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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.6MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) — A newly constructed assisted living facility in northwest Iowa’s Rock Valley was destroyed by fire Tuesday, just weeks before residents were to move in. Rock Valley Police Chief Monte Warburton says they were called to The River View Ridge Living Center around six a-m. He says the operators were preparing to show it off. “I think they were slated for an open house next week I believe — residents were going to be in here in two weeks,” Warburton says. “Fire broke out on the east side.”

The Rock Valley Police Chief says the building was burning pretty good when he arrived on the scene. “I would guess the flames were probably 50 feet up off the roof. Very intense heat,” Warburton says. Firefighters from four different departments were on the scene for more than four and a half hours. “It took them quite a while for them to get the fire under control, it was a large fire,” Warburton says.

There were no injuries reported and fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

(Radio Iowa) — A new state program began Monday that supporters say will help families of fallen police and firefighters. Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens talked about the Public Safety Survivor Benefits Fund Tuesday, at the police officers memorial near the Iowa State Capitol. “You know in the days that follow, there’s always an outpour of emotion. There’s always an amazing response. There’s always constant people ready to provide aid and assistance to the families,” Bayens says. “But as those days and weeks go on — at times there’s a gap in that assistance.” He says most often the gap is the loss of health insurance for surviving family members.  “Either because the law enforcement agency is small and cannot bear that burden. Or there was just other limitations that prevented that family from continuing to experience insurance benefits,” Bayens says.

Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens

Bayens says the fund fills the gap by helping pay for the insurance.  “This fund jointly serves the interest of law enforcement and fire services. It is a fund solely dedicated to the surviving families. It is dedicated solely in the recognition of the sacrifice that the men and women of law enforcement and fire services made in protecting all Iowans,” according to Bayens. State Representative Mike Sexton of Rockwell City was one of the lawmakers who pushed for the program after hearing from the wife of slain Rockwell police officer Jamie Buenting in 2013. Sexton also knew slain Urbandale officer and Rockwell native Justin Martin. “I can still see Jamie coming into Casey’s when I was in there having coffee and we would talk about issues. Justin Martin, before I got elected to this position I was president of the school board and I was standing on the stage when he walked across the stage and got his diploma from high school,” Sexton says.

Sexton says it is most often an issue in small towns like his where the city budgets aren’t as big. “To be able to offer a small piece of security to the families of fallen firefighters and fallen police officers and peace officers — when that loved one is gone — if we can just step up and says ‘you don’t have to worry about insurance any more’, I feel good about that,” Sexton says. Representative Wes Breckenridge also help push the program through the legislature. He is a retired police officer from Newton. “We hope we never have to utilize this program, that is our goal, is never have to use it,” Breckenridge says. “But knowing that it is there and the comfort that it will give and ease some of the burdens of those families if they lose a loved one in the line of duty — it’s a small token that to be there for them.”

Sexton and Breckenridge credit the Iowa Lottery for coming up with the plan to provide 100-thousand dollars to fund the program. Lottery C-E-O Matt Strawn says the money will come straight out of lottery funds. “Historically what we’ve found over the years with the lottery, that just having a dedicated benefit works much better and more efficiently to provide resources rather than having a specifically themed ticket or game for a cause,” Strawn says.  He says tried the targeted approach for the Veterans Fund. “That had marginal success. So, it was much more efficient to get resources to those causes by a straight proceeds transfer of two-point-five million dollars a year to the Iowa Veterans Trust fund,” Strawn says. “So this is modeled along similar lines.”

The Iowa Lottery will make its first 100-thousand dollar transfer to the Survivor Fund in late October as part of its initial quarterly proceeds transfer to the state for the 2020 fiscal year. It will continue to transfer proceeds to the fund each October.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg) wants to increase opportunities for national service and build a network of 1 million service members by 2026. The South Bend, Indiana, mayor introduced his national service policy on Wednesday. He says the voluntary plan would help people of different backgrounds form connections like the ones he formed while serving with the Navy Reserve in Afghanistan.

Buttigieg’s plan would add funding for existing federal programs like AmeriCorps and increase the number of opportunities from 75,000 to 250,000, which would cost $20 billion over 10 years. It also would create new service organizations such as a Climate Corps. Buttigieg’s campaign hasn’t provided a cost for that part or said how it intends to pay for the plan.

The 2026 deadline coincides with the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Patrol is refusing to release the findings of its investigation into a supervisor whose residency and receipt of $40,000 in relocation benefits were challenged. Patrol spokesman Nathan Ludwig says the investigation into Lt. Joel Ehler is complete but that the findings are a confidential personnel record. Ehler declined comment when contacted in his office in Council Bluffs, where he remains the patrol’s district manager

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Florida man accused of operating a pyramid scheme that cost 17 Iowans about $51,000 has agreed to repay the money and is prohibited from participating in any business operation involving mail or phone solicitations in the state. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says he investigated Jhon Palacio, who also goes by the name Richard Diamond Sr., after receiving complaints.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The amount of water flowing into the lower Missouri River will remain high throughout the summer and fall, and that water will likely continue to exacerbate flooding downstream. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it plans to keep releases from Gavins Point Dam on the Nebraska-South Dakota border near current levels _ which are more than double what is typical _ throughout summer.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Democrat Theresa Greenfield has raised more than $625,000 for her campaign against Republican Sen. Joni Ernst in less than a month since launching her bid. Greenfield, a Des Moines-area businesswoman, announced her campaign for Senate on June 3. Her campaign emphasized its grassroots support in its first fundraising report, touting that 85% of her contributions were $100 or less and that she’s received contributions from 96 of Iowa’s 99 counties.

Red Oak Police, Tuesday afternoon, arrested 36-year old Joseph Aaron Nelson, of Red Oak, for Possession of drug paraphernalia. Nelson, who was also arrested Sunday afternoon for violating a no contact order, and Monday afternoon on two counts of child endangerment, was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Democrat Theresa Greenfield has raised more than $625,000 for her campaign against Republican Sen. Joni Ernst in less than a month since launching her bid.

Greenfield, a Des Moines-area businesswoman who touts her rural roots as the daughter of a farmer, announced her campaign for Senate on June 3. Her campaign emphasized its grassroots support in its first fundraising report, touting that 85% of her contributions were $100 or less and that she’s received contributions from 96 of Iowa’s 99 counties.

Greenfield is one of three Democrats competing to take on Ernst. She has received endorsements from national and local Democratic groups. A handful of surveys have shown Ernst enjoying a positive approval rating from Iowans, but she remains a top target for national Democrats.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The amount of water flowing into the lower Missouri River will remain high throughout the summer and fall, and that water will likely continue to exacerbate flooding downstream.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it plans to keep releases from Gavins Point Dam on the Nebraska-South Dakota border near current levels — which are more than double the average amount.

The high releases will likely continue worsening flooding downstream — in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas — where many levees were damaged during severe March flooding.

Officials say the releases of 70,000 cubic feet per second of water are needed because the upstream reservoirs remain quite full. The amount of water entering the dams in June was 159 percent of normal, and it has been a wet year.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Patrol is refusing to release the findings of its investigation into a supervisor whose residency and receipt of $40,000 in relocation benefits were challenged. Patrol spokesman Nathan Ludwig said Tuesday that the investigation into Lt. Joel Ehler is completed but that the findings are completely confidential. Ehler declined comment when contacted at his office in Council Bluffs, where he remains the patrol’s district manager.

The patrol opened the investigation after an anonymous complaint in May alleged that Ehler didn’t fully relocate when he was transferred to Council Bluffs in 2017 as required by department policy. Ludwig pledged then the patrol would investigate “the allegation and all surrounding facts and circumstances.”

Records obtained by The Associated Press show Ehler received $40,000 in relocation benefits to sell his Adel home in 2018 and move after the transfer. But instead of moving toward Council Bluffs, Ehler began claiming a new home in West Des Moines as his home for tax purposes.

Ehler has told the department that he was also renting a place near Council Bluffs, but the complaint alleged he wasn’t there on weekends as required.

Our sister station KNOD in Harlan reports a man who had been riding a motorcycle was found dead Sunday, after he crashed on a Pottawattamie County road near the Shelby County line. According to the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, 56-year old John Enyeart, of Kansas City, MO., was found near L34 and Pinoak Road at around 4:45-p.m., Sunday.

Chief Deputy Rob Ambrose said Enyeart had been reported missing on Saturday. According to Ambrose, Enyeart failed to negotiate a curve while riding his motorcycle. There was no indication of another vehicle or individual being involved.

The Pottawattamie County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy to determine the official cause of death. Enyeart was a temporary resident of the area who was working as a contractor.