A Life Flight medical helicopter made an emergency landing north of Stratford shortly after 2 a-m today (Thursday) after notifying the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office of a problem. The crew members stated that they had struck a bird while in flight. A windshield was broken out as a result with all crew members escaping injury. The helicopter landed in a farm field. The helicopter is owned by Unity Point Health Trinity Regional Medical Center out of Fort Dodge. The crew was returning to Fort Dodge after transferring a patient to Iowa City.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature has passed a bill that will require identification at the polls and reduce the number of early voting days. The Senate approved the bill 28-21 Thursday. The House approved it earlier this month. It now heads to Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, who has indicated he supports requiring ID to vote.

The legislation would require people to show acceptable identification at the polls beginning in 2019. The state must provide identification to people who need it. Another provision will reduce early voting before a general election from 40 days to 29 days. It also eliminates a straight party voting option.

Republicans say the measure will maintain voter integrity, though there’s no evidence of widespread fraudulent voting in Iowa. Democrats say the legislation will suppress voter turnout and is unnecessary amid budget constraints.

Atlantic Police report they arrested a man wanted on a warrant, Wednesday. 19-year old Ethan Erlacher, of Atlantic, was arrested on the Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear in court on an original charge of OWI. Erlacher was booked into the Cass County Jail following his arrest.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has signed a wide-ranging gun bill into law that includes a stand-your-ground provision. Branstad signed the legislation Thursday. Portions of the bill go into effect immediately though most will be enforced starting July 1.

Democrats and gun safety advocates expressed concern over the stand-your-ground provision, which will allow people to use deadly force anywhere if they felt a risk to their life or safety. They say it will lead to racial tensions and increase gun violence.

Republicans say the bill will expand Second Amendment rights in the state. The bill will also allow a person with a weapons permit to bring a concealed handgun into the state Capitol. Minors under 14 will be able to use handguns with parental or guardian supervision.

Officials with the Union County Sheriff’s Office, today (Thursday), report the arrest Wednesday night, of a Lorimor man. 57-year old Tommy Allen Green was arrested at around 9:30-p.m. at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for failure to appear.  Green was being held in the Union County Jail on $300 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, no injuries were reported following an accident Wednesday afternoon, between Afton and Thayer. Authorities say 80-year old Larry Lee Schlapia, of Creston, was traveling north on Highway 169 when he came upon a tractor pulling a planter, that was stopped at the intersection with Highway 34.

Schlapia told deputies he misjudged the distance between his vehicle and the planter, because he had recently left an eye doctor and his vision was not yet fully adjusted. His 2008 Mercury Marquis struck the 2016 John Deere Great Plains planter, causing $600 damage to the implement and $2,500 damage to the car. The 2011 John Deere tractor, driven by 68-year old Larry Brown, of Afton, was not damaged.

As the weather warms and Iowans spend more time outdoors, many of us will be crossing paths with more canines. This is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Pam Wiese, spokeswoman for the Humane Society in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says even the friendliest of dogs can snap. “Depending on the situation, your extremely happy, sweet, I-love-everybody dog can be set up for failure,” Wiese says. “You can put him in a situation he’s never experienced before where he’s terrified or maybe he feels like he needs to protect you or somebody else, so you don’t always know.”

Always ask the owner’s permission before you pet a dog and do so carefully, she says. Dogs will use their body language to tell you how they feel by the position of their ears, mouth, eyes and tail. All dogs have teeth, Wiese reminds, and all dogs can bite. “If a dog runs away from you, don’t chase it,” Wiese says. “If a dog is in a corner, oftentimes we back dogs into corners, we don’t mean to, but we do, and if he feels like he has nowhere to flee, if it’s fight or flight, he may choose to fight and bite.”

Wiese says the most important message is, if you are approached by an angry or dangerous dog, don’t run. Pretend you’re a tree. “Stand perfectly still. Don’t make eye contact with the dog. Keep your arms down by your sides,” Wiese says. “Don’t make any moves that would prompt the dog to chase or that could be seen as aggression.”

One group that’s especially concerned about dog bites is postal employees. Last year, there were more than 67-hundred recorded dog attacks nationwide on letter carriers. That’s up 200 from the previous year.

(Radio Iowa)

A domestic incident in Underwood late Wednesday night resulted in the arrest early this (Thursday) morning of a man on an assault charge. Authorities in Pottawattamie County say a Deputy was called to a home in Underwood at around 11:15-p.m., Wednesday. After arriving, he spoke with a 38-year old woman who said her boyfriend, 46-year old Robert Lee Robinson, Jr., of Underwood, had “poked her really hard,” in the face.

Robinson was subsequently taken into custody for Domestic Assault with Injury, an Aggravated Misdemeanor.

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

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A 42-year-old Sioux City man has been accused of using a belt on his daughter after she refused to do laundry. Court records say Ricardo Cordova-Larios is charged with child endangerment causing injury. He was arrested Sunday. Jail records show he remained in custody Wednesday.  Court documents say bruises on the 14-year-old girl’s back, neck and upper torso matched the outline of a belt.

AKRON, Iowa (AP) – The impending loss of three longtime doctors has upset many of their patients in the small northwest Iowa community of Akron. The Sioux City Journal reports that some local residents have started a petition drive aimed at keeping Dr. Cynthia Wolf and her husband, Dr. David Wolff, and Dr. Allison Schoenfelder, practicing at Akron Mercy Medical Clinic.

The doctors have told Mercy officials that they won’t be renewing contracts that expire June 30. They have declined to comment publicly about their intentions.

A community corporation owns the clinic, which is leased by Sioux City-based Mercy Medical Center. Mercy Medical Center spokesman Dave Smetter says Mercy “will continue operation of the Akron clinic with qualified physicians going forward.”