The National Weather Service says another round of severe weather is expected across the area today (Thursday). Thunderstorms will develop later in the afternoon and sweep across the state in the evening. Large hail, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes will all be possible. In addition, locally heavy rainfall will once again be possible into the evening. This may lead to an isolated flash flood threat especially in areas hit by heavy rainfall across southwestern Iowa, Wednesday, and if there are repeated rounds of rain over the same areas.

Preliminary storm reports from Wednesday evening and night, indicate quarter-size hail was reported near the Ringgold County town of Tingley, quarter-to golfball-size hail was reported to have fallen for more than 10-minutes near Murray, in Clarke County. Quarter-size hail also fell near Shambaugh, in Page County, and winds gusted up to 58mph near Red Oak, yesterday.

Police in Red Oak, Wednesday afternoon, arrested 34-year old Melissa Sue Bullington, of Red Oak. Bullington was taken into custody at 200 E. Grimes Street (a tree trimming business), for Theft in the 5th Degree (Less than $200). Her bond was set at $300.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A man found in a southeast Iowa cornfield near a burning vehicle has been charged with vehicular homicide for the death of a woman whose body also was found nearby. Des Moines County court records say 57-year-old Bradley Wischmeier also is charged with operating under the influence. His attorney didn’t immediately return a call Thursday from The Associated Press.

Deputies sent to the scene north of Burlington last week found Wischmeier lying around 20 yards (18 meters) from the blazing vehicle. The records say Wischmeier told deputies that he’d been driving crazily around the field until the vehicle overheated and caught fire. An autopsy has been performed on the woman’s body, but authorities have been unable to confirm her identity.

Wischmeier’s next court date is May 14.

The Iowa Court of Appeals has reversed the invasion of privacy convictions of a priest in Pottawattamie County. Father Paul Monahan, who was the school chaplain for St. Albert Catholic School, was convicted of five counts of invasion of privacy after teenage boys testified he purposely moved back to look at them while they used a public urinal next to him during a track meet in Treynor in April of 2016. Monahan said in his defense that he had several health issues that caused him to need to go to the bathroom frequently. He also testified the health conditions caused him balance issues that led to his movement.

The Iowa Court of Appeals overturned the convictions –saying the prosecution failed to show the boys had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the public urinals. It also says there is limited evidence to show Monahan knowingly viewed the genitals of the five boys and no evidence beyond that to show he was acting for the purpose of arousing or gratifying his sexual desires. Bishop Richard Pates of the Des Moines Catholic Diocese issued a statement saying they are relieved at the court’s decision and anticipate that Monahan will be fully reinstated to the ministry once the appeal process has been completed.

(View the complete ruling here: https://cdn.radioiowa.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Monahan-decision-PDF.pdf)

(Radio Iowa)

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 35-year old Johnathan Emmanuel Selby, of Red Oak, was arrested today (Thursday), at around 12:50-a.m., for OWI/1st offense. His arrest occurred following a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 34 and Boxelder Avenue. Selby was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond. And, at around 6:20-p.m. Wednesday, Montgomery County Deputies, assisted by the Montgomery County K9 Unit, arrested a 17-year old male at the intersection of Highway 34 and 200th Street. The juvenile, whose name was not released, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, transported to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, processed, and released to the custody of a parent.

Sheriff’s deputies in Fremont County, Wednesday, arrested a man on sex abuse charges. Authorities say 27-year old Johnny Lee Blake, of Sidney, was arrested on two felony counts of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree.  Other charges are pending.

Johnny Lee Blake

Blake was being held without bond at the Fremont County Jail, pending initial appearance with a Magistrate. No further information was released.

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa legislators have approved a bill banning most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, propelling the state overnight to the front of a push among conservative statehouses jockeying to enact the nation’s most restrictive abortion regulations. The bill now awaits the signature of anti-abortion GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds. Backers of the legislation hope an influx of conservative judicial appointments under President Donald Trump could put the question on track to challenge Roe vs. Wade.

CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — Students across the U.S. participated in a school walkout Wednesday to support gun ownership. The walkout was organized by New Mexico student Will Riley. Riley said in the days before the walkout that about 300 schools planned to participate. The movement was called “Stand for the Second,” aiming to raise awareness of Second Amendment rights. Walkouts were also reported in schools in Iowa, Michigan, Montana, New York and North Carolina.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican leaders in control of the Iowa Legislature say they’re still writing a final version of an expansive tax cut bill they plan to vote on within days. Senate Republicans told reporters Wednesday they’re not sure when a formal bill will be released. Those remarks came shortly before a Senate tax-writing committee had a procedural vote to advance a tax bill without updated details. Senate Republicans say they plan floor votes Saturday.

BLOOMFIELD, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say they have completed an investigation into the case of a woman found dead in a burned-out car last January and determined her death was a suicide. The Davis County sheriff’s office and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation announced Wednesday that an autopsy showed 63-year-old Sharon Moritz died of probable smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. They ruled her death a suicide. Moritz lived in Northwood but had family in the Davis County area of southeast Iowa.

Members of the Atlantic Police Department’s Reserves Unit were honored Wednesday evening, during the Atlantic City Council meeting. Police Chief Dave Erickson gave a brief history of the Reserve Unit, which has been in operation since 1972.

Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson (Left), and members of the Police Reserves.

Erickson said “For many year the Atlantic Police Reserves have maintained a very active membership with the Iowa State Law Officers Association (ISRLOA), a statewide organization comprised of hundreds of Iowa Reserve Police Officers and Reserve Deputy Sheriffs. The Organization recently presented the Atlantic Unit with the Donald H. Mackaman Outstanding Unit Award for the second year in a row. It was also the seventh time the City’s Reserve Unit has won the award. The award, named for its founder, is given to units that go above and beyond the call of duty.

The Reserve Officers currently include Bob McHugh, Jeff Hackwell, Jake Karns, Cole Lowary, Ryan Barnholdt, Jarrad Cavin and Pastel Force.

Erickson said “The Atlantic Police Reserve has proven time and time again to be an asset to the Atlantic Police Department and most importantly, a safety asset to the citizens of Atlantic, Cass County and the State of Iowa.” The Chief said in 2017, the seven-to nine-member unit donated more than 1,648 hours of general service to the community and department. That breaks down to 1,107 hours of patrol, 244 1/2 hours of school security, 106 hours of documented training, nearly 136 hours of documented public service and 55 hours of firearms training, not including monthly meetings or Iowa Law Enforcement Academy certification training.

Those hours are predominantly volunteer, and are not individually compensated. That includes various community service projects, such as camp outs, Halloween programs, canned food drives and movie matinees. Christmas programs, the Family Night Out and other such endeavors throughout the years have also been handled by the Reserves.

Chief Erickson congratulated the Reserves for their time and dedication, and encouraged anyone wanting to join those officers, or who has questions about the Atlantic Police Department, the Police Reserves or the ISRLOA, to contact him, Sgt. Spencer Walton, or Officer Caleb Smith at the Atlantic P-D.

The Iowa House has given final approval to the legislature’s policy responses to the opioid epidemic. In an effort to curb “doctor shopping,” physicians will be required to register prescriptions with the state’s drug monitoring program within 24 hours. Senator Tom Greene, a pharmacist from Burlington, says 26 other states already have that requirement. “And these states have shown large reductions in opioid prescriptions,” Greene says.

In addition, handwritten prescriptions will become a thing of the past. Representative John Forbes, a pharmacist in Urbandale, says having prescriptions submitted electronically will “definitely have a big impact.” “What happens with paper prescriptions is sometimes they get altered,” Forbes says. “…Most common alteration on a prescription is they try to either change the quantity that the physician wrote or they try to change the strength of the drug.”

Today, only 10 to 15 percent of opioid prescriptions in Iowa are done electronically. Representative Dave Heaton of Mount Pleasant says he’s hoping the “continuing education” requirements in the bill for doctors will encourage restraint. “There’s no need to hand a person a jug of pills that’ll provide opioid treatment for 30 days after a person has maybe had some surgery or some other medical treatment,” Heaton says. “…Remember, after five or six days (of opioid use), the tendency to become an addict begins to grow.”

Heaton expressed disappointment that the bill did not include limits on the number of opioid pills doctors may prescribe and he suggested that may be on legislators’ to-do list next year. Representative Chuck Isenhart of Dubuque says he’ll keep lobbying to legalize needle exchange programs. “Hep C is a growing problem in great part due to the increasing use of injectable drugs, both opioids and methamphetamines by Iowans,” Isenhart says, “especially in those under 30.”

Preliminary data indicates more than 200 deaths last year in Iowa were connected to opioid abuse. The bill won unanimous approval in the Senate yesterday (Tuesday) and the House today (Wednesday). The governor is expected to sign the bill into law.

(Radio Iowa)

It appears the warm spring weather is finally here to stay and in exchange, many Iowans have stuffy noses, itchy eyes and sore throats. Dr. Linda Ford, an allergist in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says the surge in seasonal allergy symptoms lately is most certainly weather-related as the trees were late bloomers this year.  “The first ones came at the end of February and then we had the cold weather, so they stopped pollinating,” Dr. Ford says. “Then we got to April and we got warmer weather and all the trees started pushing out pollen.”

Ford says pollen counts have been very high and the first part of allergy treatment is prevention. “Keep those windows closed at night because the pollen is still out there and with the wind blowing, it’s going to stir up a lot of pollen, pollen that has fallen to the ground that will be stirred back up into the air,” she says.

Many allergy-fighting drugs used to require a prescription, but that’s no longer the case. “There are nasal sprays you can get over-the-counter. There are many different types and they all work about the same,” Ford says. “They work very well along with your non-sedating antihistamine and about 50% of the people need both of those things.”

Many of those meds don’t work the same on everyone so it may take some trial and error to find the perfect fix. If not, she suggests seeing an allergist and if symptoms are severe enough, starting a series of allergy shots.

(Radio Iowa)