The U-S-D-A’s latest report on the number of egg-laying hens is showing the impact of the outbreak of bird flu with the flock at its smallest level since 2004. Iowa is the nation’s largest egg producer and the U-S-D-A says total eggs produced in Iowa dropped 28 percent this May compared to last year. The U-S-D-A’s Gregg Thessen says that type of drop would have raised concern in any other year.

” If we wouldn’t have known that there was a disease outbreak, obviously it would have been pretty stunning. But it hasn’t been a secret that there’s been a disease outbreak. So we pretty much knew that it was coming,” Thessen says. What’s not known is how long the flu outbreak will persist, though new reported cases in Iowa have slowed dramatically in June.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating a robbery that occurred early this (Wednesday) morning, at a convenience store. Officers responded at around 1:15-a.m. to the report of an armed robbery that had occurred at the Kum & Go convenience store at 154 Bennett Avenue.

An investigation revealed that a white male, approximately 5-feet 7-inches to 6-feet tall, wearing a dark zipped up hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and grey in color work gloves, robbed the clerk at knife point. The suspect fled the area on foot with an unknown amount of cash. The clerk was not injured during the incident.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Council Bluffs police department crime stoppers at 712-328-7867.

Police in Council Bluffs responding to a reported violation of a restraining order, arrested the suspect on a 2nd-Degree burglary charge, as well as violating the restraining order. Authorities say officers were called to 1524 Avenue B at around 11:10-p.m., Tuesday. Their investigation revealed that the suspect, Wayne Thompson had broken into the residence of his ex-wife Michelle, and her current boyfriend.

Once inside the house, Thompson woke the two from their sleep and became involved in a physical altercation with the boyfriend. During the struggle the boyfriend struck Wayne Thompson in the head several times with a baseball bat. Wayne Thompson then fled the residence where he was located by officers a short distance away.

Thompson was transported to Mercy Hospital for treatment of what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries. Thompson was later booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has issued a disaster proclamation for four Iowa counties affected by recent severe weather. Branstad issued the proclamation for Davis, Humboldt, Monroe and Wright counties. The areas were affected by severe weather Monday. The proclamation allows officials to use state resources to help affected people. It includes an assistance program that provides grants of up to $5,000 for certain households needing food, clothing and temporary housing.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado damaged homes and a grocery store in southern Iowa. Meteorologist Craig Cogil says the tornado received an EF-3 rating after peak winds were estimated at 142 mph near a damaged house in Lovilia on Monday night. The tornado developed in Marion County and briefly moved through Lucas County before ending in Monroe County, where the house was located. The tornado had wind speeds of 103 mph when it later ripped into a grocery store in Albia. No injuries have been reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A food supplier has filed a lawsuit alleging an Iowa farm breached an egg supply contract after its parent company lost millions of chickens to bird flu. Michael Foods Egg Products Co. filed a complaint in federal court alleging Hawkeye Pride Egg Farms is violating a January 2014 contract. Hawkeye Pride is a division of Sioux Center-based Center Fresh Group, which owns egg farms that lost 5.5 million hens to bird flu.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa (AP) — A handful of Iowa lawmakers have reiterated their support for keeping open a state mental health facility in Mount Pleasant. The facility’s future became uncertain this year after Gov. Terry Branstad’s budget proposal removed funding for it and the state mental health facility in Clarinda. Lawmakers eventually approved legislation that would keep Mount Pleasant open and would seek a private provider to run Clarinda.

Emma Mathisen (in photo with Cass County Health System CEO Todd Hudspeth) was chosen as the recipient of the 2015 Cass County Health System Health Careers Scholarship. The $1000 scholarship is awarded annually to a student from southwest Iowa continuing their education in a health-career field of study.

Emma is a 2007 graduate of Atlantic High School and is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines.

Todd Hudspeth, CEO, presented Emma with the scholarship on behalf of Cass County Health System.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa (AP) — A handful of Iowa lawmakers have reiterated their support for keeping open a state mental health facility in Mount Pleasant. Democratic Sen. Rich Taylor and Republican Rep. Dave Heaton made remarks Tuesday at the Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute in support of keeping the facility open with state dollars. The lawmakers, both of Mount Pleasant, were joined by Democratic Sen. Amanda Ragan, of Mason City, and local leaders.

The facility’s future became uncertain this year after Gov. Terry Branstad’s budget proposal removed funding for it and the state mental health facility in Clarinda. Lawmakers eventually approved legislation that would keep Mount Pleasant open and would seek a private provider to run Clarinda.

Lawmakers Tuesday urged Branstad to approve the legislation. Branstad’s spokesman says the governor will make a decision soon.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Monday afternoon, of 23-year old Keaton Ray Osthoff, of Clarinda. The man was taken into custody in Clarinda, on a Page County warrant for Serious Assault. Osthoff was being held at the jail in Clarinda without bond, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

The warrant for his arrest was the result of a Page County Sheriff’s Office investigation where Osthoff allegedly assaulted 21-year old Lucas T. Jensen, of Kansas City, Mo., at a residence located about one-half mile west of Clarinda, at around 12:30-a.m., on May 10th.

Deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report this (Tuesday) morning of a nine-year old child bitten by a dog, in Anita. The call came in at around 10:50-a.m. Officials say an investigation determined the child was bitten at the residence of the owner of the dog, and suffered injuries requiring medical attention. The animal was on a leash on its property at the time of incident.

And, there were two arrests in Cass County last Saturday. Authorities say 24-year old Shane Michael Suhr, of Anita, was arrested on charges of Public Intoxication and Disorderly Conduct. Suhr was taken to the Cass County Jail where he pled not guilty later that day and was released. And, 27-year old Joseph Donald Fredericksen, of Atlantic, was arrested Saturday, on a charge of Driving While Revoked. Fredericksen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $1,000 bond.

A traffic stop late Monday night in Audubon County resulted in the arrest of a woman on a Driving While Suspended charge. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports 46-year old Connie Jae Emgarten, of Casey, was pulled over on Littlefield Drive near 350th Street at around 11:50-p.m., and subsequently taken into custody. She was brought to the Audubon County Jail and later posted a cash bond. Emgarten is set to appear before the magistrate on July 2nd.

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

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