MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — A report by a state toxicologist says dust from waste material used to cover Muscatine County’s gravel roads could be hurting the health of children and adults who are exposed.
The report was written by Iowa Public Health Department toxicologist Stuart Schmitz for resident who oppose the county’s use of slag. Slag is a byproduct from steel manufacturing, and the report says it contains metals at levels that are harmful to infants and toddlers but also for kids up to 18 years old.

The report also says the slag dust is dangerous for adults who are exposed to levels nearly twice what’s considered safe. The report says, however, that adults would have to work “an entire workday, most days of the year,” to be harmed.

County Supervisor Nathan Mather said at Monday’s board meeting that “this is the first time anybody in an official capacity has told us there’s a concern.”

(Radio Iowa) — State Auditor Rob Sand is planning what he describes as a more thorough review of how private companies are running the state’s Medicaid program, but he is not predicting when that review may be completed. Republican State Auditor Mary Mosiman released her staff’s review of Medicaid in late November — concluding the state will save 126 million dollars this year because of the shift to privately managed care of Medicaid patients. Sand defeated Mosiman’s bid for reelection and Sand replaced her as state auditor last week.

“The only thing that they looked at was: ‘Might we be saving money?'” Sand says. “But they didn’t look at the services getting provided or the quality of the services getting provided, much less the quantity.” Sand says Medicaid patients and Iowa taxpayers need to know more than just the price of Medicaid coverage.  “It’d be a little bit like me telling my wife: “Hey, I saved a lot of money. This truck I bought was really cheap,’ but she says: ‘How many miles are on it?’ and I say: ‘I don’t know yet ‘ And she says: ‘Does the engine work?’ And I say: ‘I don’t know about that either.’ You can’t just look at the price tag,” Sand says. “You have to look at what you’re getting in exchange and we haven’t looked at that.”

Sand and other Democrats criticized Mosiman for failing to release her review Medicaid privatization BEFORE the General Election. Sand, who took office last Wednesday, isn’t providing a target date for the release of this broader review of Iowa’s Medicaid program. “It’d be irresponsible for me at this point to speculate about that,” Sand says. Sand made his comments during a weekend appearance on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program.

(Radio Iowa) — Members of Iowa’s congressional delegation say it’s time to end the partial government shut-down, but their responses to President Trump’s Oval Office address vary, based on their political affiliation.

According to Republican Senator Joni Ernst, Democrats in congress — in her words — “are playing games with the safety and security of each and every town in America.” Ernst says a wall will not only protect the southern border, but prevent human trafficking and the transport of illegal weapons and drugs.

Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Iowa City, says the president seems obsessed with what Loebsack describes as “an expensive and ineffective wall.” Loebsack says it’s time for congress to end “the bickering” and pass a bill that includes border security measures along with reform of the country’s broken immigration system.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Officials in western Iowa say the body of a man has been found by firefighters in an apartment where they were fighting a fire. Omaha, Nebraska, television station KETV reports that the fire broke out Tuesday afternoon at an apartment in Council Bluffs. Fire Chief Justin James says crews were able to get the fire under control shortly after the blaze was reported around 3 p.m. Once inside, firefighters found the body.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Nebraska man has been charged in Iowa with conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and other counts. The Iowa Insurance Division says in a news release that 34-year-old Peere Shackelford, of Omaha, was also charged with second-degree arson and conspiracy to commit a felony following an investigation by the division and the Council Bluffs Fire Department. Shackelford is accused of giving false information to his insurance carrier following a vehicle fire.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in eastern Iowa are investigating the death of a woman, whose body was found by the side of a highway near Muscatine. The Muscatine Journal reports that the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office received a call around 1 a.m. Tuesday to report a woman lying on the side of Highway 38. Arriving deputies found the woman’s body. Officials had not released the woman’s name by midafternoon Tuesday. An autopsy has been ordered.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man faces felony charges after officials say he drunkenly fired a rifle from the front deck of a camper hoping to bag a deer, but instead shot a woman in her home. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the shooting happened Friday evening in Wapello County. Deputies arrested 34-year-old Lee Joseph Ryals, whom they believe fired a rifle from the camper at a deer while he was drunk.

(Radio Iowa) — The 2019 Iowa legislature convenes on Monday and odds are that lawmakers will consider a bill to make it legal to bet on sporting events.  “I think we have a really good chance to get sports betting passed here in the State of Iowa this year.” That’s Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Ankeny who decides which bills get debated in the state senate. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last May that ALL states may legalize wagering on sporting events.

“As I travel to conferences across the country and meet with other leaders, there’s a lot of states that are looking at that right now,” Whitver says. “I think right now the conversations have progressed pretty in the state of Iowa. You have a lot of people interested in that bill seem to be on the same page and that makes it a lot more feasible this year.” Over the past couple of years, casino industry lobbyists urged Iowa legislators to prepare for the Supreme Court’s ruling and set up a system that would give the state-licensed casinos authority run sports book operations.

New Jersey and Delaware immediately legalized sports betting this past spring and Whitver says Iowa casinos seem the likely host for wagering on sports — if it’s legalized here. “We have a fairly good system set up with the casinos and our Racing and Gaming (Commission) overseeing gambling and so I think you’d largely use that structure as you look at how to implement sports betting,” Whitver says.

Iowa Lottery officials say several of the state’s largest lottery retailers want the option of offering a sports lottery — similar. perhaps, to the one now legal in Delaware. Whitver says it “makes more sense” to have sports wagering managed by the casinos. “There’s a lot of people that want a piece of the action,” Whitver says. “…The casinos are used to the regulation. They understand the process. The systems are all set up there. It would be totally different to allow the lottery to get into the gambling world and so, right now, I would be more focused on the casinos, but open minded to listen to what those who are advocating for the lottery would say.”

Estimates indicate Americans illegally bet hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars on sporting events every year. Bills to legalize sports betting in Iowa have been introduced in the Iowa legislature since 2010, but none advanced beyond the committee level.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in eastern Iowa are investigating the death of a woman, whose body was found by the side of a highway near Muscatine. The Muscatine Journal reports that the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office received a call around 1 a.m. Tuesday to report a woman lying on the side of Highway 38. Arriving deputies found the woman’s body.

Officials had not released the woman’s name as of late Tuesday evening. An autopsy has been ordered. The highway near the scene was closed as officers investigated with the help of the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Muscatine County Attorney’s Office.

Fire officials in Pottawattamie County say the body of a man was found by firefighters Tuesday, in an apartment where they were fighting a fire. Council Bluffs Fire Chief Justin James said the blaze at 221 N. 30th Street was reported at around 3-p.m. Initial arriving crews found smoke coming from a second floor apartment window.  Upon entering the apartment, crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire while conducting a primary search.  During the search, crews located an adult male deceased inside the apartment.

The victim has not been identified at this time.  Personnel from the Council Bluffs Fire Marshal’s Office, Council Bluffs Police Department, Pottawattamie County Medical Examiner’s Office as well as the State Fire Marshal’s Office are conducting the investigation.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man faces felony charges after officials say he drunkenly fired a rifle from the front deck of a camper hoping to bag a deer, but instead shot a woman in her home.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the shooting happened Friday evening in Wapello County.

The Wapello County Sheriff’s Office says a 73-year-old woman was cleaning her stove when she heard a loud noise and felt pain to the back of her head. When she saw that she was bleeding heavily, she drove herself to Ottumwa Regional Hospital. Doctors later removed a bullet from the back of her head.

Deputies arrested 34-year-old Lee Joseph Ryals, whom they believe fired a rifle from the camper at a deer while he was drunk. Ryals is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and reckless use of a firearm. Conservation officers have also charged him with several hunting violations.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon has announced that Cass County will host a National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Spotter Training Presentation on Monday, February 25^th at 7-p.m. 

The program will take place in the courtroom of the Cass County Courthouse. More information will be released as it becomes available. Storm Spotter Training is offered to the public as a tool to identify severe weather phenomenon, such as tornadoes, cloud formations and signs of impending severe weather.

Persons who have already attended a Spotter Training program can use the session Feb. 25th as a refresher course.

Officials with the Cass County Health System, today (Tuesday), announced the arrival of the first baby of 2019. Ryleigh Lane arrived January 6th, 2019 and was welcomed by big brother Wyatt and parents Michelle and Dustin Gelner. The CCHS Obstetrics team presented the family with a 2019 embroidered baby blanket and a year’s supply of diapers.

Gelner Family