DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) – An Iowa man is scheduled to go on trial Sept. 22, charged with three counts of vehicular homicide in northeast Nebraska. Forty-five-year-old Christopher Cox,  of Council Bluffs, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in a Dakota City courtroom. Authorities say Cox’s car ran off U.S. Highway 20 west of Jackson on Thursday and struck a concrete creek barrier. He told officers he swerved to avoid hitting a deer.

Two of his passengers died at the scene: 57-year-old Connie Fauzae and 9-year-old Espinoza Lara, both of Council Bluffs, Iowa. A third passenger died later at a Sioux City, Iowa, hospital: 10-year-old Jose Lara, also of Council Bluffs. Cox was treated for minor injuries.

(Updated) —

SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say docks were damaged and trees toppled by thunderstorms that passed through Iowa’s Great Lakes region in the northwest portion of the state, spawning a weak tornado. The Sioux City Journal says no injuries have been reported from Tuesday’s storms.

Philip Schumacher of the National Weather Service said Wednesday the tornado was spotted a little after 2:20 p.m., seven miles south of Lake Park in Dickinson County. He says it caused no damage. The twister was rated EF-0, with winds ranging from 65 to 85 mph.

Elsewhere, straight-line winds reaching 65 mph knocked down trees and power lines. Spirit Lake Fire Chief Pat Daly says a trailer at Center Lake lost its roof and says there were reports of boats flipped over and docks damaged.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Creston Police Department reports a Ringgold County man was arrested Tuesday evening on two Ringgold County warrants for Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse – Bodily Injury, False Imprisonment, Trespass – injury or damage greater than $200, and Theft in the 4th degree. 24-year old Mason Reilly, of Mt. Ayr, was taken into custody at a residence in the 500 block of N. Taylor Street, in Creston, at around 5:45-p.m. He was transferred to the custody of Ringgold County authorities.

Later that same evening, 40-year old Carrie Porter, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center (LEC) on a charge of Simple Assault. Porter was subsequently released on a promise to appear later, in court.

And, at around 10-a.m. Tuesday, Creston Police arrested 41-year old Dennis Smith at the Union County LEC for Probation Violation, and Failure to Appear on an original charge of 5th degree Theft. Smith was later released on $2,000 bond.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, reported two, recent arrests. On Monday, 22-year old John Alexander Morehead, of Plattsmouth, NE, was arrested at the Sarpy County, NE., Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $2,500. And, on Sunday, 39-year old Edward Allan Blough, of Henderson, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. His bond was set at $1,000.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say no injuries were reported following a collision Tuesday afternoon, in Stanton. At around 3:10-p.m., a 2010 Chrysler van driven by 81-year old Mansor Kia, of Stanton, was southbound on Broad Avenue. As a 2008 Chrysler Sebring driven by 17-year old Mikayla Fort, of Red Oak, was backing out of a parking space, Fort failed to see the approaching van. The car hit the van in the front passenger side, causing a total of $5,000 damage. No citations were issued.

A Pottawattamie County man was listed in critical, but stable condition following a collision Tuesday evening between his motorcycle and a car. Council Bluffs Police say 59-year old Steven Joseph Sulentic, of Council Bluffs, was transported by Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue to Creighton University Hospital following the accident that took place at around 6:20-p.m., at the intersection of S. 24th Street and 6th Avenue.

Officials say the Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Sulentic was southbound on 6th avenue when it collided with a Honda Civic driven by 19-year old Edwin Fermin Lopez-Ambrocio, of Council Bluffs, as he was westbound on 6th avenue.

Lopez-Ambrocio complained of pain afterward, but requested no medical attention at the scene. He was issued a citation for failure to yield the right away at an uncontrolled intersection. At this point this investigation is considered closed with the issuance of the citation with no further charges pending.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 2:40 a.m. CDT

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge has ordered an iconic downtown Sioux City hot dog joint to pay more than $72,000 to a minority partner who said he’d never received his share of the business’ profits. The Sioux City Journal reports that District Judge Steven Andreasen ruled Friday that Milwaukee Wiener House owners Mike and John Eliades never paid Gus Demetroulis, who has owned ten percent of the restaurant since 2004.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City officials have agreed to have an architecture firm design a day lodge at a planned all-seasons park. The City Council voted unanimously Monday to have Sioux City-based PLaN Architecture design the lodge, which is estimated to cost $750,000. The park will include a tubing hill, splash pad and ice rink.

MARION, Iowa (AP) — A woman was injured when a school bus hit the car she was driving north of Marion. The Linn County sheriff’s office says the crash happened Tuesday afternoon when a College Community School District Bus carrying about 20 Prairie High students drove through a four-way stop and hit a car driven by 69-year-old Anne B. Wikle, of Davenport. Wikle was taken to a Cedar Rapids hospital, where she was treated for injuries not believed to be life threatening. The bus driver and students weren’t hurt.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says the state has certified a portion of Iowa Army Ammunition Plant near Burlington as a project-ready industrial development site. A 153-acre plot of land within the 19,000-acre federally owned military installation has been certified by the Iowa Economic Development Authority through its Iowa Certified Site Program.

A semi trailer hauling cattle overturned in northwest Iowa and an insect may be to blame. The accident happened on Highway 75 north of Hinton around 11:30 Monday morning. The truck driver told police that a bee had flown into his cab and he was attempting to swat it when he lost control of his rig. The semi veered off the highway and overturned.

The truck driver, 56-year-old Steven Johnson of Osage, was not injured. The trailer was hauling 40 head of cattle, six of which either died in the accident or were put down due to injuries. Johnson was cited for failure to maintain control.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, is expected to act on passing a Resolution amending two sections of the City’s Personnel policies. City Administrator John Lund has said the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee met and reviewed proposed changes to the policies, with regard to a repeal of wage step increases, and health insurance.

Lund says a draft of the policies repeals the step increases, because the numbers for those increases have proven confusing for those not directly involved with the City’s payroll, which in-turn, makes transparency on City employee compensation unnecessarily difficult. By repealing the step increase process, Lund says wages listed on salary resolutions will be the numbers paid at the first of the year, including annual adjustments. The only element missing, would be longevity pay, which only applies to exempt, hourly employees.

With regard to the City’s health insurance policy, identical changes to those adopted by both the Police and Public Works Unions will be applied to union benefits and wage adjustments to non-union staff. The amendment sets new deductible amounts, and increases employee premium contributions. Employee contributions for premiums would increase 2% for family plans (to a total of 15%) beginning in July 2017. Single employees will pay 5% of the cost of their plan beginning July 1st, 2016. In July 2017, those contributions will be increased to 8%. Currently, singles pay nothing for their health insurance…which Lund says is “Increasingly rare among Iowa’s municipal employers.”

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on the appointment of Hans Krengel to the Library Board, and at the start of their meeting, recognize all the 2016 Atlantic High School spring athletic programs for having great seasons, and the coaches for being positive influences on today’s youth.

The Atlantic City Council meeting gets underway at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in their chambers, at City Hall.