In May, Union County Jail processed 89 arrests, with 40 individuals held for trial, sentences, or extradition. Charges included DUI, theft, traffic offenses, and drug-related crimes. The Sheriff’s Office collected $67,190.30 for the general fund. Notably, there were 385 911 calls, 3,466 admin calls, 762 jail calls, and 1,679 service calls. Continue reading Union County Sheriff’s Report: May, 2024
Last Thursday turned out to be the day from hell for Matt Vanderpool. It’s hard to know whether or not Matt Vanderpool had a smile on his face in a minute or two before 6:30 a.m. Or what his thoughts were. Vanderpool was driving his truck and was near the corner of Alcoma and Streeter Drives. It is probably a good guess, though, the look on his face changed to a look of bewilderment or a frown when he noticed two police cruisers were following him with their lights and sirens on. The police officers had in their possession paperwork that charged Vanderpool with five different counts: rape, solicitation of a minor, abuse and neglect of a child, sexual contact with a child under the age of 16, and sexual exploitation. Continue reading Matt Vanderpool ran for North Sioux City alderman. Thursday he was arrested for rape and sexual contact with a child.
The Iowa Department of Corrections was fined $1,500 for contempt of court after violating a judge’s order on inmate access to adult materials. The inmates’ lawsuit alleged denial of access to content with nudity or sexual explicitness. The DOC’s actions were deemed willful, resulting in multiple violations of the court order. (Word count: 50) Continue reading Judge holds Iowa Department of Corrections in contempt for violating order
In April, Union County Jail saw 83 arrests and housed 23 individuals awaiting trial or serving sentences. Among the charges, DUI and theft offenses were prevalent. The Sheriff’s Office also collected $56,714.77 for the general fund in March. The month saw 262 911 calls, 3,027 admin calls, 772 jail calls, and 1,407 calls for service. Continue reading Union County Sheriff’s Report: April, 2024
The Humane Society of the United States released its annual “Horrible Hundred” report, highlighting regulatory issues at 100 puppy mills nationwide, including 15 in Iowa. The report revealed violations at various Iowa breeders, including issues such as unsanitary conditions, lack of veterinary care, and poor record-keeping. The report emphasizes the need for public awareness of the realities of the industry. Continue reading 15 Iowa puppy mills cited in Humane Society’s annual report
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota responded to various incidents, including car accidents, inmate transfers, and mental health crises. Deputies also handled vandalism, theft, and traffic violations. They assisted with medical emergencies, investigated suspicious activity, and provided support for truant students. Inmates were transported between jails for court appearances and medical appointments. Continue reading Clay County Sheriff’s Office Incident Report for 3/19 – 4/13/2024
Below are the charges for the month of March. You may notice that there may be more charges than arrests. This is due to individuals facing multiple charges.
You will notice that the information provided is only a numeric total, unlike that provided from what we get from Clay County which gives call incident detail.
We have asked the Union County Sheriff to provide more call detail, similar to that of Clay County. Continue reading Union County Sheriff’s Report for March, 2024
As the band Emerson, Lake and Palmer sang in their 1973 classic tune, Karn Evil 9:
“Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends
We’re so glad you could attend,
Come inside, come inside . . . ”
So too, the words might be said about the regular case dispositions by our county/state judiciary system. Following are three weeks’ worth of cases that have been disposed of in the Union County courts. They include everything from traffic to trucking/transportation to criminal cases to fishing without a license. Continue reading Union County Court: 3/25 – 4/12/2024
I’m back with another installment of To Whom It May Concern, my multi-topic opinion column about the goings-on in Siouxland, South Dakota, the nation and the world. I’d been meaning to write this earlier – like last month – but things kept getting in the way. Like my health. I had a cold which turned into a bad sinus infection that kept me in bed for most of a week with a fever. Now that I’m almost 71, stuff like that seems to hit me particularly hard. It sucks getting old. But don’t cry for me Argentina, I’ve rebounded, for the most part. Continue reading To whom it may concern
My folks floated over the pond with the cattle down below in steerage. One was an indentured servant, another a prison guard, others were among an army of Irish who helped drive the Native people off the Mississippi River near Dubuque to claim the lead mines. Still another branch settled the sloughs around Emmetsburg about the time the last Dakota were being driven out.
Immigrants. Good and not so good. The Mulroney brothers were not a welcome sight to the existing indigenous people when Fort Dodge was still a fort.
It cannot be avoided. It’s who we are, a nation of immigrants determined to write a new story for ourselves: That we came by it all fair and square; we did not. That we earned it; we stole it. And now that we are in control, we would rather keep others out. Until we need the cheap labor. Continue reading Immigrants are not the problem. Don’t believe the propaganda.
The Siouxland Observer 