Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:33 a.m. CDT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker says Iowa’s successful strengthening of a ban on texting while driving could be a model for legislation after years of unsuccessful legislative efforts to crack down on distracted driving. State Sen. Merv Riepe says Iowa shows how enforcement can be increased. The Iowa State Patrol says citations for texting while driving have increased sixfold in the past year since Iowa lawmakers allowed officers to begin pulling over drivers for texting.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Open government advocates are alarmed by public officials’ increasing use of digital tools that can make text and email messages. The executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition says technologies such as private messaging apps undermine state open government laws. But some governors and state lawmakers say public employees should be free to communicate on private cellphones and social media platforms without triggering open records requirements.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State football team showed up in storm-ravaged Marshalltown to help residents clean up two days after a destructive tornado swept through the city. The Marshalltown Times-Republican reports that the entire Cyclones roster was on hand Saturday. Players did everything from clearing tree limbs and debris, raking yards, moving remnants of houses, rooftops and garages, and removing furniture from damaged homes and businesses.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Workplace safety officials are investigating the fatal injury of a man at a manufacturing plant in north-central Iowa’s Fort Dodge. The Messenger reports that the man died after being hit by and pinned under a steel beam Thursday evening. Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration spokeswoman Deborah Babb says the beam was being erected as part of a construction project at CJ Bio American in Fort Dodge when the accident happened. Babb declined to release the victim’s name.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting Monday at City Hall, beginning at 5:15-p.m. On the agenda is the introduction of Ron Flory as Park Foreman, and updates on: The Schildberg Development Project, including West Shelter and East Playground; The Nishna Park, and with regard to the Sunnyside Park entrance sign.

Parks & Rec Director Seth Staashelm will provide reports on Summer Programs, the Sunnyside Pool, Campground and the August 18th Doggie Dip, slated to take place from 1-until 4-p.m. on that date.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The growing popularity of digital tools that can make text and email messages vanish may be welcome to Americans seeking to guard their privacy, but open government advocates fear they are being misused by public officials. Some are using them to conduct business in secret and evade transparency laws.

Whether communications on those platforms should be part of the public record is a growing but unsettled debate in states across the country. Daniel Bevarly, executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, tells The Associated Press that technologies such as private messaging apps undermine state open government laws.

But some governors and state lawmakers argue that public employees should be free to communicate on private, non-governmental cellphones and social media platforms without triggering open records requirements.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker says Iowa’s strengthening of a ban on texting while driving could be a model for legislation after years of unsuccessful legislative efforts to crack down on distracted driving.

State Sen. Merv Riepe, an Omaha area Republican, says Iowa shows how enforcement can be increased. The Iowa State Patrol says citations for texting while driving have increased sixfold in the past year since Iowa lawmakers allowed officers to begin pulling over drivers for texting.

Nebraska is one of four states that ban texting but require a second traffic violation for an officer to stop a motorist. Iowa legislators strengthened a ban on texting in 2017 in a bipartisan bill that extended the ban on using smartphones while driving to include social media and games. Iowa lets drivers use phones for navigation.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State football team showed up in storm-ravaged Marshalltown to help residents clean up two days after a destructive tornado swept through the city. The entire Cyclones roster traveled from Ames to Marshalltown, making quick work out of a number of tasks on Saturday before catching a breather at a local schoolyard, The Marshalltown Times-Republican reported.

Players did everything from clearing tree limbs and debris, raking yards, moving remnants of houses, rooftops and garages, and removing furniture from damaged homes and businesses.

“I don’t have words for it, you know what I mean?” said redshirt freshman offensive lineman Colin Newell. “You just put yourself in that position for a second and you’re like, ‘wow.’ “We had some guys come up here (Friday) and help out, and they said we’ve got to get more guys up here and do what we can to help out. We’ve got a lot of people with us, so we can bring a lot of manpower with us and get out here and help these people out.”

One of the group’s first undertakings of the day was to help a family move its car out of the driveway and a truck out from under a garage that fallenon it. A tearful owner offered hugs to any Cyclone football player who crossed her path — and some pledged their fandom to Iowa State, even if only for a day. “Just doing it for the community makes it all worth it, too, just helping out Iowa and Marshalltown get back to where they were at,” said redshirt freshman offensive lineman Alex Kleinow.

Both Newell and Kleinow have dealt indirectly with flood damage to their own hometowns, but that was nothing compared with what Marshalltown experienced during the tornado. “This is really eye-opening,” Kleinow said.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a Union County man was arrested on drug & weapon charges following a traffic stop at around 4-a.m. today (Sunday), in Kent. 37-year old Briankeith Andre Whitfield, of Creston, was arrested for Dominion and Control of Firearm by Felon, Dominion and Control of Ammunition by a Felon, Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Offense, and Driving Under Suspension. A passenger in the vehicle, Janelle White, of Saint Charles, was placed under arrest for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Carrying Weapons.

Their arrests took place following a traffic stop on Highway 25 and 240th Street. Authorities determined that both occupants of the vehicle had suspended driver’s licenses. The Adams County K9 “Baxo” was deployed on the vehicle and indicated to the presence of narcotics. A probable cause search was conducted and marijuana, marijuana wax, and a loaded Smith and Wesson M&P .40 Caliber handgun were located in the vehicle.

Numerous types of ammunition and magazines were also located in the vehicle.

Whitfield

White

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports two, overnight arrests. At around 1:50-a.m. today (Sunday), Deputies arrested Jacey Glynn, of Lenox, at 500 4th Street in Nodaway. Glynn was placed under arrest for Domestic Abuse and Possession of a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine). Deputies were assisted on the scene by deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Jacey Glynn

And, at around 11:37-p.m. Saturday, Adams County Deputies arrested Zackary Haley, of Villisca, on two Adams County arrest warrants for Operating While Intoxicated and Gathering where Controlled Substances Unlawfully Used.

Zackary Haley

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:15 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The proliferation of digital tools that can make text and email messages vanish may be welcome to Americans seeking to guard their privacy, but open government advocates fear they are being misused by public officials. Some are using them to conduct business in secret and evade transparency laws. Whether communications on those platforms should be part of the public record is a growing but unsettled debate in states across the country.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Workplace safety officials are investigating the fatal injury of a man at a manufacturing plant in north-central Iowa’s Fort Dodge. The Messenger reports that the man died after being hit by and pinned under a steel beam Thursday evening. Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration spokeswoman Deborah Babb says the beam was being erected as part of a construction project at CJ Bio American in Fort Dodge when the accident happened. Babb declined to release the victim’s name.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Businesses and volunteers are pitching in to provide more than cleanup in the wake of the destructive tornadoes that swept through three cities in central Iowa earlier this week. Organizations were helping and housing injured pets and a meatpacking plant was providing hot meals to residents in need Saturday in Marshalltown. The city of 27,000 people suffered the most damage during the Thursday storms, which surprised residents and weather forecasters.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A newspaper’s analysis shows Iowa has spent nearly $500 million in public money in the past decade to support private schools and home-school programs. The Des Moines Register found that state money goes toward supporting private-school operations through busing assistance, textbook purchases, special education funding and scholarship support. The state also offers a tax credit for those who pay private-school tuition.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Workplace safety officials are investigating the fatal injury of a man at a manufacturing plant in north-central Iowa’s Fort Dodge. The Messenger reports that the man died after being hit by and pinned under a steel beam Thursday evening.

Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration spokeswoman Deborah Babb says the beam was being erected as part of a construction project at CJ Bio American in Fort Dodge when the accident happened. Babb declined to release the victim’s name, but said he was an employee of a contractor at the site.

Babb says agency officers were on the scene Friday morning. She declined to comment further. CJ Bio American produces the amino acid lysine, which is added to feed for poultry and swine. A $51 million expansion project is underway to allow the plant to make another amino acid, L-Threonine.

A man on a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle was seriously injured during a collision with a golf cart Saturday afternoon, in Ringgold County. The Iowa State Patrol reports an EZ Go golf cart driven by 30-year old Brett W. Cannon, of Mt. Ayr, was turning left from U-S Highway 169 in Mt. Ayr onto E. Monroe Street, when the motorcycle, driven by 54-year old Dewayne A. Clark of Mt. Ayr, passed the Cannon on the left.

Neither Cannon nor his passenger were hurt. Clark, who was not wearing a helmet, was injured and transported by Mercy Air Care to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. The accident, which happened at around 1-p.m. Saturday, remains under investigation.