was determined not to be credible Sweeney was charged with providing false information — a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or 30 days in jail She is also banned from the school for the rest of the school year Get a first alert to breaking news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for First Alert 6 email alerts. Iowa (WOWT) - A woman is behind bars after being accused of firing a gun at a vehicle in Council Bluffs on Wednesday afternoon Blake was arrested and booked into Pottawattamie County Jail on one felony count of attempted murder and one misdemeanor charge of domestic assault with a dangerous weapon Council Bluffs Police responded to the area of 31st Street and Avenue A for a “shots fired” call around 1:45 p.m Officers discovered that someone had shot at a vehicle in an alley near 32nd Street Police say the bullet entered the car and narrowly missed the man inside it Investigators determined Blake to be the suspect and took her into custody Iowa (WOWT) - Fire crews were called to a fire in a Council Bluffs home early Wednesday The fire chief tells First Alert 6 on the scene that the house was abandoned Public safety dispatchers report that no one was injured in the incident Iowa (WOWT) - Finding housing in Council Bluffs is more difficult than ever before “Council Bluffs is suffering through a housing shortage The most recent census data tells us that there’s 1.7% rental housing vacancy That same data says that anything below 8% contributes to homelessness,” Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh said On the City’s Facebook Page Mayor Walsh says the numbers are worse for home ownership the Mayor is looking at the Dodge Riverside Golf Course and its 230 acres Mayor Walsh said 16 buildings could house more than 2,500 units “We think that Dodge Park has the best chance of doing that Its proximity to improvements on the Riverfront its location and easy access to both downtown Council Bluffs and downtown Omaha makes it attractive,” he said She believes the golf course needs to stay as it is “You’re going to take away the green space and put in more cement and you have to not only fill this up because the ground water comes up but then it causes flooding for our neighbors around here,” Storey said “The other development on the other side already does cause problems with our residents over there." Storey also notes that this is where kids can learn the game of golf She says her daughter learned to play here and earned a college scholarship the former school teacher took to the street Storey camped at the entrance of the golf course waving signs and talking to anyone who would listen “We’re trying to save our golf course,” Storey said “I just can’t see why a developer would want to develop land that’s in a flood plain and this community deserves to keep its golf course,” Long said Storey wants to make sure everyone knows about the development plans even preparing handouts on why the golf course needs to remain “The mayor had talked about how most of the people here golfing aren’t from Council Bluffs and it’s like It’s bringing people into our city to make them aware of what a great place we are,” Storey said Mayor Walsh apologizes to Dodge Park golfers but in this case we believe change is necessary,” Mayor Walsh said COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Cattlemen's Heritage Beef Company finalized its purchase of land in Mills County in 2023. The meat processing company is asking Council Bluffs to annex that land so the plant can have access to Council Bluffs water and sewer systems The final decision about annexation will be made by the State of Iowa This rural neighborhood is in northern Mills County but it could soon be part of Council Bluffs I'm Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel It’s an unusual move and I’m here to find out why Cattlemen's Heritage Beef purchased land near I-29 to build a processing plant almost two years ago “Both communities will ultimately benefit from this fantastic employer,” Walsh said Cattlemen's requested annexation by Council Bluffs across county lines “It just makes sense for the City of Council Bluffs and Mills County Supervisors to work together to court this business Mills County Supervisors were initially concerned about whether they would be solely responsible for the cost of road maintenance near the annexed neighborhood Supervisors Richard Crouch and Jack Sayers recently attended a Council Bluffs City Council meeting “Mills County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution in opposition to the annexation," said Sayers "and the reason why that was done was really one Crouch told me over the phone Monday that the Mills County board hasn’t heard much from Cattlemen’s in three years—another concern—but now the city and county agree the roads will be a shared responsibility Other neighbors have expressed concern about the strain on city utilities and traffic in the growing industrial area The final decision will be up to the State of Iowa City Development Board I spoke with the chair of the Mills County Supervisors and he told me he was positive about the direction of their conversations with the City of Council Bluffs I'm your Southwest Iowa Neighborhood Reporter The Iowa School for the Deaf cheerleading team recently finished first among seven schools at the Great Plains Schools for the Deaf Cheer Championship held in Arkansas the squad will be among 13 schools at a national event in Rochester A cheer group from Council Bluffs recently took first in an elite competition A team from Central Athletics Cheer Gym traveled to Orlando Florida to compete in the All-Star Worlds Championship competed against 12 other teams from all across the world to take home gold It is the first time a team from this area has won the competition A Council Bluffs cheer team takes home gold at the All-Star World Championship that was held April 15-18 “There’s words but the words don’t ever seem to fit the feeling.” The girls practice all year round for roughly 10 hours a week competing throughout the season to reach their end goal Boyer said this season has been less than ideal for the girls noting that they have lost multiple members throughout said that the world championship is the equivalent of the Super Bowl for the girls Hastie said that everyone is still processing the win The team is also coached by two international students at Iowa Western Community College Both students are from Brazil and on top of being the first time the region has won the title it is the first time anyone from Brazil has won or been involved with a winning team Boyer said the girls are already back in the gym working to prepare for next year “They're already putting in work for next season because they want to do it again It's also re-energizing me as a coach,” Boyer said The Iowa School for the Deaf cheerleading team recently finished first among seven schools at the Great Plains Schools for the Deaf Cheer Cham… Iowa (KMTV) — The city of Council Bluffs is considering turning the 100-year-old Dodge Riverside Golf Course into a new housing development The city has a very little available housing available to rent or to own say their workers can't find homes in Council Bluffs The city of Council Bluffs is proposing turning this 100-year-old public golf course into a new housing development but the three most important things in real estate are location Dodge Riverside Golf Club was built on land donated to the city by the Dodge family The course even attracts players from around the Midwest Steve Holman organizes a group of 16 friends who travel from Minnesota to play every year during the Masters Council Bluffs has a severe housing shortage — an issue I've been reporting on for years We've gotta create more owner-occupied housing to accommodate the current needs in Council Bluffs.” Mayor Matt Walsh wants to develop the Dodge Riverfront Golf Club into a mixed-use community with both rental and ownership opportunities a volunteer with local conservation groups are skeptical about losing the 100-year-old green space Oswald: “It has been here as public space so citizens that were less fortunate financially will have a place to play golf and also enjoy some open space along the river.” Walsh says that there are only so many ways the city can grow its tax rolls without continuing to increase taxes on current residents: “If developed correctly we think we can collect between $15 and $20 million a year in property taxes.” But....lose out on business that's already there it wouldn't be in Council Bluffs,” Holman said It's an old-school golf course I don't see a whole lot of anymore.” Mayor Walsh says the city is just in its planning phases The Mills County Board Of Supervisors has formally approved a plan by the City Of Council Bluffs to annex property in northern Mills County The three-member board gave its blessing to the plan by unanimously passing a resolution at its regular meeting last Tuesday The City of Council Bluffs’ desire to annex land in Mills County surfaced more than a year ago during discussions concerning economic development along Interstate 29 director of the Mills County Economic Development Foundation (MCEDF) told county supervisors the annexation would be required for the City of Council Bluffs to provide utility services for two projects being proposed along Interstate 29 in northwest Mills County One of those projects is the $325 million Cattlemen’s Heritage beef processing facility proposed on a 132-acre site northwest of the I-29 – Highway 370 interchange The other project is east of I-29 and south of the Mills – Pottawattamie County line The supervisors’ vote in favor of the annexation came after Council Bluffs amended an initial plan that called for the planned annexation to end at Bunge Ave the annexation will go to the center of Bunge Ave. likely resulting in Mills County and Council Bluffs sharing in the maintenance and policing of the road Mills County Supervisor Jack Sayers said a road-sharing agreement for Bunge Ave should alleviate concerns of Mills County Engineer  Jacob Ferro and Sheriff Greg Schultz “This has been a long discussion for both Council Bluffs Mills County and Pottawattamie County,” he said knowing that the line will go down to the center line of Bunge Ave. will force Council Bluffs to have a road-sharing agreement with us for Bunge Ave.” Supervisor Richard Crouch said he learned at recent Council Bluffs city council meeting that city code in Council Bluffs requires annexation to go to the center of a road “They have to go to the center of a road to annex.,” he said “That was quite a relief to know that we wouldn’t have to bear this by ourselves.” Sayers noted that technically under state law the City of Council Bluffs doesn’t need the county’s approval to annex the property but to have some sort of agreement with the road just puts us on a path towards a good partnership for both entities Sayers said if the proposed development comes to fruition it could eventually lead to almost $1 million in added property tax revenue for the county “When we’re talking about a county that gets $14-$15 million worth of property taxes every year that project will be tremendous for our county,” he said IA 51566Phone: 712-527-3191Phone: 712-623-2566Fax: 712-527-3193 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInOMAHA (WOWT) - Another round of severe weather swept over the Omaha metro on Thursday afternoon A flash flood warning was issued for Douglas County at 5:45 p.m First Alert 6 reporters observed dangerous road conditions due to flooding on Saddle Creek Road Several viewers have reported similar conditions across the city Officials are urging an abundance of caution Submit photos and videos of storm damage to us through our app or our website Flash-flooding warnings sounded on phones in the Omaha area a few minutes before 6 p.m. with the warning expected to be in place until 7:45 p.m Viewers sent in videos Thursday afternoon of flooding on 45th and Leavenworth streets and at Good Shepherd Elementary at 51st and Center streets An unconfirmed preliminary report from the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center said a a tornado touched down briefly Thursday in Pottawattamie County about four miles northeast of Council Bluffs Get a first alert to severe weather approaching your area. Download the First Alert 6 Weather app (WOWT) - Authorities in Omaha and Council Bluffs are asking for the public’s help in identifying a burglary suspect The masked suspect is wanted in connection to three break-ins that all happened on March 28 Authorities say the man appears to be wearing a long the suspect hit an Old Market restaurant near 10th and Howard streets the suspect broke into a North Omaha adult novelty store just off Highway 75 The suspect then crossed over into Council Bluffs shortly after 7 a.m to burglarize a café near W Broadway and 28th St The suspect appears to be wearing a badge on his waist in footage from the café break-in Authorities note that the rash of break-ins all happened within the span of three hours First Alert 6 has not yet been told what was taken from the places hit If you can identify the person in the security camera photos, or have any other information, you are asked to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-7867, their website, or the P3 Tips app Council Bluffs Crime Stoppers can be reached at 712-328-7867 Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application to Manuel and Mary Lou (Mercado) Tijerina in Council Bluffs A proud graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School James built a fulfilling career as a skilled craftsman with Whiting-Turner Contracting Company where he left his mark not just in the work he did After dating for 16 years-and a proposal that left Amy so shocked she never officially said "yes"-they were married in 2008 Their wedding was unforgettable and is still talked about as one of the best ever who surprised the entire family by arriving after all the grandkids their daughter Jade completed their family He was incredibly proud to coach Jackson's baseball and football teams and he cherished teaching him how to play chess he loved teaching her gymnastics and how to swim James found true joy in teaching and sharing knowledge-whether it was showing someone how to fix something or passing on a skill he had mastered He was a man who could (and would) debate just about anything-politics he almost always had his black and gold gear on and you'd be hard pressed to find a photo without it he brought the whole kitchen sink-literally He loved to cook and entertain family and friends James also had a deep love for music and concerts He would sing along at the top of his lungs even if he couldn't carry a tune or remember the lyrics-he was the life of the party and the heart of every gathering Known for his hilarious (and often terrible) jokes and his tendency to say every woman was flirting with him (just ask Amy) he had a way of making everyone feel like they belonged James had a special place in his heart for animals-so much so that sometimes he loved his furbabies more than the kids (and the kids knew it!) James became a fierce advocate for pediatric cancer research determined to raise awareness and push for change He turned his pain into purpose and never stopped fighting for a better future for children facing the same battle Manuel and Mary Lou Tijerina; his siblings and Ruth (Mark Hagen) Tijerina; as well as many beloved aunts and countless friends who were lucky to know him and will be remembered as someone who lit up every room he entered and cousins; a host of other family and friends Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM on Saturday please join us to celebrate James's life at the Fraternal Order of Eagles feel free to wear your favorite Iowa Hawkeye gear or anything black and gold Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Read through the obituaries published today in The Daily Nonpareil (WOWT) - Council Bluffs Police are searching for a man after a shooting at a bar Sunday morning Council Bluffs Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at the O’Face Bar Police on scene told First Alert 6 a man became upset and revealed he had a gun while inside the bar Then that man went outside and started firing shots into the side of the building Iowa (KMTV — Concerned Citizens of Pottawattamie County and neighbors who live on the south side of Council Bluffs met with Iowa's attorney general and lawmakers about blocked railroad crossings There are times when a triangular section of the south ends is completely blocked by trains; no one can get in or out of the neighborhood Union Pacific sent an updated statement on Wednesday afternoon: "Union Pacific has met several times with city officials and other key stakeholders in Council Bluffs and we have made adjustments to our operating practices to address concerns." BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT: Dave Bushaw: "A number of folks in that room have been stuck in that crossing and the triangle of death before." I'm Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel in Des Moines I'm here because Council Bluffs neighbors — who get completely blocked in by the railroad — are asking state officials for help Where you're in there and you can't get out,” said Representative Brent Siegrist I've been covering efforts in Council Bluffs to improve wait times at rail crossings on the south end when a triangular section of the neighborhood can be completely cut off from the city "Everyone has a story of how they've been impacted by the blocked railroad crossings," Alicia Whitehill said Representative Josh Turek said a constituent had a collision with a train in the triangle "And then the ambulance got stuck in there and she was stuck in there for almost an hour," he said Alicia Whitehill and Cindy Hanneman were among the neighbors at the capital Tuesday They told me about meeting with Attorney General Brenna Bird "Super glad that she was so receptive and had plans already in mind," Hanneman said I contacted Union Pacific Wednesday but haven't heard back as of my deadline "Union Pacific is in close communication with city officials and other key stakeholders.. We're working to mitigate any related impacts including enhancing safety and education outreach." Several viewers have asked me: why not build a viaduct the ultimate answer is a viaduct,” he said we're going to make sure we don't have a tragedy because people are blocked in there." Turek said state laws limit the time a crossing can be blocked: "All that we're asking for is enforcement of current law The attorney general's spokeswoman told me over the phone that Bird plans to contact the federal department of transportation about the issue Iowa (KMTV) — A housing shortage in the metro area and southwest Iowa is a barrier for many neighbors at any income level who want to find a place to live It's especially tough for people like Kevin who lives in a tent in the woods Last week during the depths of the winter cold Kevin and his wife live in a tent not too far from here because they can't find housing Katrina: "We're right on the River now...." Dan Stuck with the Council Bluffs Police Homeless Outreach Program told me that's not uncommon It's especially tough if neighbors want to stay in Pottawattamie County because of a housing shortage they just don't meet a certain criteria or they're not as high risk maybe And because of the shortage it just takes a long time to get to them," Stuck said "I've been on the housing list for over two years,” said Kevin Blake Johnson from Habitat for Humanity Council Bluffs said there's a need for housing at all levels not only Council Bluffs but the metro and all of southwest Iowa and areas that we serve," he said I talked to Council Bluffs Community Development Director Courtney Harter over the phone If there's a shortage of new homes for sale it also means shortages throughout the rental market because neighbors stay put and can't move up the housing ladder That means neighbors like Kevin are literally out in the cold but the community is working on the problem "There are a lot of units being built in Council Bluffs right now,” Johnson said which is just as much needed as the single-family homeownership opportunities." Eight-hundred multi-family units are currently being built in Council Bluffs Two-hundred of those homes are considered 'affordable.’ That's 80% of the median household income for the area or $87,600 for a family of four Iowa (WOWT) - The driver of a pick up was taken to an Omaha hospital Friday evening following a crash with a school bus in Iowa The crash happened near Lewis Central High School just after 4 p.m Council Bluffs Police said the driver of the pickup was trapped when they arrived Rescue personnel transported the driver to UNMC with serious injuries CBPD also said no children were hurt in the crash Two adults — a driver and a male passenger — were the only people on the school bus The CBPD Traffic unit is now investigating the crash Get a first alert to breaking news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for First Alert 6 email alerts. Jill is your neighborhood news reporter for Northwest Omaha Jill is passionate about connecting with her community and telling the stories that matter to them Iowa (KMTV) — From the touch of your phone to your front door in just a few hours 3 News Now reporter Jill Lamkins gets an inside look at Amazon’s new same-day delivery facility From the touch of your phone to your front door in just a few hours packing and out for delivery: it's a swift process that helps Amazon and its workers here deliver 15,000 same-day packages per day This is the first Amazon same-day facility in the Council Bluffs and Omaha metro and that's great news for prime members Any Amazon Prime member who orders within a 50-mile radius of the facility can get their package within five hours "Our inventory is a lot smaller than a traditional fulfillment center We have about 500,000 items and that inventory is constantly changing based off what the customer is ordering,” said William Yuen There are 200 employees at this facility working alongside 300 robots The robots transport bins containing deliveries from one location to the next "How these robots move is that there's little QR codes on the robotics floor and they have a camera underneath that actually reads it that tells the robot where they are and where they're headed next,” said Yuen Working with robots here is something Yuen says makes it easier for everyone it's kind of like an accessory and asset to the associates that save them from repetitive motions having to walk excessively throughout their shift it overall makes our facility a lot safer." From the facility out into our neighborhoods Once items are packaged up and ready to go drivers load up 25 orders and travel 900 different routes each day to bring those orders right to our doors Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (WOWT) -- A second arrest has been made in connection to shots fired outside an Iowa bar over the weekend was booked into Pottawattamie County Jail on two counts of attempted murder and one count of intimidation with a dangerous weapon Council Bluffs Police responded to a shooting at O’Face bar near 24th Street and 9th Avenue officers discovered that one or more people had fired several rounds toward the bar and toward an occupied vehicle in the parking lot during a disturbance as the bar was closing No one was hit by the gunfire but police said a person who was in the car received treatment for minor injuries Police also arrested 22-year-old Ty’Jon Edwards on Monday in connection to the same shooting and at the same time asked the public for tips that may help them in their investigation “The CBPD would like to thank the community and law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation,” CBPD Chief Matt Davis said in a press release Tuesday “Thank you to the members of the public who came forward with information The public is always strongly encouraged to come forward and say something if you see something.” CBPD said Thurlow is cooperating in the investigation and that they don’t anticipate anymore arrests in this case Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCOUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (WOWT) -- A man is behind bars after a shooting at bar in Council Bluffs over the weekend was arrested and booked into Pottawattamie County Jail on two counts of attempted murder and one count of intimidation with a deadly weapon Council Bluffs Police responded to a shoot at O’Face bar near 24th Street and 9th Avenue officers discovered that a man had fired several rounds toward the bar and toward an occupied vehicle in the parking lot during a disturbance as the bar was closing Investigators identified Edwards as the suspect and around noon on Monday members of the Metro Fugitive Task Force spotted the suspect vehicle near 16th and West Broadway in Council Bluffs They stopped the vehicle and took Edwards into custody without incident Police said the investigation is ongoing and they expect more arrests to be made in this case Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged to call the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-328-4728 passed away peacefully at Northcrest Living Center in Council Bluffs to the late Chris and Christine (Sonksen) Albertsen at her parent’s home in Douglas Township Alma was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lincoln Township northwest of Audubon She attended rural school Douglas #2 then graduated from the Audubon High School in 1951 Alma helped her parents on their farm while growing up and was involved in 4H Alma was united in marriage to Richard Lee Wetzel at Trinity Lutheran Church in Douglas Township Richard and Alma enjoyed over 60 years together until his death in 2015 They raised six children together in Audubon After their children had graduated and moved out of the home Richard moved his construction business to Council Bluffs Iowa and they relocated to Council Bluffs for the remainder of their lives Alma was a hard worker throughout her life Over the years she worked a variety of jobs including dental assistant From 1968 to 1972 Alma owned and operated the Irwin Café in Irwin She retired from working in 2000 as a bank teller at Mercantile Bank in Council Bluffs In their later years Alma and Richard enjoyed traveling on group bus tours around the country and frequent visits to Branson She enjoyed spending time with her family including her grandchildren and great grandchildren Alma was an excellent cook and enjoyed baking for family and friends Jr.; siblings Helen Hansen and Alvin Albertsen Iowa and Richard (Gale) Wetzel of Council Bluffs Iowa; brother Leroy (Sharlene) Albertsen of Carroll Iowa; grandchildren and great grandchildren; nieces Visitation will be held from 11:00am-12:00pm at Hoy Kilnoski Funeral Home on Friday Funeral Service will be held at 12:00pm at Hoy Kilnoski Funeral Home on Friday (Clarinda) -- A Council Bluffs man has won a $500,000 lottery prize on a ticket purchased in Clarinda Officials with the Iowa Lottery announced late last week that William Campbell won the 5th top prize in the Iowa Lottery's "Mega Bucks" scratch game purchasing the winning ticket at the Casey's at 318 East Washington Street in Clarinda Officials say Campbell claimed his prize Wednesday at the lottery's main office in Clive Mega Bucks is a $50 scratch game that features 13 top prizes of $500,000, 12 prizes of $25,000 and overall odds of 1 in 3.09. For more information about this game, and the number of prizes still available, visit ialottery.com Photo by: Creighton AthleticsSoftball Moves Weekend Series With Seattle and St Thomas To Council Bluffs3/21/2025 12:10:00 PM | Softball Council Bluffs officials have proposed annexing roughly 437 acres (shaded in red) into city limits from Pottawattamie and Mills counties Two proposed developments in Mills County requested the voluntary annexation Artist's rendering of the proposed beef processing plant in Mills County (Glenwood) -- Discrepancies over future road repairs and a lack of early input have led Mills County officials to object to a proposed annexation by Council Bluffs in the county's northwest corner By a 2-0 vote at its regular meeting Tuesday morning the county board of supervisors approved a resolution of non-support for the city's proposal to annex roughly 473 acres between Pottawattamie and Mills County extending from the current city limits down to the Interstate 29-Bunge Avenue interchange Two proposed developments near the interchange including the Cattlemen's Heritage beef processing plant project had requested voluntary annexation to allow the city to provide the necessary water and sewer infrastructure While emphasizing he supported economic development in the county Supervisor Richard Crouch says the latest letter they received from Council Bluffs still failed to address their primary concerns for future road maintenance with the expected influx of traffic it really hasn't brought to light the problems that I see and also the engineer with some of the roads being isolated or put on islands and we're still stuck with the whole Bunge Avenue repair part," said Crouch "They say that could be taken care of in phase two or phase three and they've also talked about the amount of money that each company would get to help take care of some of the roads." Mills County Economic Development Foundation Director Mark Norman had urged the board to support the annexation Norman says the move could indicate a "willingness" from the county to continue negotiations over their concerns "I think showing support for the annexation also shows willingness to partner and continue those negotiations," said Norman "I think that kind of helps foster that relationship or partnership and put things together I think that would be a positive as well." Supervisor Jack Sayers feels the county's input was left out of the early planning for the proposal--particularly regarding Bunge Avenue the annexation boundary stops north of the busy roadway "They have known for years that Bunge Avenue was a sticking point for Mills County and we wanted to them to go at least go to the center line of Bunge Avenue so we could work together and have some sort of formal agreement," said Sayers "We were all in favor of this because we shared our opinion on it before we actually got the map when we got the map of the actual annexation I know (County Engineer) Jacob (Ferro) was kind of sitting back and thinking why wasn't Mills County brought in from the beginning." Crouch also expressed concerns over the increased traffic adding to an already congested intersection--particularly during fall and spring when farmers are hauling grain to and from the Bunge ethanol plant County Sheriff Greg Schultz did express public safety concerns over the anticipated increase in traffic without an immediate plan to mitigate or address that influx "We talk about covering 750 miles of roadway (in the county) and what we're talking about here is the very northwestern tip of the county," said Schultz "If I have one or two deputies on and they're both tied up or one has to go to that northwest corner and the other is on I-29 that leaves the east side (of the county) exposed While acknowledging both the direct and indirect economic benefits and grant dollars covering initial road developments Sayers says recent discussions with city officials indicate that sharing future maintenance costs along Bunge is not likely but I also see improvements we're going to need on the road," he said "I know that will be covered through the RISE grant but RISE grants are only for new developments--it's not for 20 years down the line when that road gets beaten up and we have to replace it every few years." Council Bluffs officials at a Pottawattamie County supervisors meeting recently stated this was the last week to provide formal input before the entire annexation plan with comments from Mills and Pottawattamie counties is submitted to the state for final approval Iowa (WOWT) - A stolen car struck a pole outside a Council Bluffs movie theater Saturday knocking out power to a significant portion of the theater’s screens The Council Bluffs Police Department told First Alert 6 that the stolen vehicle struck a power pole near the AMC Council Bluffs 17 theater Saturday afternoon An employee of the theater told First Alert 6 that the crash took out power to eight of the theater’s 17 screens Customers who purchased pre-booked tickets were automatically refunded and the theater offered free passes to those who were in the theater at the time of the crash The theater updated their showtimes to reflect the current lack of screens The CBPD said the driver of the stolen car left the scene on foot Iowa (WOWT) - Police are investigating a smash-and-grab jewelry robbery at a department store in Council Bluffs First Alert 6 obtained security camera footage from the JCPenney at 24th Street and Marketplace Drive in which a person wearing a mask can be seen walking up to the jewelry counter Council Bluffs Police say the suspect fled the scene before officers arrived Anyone with information is urged to contact Council Bluffs Crime Stoppers at 712-328-STOP Hop on the motorcoach in Council Bluffs and get ready for a fun day bringing what you see on our air to life Join Friends of Iowa PBS on June 27 for a day tour to Council Bluffs to visit four of the sites featured in the latest installment in the Historic Buildings of Iowa series First up is a visit to the General Dodge House. Perhaps one of Council Bluffs’ most famous residents Dodge has been called “the greatest railroad builder of all time.” A Civil War veteran financial and military affairs made him an associate of many of the most influential Americans of his time and counsel to presidents Next is a visit to the Squirrel Cage Jail Museum this jail boasts a unique revolving design with spinning cage cells It's the only three-story rotary jail ever made.  Then it's on to the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center The center was created from renovations of the Harvester II Building. Positioned directly along the rail lines of the Council Bluffs Subdivision the Harvester II building was once a dealer and distribution center for the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company from the 1890s until it was closed in 1964 The building remained mostly unused after closing until renovation and expansion began for the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center Our last stop is the Union Pacific Railroad Museum. The museum is located in a beautiful and unique Beaux Arts-style building that formerly housed the Council Bluffs Carnegie Free Public Library the building was established as the home for Union Pacific's Historical Collections with a mission to share American history through the lens of the railroad and connecting generations who have been impacted by Union Pacific Pledge your support to join us on this unique day tour.  The name more-or-less says its all: Nothing Bundt Cakes The national chain bakery is expanding to Council Bluffs according to a recent announcement on social media by a commercial real estate company announced a space in the Metro Crossing shopping center was leased for Nothing Bundt Cakes which operates Omaha stores at 10347 Pacific St The chain also has Iowa locations in Clive Nothing Bundt Cakes will be opening soon at Metro Crossing in Council Bluffs," the company posted on Facebook The Facebook post shows the bakery's logo over a spot at 3701 Metro Drive that had been listed for lease on the company's website by the same brokers credited with the transaction An open bay at 3701 Metro Drive is shown Friday announced Nothing Bundt Cakes is coming to the Metro Crossing shopping center Nothing Bundt Cakes describes itself as the country's top speciality cake company with more than 600 locations it does offer a limited selection of party supplies to accompany the dessert centerpieces personal-sized "Bundtlets" and bite-sized "Bundtinis" are also available along with some limited gluten-free choices A selection of everyday flavors are supplemented by seasonal offerings which currently are chocolate churro and dulce de leche churro Nothing Bundt Cakes lead operator Brooke Williams stocks the display case with 8-inch Bundt Cakes at the bakery’s location on East 53rd Street in Davenport on July 28 With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food of Council Bluffs gained her wings on November 9 She leaves behind her four children Tylor Hutchens age 30 of Council Bluffs Iowa and her youngest Braxton Tripp age 12 of Crescent Carrie married Jeremy Hutchens and together they had Tylor and Alyssa and was the son of Earladeen and Jim Hutchens Carrie remarried years later to Rex Tripp of Crescent Iowa and together they had Caleb and Braxton She was preceded in death by her stepfather Beverly Harvey of Council Bluffs; several cousins She was a beautiful soul and loved her kids She cleaned apartments for Realtors and private homes as well She loved being silly and bragged about not having one mean bone in her body Memorial Service will be held at 4:00 PM at Hoy Kilnoski Funeral Home on Thursday 2024 with visitation the hour prior to the service