CHEROKEE, Iowa (AP) — An idle meat processing plant that closed in 2014 in northwest Iowa will reopen this week with new owners. The Sioux City Journal reports the Iowa Food Group has hired about 35 people initially and plans to increase that to about 100 this year. The company plans to process beef, chicken, pork and lamb that is slaughtered elsewhere and package it for retail.

Arkansas-based Tyson Foods closed the plant in September 2014, taking 450 jobs with it. Tyson held onto its lease and weathered criticism that it was holding the county hostage economically.

Police in Council Bluffs were called to a residence in the 2500 block of Avenue D at around 1:17-a.m. today (Sunday), in reference to a shots fired call. Upon arrival officers made contact with the offender, Thomas Nelson. Authorities say Nelson would not follow officer’s commands, and refused to show his hands. Officers ultimately deployed a Taser to subdue Nelson. He was taken into custody without further incident.

Officers checked the residence to make sure there was no one injured inside. They were able to make contact with the victim who informed Police that Nelson had fired one round into the basement wall. No one was injured. Nelson was booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail for Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon, Aggravated Assault/Domestic, Interference with Official Acts and Discharging a Firearm within the City Limits.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says they were notified at around 10-p.m. Saturday, about minors attending a school dance in the 200 block of Broad Avenue in Stanton, who appeared to be impaired by alcohol. As a result of a investigation, eight juveniles were cited into Juvenile Court for alcohol under age, and two 18-year old’s were cited into Adult Court for alcohol under age. All those cited were released to the custody of their parent or guardian.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:00 a.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa firefighter seriously injured in a fiery explosion that killed one of his colleagues has been sent home from the hospital. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 23-year-old Clinton firefighter Adam Cain, who was severely injured Jan. 5 while fighting a silo fire, left an Iowa City hospital Friday. Thirty-three-year-old fire Lt. Eric Hosette died while fighting the fire at the ADM grain facility.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The last of four men charged in the killing of a man at a Council Bluffs homeless shelter has been sentenced. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 21-year-old Cody Varnes pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery and was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison. Varnes and three other men were charged after the March 21, 2018, killing of 44-year-old Lee Johnson in a bathroom at Joshua House.

PRIMGHAR, Iowa (AP) — Constituents applauded Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King at his first public event since his nearly unanimous rebuke by the U.S. House over racist comments he made during a newspaper interview earlier this month. King took questions from about 75 people at the Saturday morning meeting in Primghar. The New York Times story that led to the rebuke quoted King as saying, “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization – how did that language become offensive?”

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa law license of a former Marshalltown prosecutor who stole a co-worker’s underwear has been suspended. The Iowa Supreme Court ordered the license of Benjamin Stansberry suspended indefinitely, for at least one year. Stansberry pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft and trespassing charges in the case in September 2016 following his arrest a month earlier. He paid more than $200 in fines and court costs and resigned from his job in the Marshall County Attorney’s Office.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies, along with crews with the Adair County Ambulance Service, Greenfield Fire Department, Menlo Fire and Rescue as well as the Iowa State Patrol, were called to the scene of an apparent, single-vehicle accident late Saturday night.

The crash happened at around 11-p.m., near Highway 25 and 150th Street, or about 4.5-miles south of Interstate 80. No other details are currently available.

(Photos Courtesy Shellie Weed, Adair County S/O)

(Update 10-a.m. 1/27) — The 2019 edition of RAGBRAI will start in Council Bluffs on July 21st and come to Atlantic on July 22nd. The ride continues through the 27th with overnight stops in Winterset, Indianola, Centerville, Fairfield and Burlington.

The 2019 route is 427 miles with 14,735 feet of climb, the eighth easiest route in the rides 47 year history. The 2019 ride is also the sixth shortest and eighth flattest. The full route, including pass-through towns and vehicle directions, is expected to be released in March.

Bailey Smith, Executive Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce says “We are excited to see RAGBRAI has named Atlantic as a host community. RAGBRAI has always expressed how much they love coming to Atlantic and we’re excited to show not just the state of Iowa, but cyclists from the country and around the world what kind of people and community we are.”

Kipp Harris, who has chaired the last two RAGBRAI visits, and Nick Harris will co-chair RAGBRAI 2019. Smith says “Hosting RAGBRAI is a community wide effort and we’re pleased to have Kipp & Nick stepping up to lead the charge. RAGBRAI gives Atlantic a lot of positive exposure while supporting local organizations and non-profits. We look forward to partnering with community leading entities as well as community minded individuals to have a successful RAGBRAI 2019.”

More details about committee and volunteer needs will be available in the coming weeks. For more information regarding RAGBRAI 2019, please visit www.ragbrai.com.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County said Saturday, two people were arrested on assault charges Friday, following an incident that started in a vehicle on Highway 34, near the Prescott Corner. 49-year old Darryn Dugan and 48-year old Dodie Shaffer, of Nodaway, were arrested at around 6:35-p.m. after Adams County Dispatch received a call indicating Dugan had allegedly been beaten up by his girlfriend (Shaffer). Both were transported to the Adams County Jail from their home in Nodaway. They were provided medical attention and then booked into the jail, where their bonds were set at $1,000.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The last of four men charged in the killing of a man at a Council Bluffs homeless shelter has been sentenced. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 21-year-old Cody Varnes pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery and was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison. His sentencing followed the same sentenced handed down Jan. 15 to 20-year-old James McCauley, also for robbery.

They, along with 32-year-old Brandon Hollis and 47-year-old Vance Good, were charged after the March 21, 2018, killing of 44-year-old Lee Johnson in a bathroom at Joshua House. Hollis was sentenced Jan. 10 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to robbery and willful injury. Good was sentenced Jan. 8 to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder.

PRIMGHAR, Iowa (AP) — Constituents applauded Republican Rep. Steve King at the first of 39 town hall meetings the Iowa congressman plans to hold following his nearly unanimous rebuke by the U.S. House over racist comments he made during a newspaper interview earlier this month. King took questions from about 75 people who attended the Saturday morning meeting in the tiny northwestern Iowa city of Primghar. He did not take questions from reporters.

It was King’s first public event since the New York Times published a story that quoted him saying, “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” The comments were denounced as racist and led the House to vote 424-1 to rebuke King. Republican leaders also stripped him of his committee assignments.

King claimed his comments were taken out of context, saying in a House floor speech that he doesn’t believe in white supremacy, so “I do not know how it could possibly come out of my mouth.”

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa law license of a former Marshalltown prosecutor who stole a co-worker’s underwear has been suspended. The Iowa Supreme Court ordered the license of Benjamin Stansberry suspended indefinitely, for at least one year. Stansberry pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft and trespassing charges in the case in September 2016 following his arrest a month earlier. He paid more than $200 in fines and court costs and resigned from his job in the Marshall County Attorney’s Office. He also resigned from his position as a member of the Marshalltown Community School District board.

Stansberry’s arrest came after a co-worker reported finding a pair of her underwear in her driveway just after Stansberry had been alone in the woman’s house. Authorities determined he entered her bedroom without permission to take them.