One of two people kayaking below the Lake Red Rock dam on the Des Moines River in eastern Iowa died, after their kayaks capsized late Saturday morning. KCCI reports both were taken to the Pella Regional Hospital, where one of the kayakers was pronounced dead. The accident happened at around 11-a.m. According to Marion County Sheriff Jason Sandholdt, Ames construction workers, area fishermen, firefighters from Knoxville Rural and Knoxville city fire departments, Pella Ambulance crews and deputies threw rescue lines to the individual who was still fighting to hold onto the capsized kayaks.

They were able to get one of the kayakers out of the deadly current, where members of the Pella Fire Department could get ahold of him. Officials have not yet released the names of the kayakers, pending notification of family members.

An eastern Iowa firefighter died and another was injured Saturday, while battling a blaze at Archer Daniels Midland’s Clinton facility.  Officials with the Clinton Fire Department report 33-year old Eric Hosette died Saturday morning while trying to extinguish the fire in Clinton. Hosette was with the fire department for 12 years and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2017. Another firefighter, Adam Cain, was injured in the incident. He is in critical but stable condition in Iowa City. The cause of the fire and subsequent explosion remains under investigation.

Clinton, IA Firefighter Eric Hosette

According to reports, ADM employees discovered smoldering material just before 6 a.m. in one of the silo storage bins at the loading facility before an explosion occurred. ADM officials have expressed their condolences to the families of the firefighters, saying the first responders “put their lives in danger every day, and it’s hard to express how much we appreciate their selfless help in a time of need.”

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:55 a.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of an Iowa City cab driver. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that 42-year-old Curtis Cortez Jones was sentenced Friday after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder in November for the 2017 death of Ricky Lillie.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man has been turned over to immigration authorities and his sister sentenced to probation after they set up a sham marriage to keep the man in the United States. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 27-year-old Selmir Salkanovic, of Waterloo, was accused of marrying a U.S. citizen purely to obtain an upgraded immigration status after he overstayed a tourism visa. His sister, Sanela Dedic, was accused of paying off the bride in the fake marriage.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa nature center is getting $386,000 in renovations this year. The Globe Gazette reports that the Lime Creek Nature Center announced plans to replace the center’s original main-level exhibits with “museum-quality,” “interactive” and “durable” ones that will highlight the area’s natural resources and the unique features and history of the Lime Creek Conservation Area. It’s also designed to provide an engaging educational experience for visitors.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A panel has named a new 137-acre park near Dubuque ahead of work to add a mountain bike trail system and disc golf course. The Telegraph Herald reports the Dubuque County Conservation Board announced this week it had named the park Proving Grounds Recreation Area. Deere & Co. donated the land for the park, and the name reflects how Deere had long used the property to test its equipment.

Starting this Sunday morning a couple of changes are going into effect for our schedule of church programming. The Music and the Spoken Word program has been moved up to an 8:30am broadcast time from 10:00am. This move will accommodate the change for our weekly hour-long Lutheran service to be bumped up an hour from 11:00am to 10:00am. This means our church programming will now be ending at 11:00am, which will alleviate some other occasional programming conflicts. We thank you for your continued support of these programs and hope this is not an inconvenience for you.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of two people after an incident on Saturday afternoon. At 1:06pm officers arrested 26-year-old Dustin James Danick of Red Oak for Violating a Protection Order. At the same time and location on East Market Street Red Oak Police arrested 28-year-old Kirstin Lynn Wilwerding of Red Oak for aiding and abetting. She will also be charged with Violating a Protection Order. Both individuals were booked into the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond each.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of an Iowa City cab driver. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that 42-year-old Curtis Cortez Jones was sentenced Friday after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder in November for the 2017 death of Ricky Lillie.

Jones maintained his innocence in a statement read to the sentencing judge. Lillie’s mother said in a victim statement that she wishes Iowa had the death penalty. Jones is also charged in the fatal shooting of Iowa City bail bondsman Jonathan Wieseler. That trial is scheduled to begin on Friday at the Polk County Courthouse. Both trials were moved because of intense publicity.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man has been turned over to immigration authorities and his sister sentenced to probation after they set up a sham marriage to keep the man in the United States. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 27-year-old Selmir Salkanovic, of Waterloo, was accused of marrying a U.S. citizen purely to obtain an upgraded immigration status after he overstayed a tourism visa.

His sister, Sanela Dedic, was accused of paying off an unidentified American woman to be the bride in the fake marriage. The siblings pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Dedic allegedly offered to pay the woman $5,000 and gave her a Ford Taurus. She also allegedly asked the woman to fill out immigration paperwork and travel to Omaha, Nebraska, for a hearing for her brother.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa nature center is getting $386,000 in renovations this year. The Globe Gazette reports that the Lime Creek Nature Center announced plans to replace the center’s original main-level exhibits with “museum-quality,” ”interactive” and “durable” ones that will highlight the area’s natural resources and the unique features and history of the Lime Creek Conservation Area. It’s also designed to provide an engaging educational experience for visitors.

The nature center opened in 1984 and was one of the first in Iowa. It features displays that include mounted animals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and natural resources as well as an auditorium and library. Managers say some of the center’s current displays are outdated and deteriorating.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A panel has named a new 137-acre park near Dubuque ahead of work to add a mountain bike trail system and disc golf course. The Dubuque County Conservation Board announced this week it had named the park Proving Grounds Recreation Area, according to the Telegraph Herald . Deere & Co. donated the land for the park, and the name reflects how Deere had long used the property to test its equipment.

The park has been open for hiking and bow hunting. Crews began working on park projects since fall and have added a paved parking area, restrooms and a pavilion. Upcoming work includes building a 7½-mile mountain bike trail system and an 18-hold disc golf course.

The development costs, which are expected to total about $300,000, will be covered by the county, state grants and fundraising. The mountain-biking trail will be the third in Dubuque County, along with one in Asbury’s Cloie Creek Park and another being completed at the Interstate Power Co. Forest Preserve. Brett Errthum, president of Tri-State Mountain Bike Riders, said his group is partnering with the county and expects work on the trails to start in the spring or summer. The trail will open in phases.

Brett Blewett, a member of Dubuque Disc Golf, said the new course will be the county’s first featuring 18 holes. Two other county courses include nine holes.

w/ Chris Parks

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