(Radio Iowa) — Thousands of people are expected in Winterset this weekend for a celebration of the area’s famous covered bridges. Heather Riley, executive director of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, says this is the 49th year for the Covered Bridge Festival. It’s usually the busiest weekend of the year for visitors to the county’s six historic bridges – some of which are over 140 years old. “We have all kinds of maps and information here in our office and everyone is welcome to go out on their own to visit the covered bridges, but a better idea is to hop on one of the buses hosted by our local Rotary club and get a bridge tour that way,” Riley said.

The Madison County Covered Bridge Festival, scheduled for 9 am to 5 pm both Saturday and Sunday, typically draws around 20,000 people over the two days. The bridges inspired a 1992 best-selling novel that was adopted into a movie starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. “Around the time the book and movie were so popular, we just had massive amounts of motor coaches here for the festival. We don’t really see that so much, although we do see some motor coaches, they aren’t coming by the dozens like they did 25 years ago when the book and movie were very fresh,” Riley said.

Fundraising continues for the effort to rebuild one of the county’s covered bridges. The Cedar Bridge has been destroyed by arson twice, with the most recent fire about a year-and-a-half ago. “Our hope is that we’ll be cutting the ribbon on the rebuilt Cedar Bridge this time next year, in time for our 50th celebration of the Covered Bridge Festival,” Riley said. I

n addition to tours of the famous overpasses, the Covered Bridge Festival includes a parade, arts and crafts vendors, demonstrations, kid’s activities, and live music — all centered around the Madison County Courthouse in downtown Winterset.

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials say the teenage son of a man killed in a Huxley house fire has also died from his injuries. Huxley Police Sgt. tells the Des Moines Register that 17-year-old Daniel Van Ersvelde died Wednesday at University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City. His death came three days after the fire that killed his father, 47-year-old Brett Van Ersvelde. The teen and his mother were both pulled from his bedroom by firefighters Sunday evening. Two teenage daughters were able to escape.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Three Nebraska farmers have agreed to plead guilty to fraudulently marketing non-organic corn and soybeans as certified organic as part of a multi-million-dollar scheme from 2010 until 2017. Documents filed in federal court in Iowa show that Tom Brennan, James Brennan and Michael Potter each intend to plead guilty to wire fraud. Their attorneys didn’t immediately reply to phone messages. Prosecutors say they sold non-organic grains to an Iowa company that marketed them nationwide as organic.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s governor has issued a disaster proclamation for 19 counties in response to severe weather that raked much of the state earlier this month. Gov. Kim Reynolds issued the proclamation Thursday in the wake of Oct. 4 storms that including damaging winds, heavy rains, flooding and tornadoes.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A man has been given 50 years in prison for stabbing to death a woman in her northeast Iowa home. Court records say 54-year-old Garry James was sentenced Wednesday in Dubuque. Authorities say he killed 53-year-old Michelle Kinney on July 21. Friends found her body two days later on the floor of her blood-spattered kitchen in Dubuque. James pleaded guilty to second-degree murder,

WINDSOR HEIGHTS—Heavy rainfall and extensive flooding throughout most of the state makes many Iowa streams unsafe for recreation. While fast stream currents are the biggest risk for people, high waters can also carry dangerous debris and bacteria. “For their own safety, we’re recommending people stay out of the water until several days after streams return to normal,” said Ted Petersen, supervisor of DNR’s Windsor Heights field office.

“Following heavy rains, almost 100 communities from Keokuk to Waterloo, from Dubuque to Clarinda have reported wastewater discharges since October 1,” he said.

“Widespread heavy rainfall overwhelmed city treatment plants and a number of livestock operations have reported overflowing manure storage systems,” Petersen said. “Most of these facilities have national pollution prevention discharge elimination system or NPDES permits.” Put simply, an NPDES permit allows them to overflow due to heavy rains.

One discharging livestock facility, Cyclone Cattle near Macedonia in Pottawattamie County, has an expired NPDES permit. “Its lagoons have recently been pumped out and there are no animals in the facility.”

Managers of city and industrial wastewater treatment plants, and livestock facilities that are discharging or expecting to discharge should contact their local DNR field office. “We’ll work with them to identify solutions and minimize impacts to nearby streams,” Petersen said.

After hours, facilities can call the DNR emergency spill line at 515-725-8694. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Three farmers have agreed to plead guilty to fraudulently marketing non-organic corn and soybeans as certified organic as part of a lengthy, multi-million-dollar scheme. Documents filed in federal court in Iowa show that Tom Brennan, James Brennan and Michael Potter each intend to plead guilty to wire fraud. All three are identified in court papers as farmers from Nebraska, but additional information about them wasn’t immediately available. Their attorneys didn’t immediately reply to phone messages.

Prosecutors allege that the three sold non-organic grains to an Iowa company that marketed them nationwide with an organic label. In particular, they allegedly used unapproved substances such as pesticides and nitrogen to grow the crops. The scheme allegedly lasted from 2010 until 2017 and netted at least $10.8 million.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A man has been given 50 years in prison for stabbing to death a woman a woman in her northeast Iowa home. Court records say 54-year-old Garry James was sentenced Wednesday in Dubuque. Authorities say he killed 53-year-old Michelle Kinney on July 21. Friends found her body two days later on the floor of her blood-spattered kitchen in Dubuque. James pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after prosecutors reduced the charge from first-degree murder.

(Radio Iowa) — Jake Porter, the Libertarian Party’s candidate for governor, was near the stage — in the audience — for last (Wednesday) night’s televised debate between Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and Democratic challenger Fred Hubbell. “Criminal justice reform, mental health also things with the budget are just things that I would have talked about — in a very positive way,” Porter says. “We wouldn’t go negative against any one of the candidates or anything like that.” Porter says criminal just reform deserves more than just a passing mention in the 2018 campaign.

“There’s about 40,000 to 50,000 Iowans that have served their time, paid for their crime. They need to have their voting rights restored,” Porter says. “At one point they did, now they no longer have their voting rights restored.” In 2005, Governor Tom Vilsack issued an executive order that automatically restored voting rights to felons who had completed their prison time, probation and parole. In 2011, Governor Terry Branstad cancelled that. Felons who’ve completed their sentences must apply — now — to Governor Reynolds and prove fines and restitution have been or are being paid to get their voting rights restored. Porter says just because he and the other candidates for governor aren’t impacted personally by criminal justice issues doesn’t mean the issue should be ignored.

“Currently our prisons are over-capacity. In like seven to eight years, they’re going to be at 142 percent of capacity. The state doesn’t have money to build new prisons, for example, so we have to make decisions: ‘Who are we going to let out?’ It costs $32,000 or so a year to put somebody in prison when it’s a lot cheaper just to treat the addiction and then if we look at people who are addicted, a lot of time they’re afraid to get help,” Porter says. “They’re afraid their kids are going to get taken away from them. They could lose their jobs. They could go to jail for it.”

Porter says it’s time to classify addiction as a health issue rather than a crime issue. Porter runs a marketing and business consulting agency in Council Bluffs. A Des Moines Register Iowa Poll conducted last month found Porter had the support of seven percent of likely voters.

Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation today (Thursday) for 19 counties,  in response to severe weather, including damaging winds, heavy rains, flooding and tornadoes, that took place beginning October 4, 2018. In southwest Iowa, Union County is included in the proclamation, which allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents, along with the Disaster Case Management Program.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level or a maximum annual income of $41,560 for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

Disaster Case Management is a program to address serious needs to overcome a disaster-related hardship, injury or adverse condition. Disaster case managers work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice and referral to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.

Iowans impacted by severe weather are asked to report damage to help local and state officials better understand the damage sustained. Damage to property, roads, utilities and other storm-related information may be reported. This information will be collected by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and shared with local emergency management agencies.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested on separate charges, Wednesday. At around 3-p.m., 19-year old Saxztihn Richard Donaldson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drug, and Operating vehicle without Owners Consent. His bond was set at $3,000. And, at around 11:30-p.m., 25-year old Nathan Thomas Case, of  Omaha, was arrested in Mills County for being a Fugitive from Justice, and Failure to Maintain or use Safety Belts. Bond was set at $5,000.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor will request a review to determine whether an Iowa social worker should be charged with a crime for giving false testimony in child welfare cases. Cerro Gordo County Attorney Carlyle Dalen says he’ll refer the case involving former Iowa Department of Human Services employee Chelsie Gray to another agency for investigation. Dalen says he’s trying to determine which office should handle the inquiry to ensure “this potential criminal matter can be evaluated fairly and independently.” He says his office shouldn’t be involved since it uncovered Gray’s false statements and brought them to the court’s attention.

A judge in June found Gray told “lies and misrepresentations” during a proceeding in which parents were unfairly stripped of their rights to four children. She falsely claimed she routinely visited the family as required and spoke to the children’s teachers. Until The Associated Press reported the ruling Tuesday, Gray had apparently avoided any consequences. She resigned from DHS last month.

A traffic stop on a vehicle with no passenger side taillight Wednesday evening in Pottawattamie County resulted in the arrest of the driver on a warrant out of Nebraska. A Pott. County Deputy pulled a 2002 Chevy Prizm over at around 7-p.m. along Highway 92 at Valley View Drive. A records check indicated 29-year old Joseph Vincent Martinez, Jr., of Omaha, was wanted for being a Fugitive from Justice. Martinez was being held in the Pott. County Jail without bond.

And, a Glenwood man was arrested at around 2:45-a.m. today (Thursday), after deputies responded to a report of a vehicle stopped on the roadway in the area of Wabash Avenue and Wabash.  Following an investigation, 24-year old Benjamin Lloyd Ensley was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense. Ensley was not listed on the jail roster, meaning that he likely bonded-out of custody.