The Adair County Sheriffs Department reports the arrest of 41-year old Carroll Flowers of Corning. Flowers was stopped for speeding and subsequently was arrested for Driving while Intoxicated and was being held on 1-thousand dollar bond.

The Mills County Sheriffs Department arrested a Red Oak man late Friday night. Officials arrested 35 year old Jason Micheal Eppenbaugh and charged him with OWI first offense. And is being held on a 1-thousand dollar bond.

The Iowa State Patrol investigated a two vehicle accident involving two semi tractor trailers Friday evening on Interstate 80 in Adair County. Officials say both 33 year old Dong Liu of California and 64 year old Vlado Topalovic of Ohio were traveling west on Interstate 80 in the outside lane and Liu collided with the rear of the Topalovic trailer. After striking the vehicle Liu went onto the north shoulder and struck the barrier cable system while the Topalovic vehicle came to a stop in the outside lane. Topalovic was not injured but Liu was taken to Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic for treatment of injuries.

Two Iowa political scientists say Iowa has “unique” split-ticket voting patterns. Iowa State University political science professor Dave Andersen says “I’m new to Iowa and I grew up in New Jersey and in the northeast, where I’m used to seeing states track to one party or the other,” Andersen says. “And Iowa is unique that you can have the same electorate look at the governor’s race and say by a 20-point margin, ‘We are going to keep our incumbent governor,’ and then look at the senate race and say , ‘We’re really not decided.'”

Whatever the outcome of Tuesday’s election, Anderson says Iowa will still be “purple all the way” and considered a toss-up for either party in the 2016 presidential election. “I think Iowans are able to uniquely able to kind of move back and forth between the parties, as an aggregate and I think they listen to both sides,” Andersen says. “Iowan voters, as a whole, I don’t think have chosen on party over another. I thik they are able to make a distinction race by race, candidate by candidate.” Loras College political science professor Christopher Budzisz agrees.

“It’s a competitive state,” Budzisz says. “…Senator Ernst, if you look at the polling averages, is up roughly two percent and then the same electorate is choosing Governor Branstad by 20 percent. There’s incumbency in that, but there is also an element to the state itself as a balanced state.” Budzisz and Andersen made their comments during taping of the “Iowa Press” program that airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa Public Television.

(Radio Iowa)

A standoff in the northwest Iowa town of Cherokee ended early this (Friday) morning, after a man barricaded himself in a home late last night and threatened to kill himself. Police arrived at the home of 35-year-old Joshua Lee Allender and saw him inside the house, though he refused to come out. Police say Allender showed a gun from an upstairs window and fired several shots.

After several hours of negotiation, police fired tear gas into the house about 3:30 AM. Allender was apprehended with no injuries. He’s facing several charges, including: possession and control of firearm, reckless use of a firearm, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, assault while participating in a felony and assault on a police officer.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Three Iowa school districts have been notified they’ll receive grants from the state to boost the literacy skills of students who don’t speak English. The Denison, Des Moines and Postville districts will receive grants. The recipients were announced Friday by Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck. The Iowa Legislature approved the program, which provides $500,000 this year with the possibility of $1.5 million over three years.

More than 25,000 English Language Learners enrolled in Iowa’s public and nonpublic schools this year. Denison will focus on kindergarten through 12th grade while Des Moines will partner with the Diocese of Des Moines to pilot a program for Carver Elementary and Hiatt Middle School and six nonpublic Catholic schools. Postville will design a K-12 newcomer program.