Trial for a Harrison County man charged in connection with a fatal crash on Interstate 80 in Cass County last year, is still set to begin next Tuesday (April 26th), in Atlantic. A pre-trial conference for 50-year old Paul Marshall, of Modale, was held Wednesday, during which the defense presented a motion to suppress certain evidence. Unless a plea is entered prior to, or at the beginning of his trial next week, jury selection will begin. Cass County Attorney Dave Wiederstein said Wednesday, the trial is likely to “optimistically” last about one or two days.

Marshall is charged with Vehicular Homicide by Operating Under the Influence, in connection with a crash that happened in May 2015 on I-80 near the 54-mile marker off-ramp, in Cass County. Authorities said Marshall was driving his pickup westbound in the eastbound lane when the vehicle collided with an eastbound car driven by University of Nebraska/Lincoln Women’s soccer coach Peter Underwood, of Lincoln, NE., who was traveling on a recruiting trip.

Marshall faces up to 25-years in prison if convicted.

Police in Red Oak arrested two people on separate charges Wednesday afternoon. At around 4:30-p.m., 28-year old Donnie Clark Patterson, of Red Oak, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. And, just before 5-p.m. Red Oak Police arrested 27-year old Sheah Louise Wilson, of Red Oak, on a warrant for Harassment in the 2nd Degree. Both subjects were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 cash bond, each.

As more people look to have control over how their food is grown, many are planting gardens for the first time. Some are even turning their backyards into chicken coops. On a recent Thursday night at a Cedar Falls farm store, Cargill animal nutrition specialist Jodi Holmes was answering questions about raising the birds. “How much space do I need, how much feed will I go through, do I need a rooster to get eggs? Some of those basic questions, clear up to what temperature do I need to set the brooder at, so it can get pretty technical,” according toe Holmes.

Paul Keller and his family raise organic vegetables near Janesville. He says they spent a good deal of time doing research before deciding to add poultry to the mix. “We did a lot reading and a lot of videos and stuff like that. We just got our chicks and we’re setting up the hen house. We want to make sure we’re doing it right and don’t have any major mistakes,” Keller says. Animal specialist Holmes admits sometimes finding out what it takes to be a backyard farmer is enough to curb the enthusiasm.

“And I started telling her you need a brooder and a heat lamp and this for feed and this for water and she was instantly “it’s too much I’m out’ and you know- you are going to have people like that. That’s where the education part of these seminars comes in. Because if you get into and lose a whole batch of chicks, it’s frustrating and a lot people will never do it again,” Holmes says. Iowa had a costly brush with avian flu last spring which killed millions of the state’s chickens. Holmes says now there’s extra attention being placed on bio security.

“So making sure that they’re washing their hands and their tools, and not sharing between their farm and their neighbor’s farm,” Holmes explains, “quarantining new birds until they’re proven healthy to integrate with their existing flocks.” Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey says while most of the bird flu was confined to large commercial flocks it would be foolish not to be vigilant about what’s going on in our backyard.

(Radio Iowa)

Republicans in the Iowa House have voted to make a five-MILLION dollar reduction in state support of Iowa’s nine Area Education Agencies. Representative Ken Rizer, a Republican from Cedar Rapids, explained the plan during House debate.

“Administrators for these AEAs are extremely capable, highly educated and very well compensated,” Rizer says. “I think they have all the capability in the world to decide how to interpret this…Special ed is the top priority of all the services AEAs provide.” The Area Education Agencies help educate students with disabilities who require “special education” classes.

Representative Chris Hall, a Democrat from Sioux City, opposes the G-O-P budget plan. “That means that we’re talking about cuts to speech language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, psychologists, social workers, special education consultants and other experts who support autism, challenging behaviors and reading instruction.” School districts forward local property taxes to the Area Education Agencies based on a “per pupil” formula and the state provides additional taxpayer support.

Representative Patti Ruff, a Democrat from McGregor, suggests there will be staff layoffs soon as well as temporary closures at the Area Education Agencies this fall, due to the timing of when A-E-As get property tax payments. “Iowa’s future’s not going to be very bright if our children do not have the services that they need to be able to learn,” Ruff says, “and for some of our children those are services provided by our AEAs.”

In addition to “special education” services, A-E-As provide technology assistance, like paying the licensing fees on computer software that is used by all schools in the area. A-E-As also offer professional development for teachers. Rizer says the state has “sometimes” provided more and “sometimes” provided less to the A-E-As. “It’s actually been at this same level in the past and I was unaware that at that time that there were a high number of jobs that were lost,” Rizer says.

Rizer says legislators have limited resources and most of the “new” tax revenue coming into the state will be spent on the state’s K-through-12 schools.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Members of a legislative committee in the Democratic-majority Senate say they’re hearing reports of problems with Iowa’s Medicaid program under private management. Lawmakers in the Senate Human Resources Committee said Wednesday they’ve received complaints from Medicaid service providers and program recipients. State officials and representatives for the insurance companies say they’ll investigate any ongoing complaints.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Officials say about 60 gallons of diesel fuel that spilled during an Urbandale crash is expected to reach a central Iowa creek and may even flow into the Raccoon River. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says Wednesday that an accident involving a car and a semi-truck caused a leak in the truck’s fuel tank. Although fire crews were able to contain most of the spill, some fuel reached a storm sewer.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified the man who fled from police on a motorcycle and died after a crash in Council Bluffs. Police say an Iowa Transportation Department officer was trying to pull over two motorcyclists around 10:20 p.m. Tuesday near the Pottawattamie County Jail when they sped away. One soon went out control and crashed. The driver, 18-year old Lance McCormick, of Carter Lake, died later at a hospital. The other motorcyclist fled the area.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa would not allow state funding of Planned Parenthood under a bill passed Wednesday in the Republican-controlled House, but the measure is expected to hit roadblocks in the Democratic-majority Senate. Republicans in the House have proposed similar measures in previous sessions with little success in the split Legislature.

As part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the Council Bluffs Police Department will participate in the event sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Agency. The event is designated as “Council Bluffs Operation Medicine Cabinet” and involves the collaboration of several community organizations, volunteers, and the City of Council Bluffs Recycling Center. The rain or shine event will be located at Walgreens, 535 East Broadway in Council Bluffs, on the west side of the store next to the drive‐through lanes on Saturday, April 30, 2016, between 10:00 am. and 2 pm.

Citizens are simply asked to drive through a designated lane, hand over their unused, expired prescription or over the counter drugs with no questions asked. You can drop off the drugs anonymously.

The Council Bluffs Police Department has helped organize and promote 12 Prescription Drug Drop Off events since 2010. The past events have collected more than 3,300 pounds of prescription drugs from more than 2, 000 residents. Prescription drug abuse is a huge problem and this drug drop off is a great opportunity for citizens of Council Bluffs and anyone else to help reduce this threat. Please clean out your medicine cabinets and make your home safe from potential
drug theft and abuse.

Medicines that remain in home cabinets are highly susceptible to theft, misuse or abuse. Prescription drug abuse in the U.S. is increasing at an alarming rate, as are the numbers of accidental poisonings and overdoses. Studies show many abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinets. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicines, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away, which are both potential safety and health hazards.

The DNR said Wednesday, it was investigating an anonymous complaint about runoff from a cattle feedlot about three miles southwest of Carson, in Pottawattamie County. DNR field specialists identified two sources of runoff, Cyclone Cattle and a facility owned by Aaron Vorthmann. Both are cattle open feedlots. With DNR’s advice, the producers successfully stopped runoff from each facility.

Previously, an unknown amount of runoff flowed from each operation into the same field, then into a grass waterway before reaching an unnamed tributary of the Nishnabotna River. DNR staff will continue to monitor the situation, including any impacts on water quality or aquatic life. DNR will consider appropriate enforcement actions.

Anyone who notices a spill or fish kill should call the DNR’s 24-hour emergency response line at 515-725-8694.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says recent rain and the greening-up of brush and grassy areas, has allowed the grassland and field fire danger index rating in Shelby County to be moved to “Low.”

Seivert says “I would like to thank everyone for their cooperation with this program. It is very unique in Iowa. It allows us to keep the public up to date on conditions which could otherwise be a surprise, when burning brush and cleaning up after the winter. We have shown this program reduces the number fire calls. The process of calling in your controlled burn, works very well. We will begin this, again, as the drying out for harvest occurs this fall.”

Police in Council Bluffs have identified the operator of a motorcycle that crashed Tuesday night during a pursuit. Officials say 18-year old Lance McCormick, of Carter Lake, died at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs following the crash that happened at around 10:19-p.m. Authorities are still looking for the driver of the other motorcycle involved.

According to Bluffs Police, the pursuit began when an officer with the Iowa Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Enforcement (MVE) Division attempted to stop two motorcycles on Big Lake Road, near the Pottawattamie County Jail. Both motorcycles eluded the officer and drove westbound on Nash Blvd at a high rate of speed. McCormick, who was driving a 2006 Yamaha, lost control of the motorcycle approximately 3 blocks west of the intersection of 16th Street and Nash Blvd.

The motorcycle went over the curb and stuck a fence separating the city street from the interstate. McCormick was ejected from the motorcycle. The second motorcycle fled the area. The MVE Officer witnessed the crash and immediately stopped and rendered aid. McCormick was not wearing a helmet. He had no identification on him, and the motorcycle was reported to have been stolen.

A hit and run accident was reported to Red Oak Police on Wednesday at 10:31am at the intersection of Highway 48 and Highway 34.  Upon arrival Officers spoke with Sarah Nicole Behrens who was driving a 2003 Dodge Stratus northbound on Highway 48 and stopped at the intersection with Highway 34 behind a semi-tractor trailer.  The Semi, which had a maroon cab and silver box trailer, backed into Behrens’ Dodge and then proceeded eastbound on Highway 34 without stopping.

Red Oak Police Officers and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies were not able to locate the semi-tractor trailer and damage to the Dodge Stratus was estimated at $4,000.