More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Police in Creston say 35-year old Mark Thomas Gladson, of Macksburg, was arrested at the around 3:25-a.m. today (Friday), for Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Paraphernalia.  Gladson was being held in the Union County Jail on $1,300 bond. At around 12:50-a.m. today (Friday), Creston Police arrested 32-year old Jesse Edward Ramey, of Orient, for OWI 1st.  Ramey was later released on $1,000 bond.

And, at around 3:30-p.m. Thursday, 19-year old Buay Kong Chuol, of Creston, was arrested on a Polk County Warrant for Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Chuol was transported to the Union County Jail and held, pending transport back to Polk County by Polk County Sheriff’s Deputies.

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

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Active weather is on the way. The National Weather Service in Des Moines says scattered thunderstorms will return this afternoon and become more numerous later tonight over the southern counties. A few storms may produce large hail tonight over the south half of the area (including: Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Cass-Adair-Madison–Adams-Union-Taylor-Ringgold-Counties).  Isolated severe storms are possible late this afternoon and tonight for the far west and southwest counties.

Saturday looks wet most of the day with a period of stronger thunderstorms in late afternoon and evening hours. A slight risk of severe thunderstorms is now forecast for the far south Saturday, with a marginal risk to near Interstate 80. Expect a wide range in temperatures from northwest to southeast today and Saturday. Strong northwest winds Saturday night will usher in much colder air by Sunday into Monday morning. Highs Sunday will only reach the 50s most areas. Lows Monday morning will fall to the 30s to lower 40s.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission heard formal presentations at their meeting Thursday from the two groups which did market surveys to determine the impact of the proposals for a new casino in Cedar Rapids. The studies by White Sand Gaming and Marquette Advisors were released earlier this month. Racing and Gaming Commission administrator Brian Ohorilko says the presentations were important to fill in any blanks. All in all it was a good opportunity to hear how those market studies came out and allow for commission members to get any additional questions answered that they might have,” Ohorilko says.

The two studies came to similar conclusions that a casino in Cedar Rapids would have an impact on existing casinos by taking away some of their revenue. Ohorilko says the studies are one of the final pieces of information needed to make a decision on any new license. He says the decision will be made at the November 16th meeting in Dubuque after the commission reviews all the information that they’ve received since the process started in July. Ohorilko says they also received information Thursday on the background investigations of the two casino groups which submitted three proposals for the casino. He says those investigations were positive and things will proceed.

“A decision will be made one way or the other — obviously we can’t speculate on what the outcome will be — but there will be a decision made at that November commission meeting,” Ohorilko says. The commission met Thursday at the casino in Emmetsburg.

(Radio Iowa)

(Radio Iowa) — A new report predicts this year’s corn and soybean harvests in Iowa will fall short of records set last year. The USDA report is based on conditions as of October 1. The forecast calls for the corn yield in Iowa to average 191 bushels per acre, up four bushels per acre from the September forecast but down 12 bushels per acre from last year. Overall, Iowa corn production is forecast at 2.46 billion bushels.

If the prediction holds, it would mark the third highest yield and production on record behind 2016 and ’15. Soybean production is forecast at 557 million bushels, with a yield of 56 bushels per acre. If realized, it would be the second highest production on record behind last year. The yield forecast would be the third highest on record. Last year, the average soybean yield in Iowa was 60 bushels per acre.

More info. online at https://www.nass.usda.gov

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:00 a.m. CDT

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor says no charges will be filed against a policeman who shot and killed a fleeing 27-year-old Burlington resident. Assistant Iowa Attorney General Scott Brown concluded Thursday that the Oct. 1 shooting of Marquis Jones by Burlington officer Chris Chiprez was a justifiable homicide.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit against authorities who unsuccessfully sought to convict an Iowa woman in the 1983 deaths of her estranged husband and his girlfriend. U.S. District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger ruled that Theresa Supino’s defamation claims against Jasper County’s sheriff and county attorney lacked an adequate legal basis. Supino was acquitted of first-degree murder charges in 2015.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Safety regulators have shut down the Iowa trucking company that owned the semitrailer involved in a human trafficking case in which 10 immigrants died in Texas. Pyle Transportation has been placed under an “out-of-service order” by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration after a review found the company’s safety rating was so unsatisfactory that it was unfit to remain in business. Dozens of immigrants were found packed inside a Pyle semitrailer outside a San Antonio Walmart in July.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Patrol says a man pulled over in Des Moines after a car pursuit told state troopers that he wanted to be chased because it was on his bucket list. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that the man refused to halt Thursday morning when a trooper tried to stop him on Interstate 80. He finally stopped after leaving the interstate and was taken into custody. That’s when the 46-year-old shared his bucket list story.

A traffic stop late Thursday night in Fremont County set up as part of a narcotics investigation, resulted in the arrest of two people on drug charges. Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports the narcotics investigation was being conducted in Farragut. As a result of the investigation, a man and woman were arrested.

Zachary Higgins

Elora Strough

19-year old Elora Strough and 20-year old Zachary Higgins, both of Clarinda, were taken into custody during a traffic stop at 370th Avenue and Manti Road. Each was charged with Delivery of a Controlled Substance/Fentanyl. The pair were booked into the Fremont County Jail and held on a $20,000 cash only bond, each.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Federal safety regulators have shut down the troubled Iowa trucking company that owned the semitrailer involved in a human trafficking case in which 10 immigrants died in Texas. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration placed Pyle Transportation under an “out-of-service order” Monday after a review found the company’s safety rating was unsatisfactory.

Dozens of immigrants were found packed inside a Pyle-branded semitrailer in the parking lot of a San Antonio Walmart in July. Eight people were found dead inside, and two more died after being hospitalized.

Pyle Transportation owner Brian Pyle has denied knowledge of the alleged human smuggling conspiracy. He has said that he sold the trailer and hired a contractor to drive it to Brownsville, Texas, to deliver it to the buyer.

(UPDATED) Officials with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday (today), that two males, ages 17 and 15, were arrested Wednesday (Oct. 11th), for multiple incidents of ongoing criminal activity in Griswold.Their names were not released because of their age.

Both teens face the following charges:

• Felony Theft in the 2nd Degree
• 3 counts each of Criminal Mischief 5th Degree – for the theft of a motor vehicle from Main Street in Griswold on October 10th, 2017; the spray painting an unoccupied residence on 2nd Street that took place on October 9, 2017; and for the spray painting of an unoccupied residence on 4th Street that took place on October 9, 2017.
• Burglary of a Motor Vehicle 3rd Degree – with regard a car burglary that took place on 6th Street on September 28, 2017;
• and Criminal Mischief 4th Degree – with regard to the spray painting of city park equipment that took place on October 9, 2017.

The 17-year-old juvenile male was additionally charged with:

• Felony Burglary in the 3rd Degree and Theft 5th Degree – with regard to the burglary at Rocket Joe’s Pizza on October 3, 2017;
• Theft 5th Degree and Possession of Alcohol by person under 18 – with regard to a shoplifting incident at the Tiger Mart on October 1, 2017
• Burglary of a Motor Vehicle – with regard a key fob stolen from a vehicle on 4th Street on October 5, 2017;
• Burglary of a Motor Vehicle and Attempted Burglary of a Motor Vehicle at the Griswold High School on September 28, 2017;
• a charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on October 11, 2017;
• and a charge of Reckless Use of Fire and Explosives in connection with the stolen properties from the car burglary that took place on 6th Street on September 28, 2017.

Both juveniles were transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs on October 11th, 2017.