WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a man was fatally shot by police after confronting them with a weapon when officers were called to a Des Moines-area home because of a domestic disturbance. West Des Moines police said the shooting occurred about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday less than a mile from the junction of Interstate 35 and I-235 on the city’s north side. Police said shots were fired moments after officers confronted the man. The man died of his injuries at a local hospital. Police said no officers were injured.

Police did not identify the man who died or describe his weapon. They did not say how many officers were involved or identify them. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was examining the incident. The officers were to remain on administrative leave in the meantime.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Court of Appeals has overturned a $3.25 million jury award against a Des Moines-area couple’s lawyer over a failed adoption where the baby boy later was murdered.

The Des Moines Register reports that a three-judge panel ruled Wednesday that adoption attorney Jason Rieper’s conduct fell short of the legal threshold permitting Rachel and Heidi McFarland of Ankeny to recover damages for emotional distress from alleged malpractice.

They sued because Rieper failed to get the birth mother’s signature in 2014 on a crucial document. Rieper said she changed her mind. The infant lived with the couple for two months before he was returned to his mother. Five weeks later, he was found dead in her apartment.

The father pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 50-year prison sentence.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Former Vice President Joe Biden says President Donald Trump’s Fourth of July spectacle in Washington “misses the point.” Biden was speaking to a few hundred supporters in working-class Marshalltown, Iowa.

The Democratic presidential candidate says, “I wonder what Donald Trump will say this evening, when he speaks to the nation at an event designed more to stroke his ego than celebrate American ideals.”

Earlier, the 76-year-old Biden, in well-worn running shoes, zigzagged across a parade route in Independence, Iowa, often jogging from curb to curb, sometimes trotting backward.

Clearly in his element as a hand-to-hand politician, Biden posed for innumerable photos with supporters, such as Elizabeth Washburn, who traveled with her husband and son more than an hour from Iowa City to see Biden.

We hope you are enjoying celebrating Independence Day! Bring KJAN along for your celebrations Thursday night. We will have a block of patriotic music running from 7:00pm-Midnight this evening to help you celebrate. So don’t worry about putting together that playlist, tune in to KJAN and sit back and enjoy those fireworks displays. Happy Independence Day from your friends at KJAN! Cardinals baseball coverage will prevent us from doing this Friday and Saturday nights.

(Update 5:53-p.m.: The accident victim was identified late today as 27-year old Brianna Pogge, of Atlantic)

(Original story) — A woman estimated by authorities to have been in her late 20’s was injured during a single-vehicle rollover accident north of Atlantic this morning. According to Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Bartholomew, the woman was driving an SUV when the vehicle drifted onto the shoulder southbound on Olive Street about one-quarter of a mile north of Echo Road.

Ric Hanson (Photos) – click on an image to enlarge

She over-corrected back onto the road, crossed over the centerline, crossed back and went off the road again into a ditch, where the vehicle struck a culvert pipe and flipped-up ontop of the culvert. The accident happened at around 10:28-a.m., southwest of the Pipeline Foods elevator. The woman was initially placed in a Medivac Ambulance to be stabilized before being flown by LifeNet helicopter to Bergan-Mercy Hospital. She was the lone occupant of the vehicle.

Atlantic Fire and Rescue, Medivac Ambulance, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies, Atlantic Police and Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon all assisted at the scene.

(Radio Iowa) — A special investigation by the state auditor’s office indicates a former part-timer who worked for the Webster City Chamber of Commerce was responsible for 263-thousand dollars worth of payments that were either improper or lacked proper documentation. Leah Mulholland was a financial and administrative assistant for the Webster City Chamber of Commerce. Auditors report she overpaid herself by 190-thousand dollars over a four-and-a-half year period. Auditors flagged another 35-thousand dollars worth of spending to cover things like what auditors believe were Mulholland’s cell phone bills, the purchase of a sex toy and 27-hundred dollars worth of hotel bills in Webster City. The auditor’s report also mentions improper spending at a Webster City hair salon and for food and meals at restaurants.

According to the auditors’ report, Webster City Chamber of Commerce officials “did not provide sufficient oversight of the Chamber’s financial transactions.” The chamber’s board of directors has released a written statement, indicating “all recommendations” outlined in the auditors’ report already “have been implemented.” The statement indicates this is an “ongoing criminal case” and goes on to say the “chamber board and staff are supporting and cooperating with the county attorney, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and Iowa attorney general’s office.”

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

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(Radio Iowa) — Residents who were preparing to move into a new senior living center in Rock Valley are trying to deal with the shock of a fire Tuesday that heavily damaged the facility. The board president for the RiverView Ridge Senior Living Center says, Todd Van Tol, says this is hard for the community as they were preparing to open after at least three years of work. “There’s a group of people who have sold their homes that are expecting to move there in the next 30 to 90 days. So essentially their home was burned down. So we’ve got to help them come up with the next plan, Tol says.

The police chief estimated flames were shooting 50 feet in the air when he arrived on the scene around six in the morning. Van Tol says 14 of the 40 rooms had already had tenants. The initial assessment was that the building was a total loss — but Van Tol says they will look at what is left. “I don’t have all the answers yet, but it’s pretty devastating for at least three-quarters of the building,” Van Tol says. “We’ll have to see what we can do with some of the rest of it with smoke damage and that kind of stuff, but right now it’s incredibly devastating.”

The center was built to help with a shortage of assisted living options in Rock Valley and the nearby area. Van Tole says the board will be meeting with its insurance company and hopes to see it rebuilt. There is not word yet on the cause of the fire.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) — State Fire Marshal, Dan Wood, reminds you to do a little planning and takes some precautions before setting off any fireworks as you celebrate the nation’s birthday. He says you should try to be 300 feet away from any structure, have a bucket of water nearby to put things out that you are using to light fireworks, and have a fire extinguisher close by. Wood says local officials set the regulations and times for legally shooting off fireworks and you should check your location to be sure you are legal before lighting up any firework. This is the third year that fireworks have been legal and many cities have adjusted their rules.

In Atlantic, fireworks may be used from Noon until 11-p.m. Today (Thursday), and from Noon until 11-p.m. Friday. Any person who violates the provisions of the fireworks discharging ordinance or without reckless intent causes injury, property damage or a fire will be guilty of a scheduled municipal infraction punishable by a $250 fine in addition to established court costs. It is unlawful in Atlantic, to set off fireworks within 300-feet of a public school building, assisted living facility, or hospital. They can only be used on private property.

Newton city leaders considered a total ban on fireworks this year before deciding to restrict their the size of fireworks. They also limited their use to between eight p-m and 11 p-m today (July 4). Newton Fire Chief Jarrod Wellik says the city council will be watching to see if the changes alleviate some of the complaints. “We’re urging people to follow the rules, make sure that if you want to continue to see fireworks be able to be used in the community — you’ve gotta follow the rules that are set out,” Wellik says.

Wellik says a few rule breakers could ruin the whole thing for everyone. For example, he says he saw people shooting off fireworks the other night behind the fire station.”That’s just the example that people are setting that’s gonna give council the ammunition to say ‘we are not going to allow that anymore, if you are not going to follow the rules, we are not going to allow it at all,” Wellik says.

A person who violates Newton’s fireworks regulations faces a fine of at least 250-dollars. Wellik says any fireworks that are allowed by state law can be used outside of the Newton city limits.