Sioux City Journal from Sioux City, Iowa • 4

LOCALSTATE SI0UXCITYJ0URNAL.COM A4 WEDNESDAY. MAY 26. 2010 Reward offered in cat case ft 1 -i 1 I "Amazing Grace" continues to was removed from her head. A been offered In the case. 12 after a resident reported an injured cat roaming in the $00 block of Center Street.

Officials believe the cat was intentionally shot in the head with a nail gun. Harrington said officers have not received any leads or tips regarding the case. In their announcement, officials with the Siouxland Humane Society hoped the reward will cause someone to offer information about the case. "Those who committed How to donate pjfkoigto ung a fTujijf en-nit tarrfof a P.iyPjl account PMot $1,000 Mnwe cwa anumbtf olyfairs Donation; miy be by rrtnl to inx-dom PjiKPO Bm li'A Zmi City. IA 5-UC2.

Siouxland Freedom Park starts website SOUTH SIOUX CITY -Siouxland Freedom Park's steering committee has launched its website to allow visitors to leam more about the project, to watch the video debuted at the May 12 kickoff event at the Or-pheum Theater and to donate to the project online. The 55-acre park is being developed along the Missouri riverfront in South Sioux City to honor all military veterans. Its first phase will consist of the installation of a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial WaD and a pentagon-shaped interpretive center focusing on all five branches of the U.S. military. The park has already attracted the attention of former Siouxland residents interested in learning how they can donate in honor of loved ones from their hometown.

The website makes that possible. Eldon Roth, founder and chairman of Beef Products is fundraising chairman. Between gifts announced at the kickoff event and a $300,000 grant from the State of Nebraska, the donations and commitments so far total nearly $600,000 of the $2.5 million needed. Sioux City native, Col. George E.

"Bud" Day, appeared at the kickoff and in the Freedom Park video along with other area residents and veterans sharing their views on why the park is important to Siouxland. The video is narrated by Sioux City broadcaster Mike Newhouse, a Vietnam veteran himself and chairman of the steering committee. "Building this park is a labor of love for those of us involved," Newhouse said. "We hope the rest of Siouxland feels as strongly as we do about taking time to appreciate the gift of freedom and honoring the veterans who courageously serve to protect and defend that freedom." Supporters of the park may follow its progress on Face-book. For more information on the project, call 712-222-1686.

-MJcheleLinck furs at 2 p.m. today. Dolly A. liutz YANKTON, S.D. 19-year-old arrested In fatal Yankton crash A 19-year-old Yankton man is accused of reckless driving and racing on a highway in connection with a crash that killed another man from the city.

Authorities believe the man who was arrested over the weekend was driving a car that was racing with a motorcycle driven by 19-yeur-old Vince Varilek on May 17. Varilek died after his bike collided with a sport utility vehicle at a city intersection. The 82-year-old driver of the SUV was not injured. The Yankton County clerk of court's office on Tuesday afternoon said the man who was arrested had not yet been formally charged. 7Jje Assixiated Press SIOUX FALLS Woman sentenced for major shoplifting An Iowa woman accused of shoplifting more than 400 items from a South Dakota store has been sentenced to serve 30 days in jail.

Fifty-one-year-old Becky Altena from Sioux Center, Iowa, will be allowed to serve the time in September, after her youngest daughter leaves for college. Sioux Falls police say Altena took $2,200 worth of items from the Lewis Drug Store late last year, hauling stolen merchandise ranging from books to jewelry to her car in bags and then returning to the store for more. The Associated Press LEXINGTON, NEB. Man on bus died of natural causes Dawson County authorities say a bus passenger from Los Angeles died before the bus made a scheduled stop in south-central Nebraska. Dawson County Attorney Elizabeth Waterman said Tuesday that 50-year-old Ricky Lee Elliott was pronounced dead at the Conoco Travel Plaza bus stop in Lexington on Saturday afternoon.

She says preliminary autopsy findings are that Elliott died of natural causes. Jim Maly is general manager for Arrow Stage Lines. He said Tuesday that someone aboard the bus noticed a problem with another passenger shortly before the buss stopped in Lexington at 2:20 p.m. The Associated Press CARMEL, IOWA Sioux Center man dies in head-on collision A Sioux Center, Iowa, man was killed in a two-vehicle head-on collision Monday near Carmel. The crash happened at 3:45 p.m.

on K-30, half a mile north of B-30. According to a crash report from the Iowa State Patrol, Oscar Andres Rodriguez, 26, of Sioux Center, was northbound on K-30 in a 2000 Cadillac Escalade when his vehicle crossed the center line and collided with a 2005 Peter-bilt semi driven by Milton Scott Timmer, 30, of Sioux Center. Rodriguez died in the crash. Timmer was not injured, according to authorities. Dolly A.

Butz SIOUX CITY Woman gets 10 years for theft from PTO SIOUX CITY A Sioux City woman was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing more than $15,000 from a local parent-teacher organization. According to court documents, Michelle Christina Elwell, 35, received the sentence after pleading guilty to first-degree theft. The agreement requires Elwell to pay restitution of $15,388.57 to Joy Elementary PTO. She and her husband, James Elwell, were both charged with first-degree theft for allegedly taking the money from the parent-teacher group. According to court documents, a plea and sentencing hearing for James Elwell has been scheduled for Thursday.

-Molly Montag SIOUX CITY Detective chosen for victim service award A Sioux City police detective will be honored this week for his service to crime victims. Detective Ryan Bertrand has been selected to receive the annual Law Enforcement Victim Service Award from the U.S. attorneys' offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa. The Sioux City Police Department said in a statement released Tuesday that Bertrand's kindness, compassion and willingness to go beyond the call of duty to assist crime victims is "extraordinary." The award will be presented at police headquar- BYDOU.YA.BUTZ tiinudtiviimuf.oini SIOUX CITY A reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who shot a cat in the head with a nail gun, officials say. 1 he Siouxland I lumane Society announced Tuesday that it, a local individual and the Humane Society of the United States are offering a combined reward of up to $3,500 in the case of a cat called "Amazing Grace." The cat cont inues to do well as she recovers from surgery to remove the 3-inch nail from her head.

Sioux City Animal Control Officer Cody Harrington said Tuesday that Amazing Grace, a young adult female calico cat, hasn't suffered any infections or other complications as a result of the procedure to remove the nail, which was performed Friday at Siouxland Animal Hospital. "The cat is doing extremely well," he said. "(She is) up and playful." The feline, whom Animal Control operator Cindy Rarrat named, came to the shelter May Dakota City ELK POINT, S.D. (AP) -A Nebraska man accused of killing a South Dakota farmer in 1998 was sentenced to 35 years in prison Tuesday under a deal that helped him avoid a second murder trial. James Strahl, 42, of Dakota City, was accused of fatally beating a fanner he met at an adult book store.

Under a plea deal, Strahl was sentenced in a Union County court on charges of manslaughter and grand theft. Strahl was scheduled to stand trial for a second time in the death of William O'Hare, but a plea deal was reached days before the hearing was scheduled to begin last month. A judge sealed details of the agreement. Strahl's fingerprints were on a can of beer and a bag of potato chips found in O'Hare's house, and his DNA was on cigarette butts found at the house, according to court documents. Strahl's DNA also was on a cigarette butt in O'Hare's station wagon, which was found a few blocks from where Strahl was living at man sentenced in death Submitted photo recover after the 3 inch nail reward of $3,500 has now this terrible torturous act against a helpless animal must be caught and held accountable" said Jerry Dominicak, executive director for the Siouxland Humane Society.

"We hope a reward of this size will help law enforcement find and punish him or her to the fullest extent of the law." Anyone with information about the cat is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 712-258-TIPS. Staff writer Molly Montag assisted with this report. unrelated criminal case. The state Supreme Court upheld Jensen's ruling. At the trial, Black Crow testified that Strahl confessed to him that he had killed O'Hare.

He also told investigators that Strahl bragged about killing Amanda Gallion, a girl who went missing in 1997 from Gillette, Wyo. In the plea agreement he signed with prosecutors, Strahl agreed to submit to a polygraph examination concerning "his alleged involvement" in Gallion's disappearance, court papers show. The plea agreement allowed Strahl to plead guilty to the reduced charge in O'Hare's death only after he passed the polygraph test regarding Gallion. In 2008, Black Crow pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury for lying about the unrelated case, in which he also accused a cellmate of confessing to killing teen girls, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Journal staff writer Molly Montag contributed to this report.

ous minors were working on the floor when Rubashkin was there. An earlier witness Tuesday, Luis Nava Gonzales, said he was 17 when he started working at Agriprocessors in March 2008. He also met with labor inspectors but said he told them he was old enough to work at the plant. Under cross-examination, the defense showed Nava Gonzales a statement he signed at the interview. The April 2008 document showed that Nava said he was 19, but gave a birth date of 1987, which would have made him 21 instead.

mendation to extend the urban revitalization area for another 10 years for residential property owners. The current three-year plan expires Dec. 31. City staff are recommending the council extend it until Dec. 31, 2020.

The proposal will be presented to the council for a vote next month. Lynn Zerschling v. VO' jTil II ih wants Vj I rests in Iowa slaughterhouse case Data Center the time, prosecutors have said. Investigators talked to Strahl in April 2000, after the fingerprints linked him to the crime scene, but the case went cold until advances in DNA technology led to his arrest in June 2006. Authorities investigating the O'Hare case accused Strahl of at-tacking O'Hare with a ball-peen hammer in the man's home in Beresford, S.D., after they had sex over the weekend and O'Hare would not take Strahl home.

Strahl was convicted of murder in 2007, nearly a decade after O'Hare was found dead at his farm. Strahl received a mandatory life sentence without possibility of parole. But Circuit Judge Steven Jensen granted Strahl a new trial after it was determined a prosecution witness, Strahl's cellmate Aloysius Black Crow, had lied in an there were other minors working at the Postville plant. The jury was sent home until this morning, when the defense is expected to begin presenting its witnesses. Defense attorneys asked the judge to dismiss the charges Tuesday after the prosecution rested.

They said the state didn't present evidence linking Rubashkin the hiring of underage workers. Judge Nathan Callahan didn't rule on the motion but he noted testimony showed the plant employed underage workers, one supervisor claimed he told Rubashkin about them and it was obvi Fourth Avenue Place who want the alley paved. More than 65 percent have signed petitions to pay for the project, but council wants to hear from four property owners who oppose the paving plan. Southbridge Water Line: Approved an amendment to the contract with Veenstra Kim, Sioux City, for $103,495 for design services associated with the Southbridge Water LineHarbor Drive realignment project. Towing Contract: Awarded a new three-year towing contract with Meier Towing Sioux City, to provide towing and wrecker service for the city, starting July 1 and ending June 30, 2013.

Urban Revitalization Area: During a study session, the council discussed staff's recom 73 James Strahl Search Home Sales. Foreclosures, Police Calls and more. www.siouxcityjournal.commultimedia touxCitp Journal SI0UXCrm0URNAL.COM mi Tcf mr mi sfc Prosecution WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) -Prosecutors wrapped up their child labor case against a former manager of a kosher slaughterhouse Tuesday with testimony from more former underage workers. Sholom Rubashkin faces 83 child labor violation charges stemming from a May 2008 raid at the plant in which 389 illegal immigrants, including 31 children, were detained. Rubashkin also faces sentencing June 22 in a separate federal financial fraud case that followed the raid at the former Agriprocessors slaughterhouse in Postville.

The final prosecution witness was Elmer Lopez Mar- SIOUX CITY The City Council took action on the following items Monday: Cunningham Drive: Awarded a contract to D.A. Davis South Sioux City, for $751,824 for the Cunningham Drive Reconstruction Project from Washington Avenue to 375 feet south of the centerline of Dodge Avenue. Fire Grant: Authorized Sioux City Fire Rescue to submit a grant application for $1,400 to buy confined space rescue harnesses from the United Airlines Trust Fund. Ice Salt Awarded a purchase order to Nebraska Salt Grain, Gothenburg. for $451,200 to buy 8,000 tons of ice-control salt for the Field Services Department for next winter.

Housing Plan: Approved a development agreement with All- roquinn, who testified he told labor investigators before the immigration raid that he was under age 18. The Guatemalan resident, who said he was hired by Agriprocessors at 16, said a plant human resources employee told him not to reveal his true age to inspectors, but he told them his real name and age during a private inter Sholom Rubashkin view. Lopez Marroquinn also said he told investigators eycat Holdings, LLC to build a mix of duplexes and triplexes on the grounds of the former Grant Elementary School located at 18th Street and Unity Drive. Eventually, 20 units will be constructed. Street Lights: Approved an amendment to the engineering services agreement with DeWild Grant Reckert Associates, Sioux City, for $10,000 to prepare plans for modified ornamental street lighting, traffic signal fiber interconnects and temporary easements for the Pearl Street Reconstruction Project, from Fourth to Seventh streets.

Alley Paving: Postponed a vote on request of the majority of property owners who live along the east-west alley along parts of South Alice and South Cecelia streets. Fourth Avenue and tit rAtt i WSMf Ik haraeemT Igoforhelp? 7. woikpltc.1 harrnienlpaper. r. -There's nothirta funnv about sexual.