(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst was asked during her weekly conference call if she had talked with fellow Republican Steve King after King responded on twitter when Ernst said she thought President Donald Trump’s remarks about four minority congresswomen were racist. She was also asked if she would endorse King as he runs for another term. “No I haven’t had any discussions with the congressman about that. And obviously my statements are my own, and everybody’s statements are their own and I will not be endorsing anyone in that primary race,” Ernst says.

King had tweeted to Ernst that it is ‘not constructive to advance the four congresswomen’s narrative against the president’s policies. The tweet referenced Ernst’s statement that said Trump’s comments “were not constructive” and “not helpful.”

OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man and wife accused of neglecting and mistreating their adopted children have been given two years of probation. Clark County District Court records say 42-year-old Kelly Fry and her 43-year-old husband, Kenny Fry, on Thursday were granted deferred judgments and were told to perform 100 hours of community service. Under deferred judgments, convictions can to be removed from court records if the convicted fulfill their probation terms. Both Frys had pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor child endangerment. Prosecutors lowered the charges from felony counts in return.

The children were adopted from Ghana and were 8 and 9 when state authorities removed them last year from the Frys’ home in Osceola. The children say they were required to spend most days isolated in their bedrooms and had to use plastic buckets as toilets. One of them said they were fed oatmeal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Red Oak Police were called at around 2-p.m. Thursday, to the Fareway Store in Red Oak, following an alleged shoplifting attempt. Authorities say 45-year old Allen Dale Bothwell, of Red Oak, was stopped by employees after he allegedly tried to take merchandise without paying for it.

Bothwell was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree and Interference with Official Acts. At last report, he was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report 28-year old Jesse Allen Luft, of Villisca, was arrested at around 6-p.m. Thursday. Luft was taken into custody for Driving While License is Barred, and OWI/3rd offense. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police say the drowning of two men in a backyard Davenport swimming pool occurred when one man tried to save the other. The Quad-City Times reports that surveillance video at the home the men were house-sitting captured the Monday drowning of 60-year-old Mark Anderson, of Eldridge, and 57-year-old Kenneth Anderson, of Bellevue. Davenport Police Chief Paul Sikorski said Thursday that the video shows Ken Anderson entered the pool and struggled before Mark Anderson tried to rescue him.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The execution date for a notorious Iowa drug kingpin who killed witnesses and children in 1993 has been scheduled for Jan. 15. Dustin Honken is among five federal death row inmates whose execution dates were announced Thursday by the Justice Department. The announcement came as Attorney General Bill Barr directed federal capital punishment to resume for the first time in nearly two decades.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Union Pacific officials say no one was injured when 70 train cars derailed in north-central Missouri. Spokeswoman Kristen South says the train derailed Thursday near Mercer, about 125 miles (201.16 kilometers) northeast of Kansas City near the Iowa border. South says the train was not carrying hazardous materials.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines’ John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park is celebrating its 10th birthday with some love. The Des Moines Register reports that the park is now home to a version of the late artist Robert Indiana’s iconic “LOVE” sculpture. Crews worked Thursday morning to install the sculpture, which depicts the word “LOVE” in red with the “L” and “O” stacked on top of the “V” and “E.”

Front row: Little Miss Cassidy Kennedy and Little Mister Grayson Smith. Back row left to right: 2019 Princess Shelby Stephenson, 2019 Queen Haley Becker, 2019 King Nathan Behrends, 2019 Prince Mitchell Williamson.

The 2019 Cass County Fair King and Queen Contest was held on Thursday night at the Atlantic Middle School Auditorium. The festivities were moved indoors due to some lingering rainfall Thursday night but a large crowd still packed in to the auditorium for the event.

The night started with the Little Miss and Little Mister contest were area youngsters got a chance to be interviewed on stage and a winner for each title was drawn out of a bowl. The 2019 Little Miss is Cassidy Kennedy and the 2019 Little Mister is Grayson Smith.

The King and Queen candidates were then brought out along with past royalty for interviews and final questions. Four finalists were brought up for King and Queen for those final judging questions. The four finalists for Queen were Haley Becker, Jocelyn Amos, Carli Henderson, and Shelby Stephenson. The four King finalists were Mitchell Williamson, Tate Den Beste, Nathan Behrends, and Teaguen Sothman. Following those final questions the judges left to make their final decisions.

The 2019 Cass County 4-H Hall of Fame Inductee was Duane Weirich. Duane was thanked for his numerous projects to benefit the Cass County Fairgrounds and for working with area 4-H’ers on their welding projects and starting the Bucket of Junk Contest in Cass County.

The 4-H Banner Club of the Year was Grant Guys and Gals. They were awarded the big banner on stage for the year and the club will get priority seating at the bull ride on Friday night.

Senior recognition was next on the schedule as a large number of Senior 4-H members were honored for their dedication and work with 4-H. The 2018 Iowa State Fair Queen Hailey Swan was also in attendance for the night and talked about her experience with the crowd.

Then it was time to crown the Cass County Fair Royalty. The 2019 Mr. Congenialty award went to Garrett Reynolds, the son of Bob and Nancy Reynolds. The 2019 Cass County Fair Prince is Mitchell Williamson, the son of Dave and Julie Williamson. The 2019 Cass County Fair King went to Nathan Behrends, the son of Curt and Michelle Behrends. Miss Congeniality was awarded to Katie York, the daughter of Dave and Kristy York. 2019 Cass County Fair Princess is Shelby Stephenson, the daughter of Corey and Tammy Stephenson. The 2019 Cass County Fair Queen is Haley Becker, the daughter of Chad and Melissa Becker.

Haley Becker will move on to represent Cass County at the Iowa State Fair Queen Contest. The 2019 Iowa State Fair Queen Coronation will be held on Saturday, August 10th at 7:00pm on the Anne and Bill Riley Stage on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

(Radio Iowa) — A seven-year-old girl escaped injury after she climbed up a water tower in Estherville this (Thursday) morning and got stuck at the top. Estherville Police were called shortly after 10 a.m. about a missing girl with autism. Police officers immediately began searching the neighborhood on foot and with a drone, but at about 10:30, a family member who spotted the girl on the water tower. The tower is near the family’s home.

Estherville Fire Chief Dick Beaver says the fire department used its aerial truck to reach the girl. “She was at the top of the water tower, just hanging on,” eh says. “We didn’t know she had her head stuck until we got somebody up there in the aerial.” Crews had to use a saw to free the girl.

“They were attempting to get her off and then figured out her wasn’t going to come out the way it went in,” the chief said. “…That’s when they made the decision…that would be the fastest way.” After the girl was freed and brought down from the tower, she was checked over by E-M-Ts and paramedics, then released to her parents.

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol says an Iowa teen has been arrested after leading a trooper on a chase in south-central Nebraska that reached speeds of 115 mph.

The patrol says the incident began Wednesday evening near Gibbon, when a trooper spotted a sedan speeding on Interstate 80 at more than 100 mph. The trooper tried to stop the car, which had been reported stolen from Sioux City, Iowa, but the driver continued at high speeds and passed other vehicles on the shoulder. Officials say the car eventually exited at The Archway monument at Kearney before driving into a pond. A witness told police the driver escaped and ran off.

A trooper found the suspected driver — a 17-year-old boy — about 10 minutes later and arrested him.

An official with the Audubon County Memorial Hospital and Clinics has informed KJAN News, that the health care provider “Is in the process of responding to a matter that has caused the temporary disabling of some computer systems. No critical patient care equipment has been impacted, and the hospital remains operational.”

ACMH Privacy and Compliance Officer Kolton Hewlett also said in his statement, “We regret any concern that this matter has caused and are actively working to restore all impacted systems.”

Midwest Dental, in Atlantic, was also affected by a temporary computer system issue, but it was quickly locked down by their security programs, and has not affected any patient records or information.

Red Oak Police report a woman from Cass County was arrested a little before 11-a.m. today (Thursday). 27-year old Michelle Lynn Eden, ofGriswold, was taken into custody on charges that include Harassment in the 3rd degree, and Disorderly Conduct. The charges stem from an incident that occurred Tuesday, at the Red Oak Dollar General Store. Eden was arrested in the 100 block of E. Coolbaugh Street and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where her cash bond was set at $300.