A man who allegedly violated the terms of his probation issued following an OWI arrest was taken into custody Thursday afternoon, in Red Oak. Police say 51-year old Brett Alan Black, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 4:30-p.m. and brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, where his bond was set at $1,000.

Tiffany Torno received a surprise gift from Ashton Kutcher on Thursday morning. The Daily NonPareil reports the gift was part of a “surprise philanthropic flash mob,” native Iowa actor and entrepreneur, Kutcher funded for all the classroom projects in Iowa on fundraising website DonorsChoose.org. A total of 131 requests including four from Council Bluffs and one each from Lewis Central, Glenwood, Harlan, Red Oak, Shenandoah and Treynor received funding. In addition, several other southwest Iowa teachers had projects funded by the #BestSchoolDay campaign.

Among them:
• $551.16 for Erin Plagge at 20th Street Elementary School in Denison for 30 headphones for first-graders (along with one previous donor)
• $400.58 for Deborah Fajardo at Northeast Elementary School in Glenwood for 24 chair pockets for kindergartners (fully funded by Kutcher)
• $313.07 for Christine Skog at Harlan Community Intermediate School in Harlan for music books (along with three previous donors)
• $672.25 for Irene Blazek at Missouri Valley Middle School in Missouri Valley for four classroom tables (along with two previous donors)
• $2,150.01 for Amanda Brandon at Riverside High School in Oakland for a concert band bass drum (fully funded by Kutcher)
• $1,979.24 for Michael Moran at Red Oak Middle School in Red Oak for five archery targets (along with nine previous donors, including a match offer by ESPN)
• $734.79 for Sarah Martin at Shenandoah High School in Shenandoah for five Sphero robots (along with two previous donors)
• $194.95 for Shantelle Vohs at Treynor Elementary School in Treynor for book boxes, math activities and games (along with two previous donors)

In a video statement, Kutcher said he grew up as a product of Iowa’s public school system with “teachers who went above and beyond,” who sometimes “cared more about me than themselves.” He said “They inspired me. They made me believe in myself. They probably believed in me more than I believed in myself, and I probably wouldn’t be where I am today without them.” Kutcher, in addition to being an actor, is also a venture capitalist who invested in several technology companies. He dropped out of the University of Iowa, where he studied biochemical engineering, after winning a modeling contest in 1997. Outside of Iowa, Kutcher was among more than 50 athletes, actors, businesspeople and philanthropists Thursday who participated in the #BestSchoolDay effort. More than $14 million was given to fund nearly 12,000 projects nationally.

A bill that seeks to cut the abuse of prescription pain killers known as opioids passed the U-S Senate Thursday. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, voted for the bill. Ernst says as part of the bill, she pushed to help take down barriers that prevent some smaller pharmacies in Iowa from participating in drug take back programs.

“There are a number of pharmacies that would like to participate, but there are a lot of regulations that are imposed to gaining access to those types programs. And for some pharmacies it can be quite costly to overcome in overcoming barriers,” Ernst says. Those who get hooked on the pain killers often switch to heroin, as it is much cheaper. Ernst says it’s important that pharmacies across the state can use the drug take back.

Ernst says Iowa has a lot of small family-owned pharmacies that are not like the big chains, and they need to be sure they can have easier access to the take back programs so that any pharmacy that wants to participate can. She says the federal program approved by the U-S Senate adds to the state and local drug take back programs.

“We want to make sure that they are safely handled — and drugs that are turned back in — and that we are getting them from the public when they are not needed,” Ernst says. “So, it’s an important program, I feel very strongly about it.” Iowa’s other Senator, Chuck Grassley, help push the bipartisan bill through.

Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows 264 people in Iowa died of drug overdoses in 2014. According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a total of 94-thousand used prescription pain medications for non-medical purposes in 2014, including 10-thousand young people (ages 12-17).

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

BOONE, Iowa (AP) — A historic bridge near Boone has partially collapsed into the Des Moines River. Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say the west side of the Wagon Wheel Bridge collapsed Thursday afternoon. The bridge was damaged in late February by flowing ice.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources have found an oily material leaking from a Storm Lake dredge. Storm Lake’s Public Works Department placed booms around the dredge Wednesday afternoon in an effort to contain the leak, but on Thursday DNR officials found the oil had escaped the booms and was spreading along the lake’s shoreline and in the marina. The city is regularly dredged to remove silt and improve water quality.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man was sentenced to 30 years in prison after he admitted to receiving and possessing child pornography. U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau announced a federal district court judge in Cedar Rapids sentenced 43-year-old Michael Cottrell of Reinbeck to federal prison Thursday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Buddy Hield scored 39 points, Ryan Spangler made a series of critical plays down the stretch and sixth-ranked Oklahoma beat Number 21 Iowa State 79-76 Thursday night in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals. Georges Niang matched a career-high with 31 points for the sixth-seeded Cyclones (21-11), who trailed by 14 midway through the second half before making it a game.

A passenger in a vehicle that crashed Thursday night off Interstate 29 southbound, was being treated for minor injuries following the accident that happened at around 8:30-p.m., approximately 5.5-miles north of Crescent. The Iowa State Patrol says a 1991 Chevy Caprice driven by 18-year old Hayley Jo Masoner, of Council Bluffs, was in the right lane of I-29 southbound, when the car left the road and entered the west ditch, where it slid backwards through a fence separating the ditch from a cornfield.

Masoner was not hurt, but her passenger, 18-year old Makayla Przybylski, of Council Bluffs, was transported by Crescent Rescue to Jennie Edmundson Hospital.

Police in Council Bluffs said late Thursday night they are no longer looking for a second vehicle possibly involved in Wednesday morning’s fatal hit-and-run accident on the Interstate 480 bridge. Authorities said investigators who have spoken with the driver of a Ford Explorer that was shown on media broadcasts, and that the driver is cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation. No other vehicles are suspects are being sought. The second drivers name is not being released at this time.

Earlier in the day, Thursday, Bluffs Police said they had located one driver and vehicle possibly involved in connection with Wednesday morning’s hit and run death of 29-year old Brett Randall Jensen, of Council Bluffs on the I-480 bridge. Their investigation at that point had led the police to believe that more than one vehicle was involved in the incident. Cameras showed the possible second vehicle (the aforementioned Ford Explorer) at the intersection of 35th St. and Broadway minutes before Jensen was struck on the interstate at around 2:18-a.m., Wednesday. His body was found in the far left lane of westbound traffic.

Traffic Investigators would like to thank the public for their tips generated by the release of information to the media.

An official with the Iowa Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) District 4 Office in Atlantic says a public open house meeting will be held by the Iowa DOT on Thursday, March 24th, to discuss the 2016 summer construction on Interstates 29 and 80, and U.S. Highway 275.  Troy Jerman, Iowa DOT District 4 engineer says “The public information meeting will inform you about what to expect during the upcoming construction season. The Iowa DOT anticipates that ongoing work will impact people traveling on the interstate and businesses at interchanges that are under construction. The public information meeting will tell you what you can expect in 2016.”

All interested persons are invited to attend the meeting anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. at the Council Bluffs Interstate System Improvement Program’s office located at the Mall of the Bluffs, 1751 Madison Ave., Suite 750, in Council Bluffs. Two short presentations are planned for 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; the public is invited to attend either presentation. Iowa DOT staff will be present to informally discuss future projects and the project schedule.

2016 construction projects that will be discussed include:

• I-29 and U.S. 275/Iowa 92 interchange
• East system interchange of I-29/I-80
• West system interchange of I-29/I-80
• Consolidating railroad operations west of Mosquito Creek under I-29 and Iowa 92

Staff will provide an update on the ongoing environmental study and discuss the preliminary design alternatives for the I-29/I-480/West Broadway project.

The meeting space is accessible for persons with disabilities. However, if you require special accommodations at the meeting, please notify the Iowa DOT contact listed below by March 17th. For those who cannot attend the open house, a virtual, online meeting will be available beginning March 24th, and can be accessed by visiting the project website, www.CouncilBluffsInterstate.IowaDOT.gov, and clicking on the online meeting link on the home page.

For general information regarding the proposed improvements or public meeting, call Scott Suhr, district transportation planner, Iowa DOT District 4 Office in Atlantic, at 712-243-3355 or 800-289-4368.

The Iowa DOT is in the process of reconstructing I-80, I-29 and I-480 in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area. The comprehensive interstate redesign will modernize the highway system and improve mobility and safety of approximately 18 miles of interstate. Motorists are encouraged to allow for extra travel time while this interstate improvement takes effect. If you would like more information about detours and traffic impacts visit the program website, www.councilbluffsinterstate.iowadot.gov/.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says kayakers and canoeists are being warned to avoid a popular stretch of the Des Moines River in Boone County, following the partial collapse of an historic bridge Thursday afternoon. The west side of the Wagon Wheel Bridge collapsed into the water Thursday afternoon.

The bridge is located southwest of Boone and just north of the Kate Shelley High Bridge on the Des Moines River and was damaged from flowing ice. Because the fallen bridge is creating a hazard, canoeists and kayakers are being urged to avoid the area until it can be cleaned up.

Police in Council Bluffs Thursday, said they had located one driver and vehicle possibly involved in connection with Wednesday morning’s hit and run death of 29-year old Brett Randall Jensen, of Council Bluffs on the I-480 bridge. The investigation has led the police to believe that more than one vehicle was involved in the incident. Police say they are still looking for a second vehicle and driver.

Cameras show the possible second vehicle at the intersection of 35th St. and Broadway minutes before Jensen was struck on the interstate at around 2:18-a.m., Wednesday. His body was found in the far left lane of westbound traffic. The second suspect vehicle is a light colored SUV.

Authorities say the public has been instrumental in providing information and helping to provide closure for Mr. Jensen and his family. Anyone with any information regarding this incident, especially the second vehicle or driver, is asked to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department’s Traffic Investigations Unit at (712) 328-4948 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP.

2nd suspect vehicle in fatal hit and run.