A nine-year old female was listed in critical condition Friday at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, following what was described as a likely medical emergency in the pool at the Stuart Aquatic Center. According to the Stuart Police Department, officers and Stuart Rescue personnel responded to the center at around 2:40-p.m, after they received word about an unresponsive juvenile female.

When emergency services arrived they were directed to an unconscious female child who was with lifeguards at the pool. Lifeguards were performing CPR at the time of the emergency services arrival. Stuart Police and Stuart Rescue immediately began providing medical care to the child. The child was stabilized and transported by ambulance to the Stuart landing pad located on SW 7th St, and later transported by Mercy One to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.

As of the most recent report, authorities said it is believed that the child suffered a medical emergency while in the pool, however an investigation will continue into the incident. Witnesses and staff at the Aquatics Center said that lifeguards immediately noticed that there was a problem with the child while she was swimming in the pool and jumped in to save her. 

Due to privacy concerns, HIPPA and the age of the child, no further information will be released regarding the identity or medical history of the child.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following a collision on the southeast side of Creston, Friday afternoon. Authorities say a car driven by 16-year old Timmy Kohl, of Creston, was traveling north on S. Cherry Street at around 1-p.m., and stopped at the intersection with Highway 34. Kohl saw a pickup with its right turning signal flashing as it was heading towards him eastbound on Highway 34, so he proceeded into the intersection.

The driver of the pickup, 28-year old Teresa Murphy, of Bedford, told investigators she had been signaling a lane change from the inside to outside lane previous to the intersection, and did not signal for an intent to turn. Murphy tried to avoid the collision, but her 2015 Ford struck the 1998 Chevy Lumina on the driver’s side, causing $11,000 damage.

Authorities cited Kohl for Failure to Yield from a Stop Sign.

U-S Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and his Cuban counterpart Gustavo Rodriguez Rollero toured a central Iowa corn and soybean farm Friday, and talked about water, soil, and energy. Vilsack — with an interpreter behind him — says he wants the ban on exports to the country lifted.  “I sincerely hope that at some point in time in the near future Congress sees the wisdom of ending the embargo — allowing us to have an even closer relationship,” Vilsack says. “In the meantime, U-S-D-A has authorized the used of commodity checkoff resources for education and training, and we will be continuing to encourage more collaboration. We have a lot to learn from each other.”

Speaking on the farm near Polk City, Vilsack says dropping the embargo would allow Iowa and the rest of U-S agriculture to send more goods to Cuba. “They in turn have a tremendous  opportunity to import into the U-S organic production. High-value added opportunity. That is why we are on this farm,  to show that there is a commitment to organic, but a need for more,” Vilsack says.

Rollero spoke with an interpreter. “We believe that there are many areas of agriculture that we have common views, and what is left to be done is to deepen our collaboration,” Rollero says.

The two signed agreement to work together on a list of agricultural issues. “And I am certain that this will allow both parties to know each other better, to strengthen our cooperation,  and in the end this will be to the benefit of agricultural development,” according to  Rollero.

The agreement covers seven areas. “First and most important is the issue of seeds and phytogenetic resources,” Rollero says. “This is the basis for the development of agriculture. There won’t ever be a farmer who can improve his production if he doesn’t improve his seeds.”

Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, says Cuba is also an ally for the United States on some hot-button international agriculture issues, such as food safety and animal health regulations.

(Radio Iowa)

The new campaign ad from one of the Democrats running in Iowa’s third congressional district primary has become an issue among all three candidates in the contest. The ad from Jim Mowrer questioned rival Mike Sherzan’s support of Wall Street reform. “In 2011, Mike went with the Iowa Bankers Association, met with the Federal Reserve,” Mowrer says. “The Federal Reserve released minutes of this meeting that said that they opposed this because it would result in significant financial losses for them.”

Sherzan says he supports President Obama’s Wall Street reform and would go even farther. Sherzan accuses Mowrer of breaking a pledge to run a positive campaign because the race has tightened. “I think it speaks to Jim’s character more than it speaks to my position on Dodd-Frank,” Sherzan says. “…I’d let the voters decide on Tuesday whether this is an ethical issue with my opponent.”

Desmund Adams — the other candidate in the race — is not mentioned in the ad, but Adams is weighing in on the controversy. Adams says while negative ads are nothing new in politics, he’s questioning why Mowrer violated his pact to run a positive campaign. “There was a level of deceiptfulness that took place,” Adams says. “In addition to deceiptfulness, absolutely there’s a level of dishonesty.”

Mowrer rejects the criticism. “This is absolutely not a negative ad,” Mowrer said. “If we can’t talk about what our policy differences are, then what is there to discuss?” The three candidates made their comments Friday night, during a joint appearance on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program.

(Radio Iowa)

Congressman Steve King and his Republican Primary challenger Rick Bertrand met Friday night in their only face-to-face forum of the campaign. Bertrand, a 46-year-old state senator from Sioux City, presented himself as a “fresh face” and “new blood” who were serve no more than 10 years in congress. King stressed the value of his “institutional knowledge” after serving 14 years in the House.

“Look at Chuck Grassley and see how he’s doing. He’s a very effective United States Senator today,” King said. Bertrand replied: “The difference is Chuck Grassley is relevant. Chuck Grassley is the head of a committee.” King said: “My opponent is a candidate because I am effective…His supporters, his benefactors are angry because I endorsed a candidate for president and he won.” Bertrand said: “We’ve had a decade and a half of people standing at the polar opposites and barking at the moon. I think we’re ready for a change.”

Bertrand says before the Iowa Caucuses, King missed a “golden opportunity” to publicly pressure Ted Cruz to embrace the federal ethanol production mandate. King said he has a “long record in support of renewable fuels,” but King says it would have been “ridiculous” to stand on the same stage with Cruz and criticize him.

“There’s more to this country than the RFS alone,” King said. “That’s not the only yardstick. It’s one of them.” Bertrand suggested King had abandoned the R-F-S in favor of a “non-Iowa agenda.” Bertrand used his closing statement to mention a tweet King sent on Caucus night that relayed a C-N-N story about one of Cruz’s rivals. “I’ve learned from the Ben Carson people…If anyone on Tuesday gets a text or a tweet from the congressman that says I’m dropping out on Tuesday, please disregard it,” Bertrand said.

Last night’s hour-long forum was co-sponsored by K-S-C-J Radio, K-T-I-V Television and The Sioux City Journal.

(Radio Iowa)

LYONS, Neb. (AP) — A 69-year-old Iowa man has died in an early morning car crash in northeast Nebraska. The Burt County Sheriff’s Office says John Burbridge, of Missouri Valley, Iowa, was the only person in the car when it left the roadway early Friday morning, just north of Lyons.

Officials say Burbridge was driving on U.S. Highway 77 when his car veered off the roadway and struck a tree. Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters responded to the scene, where Burbridge was pronounced dead. The Sheriff’s Office says Burbridge was wearing a seatbelt.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court says an employee fired because of missed work resulting from being thrown in jail may still be eligible for unemployment benefits. The court reversed the Iowa Employment Appeal Board saying just because someone is in jail and they can’t afford bail doesn’t mean they’ve voluntarily quit their job.

The ruling means 28-year-old Sondra Irving of North Liberty qualifies for unemployment. She was jailed for 27 days for assault after a November 2013 fight at home. Charges were later dropped but she was fired by University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where she was a medical assistant. Irving appealed the denial of unemployment benefits.

Four justices made up the court’s majority but three others disagreed saying “being in jail is not a valid excuse for missing work.”

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) – Iowa officials say they’re closing a 15-bed psychiatric unit for children at a state mental health facility in Independence and 10 employees have received layoff notices. The Iowa Department of Human Services said Friday no patients were being treated at the Psychiatric Medical Institution for Children unit. There haven’t been any patients in the unit at the Independence Mental Health Institute since July 2015.

Spokeswoman Amy Lorentzen McCoy says it’s “the appropriate time” to dedicate resources to other programs. McCoy says 10 state staffers were given “reduction in force” notices Thursday. She adds some employees may transfer to other positions at Independence, one of two state mental health institutes in Iowa.

Two state mental health facilities closed last year after Gov. Terry Branstad declined to recommend more funding for them.

Two Union County men who were arrested early this (Friday) morning on drug charges, were arrested again after they allegedly robbed a convenience store. Creston Police say 21-year old Fransisco Martinez and 18-year old Dyrrel Malik Thornton Culbertson, both of Creston, face 1st Degree Robbery charges associated with the armed robbery at around 6-a.m., of the Casey’s General Store at 301 W. Taylor Street, in Creston. Both men were being held in the Union County Jail on $25,000 bond, each. Additional charges are pending.

Thornton-Culbertson

Inmate Martinez (Photo’s courtesy Mark Williams, Dispatch Supervisor – Union County Communications Center)

Authorities say they received a 911 call from store employees, who said they had been robbed at gun point by a man wearing a white mask, who left in a vehicle.  At 7:15-a.m., a citizen reported that a vehicle matching the description was in the ditch at 300^th St and Henry A. Wallace Road in Adair County, north of Creston. The driver of the vehicle was attempting to get it out of the ditch.

Officers from the Creston Police Department, Creston Police Department K9 “Minko,” Union County Sheriff’s Office, Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol responded to the area and detained two male subjects related to the investigation.

A search warrant related to the investigation was then executed at 316 Livingston Avenue in Creston. Martinez and Culbertson had previously been arrested at around 3-a.m. today (Friday), on Possession of Marijuana charges. They had been released from the Union County Jail on $1,000 bond each, prior to their alleged involvedment in the robbery.

(Noon News)

The Montgomery County Auditor’s Office reports Montgomery County’s vacancy committee met today (Friday), and unanimously decided to fill a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors in District 2, by appointment.  Members of the committee are Carleen Bruning, Recorder; Carol Strovers, Treasurer; Stephanie Burke, Auditor.  Burke was chosen to be the committee Chairperson and Strovers was chosen to be the committee Secretary.

The committee also determined application materials and a meeting schedule for the appointment process. Prospective appointees are requested to submit the following for consideration:

• Letter of Interest
• Resume
• References – optional

Applications should be sent to Carleen Bruning, Recorder, 105 E Coolbaugh, PO Box 469, Red Oak, IA  51566.  Applications must be received on June 24, 2016, at 4:30 p.m.  They must be postmarked June 24, 2016, if mailed.  Applications for appointment are public record. All applicants must have resided in Montgomery County Supervisor District 2 for at least 60 days.

The committee will convene at 6:30 p.m. on June 28th, in the courtroom at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Red Oak, for a public meeting.  Qualified applicants are expected to attend.  The Supervisor Appointing Committee will conduct a panel interview of all persons seeking appointment to fill Supervisor District #2.  The committee will randomly draw the order for responding to the question.

The committee will reconvene on Wednesday, June 29th, at 5:00 p.m. in the basement meeting room at the courthouse to decide on the appointment.  A new member of the Board of Supervisors will be sworn in on the next regular scheduled Board of Supervisors meeting.

If within fourteen days after the publication of notice or within fourteen days after the appointment is made, a petition is filed with the county Auditor requesting a special election to fill the vacancy, the appointment is temporary and a special election shall be called.  Signatures required are 77 of eligible electors of District 2.   For additional information, please contact the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127.