SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A 26-year-old Sioux City woman accused of causing her son’s skull fracture has been given probation. The Sioux City Journal reports that Kara Jackson was sentenced on Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court. She was given three years of probation and a suspended prison sentence of five years. Jackson pleaded guilty in June to one count of child endangerment resulting in injury.

Jackson’s 5-month son was admitted to a hospital emergency room on Feb. 26. In court documents, Jackson and the baby’s father, Aaron Tucker, accused each other of dropping the child on several occasions. Prosecutors closed their case against Tucker in March, saying it was unclear whether Tucker was at fault.

An Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) annual report on problem gambling treatment outcomes indicates while treatment is successful for most individuals, more than half of Iowans don’t know it is available. Only 44 percent of Iowans are aware treatment for problem gambling is available.

According to the 2014 Iowa Gambling Treatment Outcomes Monitoring System report, the greatest treatment success was among those clients who received four or more services (such as individual face-to face-counseling) within the first 30 days after admission, those who received recovery support services (care coordination, education, and recovery peer coaching), and those who received treatment via e-therapy (phone, Web, chat, text, video, etc.). The report and analysis, which were compiled by the University of Northern Iowa Center for Social and Behavioral Research, found significant evidence that treatment works. For example, after discharge, the number of days a client reported gambling in the past 30 days dropped from eight days upon admission to treatment to one day at discharge. The vast majority (92 percent) of clients at discharge reported reduced signs of problem gambling. The signs include:

• Thinking a lot about gambling, such as past gambling experiences, future gambling ventures, or ways of getting money for gambling
• Needing to gamble with larger amounts of money or with larger bets in order to get the same feeling of excitement
• Repeatedly trying to cut down or stop gambling without success
• Feeling restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop gambling
• Gambling to run away from problems or to get relief from feeling depressed, anxious, or bad about yourself
• After losing money gambling, often returning another day in order to win back losses
• Lying to family members, friends, or others in order to hide gambling from them
• Losing or almost losing a significant relationship, job, or an educational or career opportunity because of gambling
• Relying on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling

The report found older clients (age 51 or older) were more likely to complete treatment than younger clients (18-50 years) and male clients were more likely than females to stay in treatment. Clients who had been trying to control their gambling on their own before admission were more likely to complete treatment than those who said they were ready to change their gambling behavior, but hadn’t actually made any changes prior to treatment.

To learn about treatment options or to speak with someone about problem gambling concerns, visit www.1800BETSOFF.org or call 1-800-BETS OFF.

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

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A woman from Union County was arrested late Thursday night on drug and other charges, in Creston. Authorities say 37-year old Bobbie Jo Wilson, of Lorimor, was taken into custody at around 11:30-p.m. on charges that include Driving While Suspended, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Neglect of a Child, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. Wilson was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on $2,000 bond.

And, 18-year old Brandon Barrett, of Afton, was arrested Thursday morning at the Union County Law Enforcement Center in Creston, on a warrant out of Union County for Probation Violation. Barrett was being held in the jail without bond, while awaiting a  hearing.

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

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Day number two of the Cass County Fair in Atlantic is underway. Some activities for today include:

• The Beef Weigh-in from 8-to 10-am
• Rabbit Show in the Indoor Show Ring, beginning at 9-a.m.
• Horse Show in the Horse Arena, at 9-a.m.
• 4-H and Commercial exhibits open at 10-a.m.
• The Meat and Dairy Goat Show is at 10:30 in the Outdoor Show Ring
• Noon special at the Foodstand: Chicken and Noodles.
• Livestock Judging, 3-p.m., in the Outdoor Show Ring
• Mutton Busting (Grandstand), at 6:30-p.m.
• Bull Ride (8-p.m.) at the Grandstand.

Other sites or activities to see and/or partake in at the Cass County Fair today through Sunday, include: Doyle Chainsaw artistry at 10-a.m., 3-p.m. and 5-p.m.; and, the Kids Barn Activities in the Commercial Building, from 10-am until 5-pm.

The Cass County Fair runs through July 28th, with no parking or admission fees. Check out the daily schedule and get more information about the Fair at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass And, follow the fair on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theCassCountyFair. Listen for our live broadcasts every day of the fair beginning today (Friday), from 1-until 7-pm, here on KJAN.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Webster City woman has pleaded guilty to Social Security fraud in which authorities say she received over $23,000 in benefits. According to a news release from U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau, 44-year-old Karlotta Venegas pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of supplemental security income benefits fraud.

Prosecutors say Venegas hid from the Social Security Administration that she had been outside the United States for more than 30 days on eight separate occasions in order to continue receiving supplemental security income benefits. Officials say the fraud took place between August 2008 and September 2013.

Prosecutors say Venegas received over $23,000 in benefits to which she was not entitled. She faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Venegas’ sentencing hearing has not been set.

Governor Terry Branstad wants Iowa to become the first state to offer a tax credit for transforming the “biochemicals” that are a byproduct of ethanol production. Branstad discussed the issue with former Iowa Governor and current U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vislack yesterday (Thursday) during a meeting in Washington, D.C.

“Secretary Vilsack, his department — the USDA, has done a pretty extensive report and they are putting together some federal programs to encourage and support this as well,” Branstad says. Branstad’s proposed state tax credit would not be for the ethanol production companies that make byproducts like corn oil and dried distillers grain when they make ethanol. Instead, the tax credit would be offered to companies that find new uses for those “biochemical” byproducts.

“This is something that we both think could be really beneficial for Iowa,” Branstad says. “There’s opportunity for us to get some federal assistance…Secretary Vilsack is really knowledgable about this and that’s an area where I see we have an opportunity to kind of team up and work together on.” Vilsack gave Branstad the report the U-S-D-A released last week about biochemical production and Branstad read it on his way to West Virginia, where the National Governors Association is holding its summer meeting.

Next summer, in 2016, the National Governors Association will meet in Des Moines and Branstad has invited Vilsack to be there for the event. Vilsack was Iowa’s governor in 2005, the last time Iowa hosted the summer meeting of the nation’s governors.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, led a bipartisan group which sent a letter to the head of the Department of Health and Human Services following the release of a second undercover video allegedly showing a Planned Parenthood official talking about selling body parts from aborted babies. “The goal of this letter was to draw attention to the legal, ethical and policy issues raised by the footage, and call upon Secretary Burwell to cooperate with ongoing and future investigations into these questions,” Ernst says. Ernst talked about the goal of the letter.

“We called on H-H-S to review the compliance of Planned Parenthood — one of the department grantees — with all relevant and applicable federal statutes, regulations and other requirements,” Ernst says. “I truly find this footage reprehensible, vial, and they truly raise questions that taxpayers deserve answers to.” During her weekly teleconference with reporters, Ernst was asked about a vaccine that reportedly can prevent the avian flu. Ernst says she is in favor of vaccines, but wants to be sure of the consequences of using them.

“What we want to make sure is if we are utilizing vaccines to prevent the avian influenza, that our trade partners will still accept any exports that we have in poultry production areas,” Ernst says. She says there is still not a consensus in the chicken and turkey industries about the use of the vaccines. “We’re going to have to look at this very carefully and those decisions — of course we rely heavily on producers to provide us with information on whether they believe the vaccines are the right way to go,” Ernst says. She says the U-S-D-A will also provide input on the vaccines as will state ag officials in the areas which have dealt with the outbreak.

Iowa was one of the hardest hit states with the avian flu outbreak .

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa court says people can drink alcohol in their cars as long as they’re parked on private property. The Des Moines Register says the Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday a state law banning open alcohol containers in vehicles doesn’t apply to people parked in private lots or driveways.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque woman says she has a state cannabis card allowing her to give an oil extracted from marijuana to her son, but she’s not allowed to do so in his care center. Instead, Jennifer McFadden says she gives the oil to her 12-year-old son, who has severe epilepsy, twice a day in the facility’s parking lot. She tells the Des Moines Register that the agency which operates the center says it can’t allow the oil into the facility. She says the agency told her that federal authorities still consider it a strictly controlled marijuana product.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Former state lawmaker Pat Murphy is embarking on a second Democratic bid for Congress, after a failed campaign in 2014. The 55-year-old from Dubuque lost a closerace to newcomer Republican Rod Blum in November.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — About 100 people were evacuated safely when a fire broke out on a paddle wheel boat on Clear Lake. The Globe Gazette reports the fire was reported Thursday morning, just after the Lady of the Lake cruise ship had docked. About 100 people, including 27 from a care center, were evacuated to shore.