Police in Council Bluffs are searching for a vehicle and driver involved in a pedestrian hit-and-run crash that happened today (Sunday), at around 2:35-a.m.  Authorities say the incident occurred on the Intertstate 480 westbound on ramp from N. 41st Street, in Council Blufs. The male pedestrian was identified as 27 year old Joshua Nelsen of Omaha, NE. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The hit-and-run vehicle may be a tan sport utility vehicle unknown make, model, or year.

The Council Bluffs Police Department is asking anyone with information on the incident to please call the Council Bluffs Traffic Unit at (712) 328-4948 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-7867(STOP).

Red Oak Police, Saturday evening, were called to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, to speak with two juveniles and their parents, about an incident that took place 6-p.m. Friday. Upon further investigation, the two (unnamed) juveniles were cited into Juvenile Court, for Theft in the 5th Degree. The youth were then released to their parents.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst held her 4^th annual Roast and Ride, Saturday. The event kicked off at Big Barn Harley Davidson in Des Moines with a ride honoring veterans and patriots, with nearly 450 motorcycle riders participating. The proceeds from ticket sales for the ride will be donated to the Travis Mills Foundation, an organization that provides an all-inclusive, and all-expenses paid retreat for veterans and their families.

Joni Ernst with Travis Mills (Photo provided)

The Republican Senator from Red Oak said of Travis Mills, “Your story of service and sacrifice is an inspiration to us all and your commitment to supporting fellow veterans from across the country – including right here in Iowa – is the true meaning of brotherly love.”

The nearly 450 motorcycle riders then traveled about 50 miles to the Central Iowa Expo in Boone for a family-friendly hog roast, where nearly 1000 attendees heard from Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, special guest Chairman Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, and Senator Joni Ernst.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:55 a.m. CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of killing a 38-year-old mother in a random home invasion in Cedar Rapids has pleaded not guilty to charges in the case. Television station KCRG reports that an attorney for 38-year-old Timothy Evans filed a written not-guilty plea to first-degree murder and other counts. Evans is accused of breaking into the detached garage of a Cedar Rapids home on April 29 and violently assaulting Gina Frederiksen. Police say he then set fire to the garage.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police in eastern Iowa are investigating the death of a man in an overnight shooting. The Quad-City Times reports that Davenport police were called shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday for a report of shots fired on Fourth Street. Arriving officers found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. The 46-year-old man was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors say a northeastern Iowa pharmacist has been given probation after pleading to a misdemeanor in a Medicaid billing fraud case. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 62-year-old Ric Foreman, who operated Evansdale Pharmacy, entered a plea to engaging in prohibited acts by selling expired medicine. In a May 29 hearing, Foreman was granted a deferred judgment, which will remove the charge from his record if he completes a year of informal probation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Residents are raising money to update a Des Moines mural with the names of more than 150 people shot to death in the city in the last two decades. The Des Moines Register reports that residents have raised more than $1,000 of the $4,000 needed to update the mural on the Creative Visions building. Organizers hope updating the mural will honor those who’ve died and be a reminder for those thinking about using guns.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A convenience store chain has removed some vegetable trays from its shelves after several reported illnesses in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Health department officials in the two states issued a warning after investigating an increase of infections from Cyclospora, a parasite commonly found in developing countries.

Officials say 11 people in Wisconsin and three in Minnesota reported buying vegetable trays at Kwik Trip prior to getting sick.

Kwik Trip voluntarily removed the product from stores. Officials say the Del Monte vegetable trays included broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and dill dip. Health officials say it can take up to a week to develop symptoms, which can include diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea, cramping, bloating, increased gas, fatigue and low-grade fever.

Kwik Trip owns more than 600 convenience stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.

Ringgold County Sheriff Mike Sobotka reports a man and a woman were arrested last Wednesday on drug charges. A vehicle driven by 46-year old Steven Paul Schoessler, of Bevington (IA) was pulled over in Mt. Ayr at around 2:30-a.m.. The K9 “Heky” was deployed and alerted to the driver’s side door area.

A small bag of marijuana was seized from the ground where Schoessler stood as he exited the vehicle. He was charged with Possession of a controlled substance/3rd  or subsequent offense (methamphetamine), Driving under suspension, Failure to have Insurance, and Interference with Official Acts.

His passenger, 47-year old Collette Mary Marnin, of Atlantic, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine. Both were being held without bond in the Ringgold County Jail until seen by a magistrate. The investigation continues pending lab results from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations regarding other items seized from the vehicle. Additional charges are pending while waiting for these results

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a body found near the riverbank on the north side of the Ameristar Casino. Officers were called to the scene at around 3:30-p.m., Saturday (June 9th).

Upon arrival, the Council Bluffs Fire Department located a male subject deceased in the river and brought him to shore. His identity is unknown at this time. His death remains under investigated by the Council Bluffs Criminal Investigations Division.

w/ Chris Parks

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

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Regents has announced that one of its members has resigned. Dr. Subhash Sahai resigned Friday, with less than a year before his term was set to expire. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that Sahai was appointed to his seat in 2013. His term was set to expire April 30. Sahai is currently the medical director of the Van Diest Family Health Clinic in Webster City. No reason was given for Sahai’s resignation in the board’s news release announcing it.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police in the northern Iowa’s Mason City say two apartment complexes near an overflowing creek have been evacuated. Police say the decision to evacuate Autumn Park and Chelsea Creek apartment complexes on Friday came after nearly 6 inches of rain fell in the area, swelling nearby Chelsea Creek. Police said the creek’s water levels were slowly receding Friday, but that the threat of more rain later Friday and Saturday still posed a flooding threat.

ESTHERVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Police in northwestern Iowa are investigating the death of an infant from Estherville. Estherville police said Friday that 11-month-old Jasmine Rodriguez Sebastian died Wednesday at a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, hospital, two days after she was taken there for undisclosed reasons. Estherville police, the Emmet County Attorney’s Office, the Iowa Department of Human Services and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are investigating the girl’s death.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say that body found on a Des Moines sidewalk was that of a 17-year-old boy. Police identified him as Tyrese Parson, who lived in Des Moines. The body was found early Friday morning. Police say he’d been shot and that the case is being investigated as a homicide. No arrests have been reported.

Two high-profile celebrity deaths this week have vaulted suicide back into the headlines, as suicide rates in Iowa are rising. T-V chef Anthony Bourdain and fashion designer Kate Spade reportedly took their own lives. Dr. Jonathan Sikorski, a psychologist in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says Spade was known to have depression, anxiety and may have been bipolar, all of which can be treated.

“Bipolar, absolutely, depression, absolutely, you have that chemical imbalance but really, when it comes to suicide, no one is immune,” Dr. Sikorski says. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Iowans between the ages of 15 and 34. A report from the Centers for Disease Control finds the suicide rate in Iowa rose more than 36-percent between 1999 to 2016. Sikorski says to be watchful of certain signs in friends, co-workers and loved ones.

“If you see them all of the sudden talking about how they feel like they’re being a burden to others or they have pain they feel is just unbearable or they, all of the sudden, start giving things away,” he says, all could raise a red flag. Sikorski says people can sometimes be pushed over the edge without being clinically depressed or suffering from other mental health issues.

“There’s always that risk that you have this right combination of little sleep and just life stressful events,” he says, “that no one’s really above being in that point of desperation.” Sikorski, who works at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, says if you believe a friend or family member is at risk, you should sit down with them and have a talk.

“One of the best things you can do is just straight-up asking them,” he says. “Say, ‘I know you’ve been feeling really low and having a hard time. Do you feel safe? Have you thought about hurting yourself or others?’ Talk to them about if they have any reason to live. A lot of times when people are really down, they’re like, ‘I don’t want to be here but I have my kids.'” On average, one person dies by suicide in Iowa every 20 hours. For help, contact the Iowa chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (https://afsp.org/)

(Radio Iowa)