Iowans may soon be paying less for eggs at the grocery store as egg production operations across the state and elsewhere are recovering from last year’s outbreak of bird flu. That outbreak sent egg prices skyward, but the number of laying hens nationally is now approaching pre-flu levels. As a result, U-S-D-A economist Annemarie Kuhns, says retail egg prices are dropping.

Kuhns says, “Really, what we’ve been seeing is just, we’re expecting a recovery more quickly than we initially anticipated, a recovery from the highly-pathogenic avian influenza last year.” She says the U-S-D-A expects retail egg prices to fall nine-to-ten-percent this year compared to the average 2015 price. Some 34-million birds on 77 Iowa farms had to be destroyed after contracting the virus last year.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s deputies in Montgomery County arrested a man on serious domestic abuse assault and obstruction of emergency communications charges, Monday night. 41-year old Justin Wade Woods, of Stanton, was taken into custody at around 8:55-p.m. in the 200 block of Center Street, in Stanton. Woods was being held without bond, in the Montgomery County Jail.

Three southwest Iowa residents were arrested on separate drug charges Monday, in Adams County. The Sheriff’s Office reports at around 11:30-a.m., 27-year old Adam John Cross, of Corning, was arrested for Possession of Marijuana and drug paraphernalia, along with charges that include: Possession with Intent to distribute marijuana and meth on Real property; Gathering where controlled substances were unlawfully used, trafficking of stolen weapons, and a felony charge of failure to affix a drug tax stamp. His bond at the Adams County Jail was set at $5,000.

Cross’ arrest followed the execution of a search warrant at 1022 9th Street, in Corning, where deputies found a 5th wheel RV located on the property. Inside, they found 355 grams of marijuana, packaging materials, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia, as well as a weapon stolen from the Taylor County American Legion.

And, at around 6:45-p.m., Monday, deputies in Adams County arrested 59-year old Timothy Jones, along with 53-year old Teresa Jones, of Bedford, for: felony Possession of Meth with the intent to deliver; Possession marijuana with the intent to deliver; Possession of prescription drug; and felony charges of Failure to Affix a drug tax stamp, as well as bringing a controlled substance into a detention facility.

The couples’ arrest took place after deputies responded to a reported suspicious vehicle parked in the Mini-Mart parking lot. An investigation resulted in the recovery of meth, marijuana, and hydrocodone pills, as well as a scale and plastic bags. The couple was being held in the Adams County Jail on $5,000 cash bond, each.

This is “Arson Awareness Week” in Iowa.  John Ticer, a special agent in the Iowa Fire Marshal’s Office says “There’s very rarely a week that goes by that we don’t have an arson fire somewhere results in a lot of property damage.”  According to Ticer, “Fires actually cause more damage in any given year than all the other natural disasters combined, and arson represents a significant amount of that.”

Last year, 36 percent of the fires Ticer and the rest of the staff in the Iowa Fire Marshal’s Office investigated were determined to be intentionally set. One of the goals for “Arson Awareness Week” is to encourage the public to report specific activity. “A significant number of our fires, when we solve them, are actually attributed to the public’s help that we get, just like any other crime, but our crime is more difficult than others to prove,” Ticer says. “Unlike a lot of other crimes where you’re got a knife or a gunshot wound that’s manifested right away, oftentimes the crime of arson isn’t noted until sometimes hours, days or weeks later.”

The Iowa Fire Marshal’s Office is hoping to get the public’s help in solving some “cold” cases.”A lot of our evidence gets destroyed in the process of the fire, so it makes our cases much more difficult sometimes,” Ticer says, “and so when the public comes forward and helps on these cases, it just makes our job that much easier — and easier to prove in court.” Arson fires caused an estimated two-and-a-half MILLION dollars worth of property damage in Iowa last year.

Ticer says some of that is insurance fraud, but there are a variety of other causes for arson fires, including revenge. “Those are actually our most deadly fires,” Ticer says. “We’ve investigated a number of fires over in southwest Iowa over the years that have involved fatalities that are caused by the spite/revenge fires…We always have fires that are the result of bad drug deals or people who are high on an illegal narcotic at any given time who may not be thinking clearly and then, yes, we do every year have fires that are related to people who just simply like fires.”

State officials like Ticer urge parents of children who seem to have a compulsion to set fires to get those kids into treatment, so they don’t turn into pyromaniacs as adults. “As adolescents, their fires will be relatively small,” Ticer says. “When they move into their adulthood, those fires will continue to get bigger and bigger and eventually affect whole communities through the setting of actual buildings on fire.”

State and local authorities say a kid with a cigarette lighter set the fire that destroyed a sale barn in Stuart last month.

(Radio Iowa)

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa dental school is apologizing for accidentally exposing more than 100 child patients to potentially unsafe levels of nitrous oxide. The school says 124 patients who underwent procedures at its pediatric dentistry clinic between March 1 and April 20 face an “extremely small risk” of suffering any health effects. A school official says the university is unaware of what any long-term effects would be, but that it wanted to be cautious, nonetheless.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Prosecutors say DNA and surveillance video prove a Pittsburgh man robbed and killed his neighbors _ two sisters of an Iowa state lawmaker. But the attorney for 45-year-old Allen Wade says he’s the victim of a “sloppy investigation” and a rush to judgment. Wade faces the possible death penalty if convicted of killing Sarah and Susan Wolfe inn February 2014, the sisters of Democratic Iowa state Rep. Mary Wolfe.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A 24-year-old man has died in a Mason City house fire that was started by unattended food cooking on a stove. Mason City Fire Department officials say Ackhasenh Cavan died as a result of the accidental Sunday morning blaze. Firefighters found Cavan outside the house when they arrived. He was given medical aid before being taken to a Mason City hospital, where he was declared dead.

STRAWBERRY POINT, Iowa (AP) — Officials say two students have been taken to a hospital after an eastern Iowa school bus was involved in a crash. The crash happed just before 8 a.m. Monday on Iowa Highway 3, west of Strawberry Point. Starmont School officials say a car driven by a student crashed into the back of the bus carrying 35 students. The driver of the car and a student on the bus were hospitalized.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports last Wednesday, March 27th, Deputy Kent Gries was awarded the “Commissioner’s Special Award for Excellence in Traffic Safety” with regards to his efforts in reducing impaired drivers and promoting traffic safety on Guthrie County’s roads. The award was presented to Deputy Gries at the 26th annual Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau Conference in Okoboji, by Roxann M. Ryan, Commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety and Patrick Hoye, Bureau Chief of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau.

Dep. Kent Gries (2014 file photo)

Over 250 law enforcement officers attended this year’s conference.  Accompanying Deputy Gries were Chief Deputy Bennett and Sheriff Arganbright.  The Iowa Department of Public Safety annually recognizes outstanding contributions to traffic safety based on commitment and service provided beyond routine duties, creativity of approach, and effectiveness of a traffic safety program or campaign in 2015.

The following citation was read aloud while Deputy Gries received his award,

“In 2015, Deputy Gries led the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office with 90 arrests including 10 felony arrests, 32 OWIs, and 50 drug arrests – which included 19 drug impaired drivers.   He has amassed over 200 drug arrests in the last 4 years.  He issued 18 citations for open containers or minors in possession.   He issued citations or arrested 26 unlicensed drivers, issued 183 traffic citations and 334 warnings.  He provides leadership to younger deputies by practicing field sobriety tests with them and he has handed over his own OWI stops and assisted them to help the less experienced deputies to gain confidence.  He started and administers a Facebook page that has gained to 2,000 followers since it started in 2015.  He developed and implemented a citizen’s academy.  He donated his own time and money to get the 7-night/21-hour class off the ground.  The class was well received and more are planned including one for high school students.  Deputy Gries is the essence of dedication.”

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports a culvert replacement project over an unnamed tributary of the West Fork of the west Nishnabotna River, will result in the closure of Shelby County Street F-16 and Crawford County Yale Avenue, and 280th Street. The closures affects Greeley Township, Section 6, and Crawford County Nishnabotna Township, Section 31.

Portions of those roads are expected to be closed for about 4-weeks, effective today (May 2nd).

A man wanted for Revocation of Probation was arrested this (Monday) morning, at the Page County Courthouse. 39-year old Jeffrey Wade Bartles, of rural Blanchard, was arrested at around 10-a.m. and was unable to post a $5,000 cash bond. Bartles was being held at the Page County Jail pending further court proceedings.

Jeffrey Bartles

(12-p.m. News)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Saturday, of 38-year old Jason Boyd Williamson, of Wiota. Williamson faces a felony OWI 3rd or Subsequent offense, charge. He was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on $5,000 bond.

Officials with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) and Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) today (Monday), announced the winner of their “2016 Iowa’s Best Burger.”  The Chuckwagon Restaurant in Adair won the top award. Officials say “The Chuckwagon embraces the rich history of Adair through its restaurant and menu offerings.”

Chuckwagon Burger – a burger served on a grilled bun with sautéed onions, mushrooms, bacon, tomato and Thousand Island dressing.

The ICA and IBIC teamed up to sponsor Iowa’s Best Burger contest seven times. This year, Iowans submitted more than 6,000 votes nominating 311 restaurants in February and March. Those votes were used to select the Top Ten restaurants. The Top Ten were then independently visited and judged based on the hamburger’s taste, appearance, and proper serving temperature (160 degrees).

Brooke German, Director of Marketing for IBIC, said “The judges found that the burgers at the Chuckwagon were juicy and full of flavor. They use a toasted bun on every burger, and their homemade house seasoning helped to enhance the flavor of the burgers.”

Chuckwagon Restaurant – (from L to R) Salli Nosbish; Kimberly Reha, owner; Marnell Jensen; Jessica Eblen and Chelsea Buckner pose in front of the Chuckwagon Restaurant in Adair.

The burgers at the Chuckwagon are 6 ounce, hand-pattied Certified Angus Beef® and grilled on a flat-top grill using their own house seasoning. They are made-to-order with toasted bread or grilled buns. Popular burgers include the bacon cheeseburger and the Chuckwagon, a burger served on a grilled bun with sautéed onions, mushrooms, bacon, tomato and Thousand Island dressing. Served alongside homemade fries and a classic milkshake, the meal is hard to beat.

The restaurant’s owner, Kim Reha, is a lifelong resident of Adair. She purchased the restaurant at the age of 22. Although she considered a career as a surgical technician, she knew that her passion was in the restaurant business. At that time, she already had eight years of experience working in restaurants, and the hands on learning has served her well.

The restaurant, which Reha has owned for eight years, is a former Happy Chef. Over time, she has made improvements, including an interior renovation in 2012. In 2014, Reha changed the name and the menu, launching her now-famous “Endless Homemade French Fries” and hand-pattied burgers.

Reha said “The name ties into Adair’s annual celebration, Chuckwagon Days, and seemed to fit really well with the menu.”  The menu includes rhe Jesse James Burger, a double 1/3 pound bacon cheeseburger with all the fixings, topped with BBQ sauce and mayo speaks for itself.

The restaurant, which is clearly visible from Interstate-80 on exit 76, is open from 8 am to 10 pm during the summer (8 am to 9 pm year-round). Burgers start around $9, but the “Burger of the Week” is $2 off. Breakfast is served all day. There is a seating capacity of 112 and a patio area was added in 2015, and they are happy to take reservations, too.

Other restaurants that made the Top Ten with the Chuckwagon Restaurant are (alphabetically): Ankeny Diner, Ankeny; BW’s Burgers, West Des Moines; Down Right Delicious, Clarinda; Elm’s Club, Creston; First Street Grille, Keosauqua; PerXactly Bar & Grill, Maquoketa; Rides Bar & Grill, Fort Dodge; The Ritz, Arnolds Park; and Vaughn’s Café & Bakery, Clarinda.

In March, Zipp’s Pizzeria in Adair was named the winner of Travel Iowa’s Best Pizza in the State.