The Henry County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help as deputies investigate the theft of two large excavator buckets from a job site south of Mount Pleasant.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the theft occurred sometime between June 6 and June 7 at a work site located in the 2500 block of Iowa Avenue. Stolen were a dark gray or black 60-inch ditching bucket and a dark gray or black 36-inch tooth bucket.

The attachments are large, heavy pieces of construction equipment, and investigators believe whoever removed them would have needed machinery along with a substantial transport vehicle to move them from the site.

Deputies are asking anyone who may have seen suspicious vehicles, equipment, or individuals in the area during that time frame to come forward. Anyone with information about the theft or the current location of the excavator buckets is encouraged to contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 319-385-2712.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Henry County Sheriff’s Office mobile app. When providing information, reference case number 26-009099.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Henry County Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers to help build its 33rd home and is inviting community members to lend a hand.

The organization holds construction workdays every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the exception of holiday weekends. Volunteers do not need to bring tools or construction equipment, as Habitat provides all necessary tools, along with water, snacks, and lunch.

Organizers say volunteers must be at least 18 years old and wear closed-toed shoes while working at the construction site.

Habitat for Humanity relies heavily on volunteer labor to help provide affordable homeownership opportunities for local families. Whether someone has construction experience or is simply willing to help, volunteers are encouraged to participate.

Anyone interested in helping build Henry County Habitat for Humanity’s 33rd home is asked to contact Lisa Diener at 319-931-0656 before attending. Organizers say advance notice helps ensure enough food is available for volunteers during the workday.

For more information or to sign up, contact Lisa Diener at 319-931-0656.

Three people were injured Saturday night when a UTV rolled over in rural Lee County.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, the accident happened at about 8 p.m. at the intersection of Saint Paul Road and 228th Avenue near West Point. Authorities say a 2015 Polaris Ranger driven by 33-year-old Colton Hurt of West Point entered the intersection, lost control, and rolled over.

Three passengers were injured in the crash. Forty-year-old Scott Grelk of Donnellson suffered serious injuries and was airlifted by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for treatment.

Two other passengers, 35-year-old Joshua Miller of Burlington and 35-year-old Andrew Bowers of West Point, were also injured. However, neither man required transportation to a hospital.

The crash remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.

Assisting at the scene were the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and EMS, West Point Rescue, and Air Evac.

A Burlington woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to bankruptcy fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a vehicle loan scheme that cost her former employer more than $100,000.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, 27-year-old Kylie Jo Bench, formerly known as Kylie Jo Parrish, entered guilty pleas on May 27 in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids.

Federal prosecutors say Bench was hired as a loan officer at a Dubuque-based credit union’s Burlington branch in 2022. At the time, she reportedly owed more than $100,000 on two late-model vehicles, a Ford and a Dodge, financed through other lenders.

Authorities say Bench and another individual refinanced the vehicle loans through the credit union after she was hired. However, prosecutors allege that just months later, in August 2022, Bench sold both vehicles to a Cedar Rapids dealership without the credit union’s knowledge and failed to disclose the lender’s security interest in the vehicles.

Investigators say Bench provided the dealership with a fraudulent letter, purportedly signed by a credit union executive and printed on fake letterhead, falsely stating the vehicle loans had been paid in full and carried zero balances.

According to court documents, neither Bench nor the co-borrower had repaid the refinanced loans before the vehicles were sold.

Federal prosecutors also say Bench later filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and falsely stated under oath that she had not transferred property to benefit an insider. In reality, authorities allege the vehicle sales benefited another individual who remained responsible for the loan debt.

Bench is the fourth person convicted of bankruptcy fraud-related crimes in the Northern District of Iowa this year.

She remains free on bond while a presentence investigation is completed. Sentencing will be scheduled before Chief U.S. District Judge C.J. Williams.

Bench faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in federal prison and could receive up to seven years behind bars, along with a fine of up to $500,000 and three years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A Burlington man is facing a felony charge after authorities say a vehicle stolen from West Burlington was tracked to Mount Pleasant using a pair of AirPods left inside the vehicle.

According to the West Burlington Police Department, officers were called to Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday after a vehicle owner reported their vehicle had been stolen. The victim told police surveillance footage showed the theft occurred at approximately 1:15 p.m.

Investigators say the victim had left a pair of AirPods inside the vehicle and was able to track the vehicle’s location to Mount Pleasant.

West Burlington Police notified area law enforcement through DESCOM, and authorities located the vehicle and suspect at approximately 2:15 p.m. in Mount Pleasant. The suspect, identified as 54-year-old John Curry of Burlington, was taken into custody with assistance from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office and the Mount Pleasant Police Department.

Curry was later transferred to the custody of the West Burlington Police Department and transported to the Des Moines County Correctional Facility.

He is charged with First-Degree Theft, a Class C felony.

The investigation was assisted by DESCOM, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mount Pleasant Police Department.

As in all criminal cases, the charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Great River Health has launched a new online patient portal designed to give patients easier access to their healthcare information and services.

The health system announced Saturday that patients can now enroll in MyChart, a secure online platform that provides 24-hour access to medical records, test results, appointment scheduling, prescription refill requests, and direct communication with healthcare providers.

Dr. Michael McCoy, President and CEO of Great River Health, says the portal is an important step in helping patients become more informed and engaged in their care. He says greater access to health information supports the organization’s goal of delivering high-quality, patient-centered healthcare.

MyChart also allows patients to pay bills online, review account statements, manage care for family members through proxy access, and connect records from other healthcare systems in one centralized location.

According to Great River Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Ryon, improved communication between patients and providers can lead to better understanding, stronger relationships, and improved health outcomes.

The MyChart platform is available through both a website and mobile app, allowing patients to access their healthcare information from virtually anywhere.

Patients can sign up online or receive assistance enrolling during their next visit. Additional information, tutorials, and enrollment resources are available through Great River Health’s MyChart webpage.

Great River Health serves communities throughout southeast Iowa and emphasizes a patient-centered approach to healthcare through its network of providers and services.