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

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(Radio Iowa) — Several people spoke out against the closing the University of Iowa Labor Center Thursday, during the public comments portion of the Board of Regents meeting Iowa City. U-I president Bruce Harreld acknowledge those concerns in his monthly report to the board. Harreld says the continued cutting of state funds has forced the school to review how they use their resources and he says tuition cannot be used to subsidize some activities.

)”We’re very cognizant in light of the state’s generation disinvestment that the actions we are taking…will create uncertainty in our community and across the state. And frankly I am as devastated as you are, my team is, and the group that was just with us,” Harreld says. He says they will continue working to implement their strategic plan and focus their resources on three areas.”One, student success. Two the research agenda for this institution, and finally, economic development for out state and region,” Harreld says.

University of Northern Iowa president, Mark Nook, opened his report to the board by talking about the death of an employee on campus Monday. Sixty-one year-old Kevin Bley died from injuries while working on a steam line. “The impact of Kevin’s death has been felt across our campus and across our community,” Nook told the board.

Bley had work at the Cedar Falls school for 10 years. “When most people think of colleges and universities — they see professors and students and perhaps advisors and deans — but there are so many people behind the scenes that make it possible for the universities of this state to provide the high quality of education our students deserve. Kevin was one of those people,” according to Nook.

The board held a moment of silence to remember Bley. The school has hired an outside engineering firm to review their procedures following Bley’s death.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two pedestrians have been killed in Davenport. Police say the two men were struck around 10:30 p.m. Thursday by a pickup truck. It’s unclear whether they were trying to cross the roadway without going to a nearby traffic signal. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names and that of the pickup driver haven’t been released. Police are investigating.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 46-year old Christopher Dean Vannausdle, of Villisca, was arrested at around 10-p.m. Thursday, on a Class-D Felony charge of Enticing a Minor under the age of 16. Vannausdle was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond. And, Red Oak Police report 53-year old Valerie Zamora, of Westminster, CO., was arrested at around 2:30-p.m. Thursday, for Public Intoxication/3rd or subsequent offense. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond.

(Update 7:30-a.m.) Anita Rescue and Wiota First Responders were called to the scene of a semi-tractor trailer rollover accident at around 4:30-a.m. today (Friday). According to dispatch reports, the crash occurred near 50635 690th, which is just southwest of Interstate 80 (Exit 64). One person was said to have been suffering from a head injury. They were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic. According the Cass County Emergency Management Director Mike Kennon, the accident happened when the semi, which was hauling hogs, left the Interstate and was turning south from the off-ramp onto Highway N-28, toward Wiota, when the semi entered the ditch and rolled over.

Authorities were working to reload the hogs onto another semi-trailer. For now, Kennon is asking motorists to avoid the area.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds is defending her decision to travel to Iowa State’s bowl game for free on a plane owned by a company that is a longtime and controversial state vendor. Reynolds says she sees nothing wrong with her flight on the plane owned by Sedgwick, which administers claims for workers’ compensation benefits filed by injured state employees. She says her office received written approval from the ethics board director to take a donor-funded flight to the bowl game in order to “campaign.”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha World-Herald’s reporters and editors are considering forming a union at the newspaper owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. About three-quarters of the 95 journalists at the newspaper have said they want to be represented by the NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America union.

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) — A former Sioux Center private school teacher convicted of sexually abusing a child has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that 36-year-old Curtis Van Dam sentenced in Sioux City’s federal court. Van Dam pleaded guilty in June to sexually abusing a child. In exchange, other counts were dropped.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Magazine and broadcasting company Meredith is laying off 200 more people as it continues to cut costs after buying Time Inc. earlier this year. Meredith spokesman Art Slusark said Thursday that most of the job cuts are in the New York area, but 25 will be eliminated in Birmingham, Alabama, and another 15 will be cut at the company’s headquarters in Des Moines.

Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Transportation report that on Wednesday, Sept. 19th, staff from the De Soto maintenance garage will replace the culvert under Willow Avenue on the north side of Iowa 44 in Guthrie county, weather permitting.

The project will begin at 7:30 a.m. and is expected to be completed by 3:30 p.m. No official detour will be in place during this closure.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) — A former Sioux Center private school teacher convicted of sexually abusing a child has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that 36-year-old Curtis Van Dam was sentenced in Sioux City’s federal court. Van Dam pleaded guilty in June to sexually abusing a child. In exchange, other counts were dropped.

Police arrested Van Dam on Oct. 23 after the parents of an 11-year-old boy reported the teacher had sexual contact with their son. Police say Van Dam took part in sex crimes involving numerous children over four years and that the crimes occurred at various locations, including Sioux Center Christian School, where Van Dam worked as a fifth-grade teacher.

Two women from Missouri were arrested Thursday morning on drug charges, in Fremont County. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports deputies were dispatched at around 10:45-a.m. to the Finder’s Keeper’s Antique Mall, for a suspicious person. Upon further investigation, Deputies arrested 22-year old’s Lauren White and Whitney Glasscock, both of Kansas City, MO., for: Possession of a Prescription Drugs (Xanax and Suboxone), Possession of Marijuana and Butane Hash Oil, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Their bonds at the Fremont County Jail, were set at $4,300 each. The Mills County K-9 Unit assisted Fremont County Deputies in handling the investigation and arrests.

Whitney Glasscock

Lauren White

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Magazine and broadcasting company Meredith is laying off 200 more people as it continues to cut costs after buying Time Inc. earlier this year. Meredith spokesman Art Slusark said Thursday that most of the job cuts are in the New York area, but 25 will be eliminated in Birmingham, Alabama, and another 15 will be cut at the company’s headquarters in Des Moines.

Since the Time acquisition, Meredith has eliminate about 1,800 jobs and 800 other employees have left the company. In addition to the job cuts, Meredith also announced it would merge two of its cooking magazines — Cooking Light and EatingWell — into one publication with circulation of 1.775 million readers that will be printed ten times a year.