Are your children and grandchildren safe in their car seat? Officials with the Atlantic Fire and Rescue Department said on their social media page, that there will be a FREE car seat check on July 17th, from 2-5 p.m., at the Atlantic Farm Bureau Insurance Office (1501 E. 7th St).

The AFD says they don’t want to respond to an accident where kids have been thrown about the vehicle, and urge you to stop by and have your car child safety seat checked.

BEDFORD, Iowa (AP) – The father of a 3-year-old girl slain in southwest Iowa now faces a murder charge. The Omaha World-Herald reports that new charge was filed last week against 25-year-old Charles Hall, who is from Chicago. Hall originally was charged with child endangerment resulting in serious injury, the same charged filed against his girlfriend, 25-year-old April Clair, who is from Bedford.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call in Bedford on May 22 and found little Janiya King unresponsive. The Taylor County medical examiner later pronounced her dead.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Creston Police Department reports the arrest on Monday of a local man on drug and other charges. Officials say 35-year old Dustin Kilgore, of Creston, was arrested at around 8:50-p.m. on charges that include Violation of a Protection Order, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. Kilgore was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

(7-a.m. News)

The 7:06-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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VAN METER, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa clergyman is buying raffle tickets with the hope that he wins and will be able to spare a city official from being shocked by a stun gun.
The city of Van Meter has been selling raffle tickets as part of a public safety fundraiser. The winner will get the opportunity to use a stun gun on City Administrator Jake Anderson or Councilman Bob Lacy.

A pastor at Van Meter Baptist Church, Paul Porter, has been raising money to buy as many raffle tickets as he can. He told The Des Moines Register that if he were to win, neither man would get shocked. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa has condemned the event as an improper and dangerous use of a stun gun.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have apprehended two inmates who had been listed as escaped from the Iowa prison work release facility in Waterloo. An Iowa Corrections Department news release says 23-year-old Darius Caston was caught around 6 p.m. Monday. He’s been serving a 20-year sentence since May 28, 2010, after convictions for willful injury and intimidation with a dangerous weapon. Caston was transferred to the work release facility on May 1st.

Another department news release says 20-year-old Jared Brooks was caught around 10 p.m. Monday. On Saturday he was placed on escaped status because he didn’t return from work. Brooks has been serving a 10-year-old sentence for willful injury and intimidation with a dangerous weapon. He was transferred to work release on March 17th.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A top veterinary official with the U.S. Department of Agriculture says more money, surveillance and farm security is needed to fight off a possible return of bird flu this fall. David Swayne, director of a USDA poultry research laboratory, told the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee that no new cases have been detected in three weeks. But he says the government has increased surveillance of wild birds to detect any return of the virus, and is working with farms to improve biosecurity.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says there was no way to ensure schools would have abided by a call to not use one-time money for ongoing expenses, leading him to veto that part of a budget bill. Branstad also says he doesn’t think Democrats will get enough Republican support to call a special session to vote again on the budget. The Legislature recently sought $135 million in a spending bill that included nearly $56 million for K-12 education. Branstad cut that in a veto, arguing he opposes one-time spending for ongoing expenses.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa prison officials have removed a dozen inmates from a lockdown unit in Fort Madison where a prisoner escaped his cell over the weekend. They’re still investigating how Justin Kestner got out of the prison Sunday. He made it to Illinois before being caught.

(Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The brother of a man who died after being transferred from a Clarinda mental hospital closed by the state is blaming his death on the move to a private center. Tim Hanson says his brother Robert got superior treatment at the facility in Clarinda and became severely dehydrated and died after he was moved to a nursing home in Perry last month.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says there was no way to ensure schools would have abided by a call to not use one-time money for ongoing expenses, leading him to veto that part of a budget bill. Branstad also told reporters Tuesday he doesn’t think Democrats will get enough Republican support to call a special session to vote again on the budget.

The Legislature recently sought $135 million in a spending bill that included nearly $56 million for K-12 education. Branstad cut that in a veto, arguing he opposes one-time spending for ongoing expenses.

Republican House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, of Hiawatha, says language in the bill specified the money would go to one-time expenses, but Branstad says that wouldn’t have been enforceable.

Democratic leaders called Monday and Tuesday for a special session.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday), reports four arrests. On July 3rd, 30-year old Bradley Allen Fink, of Malvern, was arrested on a warrant for Theft 1st and Conspiracy Commit Non Forcible Felony. His bond was set at $15,000.00

On July 4th, 36-year old Aaron Michael Greene, of Rock Port, MO., was arrested for Theft 2nd and Felony Eluding. His bond was set at $8,000.00

And on Monday, 34-year old Nathan Kyle Hale, of Hannibal, MO., was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond was set at $1,000.00