(Radio Iowa) — All 19 state-licensed casinos now have a sports gambling license. Racing and Gaming Administrator Brian Ohorilko says commissioners approved a license for the Casino Queen Marquette at their meet last week. “Marquette has not selected a partner yet — however they are in negotiations with multiple companies,” Ohorilko says. Sports gambling revenue increased again in October — which was the second full month for sports gambling. “Part of that is because we’re seeing more operators go live,” Ohorilko says. “I think some of it also is because of the season that we are in. It’s a very popular season in regards to sports wagering.”

Sports betting began in mid-August and some casinos were ready to take sports bets that day — but others have been — or are still ramping up. Ohorilko says more operators will continue to impact the amount of money bet on sports, and probably also impact on-site betting as well. “I would expect that November numbers will also be strong. We are seeing some spillover into the casinos,” according to Ohorilko. “That number was very good in September and October. It did level off a little bit.” He says sports bettors have to come in to sign up before starting to bet — but after that they don’t have to come in — and they’re that reflected in the betting.

“Operators that have a mobile app — not necessarily mobile wagering — but the companies that have ap that folks can use on their mobile device, we’re seeing a greater proportion of wagers being placed on those devices,” Ohorilko says. He says that could grow too as more casinos get their apps up and running. “That will be another thing that we continue to monitor and we’ll how much and what the impact of mobile wagering is,” Ohorilko says.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission reports there was about 46-point-five million bet on sports in October. That was up by just about eight million dollars compared to the first full month of sports betting in September.

(Radio Iowa) — Tens of thousands of Iowans will sit down to traditional turkey dinners on Thursday, and the odds are good the big birds were raised nearby — and likely within the state’s borders. Gretta Irwin, executive director of the Iowa Turkey Federation, says the state’s seen an increase in turkey producers in recent years. Iowa now has about 130 turkey farms with the majority of them comprised of second- and third-generation turkey farmers. “We have been in the top ten for many years and we have been number-eight for a lot of years but we are now number-seven in turkey production in the U.S.” Irwin says. “That change has happened because we’re adding family farms to our business. We’re seeing a lot more families raising turkeys, especially in northwest Iowa.”

The southeast and central regions of Iowa are also big on turkey production. In addition, Iowa is a national leader in turkey processing, now ranking fifth in the country. “Processors in Iowa are busy all year long making further processed turkey products,” Irwin says. “If you go into a Subway, if you go to a Jimmy John’s and order a turkey sandwich, that’s Iowa turkey. You go into a grocery store and buy a lot of the turkey sausage and those convenient products, those are likely to come from Iowa as well.”

While most of us will be thinking about big turkey dinners over the next few days in particular, Irwin says turkey is big business 365 days a year. “All year long, it’s busy in Iowa raising and processing turkeys and really adding value to our local communities,” Irwin says, “taking the bushel of corn and third of a bushel of soybeans and feeding it to the turkeys and having a great, healthy protein for us to enjoy at Thanksgiving and all year long.”

Iowa’s turkey farms raise about 12-million birds every year. She adds, turkeys are indigenous to the continent. Fossils have proven wild turkeys have lived in North America for more than ten-million years. (On the web at iowaturkey.org)

Red Oak Police report a traffic stop Sunday night resulted in an arrest. 36-year old Aaron Duwayne Childs, of Yorktown, was arrested for Driving While Suspended. Police also determined his license had been suspended four times, for non-payment of Iowa fines and non-payment of child support. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $566 bond.

A 9-1-1 call Sunday night to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office about an unwanted person attempting to gain entry into a residence, resulted in the arrest of a woman from Missouri. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the 9-1-1 caller advised he had been assaulted and that the suspect had shattered a window of the home. When Deputies arrived on the scene, Linda Baker, of Independence, MO., was arrested for Domestic Assault, Criminal Mischief, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Drug Paraphernalia.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CST

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man died after his car slammed into a utility pole while he was fleeing from Cedar Rapids police. Cedar Rapids Police say the chase began around 10 p.m. Saturday when an officer tried to stop a BMW that was driving recklessly. The suspect fled south on Rockford Road at a high speed before the driver lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road into a utility pole. The driver died at the scene of the crash. The driver’s name wasn’t immediately released Sunday.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Police are investigating a shooting in Waterloo that left one man dead and another man injured. Waterloo Police say the shooting was reported in an alley near an apartment complex around 6 p.m. Saturday. Officers found the men with several gunshot wounds near a parked car with shattered windows. One man died later at the hospital. The second man remains hospitalized. Few other details about the shooting were released. The victim’s name wasn’t immediately released on Sunday.

QUINCY, Ill. (AP) — A new outpatient clinic for veterans is set to open in Quincy. The (Quincy) Herald-Whig reports the 21,000-squre foot clinic will see its first patients Monday. The clinic is run by Iowa City VA Health Care System, which operates several clinics in Iowa and Illinois. Hundreds attended a ceremonial ribbon cutting Thursday.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man died after his car slammed into a utility pole while he was fleeing from Cedar Rapids police. Cedar Rapids Police say the chase began around 10 p.m. Saturday when an officer tried to stop a BMW that was driving recklessly.

The suspect fled south on Rockford Road at a high speed before the driver lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road into a utility pole. The driver died at the scene of the crash. The driver’s name wasn’t immediately released Sunday.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office says a man from Adams County was arrested Sunday morning. Brian Fitzgerald, of Prescott,was arrested in the 1200 block of Tennessee Ave., on a charge of OWI/1st offense. He was being held at the Taylor County Jail on a $1,000 cash bond.

The National Weather Service in Johnston says moderate snow is forecast to develop over portions of west-central to northern Iowa during the afternoon hours Tuesday and continue into early Wednesday morning. The greatest snowfall rates are likely to occur Tuesday evening. A rain/snow line is likely to set up from Waterloo to Des Moines to southwest portions of Iowa.

click to enlarge the graphic

Anything northwest of that line is likely to receive the accumulating snow. In addition to the snow, north winds of 25 to 35 mph are likely by Tuesday night and look to persist throughout the day Wednesday resulting in blowing snow and visibility restrictions. Hazardous travel is anticipated due to snow covered and slick roads along with the visibility restrictions.

If traveling Tuesday into Wednesday over portions of western and northern Iowa into Minnesota, please consider rescheduling.

The Cass County Democratic Party has arranged distribution sites for donated clothing and bed linens to those in need throughout the county. The articles were collected during their Winter Clothing Drive. The following are the locations, dates and time for the distribution:

• Wiota Fire Station: December 8 from 2-3 PM.
• Atlantic Elks Club: December 8 from 4 to 6 PM
• Anita City Hall: December 14 from 10-11:30 AM.
• St. Patrick’s Church in Massena: December 14 from 1-2:30 PM.
• Lewis Community Building: December 15 from 1-3 PM.
• Griswold Community Building: December 15 from 3:30-5 PM.
• Cumberland United Methodist Church: December 18 from 4-5 PM.

Party Chair Sherry Toelle says “Once again, Cass County has responded overwhelmingly to the call for donations and I thank everyone who donated in any way, whether it be by allowing us to put a drop-off box at their business or by making donations to the drive. It demonstrates a true community spirit. We will make a real effort to distribute the clothing and bed linens equally throughout the county. Times for the distribution are approximate since we don’t know the exact need in each community and we may have to take more or less time in one community than we thought. And, of course, winter weather may impact our deliveries.”

Although the Democratic Party is sponsoring the event, Toelle assured that it is a non-partisan event. “This is part of our mission–to give those who need it a hand up. Everyone needs help now and again. That is why we sponsor so many different drives each year. We are trying to help meet the needs of our community.”

One person was killed and two others, including a juvenile, were injured during a collision Saturday morning in Adams County. The Iowa State Patrol says a 2010 Freightliner semi driven by 26-year old Karmen Grabill, of Hamlin, was traveling north on Ginkgo Avenue at around 10:47-a.m., and a 2012 Chevy Traverse driven by 54-year old Wannita Olson, of Corning, was traveling west on Highway 34.

When Grabill failed to yield at the intersection stop/yield sign, the semi she was driving was struck by the SUV. Following the collision, the semi jackknifed and came to rest in the west ditch. The SUV came to rest north of the intersection on Gingko Avenue.

Grabill died at the scene. Olson and her 5-year old passenger, were injured. Olson was transported by Adams County Rescue to CHI Hospital in Corning. The juvenile was transported by LifeNet helicopter to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.