CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A former Cedar Rapids nurse has pleaded not guilty to federal charges after being accused of stealing the powerful painkiller fentanyl from a surgery clinic where she worked. Prosecutors say 52-year-old Sabrina Thalblum, of Cedar Rapids, is charged with two federal counts in the case. She has been released without bond while she awaits her Feb. 1 trial. Prosecutors say that for a year starting in 2018, she used fine gauge needles to withdraw the opioid from unopened vials of the drug, then used a needle to replace the missing painkiller with a clear substance.

A settlement agreement filed in June with the Iowa Board of Nursing says Thalblum admitted to taking the fentanyl from the surgery center and to having a substance abuse problem.

(Updated) A collision between two semi-tractor trailers took place early Thursday morning in Adair County, resulted in minor injuries. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Ryan DeVault told KJAN News the accident happened at around 4:17-a.m. On Interstate 80 at mile marker 80.

(As said: The first semi was a 2020 Freightliner owned by K&B Transportation, from South Sioux City, Nebraska, which was illegally parked along the shoulder of I-80, facing westbound, near the rest area entrance. The second semi was a 2013 Freightliner registered to Salia Holdings, Inc., and driven by 33-year old Raphael Morris, from Detroit, MI. Morris was driving in the right lane of I-80 westbound and approaching the illegally parked semi, when the truck blew front/steer tire, causing him to lose control. Morris’ trailer sideswiped the trailer of the first semi. Following the impact, both semi’s caught fire.  Morris’ semi came to rest in the median, while the first semi remained on the shoulder. Both drivers were able to escape their vehicles. Minor suffered minor cuts and abrasions, and was treated at the scene.)

DeVault said both trucks sustained major fire damage and were considered a total loss. I-80 was shut down for about 2-to 3-hours and traffic detoured off I-80 around the wreck. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Adair and Casey Fire Departments, Adair-Guthrie County Emergency Managenent Agency, Adair County Ambulance and the Adair County Sheriff’s Department along with the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Thursday, said the first of 172,000 total doses of a vaccine to protect Iowans against the Coronavirus, are set to arrive in a little more than a week. (See the full schedule here: Vaccine_Brief_Vaccine_Dec3_2020 (2) ). The first 26,000 doses produced by Pfizer (Pending Federal Regulatory approval) should arrive by December 13th

Health care professionals, including Long-Term Care Center staff and their patients will be a priority when it comes to getting the vaccine, according to Kelly Garcia, Interim Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Garcia says the Moderna vaccine has slightly different storage and usage criteria than the Pfizer vaccine.

Garcia says a portion of Iowa’s initial distribution will be to health care facilities across the State. She said the CDC is allocating the COVID-19 vaccine in Iowa based on population size and target populations, such as the elderly and immuno-compromised persons. Garcia says the state’s nailed down 39 locations so far for ultra-cold storage. She says by the middle of next year, there should be plenty of vaccine for everyone who wants it.

Governor Kim Reynolds said thanks to Iowans’ efforts in preventing the spread of COVID, 30 Long-Term Care facilities will soon drop-off the list of outbreaks, because their number of cases have been below the criteria for outbreak status, more than 28-days.

A collision between two semi-tractor trailers that took place at around 4:30-this (Thursday) morning in Adair County, resulted in Interstate 80 being blocked for the part of the morning commute. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the driver of one semi was traveling west on I-80, when his rig lost a tire and crashed into a second, parked semi.

The Iowa State patrol said the crash caused both trucks to catch fire. Both drivers suffered minor injuries. Firefighters closed a portion of I-80 in both directions because water caused the hoses used to extinguish the flames to ice over.

Page County Sheriff’s Deputies, Wednesday, executed a Taylor County search warrant on a residence in Shambaugh. As a result, 50-year-old Philip Everett Brownfield, of Shambaugh, was arrested without incident, for Violation of the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. He was transported to the Taylor/Page County line before being transferred to the custody of Taylor County Deputies for processing. The cash or surety bond on the warrant was set at $2,000.

(Radio Iowa) – An Ottumwa man and woman face multiple counts of sexual abuse and authorities say the abuse dates back seven years. Forty-nine-year-old Jesse Harnden has been charged with 85 counts of second and third-degree sexual abuse. Court records say Harnden started engaging in illegal sex acts with a seven-year-old child in February 2013. Police say the abuse continued until the early months of 2020.

Forty-seven-year-old Heather Mantell is the child’s biological mother and is in a relationship with Harnden. Court documents allege Mantell was aware of the illegal acts occurring between Harnden and her child. Harnden, Mantell, and the victim all lived in the same residence.

Court records also say that when the child was a teenager, Mantell engaged in illegal sex acts with the victim and Harnden. Mantell has been charged with child endangerment and two counts of third-degree sexual abuse. Both Harnden and Mantell are currently in the Wapello County Jail.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon reports maintenance will take place, beginning early Friday morning, on the telephone lines at the Cass County Communications Center.  Kennon says from 1-a.m. until 6-a.m. Friday, crews will be performing necessary maintenance activities. That will result in 9-1-1 calls, but they will be routed through the State Patrol or Montgomery County. Non-Emergency [administrative calls] will still get through at 243-2204.

After-hours calls to the Atlantic Police Department will not ring through, so if you wish to call-in a non-emergency matter to the Police Department, you can call the Administration Line at 243-2204, or in an emergency, 9-1-1.

(Radio Iowa) – The latest report from Iowa Workforce Development shows another drop in jobless claims. The number of initial unemployment claims filed last week dropped to around 5,600, down more than 3,300 from the previous week. Workforce Development says the number of continuing weekly unemployment claims was over 34,000, also down about 2,600 from the week before. More than half of the claimants indicated their claims were not COVID-19 related.

Industries with the most claims included, construction, manufacturing, the self-employed, accommodation & food services, and health care & social assistance.