JANESVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northeastern Iowa say a woman has been killed and her daughter injured when they were hit by a pickup truck as they walked on a rural road at night. The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office says 52-year-old Kristine Martinson and her adult daughter were walking on a graveled section of Mark Road about six miles southwest of Janesville when the pickup crested a hill around 9 p.m. Tuesday and hit them.

Officials say Martinson was taken with severe injuries to a hospital, where she died. Her daughter suffered minor injuries when she was hit by a side mirror on the pickup.
Investigators say a 22-year-old Cedar Falls man was driving the pickup. The incident remains under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man has been injured in a fire at a northern Des Moines industrial park. The Des Moines Register says the fire broke out Wednesday at an area containing tanks of diesel and gasoline held by fuel and trucking company Keck Energy.

Des Moines Fire Department spokesman Brian O’Keefe says a man injured was taken to a hospital. No other information about the man, including his name or medical condition, was released.

The fire was quickly extinguished, but a small structure used to load and unload fuel and several vehicles were damaged in the fire. O’Keefe says an investigation has been launched into whether the company was at fault.

Two people were arrested on separate charges Tuesday, in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 38-year old Michael Thomas Manning, of Papillion, NE., was arrested for Disorderly Conduct by Loud and Raucous Noise, and Criminal Trespass. His bond was set at $600.

And, 22-year old Kayla Shae Richardson, of Glenwood, was arested on a warrant for Pre-Trial Release Revocation. Bond was set at $25,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery officials are looking at how they could offer sports betting if Iowa lawmakers legalize it next year. The Iowa Lottery Board discussed sports betting Wednesday at a meeting in Clive. The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for states to expand sports betting last month, and Iowa lawmakers will likely consider legislation next year to bring sports betting to Iowa. Lawmakers declined to approve a bill last session to allow sports betting at Iowa casinos, including online wagers. Lottery spokeswoman Mary Neubauer says several large retailers expressed interest in offering sports betting options.

Delaware is allowing limited sports betting through its lottery. Neubauer says offering convenient access would help reduce illegal gambling. Lottery officials will continue researching sports betting, but board members didn’t indicate if they’d support expanding into sports betting.

The national gun control advocacy group “March for Our Lives” is making three stops in Iowa this week in Congressional districts represented by strong gun rights supporters. Today’s (Wednesday) stop will be outside the offices of Congressman Steve King, a staunch supporter of the second amendment and a critic of March for Our Lives. Organizer Kyrah Simon is from Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed during a high school shooting in February. Simon has a message for King. “It’s really that the young people are not afraid, we’re not willing to back down to hatred,” Simon says. “Our voices are just as important, just as strong as his. We’re willing to make a change if he’s unwilling to do that.” Simon says a vigil will be held outside King’s office in Sioux City today, as he’s a fervent supporter of gun rights and has sparred with the students on social media.

Simon says, “I think what’s amazing with the movement is that a few days after the shooting when everything was still raw, they had the courage, they had the bravery to go out and speak to the media, get their voices out, make an organization to implement change in our country.” They’re calling this the “Road to Change” bus tour. On Thursday, the group plans to hold an afternoon rally in Cedar Rapids and another event at Linn-Mar High School in Marion on Thursday night.

(Radio Iowa, w/thanks to Rob Dillard, Iowa Public Radio)

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — A Clinton woman accused of shaking her infant daughter and tossing her into a bassinet has been given a suspended sentence. The Clinton Herald reports that 22-year-old Naelynn Trude was sentenced last week to five years suspended and two years of probation. She’d pleaded guilty to child endangerment resulting in injury, which had been reduced in return for Trude’s plea.

Investigators say Trude acknowledged shaking the little girl in July and tossing her into the bassinet while she continued to cry. A doctor says the baby’s injuries included a skull fracture and retinal bleeding.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday) canvassed and certified the results of a recount vote requested for the District 3 Board of Supervisors seat, following the June 5^th Primary. The recount was conducted Monday by a group of three individuals, one each selected by candidates Dana Halder (Dale Gross) and John Hartkopf (David Ginther). The third (Chip Hansen) was chosen in-turn, by Gross and Ginther.

The results, as previously mentioned after the recount, showed 158 votes for Halder, 160 for Hartkopf, and 103 for Linda Templemen. Auditor Dale Sunderman explained the scenarios under how votes may change. He said if a machine rejects a cast ballot (Usually because a mark is too small or the wrong color ink is used), the voter is given the opportunity to re-mark the ballot and return it, but more likelyhood, he says they chose to leave it as is so the machine did not pick it up.

Sunderman said “On a hand count, as long as the marks are consistent for all marks on the ballot, that can be counted as a vote.” That, he says, is likely what happened that allowed Halder to receive one extra vote. Sunderman believes also, that Hartkopf’s loss of a vote could have been a result of an inconsistent mark.

He said if the marks are not consistent, or if someone marks an “X”, the machine doesn’t understand, and it’s hard to determine the voter’s intent when they cast their ballot during a hand count.

In other business, the Board of Supervisors passed on the first reading, an amendment to the Veterans Emergency Assistance Program ordinance, which provides assistance to Cass County military veterans who are unable to meet their basic needs because of an emergency situation. The changes reflect some wording and clarifications.

They also approved the appointment of Dr. Edna Becht as Deputy Cass County Medical Examiner with her term ending 12/31/18, and, a display of fireworks for an unincorporated area of Cass County.