(Radio Iowa) — Almost one-third of Iowa’s counties…including Adair, Adams, Audubon, Guthrie, Fremont, Harrison, Madison, Ringgold and Sac…are considered “maternal care deserts” in a new report. Stacey Stewart, president of the March of Dimes, says 29 of Iowa’s 99 counties are critically lacking when it comes to health care specifically for pregnancy. Stewart says women in those counties are at greater risk of complications from childbirth, including the death of the mother, the baby, or both.

“A maternal care desert is a county that lacks even the basic obstetrics services to help mothers safely deliver their babies,” Stewart says. “The county will not have even one hospital that offers obstetrics services and also not have any OBGYN or certified nurse midwife.” Nationwide, about 35-percent of all counties fall into the maternal care desert category and Stewart says a majority of them are rural counties. “About 20% of all the women who live in maternal care deserts actually live in urban and metropolitan areas,” Stewart says. “It doesn’t mean that just because you live in an urban area, all of the sudden you’ve got all the resources available to you that you need.”

More than 700 American women die in childbirth each year and some 50-thousand suffer life-threatening complications, making the U-S the most dangerous developed country in which to give birth. Women of color are most at risk of facing complications, and black women are more than three times as likely as white women to die from pregnancy-related causes. “We have in the U.S. some of the worst rates of maternal mortality in the world,” Stewart says. “Our rates of maternal mortality have doubled over the past 25 years. What it means is that women are dying at higher rates as result of pregnancy and childbirth as compared to women in other developed countries around the world and that simply is unacceptable.”

The March of Dimes is launching #BlanketChange, a social and video advocacy campaign focused on the iconic receiving blankets used to swaddle nearly every newborn baby. Other counties listed as “maternal  care deserts” include: Benton, Buchanan, Cedar, Clarke, Davis, Decatur, Franklin, Grundy, Hancock, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Jones, Keokuk, Louisa, Lyon, Pocahontas, Winnebago and Worth.

A Cass County woman was arrested Thursday afternoon on drug and other charges, in Pottawattamie County. A Deputy conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle, ended-up arresting 26-year old Destiny Jo Fuller, of Griswold, for Driving While Barred, Possession of a Controlled Substance – Marijuana, and Interference with Official Acts. Authorities say Fuller was in possession of a “Green leafy substance” weighing 11.5-grams.

A man from Walnut was arrested Thursday morning, in Pott. County. Authorities say 31-year old Robert Dale Hackwell was arrested at Oakland Foods on warrants for Violation of a No Contact Order, Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree (destruction and/or vandalism of property as a hate crime), and Child Endangerment. Hackwell was being held on a $2,000 bond for the Child Endangerment charge, and without bond on the other charges.

Pott. County Deputies arrested 40-year old Steven Uriah Brule, of Underwood, Thursday afternoon, on a Pott. County warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. Brule was being held without bond in the Pott. County Jail. And, 54-year old Jesus Acosta Robles, Jr., of Sgt. Bluff, was arrested at around 2-a.m. today (Friday), on a Fugitive from Justice warrant out of Nebraska. Robles was taken into custody following an investigation into a rolling disturbance that was reported at around 1L25-a.m., on Interstate 80 eastbound where a female caller advised she was in a vehicle and the male driver would not let her out. The woman at least one other female were dropped off at the 17 mile marker. Robles’ vehicle was later stopped by a State Trooper after it was seen “all over the roadway.”

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

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

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A woman from Creston reported to police, Thursday, that sometime between Oct. 5th and Nov. 1st, someone broke into her home in the 100 block of N. Division Street in Creston, and stole several pads of checkbooks and several mounted tomahawks. The loss was estimated at $2,000, as of the latest report.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — White, working-class voters fueled Donald Trump’s rise to the White House, but days ahead of the pivotal midterm elections there’s concern among Republicans that these same voters might abandon the GOP in states including Maine, Iowa and Minnesota. Democrats are targeting 21 House districts carried by President Barack Obama in 2012 that shifted to Trump in 2016.

These districts are testing the strength of the Trump-era political realignment. With the election days away, Democrats have cause for optimism.

CARTER LAKE, Iowa (AP) — The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska has opened its new casino on the Iowa-Nebraska border. The tribe held a ribbon-cutting Thursday for the Prairie Flower Casino on tribal land in Carter Lake, Iowa, an Omaha suburb. The casino will be open all year, around the clock for patrons who are at least 21 years old. Ponca Tribe Chairman Larry Wright Jr. says proceeds from the casino will directly benefit tribal citizens and Carter Lake. He says the city will receive annual financial contributions from the casino, and tribe members will get more sustainable funding for services such as health care, job training, cultural education and land preservation.

Officials from Iowa, Nebraska and Council Bluffs are suing federal officials who approved the project, which will compete with state-licensed Iowa casinos.

A traffic stop in Red Oak at around 10:15-p.m. Thursday resulted in the arrest of two people, including a woman wanted on a nationwide warrant. Red Oak Police say 27-year old Christina Leann Thomas, of Richlands, NC., was arrested on the Colorado warrant for Larceny (2nd Degree Theft, resulting in a loss of $1,000-to $10,000). Larson was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail. 19-year old Matthew Cody Thomas, also of Richland, NC, was arrested for Driving While License Suspended. His bond was set at $566.

Their arrests took place after the couples’ vehicle was pulled-over in the Red Oak McDonald’s parking lot.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports that at around 10:30-p.m. Thursday, they took a report about a potentially suicidal male. Adams County Deputies, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, and troopers with the Iowa State Patrol attempted to make contact with the individual. Prior to arriving, the subject ran out the back of the house and into a wooded area. Once on scene, officers learned the subject, Damyn Stacy, had an active warrant for his arrest. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office K9 “Rex” picked up a track and was able to locate Stacy over one-quarter of a mile from the residence. After Stacy was placed under arrest for the warrant, deputies located marijuana and methamphetamine in his possession.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports also:  That at around 1-a.m. Sunday, Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a speeding violation. The vehicle was owned and operated by Jose Moises Aguilar Gonzales, of Washington. Gonzales had a warrant for his arrest through Immigration Customs Enforcement. He was held in the Adams County Jail until being released to the appropriate agency. At around 1:10-a.m. last Saturday, Adams County Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Fred Ehrman, of Corning. Upon further investigation, Ehrman was placed under arrest for Operating While Intoxicated 3rd or Subsequent Offense. Ehrman was also cited for Open Container-Driver.

And, on Oct. 23rd, Jose Huerta was sentenced to serve seven-days in jail for a previous criminal charge. While Sheriff Johannes attempted to place Huerta in handcuffs and escort him to the jail, Huerta shoved the Sheriff and ran out of the court room in an attempt to escape. Johannes caught up with Huerta in the hallway of the Adams County Court House and was able to deploy his taser. After the taser subdued Huerta, Sheriff Johannes was able to take him into custody. Huerta was additionally charged with Interference with Official Acts, Assault on a Peace Officer, and Escape. He was being held in the Adams County Jail without bond.

(Radio Iowa Special Feature) — There’s a tight race in Iowa’s third congressional district as the incumbent faces a well-financed challenger. Simpson College political science professor John Epperson says a lot of money is being spent on this race. “I think Democrats have a chance of picking up the seat, for sure,” Epperson says, “but Young and his allies aren’t going to let it go easily.” Republican David Young has represented the 16 southwest Iowa counties in the third congressional district for nearly four years. Cindy Axne, a small businessperson from West Des Moines, defeated two competitors to win the Democratic Party’s nomination in the district. This is her first run for public office.

To illustrate the stakes in this race, some big name backers have campaigned for these candidates. House Speaker Paul Ryan, Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump have been in the district. “Remember this, a vote for David is a vote for me and our agenda to ‘Make America Great Again,'” Trump said. California Senator Kamala Harris headlined a rally at a community college for Axne.”I want to thank you for everything you’re going to do to help Cindy, because we need her to be in the United States Congress,” Harris said. And Harris emphasized Axne could become the first congresswoman from Iowa.

The split between active Republicans and Democrats in the district is nearly dead even. There are four other candidates listed on the ballot. Bryan Jack Holder is the Libertarian candidate. Holder runs his family’s photography and videography business in Council Bluffs.

Paul Knupp, a minister in Gladbrook, is the Green Party candidate in the third congressional district. Mark Elworth, Junior, has run in federal and OMAHA races as a candidate with the “Legal Medical Now” party and he’s running in Iowa’s third district this year. Joe Grandanette of Des Moines is an independent candidate in the district.