Officials with the Iowa DNR say the emerald ash borer (EAB) can now be linked to 45 counties in Iowa, as Fayette and Madison counties are the most recent to be added to that growing list. EAB is a destructive wood-boring beetle that attacks and kills all ash tree species. The exotic pest was first discovered in Iowa in 2010.

In Fayette County, the insect was discovered in a city-owned ash tree in Oelwein. For Madison County, the finding took place in a rural area south of Winterset. Insect specimens taken from these sites were confirmed as EAB by a federal identifier.

The adult beetle is metallic green in color and measures approximately one-half inch long and can be noticed during the summer months. The larvae burrow through the inner layer of bark, eating away at the vascular tissue, which supplies nutrients to the tree. Starved trees usually die within two to four years.

A federal quarantine, enforced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, remains in effect and restricts the movement of all hardwood firewood and ash articles out of Iowa into non-quarantined areas of other states. To help reduce the potential for people to unknowingly transport EAB and other destructive tree-killing pests, Iowans are strongly encouraged to use locally sourced firewood.

If a landowner is interested in protecting a valuable and healthy ash tree within 15 miles of a known infestation, the treatment window for protecting an ash tree begins very soon. Soil treatments should be made from mid-April to mid-May. Basal trunk sprays should be applied mid-May to mid-June. Trunk injections begin once the tree has a full canopy. Full details are available in Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publication PM2084: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/13114

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic stop Tuesday evening in Avoca led to the arrest of 57-year old James Allen Harriman, of Avoca. Harriman’s SUV was pulled over by a Pott. County Deputy and an Avoca Police Officer at around 4:20-p.m. The two officials believed Harriman to be under the influence of a drug other than alcohol, and requested another Deputy’s assistance. Upon further investigation, Harriman was arrested for OWI/1st offense. He was also given a verbal warning for having an expired registration.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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FARLEY, Iowa (AP) – The police chief in the eastern Iowa city of Farley has quit, saying he can’t work “for a city like this.” Chief Rick Wagner says he gave his two-week notice Monday night at the end of a City Council meeting during which he was criticized. A council member requested a performance review of him, expressing concern about a burglary investigation.

On Tuesday Wagner told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald “I decided I cannot work for a city like this anymore.” He’d been chief for nearly 15 years. Mayor Jay Hefel declined to discuss Wagner’s status but confirmed that Wagner was the only full-time department member. Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy says his deputies will continue to handle calls in Farley.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 4 Office in Atlantic says in recognition of National Work Zone Awareness Week, the Iowa Department of Transportation wants to bring attention to the 2017 construction season for the Council Bluffs Interstate Improvement Program. A public open house meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 18th, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Council Bluffs Interstate System Improvement Program’s office, located at the Mall of the Bluffs (1751 Madison Ave., Suite 750), in Council Bluffs.

The public is invited to attend and discuss the upcoming construction activities. Iowa DOT staff will be present to explain the impacts to people traveling on the interstate and to local businesses in the areas of interstates 29 and 80 in Council Bluffs. Two short presentations are planned for 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; the public may join either presentation.

The meeting space is accessible for persons with disabilities. For those who cannot attend the open house, an online meeting will be available beginning April 18 and can be accessed by visiting the project website, www.CouncilBluffsInterstate.IowaDOT.gov, and clicking the online meeting link on the home page.

2017 construction projects include:

• East system interchange of I-80/I-29.
• Dual divided freeway.
• West system interchange of I-80/I-29 and I-29.
• U.S. 275/Iowa 92 interchange.

An update will also be provided on the ongoing environmental study and preliminary design alternatives for the I-29/I-480/West Broadway project. Scott Schram, Iowa DOT District 4 engineer, says “The Council Bluffs Interstate Improvement Program will continue to make progress reconstructing I-80 and I-29 in Council Bluffs that will potentially impact travel and local businesses in the area. The meeting on April 18 will provide details on what drivers can expect during the busy construction season.” Schram says they “Encourage motorists to use extra caution when traveling through work zones.”

Construction during the 2017 season is part of the Iowa DOT’s Council Bluffs Interstate System Improvement Program. The program is the single largest project in the Iowa DOT’s fiscal year 2017-2021 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program.

Visit the Iowa DOT’s project-related public involvement event website at www.iowadot.gov/pim for information about scheduled public meetings and hearings, and opportunities to offer input to the Iowa DOT during the development of certain projects.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports a traffic stop this (Wednesday) morning near Thurman, resulted in a Nebraska man’s arrest on drug and weapon charges. The Fremont County K9 unit conducted the traffic stop at around 3-a.m.

An investigation ended with the arrest of 45-year old Rafael Petitphait, of Omaha, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Drug Paraphernalia, and a Carrying Weapon charge. Petitphait was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $1,300 bond.

Rafael Petitphait

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest at around 8:55-p.m. Tuesday, of a Red Oak man. 47-year old Mark Douglas Berggren was taken into custody on a valid Montgomery County bench warrant for Violation of Probation. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $10,000 bond.

After five years of lobbying, the “Iowa Army of Pink” has won its battle at the statehouse. “This is the day I’ve prayed about for so long and I can’t believe it’s finally happening.” Bridget Pargulski of Johnston was part of the group that’d been asking legislators to force health care providers to let a woman know if she has dense breast tissue, so she can get an ultrasound in addition to a mammogram. This year, the bill has easily passed the Senate and House and is headed to the governor.

The legislation sets up new rules for health care providers, so women will be given information about breast density and the increased risks that may be associated with it. Representative Brian Best of Carroll paid tribute to one of the bill’s long-time advocates. “Today I want to call this bill ‘Patty’s Bill’ after Patty Bernard,” Best said. “She’s been at the capitol advocating for this bill year after year. She’s here again today. She has a nine-centimeter tumor missed on a mammogram and she now has stage four cancer. Patty, this bill is for you and for all of the Army of Pink.”

Bernard and other women dressed in pink who’ve lobbied for the bill for years were seated in the House balcony as the bill passed the House, Tuesday. Bernard was surprised when Best mentioned her during House debate. “I was shocked. I had no idea,” Bernard says. “I’m honored.” Bernard, who is from West Des Moines, says she didn’t know dense breast tissue could prevent some tumors from being visible in a mammogram.

Pargulski got involved in the lobbying effort because for four years in a row her cancer was missed in mammograms because her breast tissue was dense. She wore a pink sweater with “Army of Pink” lettering, Tuesday. “To get such a landslide vote was just amazing,” Pargulski says. The bill passed the House on a 95-to-two vote. It unanimously cleared the Iowa Senate in mid-March and Governor Branstad is expected to sign it into law.

(Radio Iowa)

Davenport police have released the name of a highway worker killed in an overnight accident Monday. It happened a little before 11-p.m. Monday on Interstate 80 near the Interstate 74 overpass. Police say a pickup truck being operated by an employee of Hawkeye Paving Corporation of Bettendorf backed onto the traveled portion of the highway. It was struck by a semi. The driver of the semi suffered non-life threatening injuries, but the driver of the pickup truck died. She was identified as 54-year-old Jacklyn Ferguson from New Windsor, Illinois. The paving company was doing maintenance work on the highway at the time.

(Radio Iowa)