(Radio Iowa) – Unexpected patrons have occupied a restroom at a Page County park near Shenandoah — black widow spiders. County conservation director John Schwab says crews discovered a large cluster of the venomous spiders at Pioneer Park during regular restroom maintenance. While the black widow is common throughout the country, Schwab says the large concentration was concerning.”There’s probably an estimate between 20 and 30, which is a pretty good population,” Schwab says. “So just for safety until we get them cleared out, we’ve closed off the bathrooms.”

While the exact reason the cluster of spiders was in the bathroom is unknown, Schwab says the isolated and grassy area likely provided a suitable habitat. “They’re really attracted to basements, outbuildings, rocky structures, or debris sitting in your yard, so it’s not uncommon to have them in the area,” Schwab says. “The numbers that we saw was kind of what triggered us to say, ‘We need to do something about this.’ It could have been something as simple as a spring egg sack that hatched and all the spiders decided to hang around.”

Schwab says his department has treated the interior with insect foggers that will eventually be vacuumed and treated again. Crews are also treating the exterior of the building. While all spiders are venomous to an extent, Schwab advises park patrons to steer clear of the general area to avoid increased exposure. “The thing with black widows and also brown recluses, is that humans are a little more susceptible to their venom,” Schwab says. “So pretty much just stay away from that bathroom — the rest of the bathrooms are fine.”

While it is common to run across one or two black widows or brown recluses every year, Schwab says this was one of the first times seeing a large and concentrated quantity. They hope to have the spiders removed by the end of the week.

Police in Red Oak have arrested a man on an active warrant. Authorities report 29-year-old Randall Wesley Lynn Butts, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 4:13-a.m. today (Wednesday), on a warrant for Failure to Appear, on an original charge of Interference with Official Acts. Butts was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on bond amounting to $1,000.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds is asking the state courts to lift an injunction that has prevented a so-called fetal heartbeat law from taking effect. The law, passed in 2018, would ban abortions in Iowa after about six weeks of pregnancy. In a written statement, Reynolds said after Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court’s historic ruling that overturned Roe v Wade, now is the time to stand up for the unborn. Iowa House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst points to a recent Des Moines Register Iowa Poll that found 57 percent of Iowans support abortion rights.

“Iowans are tired of politicians making decisions for them and they’re tired of political games,” Konfrst said. “And I think when they hear this news, they’re going to think it’s another example of trying to work the system instead of adequately addressing and really getting input from everyday Iowans.” Reynolds is also asking the Iowa Supreme Court to review their recent ruling that is letting a 24-hour waiting period for abortions in Iowa take effect, and make it easier for abortion restrictions to survive future challenges in Iowa courts.

Konfrst says she wouldn’t be surprised if Reynolds reconvenes the legislature in the next few months if the Iowa court rulings don’t go her way. “Most Iowans don’t want this because they want the ability to make their own decisions and so I think it’s pretty frustrating for a lot of Iowans who are seeing games being played on a very serious issue,” Konfrst says, “an issue that just changed in seismic ways a few days ago.”

Konfrst made her comments at Iowa P-B-S today (Tuesday) during taping of the network’s Iowa Press program that airs Friday night.