CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — A 25-year-old father has been charged with killing his infant son in northern Iowa. Floyd County court records say Shane Morris is charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. Charles City police began an investigation on Aug. 3, when the baby was taken to Floyd County Medical Center. Police say he died the next day of blunt force trauma to the head. A court document says Morris told investigators that he’d tripped while carrying his son and the boy’s head struck a kitchen counter edge.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — For the second time this academic year, a public university in Iowa is paying an administrator to stay home and look for other jobs as part of a legal agreement to quit and not sue. Iowa State University is paying former senior admissions official Consuela Cooper to telecommute until June 15 or until she finds a new job, whichever comes first. Cooper has agreed to resign and “not to seek or accept employment with the university at any time in the future.” It’s similar to a deal the University of Iowa reached with its new chief diversity officer last August.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office says another filing has taken place in advance of the November General Election nominating deadline. Delmar South has submitted his nomination papers for Union Township Trustee, a non-partisan position. The Auditor’s Office said there are still a few positions were no one has filed papers:

Primary Election (filing deadline March 25th):

• County Attorney (Vacancy Position) – Republican
• County Attorney – Democrat
• County Sheriff – Democrat
• County Auditor – Democrat
• Supervisor District 1 – Democrat
• Supervisor District 4 – Democrat.

General Election (filing deadline March 20):

• Edna Township Trustee
• Ag Extension Council (4 positions)
• Hospital Board (1 position left)
• Soil and Water Conservation (3 positions).

Also, the Agricultural Extension filing deadline is Wednesday Aug 26, 2020.  Previous updates from the Cass County Auditor’s Office on candidates submitting nomination papers can be found in separate posts on the News page.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa House has voted to establish a limit on the co-payment insurance companies require to fill a prescription for insulin. Representative Ann Meyer, a registered nurse from Fort Dodge, says it’s a 100-dollar cap. “The cap applies to each individual prescription and allows for an entire month of insulin,” Meyer says.  People with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes must take insulin to control their blood sugar levels, but the cost of insulin has doubled in the past eight years. Representative Lindsay James of Dubuque says it’s become so expensive, some patients are rationing their insulin or don’t have the money to pay for it at all.

“Family members and friends should never be forced to stand at the gravesite of their loved one because companies are protecting their bottom line,” James says, “and yet this is exactly what it happening.” The bill has no groups or businesses registered to lobby against it. Colorado and Illinois are the only states that currently have a co-payment limit on insulin and it’s 100-dollars.

Last week, the Virginia legislature voted for a 50-dollar-a-month price cap and New Mexico’s legislature vote to establish a monthly co-pay cap of 25 dollars. Neither has been signed yet by the governors of those states.

AMES, Iowa – LINCOLN, Nebraska – March 10, 2020 – Following the historic 2019 flooding in Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, the departments of transportation in both states continue to coordinate efforts to minimize the impacts of anticipated flooding in 2020. Because of last year’s event, some areas may be more vulnerable to flooding this year. Officials say because of the work that has been done over the last year, travelers in the two states should be cautious that flooding impacts will not be the same as they have been in the past. Levee repairs, by both the US Army Corps of Engineers and local levee districts, and roadway improvements, especially to Interstate 29 and Iowa2 on the Iowa side, will impact how floodwater flows in these areas, compared to the flooding last fall.

Nebraska and Iowa DOT officials coordinate regularly on improvements that have been made to each state’s transportation system following last year’s flooding. This includes specific projects on roadways connecting the states like Nebraska/Iowa Highway 2, U.S. 34 and Interstate 680. Other projects have provided strengthening to shoulders and roadsides, especially on I-29 and I-680, that may help keep roads open longer and increase the ability to re-open roads sooner should flooding occur in these areas again this spring.

Five new flood sensors have been installed in areas where potential flooding is anticipated this spring. These sensors will give transportation officials better information about river levels in key areas, allowing for emergency materials and equipment to be moved into place earlier than in the past. The two states will also be coordinating their communications efforts through news releases and social media.

Iowa Traveler information: www.511ia.org; Social media: https://www.facebook.com/iowadot/  https://twitter.com/iowadot
General flooding information: https://floods.iowa.gov

Nebraska Traveler information: https://www.511.nebraska.gov/ ; Social media: https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaDOT/ ; https://twitter.com/NebraskaDOT

The Adair County Board of Supervisors are set to meet 9-a.m. Wednesday, in Greenfield. On their agenda is discussion with regard to Heath, Dental and Vision Insurance renewal, and a presentation from Next Era Energy Resources staff on the Heartland Phase II Transmission Line Study. Transmission line would transmit power from area wind farms to a substation near Adair. Phase I of the Heartland Divide wind project was a 103 megawatt farm that went into commercial operation in December 2018.

The Board will also hear from County Engineer Nick Kauffman with regard to Union step raises for three Secondary Roads Dept. employees. He’ll also present for signing, contracts and performance bonds for a road rock project, and his regular maintenance and activities report.

(Atlantic FFA reporter submission) – To many students, the ride to school usually involves the requirement of driving themselves by car, or having their parents drop them off. But last Friday, on March 6th, the Atlantic FFA members were given the opportunity to ride to school in a different style. This “style” was a part of the annual Tractor Ride to School Day that the Atlantic FFA Chapter conducts every year during the spring. Members who participated met together at the Walmart located approximately 1 mile away from the High School. From there, they drove to the High School all together in a large line.

Photo: On top the tractor left to right: Derek Dreager, Chase Vogl, Tate DenBeste, Wyatt Redinbaugh, Dylan Comes, Dillion Shepperd, Dan Freund, Cooper Jipsen; On the Ground left to right: Ryan Klever and DJ Shepperd. (photo submitted)

This year, 10 members took place in the event. Dillion Shepperd said, “Money can’t buy happiness but it can buy a tractor and have you ever seen a sad person driving a tractor?” Tate DenBeste said, “It was fun to be able to drive a tractor to school my senior year.

The following is the list of members who participated in tractor day: Derek Dreager, Chase Vogl, Dylan Comes, Dillon Shepperd, DJ Shepperd, Wyatt Redinbaugh, Dan Freund, Cooper Jipsen. Tate Den Beste, and Brett Dreager

A one-hour stand-off Monday in Tabor ended with a Fremont County Sheriff’s Deputy suffering minor injuries and a suspect arrested on numerous charges. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports Tabor Police were called to a residence in Tabor at around 9:30-p.m., following a report a man was causing a disturbance. Upon arrival, the officer observed 34-year old Kain Endicott, of Tabor, armed with a knife inside the residence. The responding officer called for assistance from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office.

Kain Endicott (Fremont Co. S/O photo)

A Fremont County K9 and a crisis negotiator were also called to the scene. During the approximately one-hour standoff, authorities say Endicott brandished the weapon towards officers, ingested controlled substances, admitted to ingesting methamphetamine, and requested officers to shoot him. Endicott then exited the residence through a rear door, where a taser was deployed. He continued to struggle with officers, resulting in a deputy receiving a laceration from the knife to his hand. After the K9 “Roby” was deployed, Endicott released the knife and was placed under arrest without further incident.

He  was transported to Grape Community Hospital with minor injuries and then to the Fremont County Jail. The injured deputy was treated and released at the scene. Endicott faces felony charges that include Going Armed with Intent (a Class D Felony) and Assault on a Police Officer while using a weapon (a Class D Felony). He was also charged with Interference with Official Acts/ causing Bodily Injury, a Serious Misdemeanor, Possession of Marijuana, 3rd or Subsequent Offense, an Aggravated Misdemeanor, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Simple Misdemeanor.

Endicott was being held at the Fremont County Jail without bond, awaiting initial appearance with the Fremont County Magistrate. The Tabor Police Department, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and Tabor Rescue responded to the call.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report an Essex man was arrested Monday afternoon. 41-year old Jerry Joseph Richardson was taken into custody at the Page County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Pretrial Release Revocation. His bond was set at $5,000.

And, a Bellevue, NE man was cited for Failure to Maintain Control this (Tuesday) morning, after a non-injury accident in Mills County. Authorities say 26-year old Maverick Martin was driving a 2005 Mercury westbound on Highway 34 at around 2:30-a.m., when his car went out of control while negotiating a curve. The vehicle entered the median and spun around before hitting a concrete barrier. Speed was considered to be a factor in the crash.

(Radio Iowa) — It appears a Senate-passed plan establishing some restrictions if Iowa voters decide to automatically restore felon voting rights is on the fast track in the Iowa House. The bill is ready for debate in a House committee Wednesday after a subcommittee hearing this (Monday) morning. Drew Klein of Americans for Prosperity urged quick action on the plan. “We knew from the beginning that we had to define what discharge of sentence looked like and this bill does a good job of carving that out and really dealing with some tough issues,” Klein said.

If Iowa voters eventually pass a constitutional amendment automatically grants felons the right to vote when they’re paroled, this bill would kick in. It would require felons to pay all the restitution they owe victims before they’d get the right to vote. Iowa Catholic Conference executive director Tom Chapman urged House members to reconsider and merely require felons to be current in a restitution repayment plan. “Requiring the payment of restitution is just,” Chapman says. “However, all repayment before the right to vote would be restored could end up keeping low income people from voting.”

Greg Baker of The Family Leader says his group supports providing second chances to paroled felons — and restoring their voting rights. “There has to be a point where we allow the person to move on and become a part of society again,” Baker said. But Baker says he doesn’t envy legislators wrestling with how to define when felons have completed their sentences. Former State Representative Clel Baudler, a Republican from Greenfield who’s a retired state trooper, urged the legislature to abandon the whole effort and keep the process requiring all felons to apply to the governor for their voting rights. “I oppose the whole notion that felons should be automatically be given something once they get out of prison,” Baudler said.

Key House Republicans say the bill is likely to come up for debate in the 100-member House next week — and pass as is.