(Des Moines, IA) In Iowa and nationwide, infant formula is in short supply. The Iowa Departments of Public Health and Human Services are working to provide information and resources to Iowans who are impacted by the shortage.

Supply chain constraints have been affecting product availability since January. The formula recall issued in February and closure of the Abbott production facility in Michigan has exacerbated this issue. Given those constraints, we encourage Iowans to purchase what they need for the short term. This will ensure that all Iowans are able to access what they need, given the limited supply we are seeing nationwide.

The FDA is responsible for taking steps to ensure the safety of infant formula while also ensuring that supply can be met when these steps are taken. Yesterday, the FDA published a press release highlighting actions it is taking to address formula supply shortages including working with major infant formula manufacturers to increase supply and helping to ensure that Abbott’s Sturgis facility can safely resume production.

“The Biden Administration must address the national shortage of infant formula immediately, increasing production and expediting distribution to the states,” said Governor Reynolds. “Parents need the assurance that they can provide the basic necessities for their family and nothing is more critical than infant formula.”

Because of the shortage, WIC enrolled families may need to visit a different location than they are used to or use alternate brands. The WIC program has made many brands and container sizes available for WIC families.

Iowans are urged not to use homemade infant formula or other alternatives as they do not contain the vitamins and minerals that a growing infant requires. Here is a helpful resource about the risks of using homemade formula.

WIC enrolled families who need assistance finding formula should contact their local WIC clinic, find a complete list here. If they are unable to contact their community clinic, they can call 1-800-532-1579.

Any Iowan seeking breastfeeding support can contact the WIC clinic in their community or contact their infant’s health care provider.

(Radio Iowa) – U-S Senate candidate Abby Finkenauer says the federal government must do more to address the critical shortage of baby formula. Finkenauer says as a 33 year old, she has a lot of friends who have babies and she began hearing about the shortage weeks ago. At the end of April, Finkenauer called on President Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act.

“This is a crisis in our country,” Finkenauer says. “…When something like this happens where you’ve got parents across the country trying desperately to get the nutrients for their children that they need and they can’t find it, that’s a national emergency and it needs to be addressed.”

Finkenauer is one of three Democrats competing to run against Republican Senator Chuck Grassley in the General Election. Grassley yesterday (Wednesday) wrote a letter to the Food and Drug Administration to demand answers on what they’re doing to make sure families have access to the baby formula they need.

“There’s more that can be done and should be done,” Finkenauer says. “…When it comes to our parents trying to feed their kids, all he’s doing is sending a strongly worded letter to the FDA.” A firm that tracks baby formula sales nationwide found 43 percent of the most popular brands were sold out last week.

Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra is co-sponsoring legislation to change F-D-A regulations of baby formula and it could let more baby formula made in other countries be sold in the U.S.

(Radio Iowa/updated) – The prosecution wrapped up its case around noon today (Thursday) against the Grundy Center man accused of killing State Trooper Jim Smith during a standoff last April. In coverage streamed by K-C-R-G T-V, the lawyer for Michael Lang asked the judge to dismiss the charges for lack of evidence. But Judge Joel Dalrymple declined.

“The court does find that there is a question of fact regarding the defendant of having acted with malice aforethought and that the defendant acted willfully deliberately with premeditation and with the specific intent to kill serve as Smith. And so as it relates to count one, the motion is denied,” he says. That count is first-degree murder, and the judge also denied the request to dismiss charges of attempted murder and assault on a police officer in connection with the case.

The prosecution rested after calling a ballistics expert from the D-C-I and the State Medical Examiner to testify. The defense lawyer then said they would not call any witnesses. They also said Lang would not testify in his own defense and the judge confirmed it with him. “Would you like any additional time to discuss that matter with your attorneys before that is a final decision,” Dalrymple said. Lang replied “no sir.”

Prosecutors asked that the trial not be resumed until Monday to allow Sergeant Smith’s family can fly to Washington, D-C for the National Peace Officer Memorial ceremony Friday. The defense attorney said he had a concern about the long weekend and jurors possible discussing the case. The judge addressed the issue with the jury before ending the session for the day. “The court obviously always has concerns, heightened concerns when we take a break for a weekend because that opportunity for things that might create issues and problems for all of us are just that much more prevalent over the course of a weekend,” he said.

The judge then reminded the jury they have not gotten the case yet and should not discuss it during the next three days. “Stray away from whether it be the barbecue, and the neighbor who’s a well aware of the fact that you’re on this jury wants to come over — particularly after a couple of beers and start chirping in your ear — about their opinion of jury service or this case or whatever the case may be. That you walk away and you make it clear to them that you want no part of that and that they shouldn’t be talking to you about that,” Dalrymple said.

He also reminded jurors to not discuss the case with family members during the weekend. The trial will resume Monday at the Hamilton County Courthouse in Webster City where the case was moved on a change of venue.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office say one person was injured during a dump truck rollover accident this (Thursday) morning. The incident occurred at around 7:23-a.m. on westbound Highway 34, near mile marker 2. Authorities say 24-year-old Tuwane English, of Omaha, was driving a 2018 Freightliner dump truck and en route to a work site.

As the vehicle was traversing a curve to the right, it went off the road to the left, and came into contact with the shoulder. English over-corrected caused the truck to lose traction and cross both lanes of traffic before losing more traction and skidded back across the lanes to the median. The truck skidded sideways while entering the median and flipped over before coming to rest on its wheels.

The driver was transported by Glenwood Rescue to the UNMC in Omaha. He was cited for Failure to Maintain Control, and for not wearing a seat belt. The dump truck was a total loss.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests took place Wednesday:

• 30-year-old Dillan Michael Jones, of Glenwood, was arrested for Child Endangerment, Assault w/Injury, Assault on Person in Certain Occupations, and Interference w/Official Acts (Bond: $6,300)
• 25-year-old Cheyenne Rose Lopez, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original Probation Violation charge. (Bond: $25,000)
• 37-year-old Shanna Marie Black, of Bellevue, NE, was also arrested at the Pott. County Jail. She was taken into custody at around 5:23-p.m., on a warrant for Violation of Probation. (Bond$5,000)
• and, 49-year-old Edward John Deaman, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Wednesday for Driving While Barred. (Bond $2,000)

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department report a civilian K9 instructor was issued a citation for assault, following an altercation this (Thursday) morning at the Police Department. Authorities say at 10-a.m., K-9 training was being conducted at the Council Bluffs Police Department. 28-year-old Anson Berry entered the lobby of the police station and began filming the training being conducted in the Community Room.

One of the civilian course instructors approached Berry and inquired about him filming. A physical altercation began but was quickly brought under control. Berry refused medical attention.

(Radio Iowa) – A Sioux City sailor who died aboard the U-S-S Oklahoma during the December 7th attack on Pearl Harbor is coming home. The remains of storekeeper third class Harry Nichols will be buried Friday at a ceremony at Memorial Park Cemetery. Mark Nichols is the nephew of the sailor and he was contacted about identifying his uncle’s remains after he had his D-N-A tested by a national company.

“Some relatives of mine that I’d never knew existed in Delaware reached out to me and said the Navy was looking for relatives of Harry Nichols because they were trying to basically do the D-N-A match,” he says. “and I submitted that to them sometime in latter part I believe of 2018 and about mid-2020, the Navy contacted me and said they had found a number of bones that were identified as Harry Nichols, based on my D-N-A.” The COVID pandemic prevented the Navy from holding a visit with the Nichols family until this April 1st when they got together with Nichols and his sister at her home in Tennessee. They brought a 100-page book to the family with Nichols’ history of service and an explanation of the identification process.

USS Oklahoma Storekeeper 3rd Class, Harry E. Nichols.

“That basically starts with Harry’s induction letters, all that paperwork in there all the forensics and pathology analysis that they had done and identifying Harry’s remains. The Navy has informed Harry’s parents, and my grandparents. He was lost during Pearl Harbor,” Nichols says. He says there was also a letter from Harry’s mom. “She writes a handwritten letter that was actually in this booklet that expressed her frustration with not knowing the exact outcome of Harry,” he explains. Harry Nichols was 20 years old when he enlisted in January of 1941 and had turned 21 when he died 11 months later at Pearl Harbor. Mark says his my dad went through North Africa into Italy and fought in nine major campaigns and did say that there wasn’t a day that didn’t go by that he didn’t think of his brother. Mark intends to do something very special at Friday’s ceremonies:

“And I’m actually bringing my dad’s ashes with me and having him buried with his brother and his parents,” Nichols says. Project Oklahoma started in 2015 to identify 388 service members who were unaccounted for after the ship was hit at Pearl Harbor. There have now been 355 individuals identified using D-N-A reference samples from U-S-S Oklahoma families as well as many medical and dental records from the Oklahoma service members.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – An Atlantic man facing felony charges of Arson and Attempted Murder, as well a Serious Misdemeanor charge of Assault causing bodily injury or mental illness, and other charges, will stand trial in July. According to online court records, the trial for 30-year-old Anthony Rey Asay will take place in Cass County District Court on July 12th, beginning at 9:30-a.m.  His arraignment will be held on June 6th, with a pre-trial conference on June 11th.

Asay is accused of being involved in a May 4th residential structure fire on Cedar Street in Atlantic, and an assault that occurred later that same day at 1207 Birch Street in Atlantic. During the apprehension, he was uncooperative and resisted Officers. Asay was charged with Possession of Marijuana./1st offense, and a separate assault charge in connection with an incident that took place April 30th .