SABULA, Iowa (AP) — Work on a new bridge connecting Iowa and Illinois has been delayed by high water in the Mississippi River. The February closure of the bridge at Sabula for safety concerns stopped access to the U.S. 52/Illinois 64 bridge over the river to Savanna, Illinois. Drivers have since been making a 36-mile detour or taking a free ferry.

The $8.5 million replacement bridge was expected to be opened by Labor Day, but now the opening is projected for several weeks later. On Wednesday Iowa Transportation Department engineer Jim Schnoebelen blamed the delay on the slower-than-anticipated rate at which the river water is dropping. Snowmelt and heavy rains had swollen the river above flood stage at several spots earlier this year.

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — A state oversight board has approved a Dubuque hospital’s request to buy $5.2 million worth of equipment for a new cancer center. The State Health Facilities Council voted 3-1 at its meeting Wednesday for the proposal from Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque. Mercy plans to start building its $25 million treatment center this year and open it in 2020.

In October the council rejected Mercy’s request. UnityPoint Health-Finley Hospital argued at the time that its Wendt Cancer Center already provides the necessary services in Dubuque. The council is charged with preventing unnecessary duplication of medical services.

Ted Townsend is interim president and CEO of UnityPoint Health-Finley Hospital, and he told the Telegraph Herald after Wednesday’s meeting in Ankeny that his organization is disappointed by the new decision. He says he expects Finley officials will appeal.

WAHOO, Neb. (AP) — A man who attacked a deputy during his escape in eastern Nebraska has pleaded no contest. Court records say 38-year-old Eric Scott entered the pleas Wednesday to charges of escape, assault on an officer, theft and use of a weapon. A second weapons count was dropped. Officials say Scott was being driven to court in Fremont Sept. 20 by a Dodge County sheriff’s deputy in an unmarked government car when he slipped his handcuffs and used his leg-iron chain to choke the deputy. Scott gained control of the car in Saunders County, forcing out the deputy.

Scott was arrested the next day after he was found walking near the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Officials found the Dodge County deputy’s service weapon on Scott when he was arrested.

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

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CRESCO, Iowa (AP) — A northeast Iowa attorney has been accused of looting the estate of a woman who died in 2009. Howard County court records say 56-year-old Todd Kowalke (koh-WAHL’-kee) is charged with theft. He didn’t immediately return a call Thursday from The Associated Press. His next court hearing is set for Aug. 10.

The criminal complaint filed against him says he took more than $35,000 from the estate and used it for gambling and for business and personal expenses. The complaint also says he’s promised to repay all the money.

Activities begin in earnest today at the FREE Cass County Fair, in Atlantic. On the schedule is:

• Swine Weigh-in from 7:30-to 9:30-a.m.
• Rabbit Check-in, 8-to 9:30-a.m.
• Poultry Check-in, 10-until 11-a.m.
• Meat Goat Weigh-in, 10:30-a.m. Until Noon.
• Dairy Check-in, 10:30-a.m. Until Noon.
• Horse Check-in, from 4:30-to 5:30-p.m.
• Sheep Weigh-in from 4:30-to 6-p.m.
• 4-H exhibits open at the Community Center, beginning at 5-p.m.

And, don’t forget, the FFA Foodstand, located just south of the Indoor Show Ring and Sheep Barn, is open every day of the Fair, from 7:30-a.m. Until 8-p.m., serving Walking Tacos, Maidrites, Hot dogs, Nachos, various treats and more. The Noon Special at the Fair Foodstand located just east of the Commercial Building today, is hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, and cold meat sandwiches. The Fair Foodstand is open daily during the Fair, from 6:30-a.m. Until 10-p.m. And, there’s food available at the Chuckwagon from 11-a.m. Until 10-p.m., located adjacent to the Commercial Building. They’ll serve up hot items, snow cones, cotton candy, funnel cakes, malts, popcorn and beverages.

Evening highlights include the Little Miss and Mister contest at 7-p.m., followed by the King and Queen Contest in the Garden at 7:30, Senior Recognition at 8-p.m., and a movie in the Outdoor Show ring, at 8:45-p.m.

KJAN will broadcast the King and Queen contest tonight, as we do each and every year of the Cass County Fair, which concludes Tuesday, July 31^st, with the Livestock Sale.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

BROOKLYN, Iowa (AP) — Federal and state investigators are poring through data related to a missing University of Iowa student’s digital footprint in an effort to track her whereabouts in the hours before her disappearance. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation spokesman Mitch Mortvedt said Wednesday that investigators believe they’ve “put together a pretty solid timeline” of what 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts was doing before she was last seen jogging in her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa, the evening of July 18.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says he will challenge a temporary injunction placed on parts of the state’s new voter ID law. Pate says in a statement released Wednesday night that he’s “disappointed” in the decision by Polk County Judge Karen Romano. Pate says he’ll appeal it to the Iowa Supreme Court. Pate defended the law, which was approved last year in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Last week, the high school baseball team in Marshalltown, Iowa, was busy celebrating an unlikely berth in the state tournament. Less than 24 hours later, the Bobcats, their families, neighbors and friends were ducking for cover as an EF-3 tornado ravaged their town. It’s been an extraordinarily hectic time ever since for the Bobcats, who finally got back to baseball again Wednesday night in a state quarterfinal against powerhouse Urbandale

UNDATED (AP) — A U.S. motorcycle manufacturer has announced plans to increase production in Poland after President Donald Trump ordered tariffs on steel and aluminum and the European Union retaliated with tariffs on motorcycles, but the company said the move will not reduce jobs at its U.S. plants. Last month, Minnesota-based Polaris Industries said it was considering moving production of its Indian Motorcycles brand from the plant in Iowa to one in Poland as a way to deal with the retaliatory tariffs.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests, Wednesday. At around 3:20-p.m., 43-year old Jamie Lynne Gibson, of Villisca, was arrested in Villisca on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. Gibson was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond late Wed. night. And, at around 8:45-p.m. Wednesday, 26-year old Amber Marie Thomas, of Des Moines, was arrested in the 1800 block of Highway 71, following a traffic stop. She was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond. The Montgomery County K9 Unit assisted deputies at the scene.

A man who was getting out of his parked pickup truck on the shoulder of J Avenue south of Perry, Wednesday afternoon, was struck and killed by a car . The Iowa State Patrol says 85-year old Wilbur A. Dickerson, of Perry, died at the scene of the accident that happened at around 3:05-p.m. in Dallas County. Authorities say a 2017 Ford Focus driven by 20-year old Saul Tallez, of Perry, was traveling north on J Avenue, when the car crossed over and struck Dickerson. The accident remains under investigation.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of three individuals after a search warrant was executed at a rural Creston home on Wednesday.

The search warrant was executed at 1:05pm at 3066 150th Street in Creston. Deputies recovered several glass marijuana pipes, rolling papers, water pipes, Liquid THC, Jelly Hash, and a small amount of Marijuana along with a scale.

The three individuals arrested were 21-year-old Austin Eblen, 27-year-old Chelsey Estell, and 20-year-old Ashley Eblen.  They were all arrested on charges of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Paraphernalia.