Jerry Dillinger hangs himself in prison cell By KYLE WILSON CNA managing editor
kwilson@crestonnews.com
OAKDALE — Jerry Dillinger, who was sentenced in Union County last month to life in prison after murdering Loretta Dillinger and Michael Robinson, killed himself in his prison cell Wednesday evening at the Iowa Medical and
Classification Center in Iowa hospital where he Oakdale. was pronounced dead at Greg Ort, deputy war12:25 a.m. today. den at the classification “There is no foul play center, said Dillinger was suspected,” Ort said. “An found dead in his prison autopsy will now be done, cell hanging from a bed but results won’t be availsheet that was tied to his able for a while.” bed post around 11:30 Dillinger Dillinger’s death comes p.m. Wednesday. He was about two months after then transferred to a University of the body of his ex-sister-in-law
Loretta Lynn Dillinger was discovered by hunters in a rural Union County stock pond. Court documents show Dillinger confronted and killed Loretta and Michael Robinson by gunshot wound Sept. 22. Robinson’s skeletal remains were unearthed by law enforcement at Dillinger’s residence in Thayer on Dec. 12.
Ort said Dillinger was one of about 900 prisoners currently being held at the classification center. Ort said there was a suicide in Oakdale last July when the prisoner also hung himself with a bed sheet, but historically suicides are rare at the facility. The Creston News Advertiser will have more information on this story as it becomes available.
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Valentine’s weekend brings SWCC live music to Chicken Inn reports enrollment increase
By KELSEY HAUGEN CNA staff reporter khaugen@crestonnews.com
Live music will be the main attraction this Valentine’s weekend in Creston and surrounding areas. An evening of Coon Ridge Country music, dancing and red roses is in store this Valentine’s weekend at Harvey’s Chicken Inn. Habitat for Humanity of Union County will host its sixth-annual Valentine’s benefit dance from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Chicken Inn, located three miles west of Creston on Highway 34. The suggested cost is $6 per person, but all who attend are welcome to give as much as they’d like, as all proceeds will help the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity build a new house and work on handicap accessibility projects to help people stay in their own Westman homes. “I’m looking forward to a great time with wonderful people who really care about each other,” said Charlie Westman, president of Habitat for Humanity of Union County. “I speak not only for Habitat but for the dancing community.” Coon Ridge Country, based out of Stuart, plays several generations of country music, as well as other genres. “They can play almost anything and can play with anyone,” Westman said. “They do mostly country music, but they’ll also do some rock ‘n’ roll.” Creston Hy-Vee has committed to donate three dozen roses for the event. Other local floral shops
By KELSEY HAUGEN CNA staff reporter
khaugen@crestonnews.com
may donate flowers, too. “So, guys or gals can buy roses for their sweetheart,” Westman said. “We’re also encouraging people to wear red.” At the event, a rose in a vase will be $10, or you can get three roses in a vase for $25. Last year, nearly $2,500 was raised for Habitat for Humanity. This year, Westman’s goal is to reach $2,500 again.
Elvis concert A “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” impersonator will bring classic Elvis Presley love songs and other hits to the stage this Valentine’s weekend in Greenfield. Joseph Hall’s Rock ‘n’ Remember Elvis Tribute concert will be held 7 p.m. Saturday at the Warren Cultural Center, 154 Public Square, in Greenfield. Tickets are $22 and may be purchased online, at the door or by calling 641343-7337. Hall, based out of Branson, Missouri, tours the nation paying tribute to the legacy of Presley. He was featured on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” in 2008, which was viewed by
TOP: Pictured is Coon Ridge Country, an oldies to contemporary country band based out of Stuart. The group will perform from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Harvey’s Chicken Inn, located three miles west of Creston, for a Habitat for Humanity benefit dance. ABOVE: Shirley and Keith Mueller of Greenfield dance at Harvey’s Chicken Inn, where they had one of their first dates before getting married more than 53 years ago. Habitat for Humanity will host a Valentine’s weekend benefit dance, featuring Coon Ridge Country, from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Chicken Inn, located three miles west of Creston.
more than 90 million people, and placed in the top 10 finalists. Hall is recognized today as one of the top Presley tribute artists in the world.
This weekend will be Hall’s fourth time performing in Greenfield. “I’m sure, given the date, MUSIC | 2A
An increase in enrollment and an upcoming transition to a new, $1 million computer system were discussed during a Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board meeting Wednesday evening. Beth Kulow, SWCC dean of student services, provided spring enrollment comparison data. “This year, comparing spring to spring, I’m happy to report our headcount is up 2.2 percent, and our credit hours are up 2.5 percent,” Kulow s a i d . Kulow “ O u r h e a d count this spring is 1,568 students, and our credit hours are 15,145.” Because the number of online credits are at an alltime high at SWCC, Kulow decided to look at the demographics of the headcount to see where the increase came from. “We can see we have an increase in international and out-of-state by 11 students this spring compared to last spring and two online, 18 high school (students) and four in state,” Kulow said. “Although the online hours are up so high, we classify students based on their significant number of hours that they’re enrolled in.”
New system In spring 2014, the SWCC board began discussing the college’s computer system,
which was installed in 1984. With a system that is more than 30 years old, the college has a need for a software upgrade with improved functions and features. There will be an official proposal at the March board meeting once a software company has been selected, but no matter which company is chosen, it will cost SWCC about $1 million to implement the new system. “We came up with a three-year plan,” said Tom Lesan, SWCC vice president of economic development. “Phase one was looking at the different products that are out there ... Phase two is getting a proposal, where we narrowed it down to Jenzabar EX and Ellucian, (whose) software is called Colleague.” In November, Jenzabar staff visited SWCC to do a full demonstration of the software. Next week, Colleague staff will do their demons t r a tion at SWCC. “ W e do have Lesan financial proposals from both of them,” Lesan said. “Software management and software packages are expensive, and I think we’re going to be right at that million-dollar mark no matter what direction we go.” Lesan’s goal is for the board to choose a company and sign a contract by March and to begin implementing the new system SWCC | 2A
Oregon refuge occupiers to turn themselves in BURNS, Ore. (AP) — The last four armed occupiers of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon said they would turn themselves in Thursday after facing authorities who came to the property more than a month into the takeover. A roadblock leading to Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was quiet except for a large group of media awaiting the holdouts,
a departure from the confrontation late Wednesday that played out via a phone line streamed live over the Internet. At the refuge, the occupiers yelled at officers to back off and prayed with supporters over the open phone line streamed by an acquaintance of holdout David Fry. Fry, 27, of Blanchester, Ohio,
sounded increasingly unraveled as he continually yelled, at times hysterically, at what he said was an FBI negotiator. “You’re going to hell. Kill me. Get it over with,” he said. “We’re innocent people camping at a public facility, and you’re going to murder us. “The only way we’re leaving here is dead or without charges,”
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Fry said, adding that armored vehicles surrounded their camp. He and three others are the last remnants of an armed group led by Ammon Bundy that seized the refuge on Jan. 2 to demand public lands be turned over to locals. The three others are Jeff Banta, 46, of Elko, Nevada; and married couple Sean Anderson, 48,
t r a e h t e e w S Buffet
and Sandy Anderson, 47, of Riggins, Idaho. A Nevada legislator, Michele Fiore, called the occupiers to try to get them to calm down. “I need you guys alive,” said the Republican member of the Nevada Assembly who had been in Portland to support the jailed Bundy.
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