COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Council Bluffs man who shot his own mother while showing her his shotgun has been charged with a felony in the case. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 20-year-old Seth Rennie has been charged with reckless use of a firearm resulting in serious injury. He posted $10,000 bond Friday and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Police say Rennie’s mother was visiting him on May 20 when he showed her his .410 shotgun and how to use it. Rennie told police he thought it was unloaded when he fired a shot, hitting his mother in the torso. She was taken to an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital with injuries, including a damaged liver. She told police the shooting was an accident.

Rennie’s next court hearing is July 18.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines meatpacking plant Amend Packing Co. has shuttered, just shy of its 150th anniversary in business. The small family company closed its doors Friday, the Des Moines Register reported . Amend Packing was one of the city’s oldest businesses, having processed beef for farmers and customers in central Iowa since 1869, supporting five generations of the Amend family in Des Moines.

Owners Kent Wiese, 61, and Amy Amend Wiese, 59, said while business has been strong, they’re looking for new challenges. Amend Wiese said it’s an emotional decision to close the plant that her great-grandfather started and where she’s worked for 40 years. The couple’s grown sons also worked at the plant for many years.

Most of the 200 processors in Iowa are small operations, said Ken Richmann, co-executive director of the Iowa Meat Processors Association. The small companies generally consist of a husband and wife, while larger ones employ 15 to 18 people.
“And a good number of them could use help,” he said. “Because of that they are taking on only the business they can (handle).”

Amend Packing found a niche serving small producers across the state. At one time, Amend Packing processed 200 cattle a week, but that dropped to about 15 or 20 a week. Weise told the Register in 2013 that his cutting techniques were honed from years of daily butchering. “What I love is when a customer says, ‘Oh, my gosh! That’s the best steak I ever had,'” he said. “That’s what I love.”

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Another flight to Chicago is being added to to the Sioux Gateway Airport. Officials at Sioux Gateway Airport and Col. Bud Day Field in Sioux City said that, starting September 5, 2018, a third flight to Chicago O’Hare will be added.  Flights from Chicago are scheduled to depart at 1:20 p.m. with an arrival to Sioux City at 2:53 p.m. Flights from Sioux City are scheduled to depart at 3:22 p.m. with an arrival at Chicago at 5:00 p.m. On October 4, 2018, the flight will be moved with the departure out of Sioux City at 7:00 p.m., as well as the arrival from Chicago at 6:15 p.m.

Sioux Gateway Airport Board President Darrell Jesse said, “We are excited that American Airlines continues to expand their flights at Sioux Gateway Airport. This third daily flight to Chicago O’Hare is a result of the continued support from local travelers. We have seen strong and consistent utilization of the current twice daily service to Chicago and this third flight helps to fill in the gap, making it easier for business travelers going to Chicago and back in the same day. Paired with the daily flight to Dallas/Ft. Worth, this expanded service offers our community and visitors multiple options.”

Additional flights to and from Sioux City can be found on the Sioux Gateway Airport’s website.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 6:00 a.m. CDT

SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa (AP) — A Minnesota-based company says it’s considering moving production of some motorcycles out of the country because of European tariffs, just days after Harley-Davidson announced a similar move. A spokeswoman for Polaris Industries acknowledged Friday the company could move some production of its Indian brand of motorcycles from northwest Iowa to Poland.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors in Iowa have charged a Brazilian man accused of causing a flight from Calgary, Canada, to Chicago to be diverted to Cedar Rapids. Prosecutors said Friday that 33-year-old Guilherme Alves De Melo was charged Tuesday with one count of intimidating a flight crew member. A complaint says that on June 23, Alves became disruptive and “lost it” about an hour before the plane was scheduled to land, causing the plane to land at the eastern Iowa airport.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A national abortion-rights organization says the Iowa Supreme Court acted “absolutely appropriately” in striking down a 72-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions. Ilyse Hogue is president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. She says Friday’s ruling upholds precedent, the rights of Iowa women and their “dignity and respect.” She also says Sen. Charles Grassley should consider those issues when advancing any U.S. Supreme Court nominees. The Iowa senator leads the Senate Judiciary Committee.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Despite acknowledging a county prosecutor’s behavior was “egregious,” the Iowa Supreme Court ordered the reinstatement of the attorney, saying his actions didn’t reach the threshold to remove an elected official. The court ruled Friday that Abraham Watkins was wrongly removed as Van Buren County attorney in 2017 following allegations of sexual harassment. He was accused of commenting on an employee’s breasts, appearing in underwear in his home office and displaying nude photos of his wife.