(Radio Iowa) — The Madison County Board of Supervisors has scaled back the duration of its proposed moratorium on new wind turbines. The board voted to end the moratorium on October 1st of next year, rather than on January 1st of 2022. Adam Jablonski of MidAmerican Energy was among those who testified at a public hearing in Winterset yesterday (Tuesday). He argued the 27-month-long moratorium was “excessive.”

“MidAmerican would not be able to develop wind projects if people did not want them,” he said. “Wind turbines have been operating in Iowa for over 20 years and we still have people signing up for them — all voluntary and we would not be able to build any projects if the landowners in those areas we were looking for did not voluntarily sign up for wind projects, so just please consider them as you consider this moratorium.” Others who testified at the hearing complained about the engine noise of the turbines. Bev Anderson of St. Charles raised concerns about the cropland that’s taken out of production by turbines in rural areas. “This land is adding up to more and more acres,” Anderson said. “Farmers need that land to plant.”

Mary Jobst, rhymes with “roast”) of Earlham circulated a petition in favor of the moratorium. “I was stunned by the number of people who believe these turbines are too close and don’t want them and most willingly signed the petition,” Jobst said. “The majority of people living in the footprint of the proposed 52 turbines do not want them.” That includes Jobst and her husband, who signed a lease to host a turbine and she asked the board of supervisors to put a halt to the wind farm project. Bonnie Haugen of Winterset defended wind development. She told the supervisors her husband, father, brother-in-law and a cousin all have jobs in the wind industry. “My nephew just took a job custom welding on turbines in Iowa,” Haugen said. “I just want to be the persona face of 10,000 rural Americans who are working in wind.”

More than 100 people attended yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) public hearing in Winterset. Some who testified said the controversy over wind turbines has ended friendships and created rifts in families.

The Council Bluffs Police Department reports a large disturbance broke out at Iowa Western Community College, in Council Bluffs, just before 1-a.m. today (Wednesday). Authorities say the offenders got into two cars and attempted to flee the area. One vehicle was described as a red Honda Accord and the other a black Volvo. Officers located the Honda Accord on the college property headed towards Valley View Drive. Three of the occupants in the Honda Accord were arrested and charged with Assault causing bodily injury. At this time, the other vehicle has not been located and those offenders have not yet been identified.

The offenders who were arrested are: 19-year old’s Jalen Black Harris and Malik L. Kidd, along with 34-year old Titus Quinell Smith. All three offenders were charged with Serious Assault.

Police in Red Oak say two women were taken into custody Tuesday evening following a reported fight in progress, in the 200 block of N. 2nd Street. Officers arrested 42-year old Pegge Jo Williams and 39-year old Penny Marie Griggs, both from Red Oak, at around 6:05-p.m.

The women were charged with Breach of Peace and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where they were being held on a $300 bond, each.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports 32-year old Shawn Riazzi, of Grant, was arrested at around 10-p.m. Tuesday, following an investigation into suspicious activity at 6th and Benton Streets, in Corning. Authorities say Riazzi was allegedly trying to remove a street sign at that location. He was subsequently arrested for Public Intoxication. Bond was set at $300.

And, a traffic stop Sunday evening in Corning resulted in the arrest of Howard Gene Herring. The Corning man was taken into custody on an Adams County warrant for Theft in the 3rd Degree. He later posted bond and was released.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Republicans in Iowa and New Hampshire are vowing to hold a caucus and primary next year, even as party leaders in South Carolina, Nevada, Arizona and Kansas have canceled their contests to help smooth President Donald Trump’s path to reelection. At least three Republicans have stepped up to challenge Trump’s claim to the party’s 2020 presidential nomination, though none is expected to generate enough support to defeat the incumbent.

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — Police in eastern Iowa say they’ve determined that an Illinois man who shot and killed himself as he fled troopers in western Nebraska last month was the gunman who killed a convenience store clerk a day before his death. Bettendorf police issued a written report Tuesday saying police “are certain” 21-year-old Manuel Rangel, of Genoa, Illinois, killed 28-year-old Brittany Wilson. Wilson was found Aug. 17 on the floor of the Big 10 Mart in Bettendorf, where she died.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City woman who pleaded guilty in a case in which prosecutors say burglarized 13 Iowa homes of patients in search of painkillers has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison. Federal prosecutors for Iowa say 33-year-old Samantha Jo Rogers was sentenced Monday. The thefts occurred in Cerro Gordo County. Prosecutors say Rogers accessed the private health and residence information of at least 1,900 patients and used that information to steal opioids from patients’ homes.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Providers of Medicaid services in Iowa say they’re owed up to $1.4 million by an insurance company that left the Iowa Medicaid program two years ago. Documents filed with the Iowa Insurance Division show AmeriHealth Caritas could owe as much as $1.4 million to Iowa hospitals, nursing homes and providers of mental health services. An AmeriHealth spokesman says the company continues “to diligently work to resolve any outstanding items.”