The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Creston Police report the arrest at around 3:20-a.m. today (Thursday), of 25-year old Bradley Nauman, of Creston. Nauman was taken into custody near the intersection of Pine and Howard Streets, on a charge of OWI/1st offense. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond. And, at around 10:37-p.m. Tuesday, 28-year old Alex Cunningham, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, for Violating a Protective Order, and on four counts of Harassment in the 1st Degree. Cunningham was being held in the Union County Jail on a $17,600 bond.

(7-a.m. News)

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A jury will resume deliberations today (Thursday), in the third trial of an Illinois man accused in the 1990 killing of a 9-year-old girl in eastern Iowa. The Black Hawk County jurors began their work Wednesday after closing arguments for and against Stanley Liggins. He’s charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jennifer Lewis, of Rock Island, Illinois. Her burned remains were found in September 1990 near a school in neighboring Davenport, Iowa, which is just across the Mississippi River.

Liggins has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison twice in the death of Lewis. Both convictions were overturned. His third trial was moved to Black Hawk County from Scott County because of extensive pretrial publicity. Trial testimony began Aug. 30.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former campaign treasurer for a Des Moines legislator has been charged with stealing more than $7,000 in campaign donations. Polk County court records say 47-year-old Falecia Mtayari, of Des Moines, is charged with theft, fraudulent practice and unlawful transfer of campaign funds. The records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for Mtayari.

The records say Mtayari admitted writing checks and withdrawing cash from the account of Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines, a Democrat who represents north-central Des Moines’ District 32 in the Iowa House of Representatives. Gaines reported the theft in November.

Police in Council Bluffs say a convenience store was robbed at around 4:34-a.m. today (Thursday). Officers were dispatched to the Bucky’s store at 3434 Nebraska Ave., in reference to a robbery call. Upon officers arrival they were informed that a light skinned black male dressed in a red Nebraska Hooded Sweatshirt gave the clerk a note demanding merchandise and an undisclosed amount of money. After receiving the items, the man left the area on foot.  The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Council Bluffs Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

(Radio Iowa) — The lawyer for the man accused of killing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts says he may request a change of venue for the trial. Chad Frese is representing 24-year-old Cristhian Rivera, who is charged with killing the 20-year-old Tibbetts after following her on a run in her hometown of Brooklyn. “We have to find a place, no matter where it is, whether it’s Poweshiek County or anyplace else where we can find a jury of 12 people who can hear the case impartially,” Frese says.

Frese spoke after he and Rivera appeared at the Powesheik County Courthouse Wednesday to plead not guilty to a first-degree murder charge. Tibbetts disappeared while out for a run in her hometown of Brooklyn on July 18th and the case got national and international attention as family, friends and law enforcement searched for more than a month trying to find her. Federal officials say Rivera, is in the country illegally from Mexico. Frese says that won’t be part of the trial. “Immigration really has nothing to do with this case and we aren’t going to let that become an issue with this case,” according to Frese. “Our focus is Cristhian’s charge that he is facing and the death of this woman.”

Investigators say Rivera told them he doesn’t remember killing Tibbetts because he blacked out, and that has led to some speculation about what Frese will use for his defense. The lawyer is not giving any details beyond the immigration issue. “Whether or not he is a illegal or legal immigrant has nothing to do with the facts of this case,” Frese says. Rivera also waived his right to a speedy trial during the arraignment Wednesday. The trial has been scheduled to begin at 9:30 a-m on April 16th.

A traffic stop at around 6:40-p.m. Wednesday, in Red Oak, resulted in the driver’s arrest for Operating a vehicle While Intoxicated. Red Oak Police say 24-year old Kaylie Louise Hudson, of Red Oak, was arrested at the intersection of Highway 48 and J Avenue. She was charged with OWI/1st offense and held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says negotiations on the next Farm Bill have “taken a turn” in the wrong direction. Ernst is the only Iowan on the committee of House and Senate members assigned to come up with a new five-year Farm Bill by the end of the month. “I don’t think we’re close and, unfortunately, it’s just taken a turn over the last week or so,” Ernst said during an interview with Radio Iowa. “I was very optimistic. I’m going to remain optimistic, but it’s starting to wane right now. We could be looking at a one-year extension.”

That means the current Farm Bill provisions would be extended through 2019, giving congress 12 more months to negotiate.  “Which I don’t want to see,” Ernst said. “I want to see the Farm Bill done.”  The main sticking point is whether to enforce new work requirements for Americans who receive government nutrition assistance — commonly referred to as “food stamps.”

The proposal was included in the version of the Farm Bill that cleared the U.S. House, but not the one that passed the Senate. Ernst says conference committee members have worked through other points of friction. If the debate over work requirements for nutrition assistance continues into 2019, it could occur in a reorganized committee with new members and, perhaps, under Democratic rather than Republican control.
“Let’s get it done now,” Ernst said. “That’s what I keep pushing the chairman to do.”

Ernst spoke with Radio Iowa in the U.S. Capitol, near the Senate floor.

(Radio Iowa) — A newly formed company is planning to do business in a northwest Iowa Tyson Foods plant that was shut down in 2014. Bill Anderson, executive director for Cherokee Area Economic Development, says the Iowa Food Group has acquired the facility. The announcement falls on homecoming week for Cherokee Schools.

“Four years ago, during homecoming week, Tyson closed their doors for the last time. Now, here we sit four years later, during homecoming week, and the plant will be reopening,” Anderson said.  Iowa Food Group plans to start operations in January with 100 workers.

“They will purchase boxed beef and cut that beef into steaks, fajita meat, and things like that. They’ll repackage it and resell it to (grocery stores) and restaurants,” Anderson said. “So, it’s value-added agriculture, I guess you would say. It may be processed by somebody else, as far as being harvested, then they will take it and further process it.”

Iowa Food Group owners hope to eventually employ up to 500 people at the plant. Around 450 people lost their jobs in 2014 when Tyson closed the Cherokee plant in 2014. According to Anderson, more positive economic news is on the way. A local business will break ground on a $2 million expansion project on September 28.

“Foundation Analytical Laboratory, which is here now, will be breaking ground on a new facility. So, it’s another tremendous announcement. We’ve had a great couple of weeks,” Anderson said. Cherokee has a population of roughly 6,000.

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

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Teammates and others who knew an Iowa State University student-athlete who was killed this week while playing golf near the campus shared stories about her and lit candles in her memory. The vigil Wednesday evening to remember 22-year-old Celia Barquin Arozamena drew a large crowd to the Ames campus. Several speakers, including women’s golf coach Christie Martens, talked about the star golfer from Spain. Barquin, an engineering student, was the Big 12 women’s golf champion this year.

NEW YORK (AP) — Even as the White House has seized on crimes committed by those living in the U.S. illegally as proof of the need for an immigration crackdown, agents are increasingly apprehending people with no criminal records at all. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests of noncriminals soared 66 percent in the first nine months of this fiscal year over the same period a year earlier, while apprehensions of criminals have gone up only 2 percent.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Despite criticism by Democrats of Gov. Kim Reynolds for taking campaign contributions from a company that provides Medicaid services, records show two Democratic leaders also accepted money from such companies. The Des Moines Register reports Rep. Mark Smith of Marshalltown accepted multiple campaign contribution from Medicaid vendors, as Sen. Janet Petersen of Des Moines.

MERRILL, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a young child has been killed in a crash in northwestern Iowa. The Sioux City Journal reports that 6-year-old Ayaan Ibrahn died in the Monday night crash at the intersection of Highway 75 and a city street in Merrill. The Iowa State Patrol says the child was in a southbound SUV driven by 38-year-old Mohamed Abdullahi-Mohamud, of Sioux City, when it went onto the highway shoulder, overcorrected and went into the northbound lanes, hitting a pickup truck nearly head-on.