DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court says an all-male church board’s characterization of female congregants who were pressured into sex with the pastor as sinning “adulteresses” who gave into “temptation” was constitutionally protected religious speech.

In a ruling Friday, the court held that members of the Covenant Reformed Church’s board of elders didn’t defame the two women because they were expressing their religious beliefs. The court also found that the Pella church wasn’t obligated to provide counseling to the women that went against its religious teachings.

The pastor, who was later removed from the ministry, was convicted of sexual exploitation by a counselor. Iowa law treats religious leaders as counselors and bars them from having sexual contact with congregants they’re counseling.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A judge will temporarily block the most restrictive abortion law in the country from taking effect in Iowa next month under an agreement between lawyers for the state and abortion rights groups.

Attorneys for the state and Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds agreed Friday to prevent the law from taking effect on July 1 after discussions with the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, Planned Parenthood Federation of American and the Emma Goldman Clinic.

The advocacy groups have sued the state to block the law, which bans most abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected. An attorney for the state says the goal is to quickly get the case before a judge to argue the law it’s constitutional.

Judge Michael Huppert said during a court hearing Friday that he’ll issue a temporary injunction later in the day. Reynolds signed the law May 2, two days after lawmakers approved it.

MABEL, Minn. (AP) — A motorcyclist from Iowa is dead after colliding with a horse in southeastern Minnesota. Fillmore County Sheriff Tom Kaase says the crash was reported about 11:30 a.m. Friday on Highway 44 west of Mabel.

The 60-year-old man from Decorah, Iowa, was driving a motorcycle eastbound on the highway when he struck a horse in the eastbound lane. The man died at the scene. His name was not immediately released. The horse also died in the accident.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have searched the Belle Plaine home of a woman who killed herself and her 8-year-old son, looking for information on the 2012 killings of two Evansdale girls. The Des Moines Register reports that detectives recently searched 36-year-old Teresa Catherine Gerleman’s home, taking several items and a handwritten note.

On May 4, Gerleman pulled 8-year-old Henry Fields onto tracks in the path of a train that killed them both. Police say in court documents that someone who had counseled Gerleman told investigators that Gerleman claimed to have a six-page letter written by men who admitted involvement in the girls’ deaths.

Ten-year-old Lyric Cook-Morrissey and 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins were taken on July 13, 2012, as they rode their bikes. Their bodies were discovered on Dec. 5, 2012, in Bremer County. No one has been charged in the killings. It was not clear if any evidence relating to the girls’ deaths was found in Gerleman’s home.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Alert for all of Iowa. Ozone levels near EPA health standards are expected to persist in these areas until 7 pm today.

The DNR recommends that individuals with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children limit prolonged outdoor exertion until air quality conditions improve

A boil water advisory has been put into effect for an extended period of time for SIRWA Customers and the Cities of Afton, Arispe, Creston, Cromwell, Lorimor, Shannon City and Thayer.  Residents need to avoid drinking/injecting water from hydrants, water fountains, splash pads and the swimming pool.

The water fountains and hydrants at the 3-mile camp ground and the city parks in Creston, Afton and Arispe will be shut off until advisory has been lifted.  The bathrooms will remain in operation.

Residents should boil water used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth or preparing food. The water may be used for laundry as usual, showers and bathing as long as no water is swallowed.  Dishes and utensils should be washed using bottled water or water that has been boiled.

If you have any questions please contact:

Emergency Management Agency (EMA) @ 641-782-1622

SIRWA @ 641-782-5744

City Water Works @ 641-782-5817

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports no injuries occurred during a two-vehicle accident on Friday morning. At 11:50am Deputies responded to the accident at 200th Street and Fernwood Avenue in Montgomery County. After investigation it was determined that a 2000 Ford F250 pickup owned by Gregg Greene and driven by 30-year-old Jeffrey Scott Greene of Malvern was westbound on 200th Street at about Fernwood Avenue. At the same time a 2015 Chrysler 200 4-door car owned and operated by 76-year-old Lawrence Leroy Lafollette of Red Oak was westbound as well and had slowed behind a vehicle turning left onto Fernwood Avenue. As Lafollette was getting back up to the posted speed limit he was rear-ended by Greene’s pickup.

Both vehicles sustained disabling damage due to the accident. Damage to the Ford pickup was estimated at $7,500 and damage to the Chrysler was estimated at $8,000.

Jeffrey Greene was cited for Following Too Close and Expired Registration Plates. Red Oak Fire assisted with cleanup at the scene.

ADEL, Iowa (AP) — The mother of twin toddlers spotted wandering naked near a busy central Iowa highway has been given two years of probation. Dallas County District Court records say 19-year-old Jasmine Teed was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison, but the term was suspended. She also was told to perform 80 hours of community service. Teed had pleaded guilty to child endangerment.

Officers were sent to a house along U.S. Highway 6 in Adel on Nov. 2. Police say witnesses reported seeing someone herd the unclothed 2-year-olds back in the house after they were spotted near the highway. An officer entered the house and called out but received no answer. The officer reported finding Teed asleep in a bedroom. Police say the outdoor temperature at the time was 43 degrees.

NEW YORK (AP) — Four more deaths have been linked to a national food poisoning outbreak blamed on tainted lettuce, bringing the total to five. Health officials have tied the E. coli outbreak to romaine lettuce grown in Yuma, Arizona. The growing season there ended six weeks ago, and it’s unlikely any tainted lettuce is still in stores or people’s homes, given its short shelf life. But there can be a lag in reporting, and reports of illnesses have continued to come in. In an update today (Friday) on the nation’s largest E. coli outbreak in a decade, health officials said 25 more cases have been added, raising the total number of illnesses to 197 in 35 states. At least 89 people were hospitalized.

Previously one death had been reported, in California. On Friday, health officials said they had learned of four more — one in Arkansas, one in New York, and two in Minnesota. The first illnesses occurred in March, and the most recent began on May 12, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of the new cases were people who became ill two to three weeks ago, when contaminated lettuce was still being sold. Some said they did not eat romaine lettuce but were in close contact with someone who got sick after eating it.

Most E. coli bacteria are not harmful, but some produce toxins that can cause severe illness. People who get sick from toxin-producing E. coli come down with symptoms about three to four days after swallowing the germ, with many suffering bloody diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. Most people recover within a week, but some illnesses can last longer and be more severe.

Counties: Monona-Harrison-Shelby-Pottawattamie-Cass-Mills-Montgomery-Adams-Fremont-Page-Taylor–
1032 AM CDT Fri Jun 1 2018

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Alert for Adams, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Shelby and Taylor counties.
Ozone levels near EPA health standards are expected to persist in these areas until 7 pm today.

The DNR recommends that individuals with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children limit prolonged outdoor exertion until air quality conditions improve.