An attempted robbery in Council Bluffs Saturday evening ended with the suspect getting away empty-handed. According to Bluffs Police, a man entered the Family Dollar Store near 17th and Broadway at around 7-p.m., and displayed a semi-automatic handgun to the clerk. The suspect — a black male about 30-to 40-years of age, 5-feet 10-inches tall and weighing around 150-pounds – shoved the clerk toward the register, demanded money.

After the clerk was unable to open the cash drawer, the robber fled on foot. He was described as wearing all black clothing, having a tan hat and a striped scarf over his face.

Council Bluffs Police ask anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — With farmers markets set to begin in dozens of cities across Iowa, vendors and market managers alike are pulling out all the stops to keep consumers coming back for more. National data suggest the tremendous growth in farmers markets has begun to ebb, with a slight decline in sales adjusted for inflation, but officials say customer and vendor retention efforts in Iowa have helped the state’s markets so far evade such a fate.

Kelly Foss, director of the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market, says finding ways to ensure incremental growth each year is crucial to success as the market enters its 40th season. Todd Mills sells gourmet mushrooms, and he says his latest venture in Des Moines fills a niche currently unserved at the downtown market.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WAUKEE, Iowa (AP) — Texas Senator Ted Cruz says he’s always been clear about his opposition to gay marriage — and a recent fundraiser hosted by two gay businessmen was no exception. The 2016 Republican presidential contender told reporters at this weekend’s Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition event in suburban Des Moines that the private fundraiser, first reported by the New York Times, was focused on foreign policy.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A West Des Moines Catholic high school has approved a request by students to form a school-based gay-straight alliance called “One Human Family.” The Register reports that Dowling Catholic High School gave the approval for the club on Friday. The approval came just weeks after school officials drew criticism for opting to not hire a substitute teacher full time after learning he was gay.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Crews are preparing the old Riverfront YMCA building for demolition. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that asbestos removal crews plan to take out more than 40,000-square-feet of asbestos-laden ceiling tile and flooring before the 60-year-old structure is demolished. The building has been vacant since the Y moved to its new location on Grand Avenue.

BERNARD, Iowa (AP) — Two people, including a 2-year-old boy, have been killed in a single-vehicle rollover crash near Bernard in eastern Iowa. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that that 20-year-old Ellen Edwards and 2-year-old Joseph Edwards, both of Bernard, died in the Friday evening crash.

A non-injury two vehicle accident occurred Saturday morning in Red Oak.  Red Oak Police report the accident happened at the intersection of Oak and 1st Street at 10:22am Saturday.

A 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by 86-year-old Herbert Henry Behrhorst of Clarinda was travelling east on Oak Street and had just passed the intersection with North 1st Street when he decided that he wanted to go north on 1st Street.  Behrhorst then backed up on Oak Street to make the turn while a 2011 Ford Taurus driven by Jay Alan Klyn of Red Oak was negotiating a left hand turn onto E Oak Street.  Klyn then saw Behrhorst was backing up but couldn’t avoid a collision.

Behrhorst’s vehicle sustained $150 damage to the right rear, while the Klyn vehicle suffered approximately $2,000 damage to the left front corner.  Behrhorst was issued a citation for unsafe backing.

w/ Chris Parks

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A public hearing is set to take place Monday evening in Atlantic, with regard to the Proposed 2015-16 Atlantic School District’s calendar. The hearing begins at 7:30-p.m. in the Atlantic High School Media Center, as part of a School Board work session. During the hearing, patrons of the district may speak for or against the proposed Aug. 24th start date and related matters. Later in the work session, the Atlantic School Board will vote on approving the 2015-16 calendar and testing calendar.

In other business, the Board will act on approving the purchase of a heat pump for the high school, and hear from Gary Sinclair with PMA Financial Network, with regard to a Financial Planning Program for FY 2016 and beyond. They’ll also hear from the Building Leadership Team (BLT) from the Washington and Schuler Schools, and discuss the graduation/dropout rates.

A Red Oak man was arrested on Friday by Red Oak Police for Possession of a Controlled Substance Marijuana.  21-year-old Blake Mitchell Wilkinson was arrested at 9:00pm Friday and is being held at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on $1,000 cash bond.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Villisca teen after responding to a call for a male subject that had been stabbed.  Officers were called to 422 W 4th Street in Villisca at approximately 2:46am this morning (Saturday). After investigation officers arrested 16-year-old Ashley Nicole Fitzwater of Villisca on a charge of Aggravated Domestic Assault.  Fitzwater is being held on no bond at the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A year after the children of radio personality Casey Kasem had to seek court action to see their ailing father, a new Iowa law aims to ensure that adult children can see their sick parents — granting them visitation rights unless the person’s guardian goes to court to stop them.

Gov. Terry Branstad signed the bill Friday. The law gives an adult with a legal guardian — someone who cannot manage their own affairs — the right to receive visits from family members and others they have previously expressed interest in seeing.

Sen. Rob Hogg said he started working on the issue after hearing from a constituent having difficulty visiting her brother. The legislation was backed by Kasem’s daughter, Kerri Kasem, who appeared on Iowa radio to advocate for it.

Protesters will have to keep a greater distance from grieving families at funerals under a bill signed Friday by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad. The Omaha World-Herald reports the measure, House File 558, unanimously passed both houses of the Iowa Legislature. The bill came out of a court ruling that stemmed from protests Westboro Baptist Church staged in western Iowa, including one at the funeral of a fallen soldier in Red Oak.