A house fire in Council Bluffs early this (Saturday) morning resulted in the death of a young child. According to the Council Bluffs Police Department, the fire at 313 North 34th Street was reported to 9-1-1 just after 6-a.m. Neighbors say they were wakened by the sounds of Crystal Hatcher, the mother three children, screaming in the street. Officials say Hatcher, a six-year old and two-year old child were able to escape the home, but 4-year old Leland Johnson, of Council Bluffs was trapped in an upstairs bedroom. Fire officials said it took firefighters nearly 10-minutes to reach the boy, because of the heavy smoke and flames.

When they found the unconscious child, the boy was transported to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, where he died from his injuries. Hatcher and her two other children were provided with food and clothing following the fire, which remains under investigation. The blaze destroyed the house and a car parked in the driveway. The family was reported to have found shelter with area relatives.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A task force created earlier this year by the Iowa Legislature is proposing to raise the base pay for Iowa teachers by $7,000. The Task Force on Teacher Leadership and Compensation’s proposal would bump starting salaries for public school teachers from $28,000 to $35,000. Committee members say the increase would likely raise the average earnings of a first-year teacher statewide from $32,000 to $40,000. Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass says more than 190 of the state’s 348 school districts set their base pay at the state minimum of $28,000. The task force will discuss the proposal and others at its Sept. 21 meeting. Committee members will vote on which recommendations to include in an Oct. 15 report to the Legislature.

Two people from Red Oak and a woman from Griswold were arrested this (Saturday) morning, on drug charges. According to Red Oak Police, 18-year-old Dalton Paul Valentin, of Red Oak, and 21-year-old Alexandra Marie Sindt, of Griswold, were taken into custody on Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charges. And, 22-year-old Courtney Nicole Orr, of Red Oak, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. The trio were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond each.