OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A former Winnebago Tribal Council member has pleaded guilty to his role in stealing from the tribe’s casino in Iowa. The Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star reports  that Lawrence Payer is one of nine former council members accused of a conspiracy to siphon more than $327,000 from the WinneVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa.

As part of his plea agreement with prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Omaha, Payer admits only to misapplying funds belonging to an Indian gaming establishment. Conspiracy and other charges against him will be dropped if the court accepts the plea agreement. Prosecutors have recommended that Payer be sentenced to five years of probation and be ordered to repay any money he illegally obtained from the casino.

The City of Atlantic’s Community Protection Committee will recommend to the full City Council fireworks will be allowed within City limits from 6-pm until Midnight on the 4^th of July, and on New Year’s Eve from dusk until 12:15-a.m. New Year’s Day. Governor Branstad, Tuesday, signed a bill into law allowing the sale of fireworks in Iowa, beyond the traditional sparklers, snakes and caps. The bill prohibits cities and counties from banning the sale, but it does not set forth rules as to if or when they can be used on those two holidays.

The CPC agreed to allow only tent sales of fireworks in the City by licensed and insured vendors, but also agreed to charge a $200 fee on top of the $1,000 fee vendors pay to the state for certification and licensing. The sites must also be inspected as required by the bill, but because the State Fire Marshals Office is so busy, the question of who will inspect the vendor operations, is not clear.

City Administrator John Lund talk with Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees about the requirements and ask him to conduct the inspections.

When the Atlantic City Council next convenes, they’ll act on a recommendation from the City’s Community Protection Committee, with regard to the allowing of chickens within the City limits. The CPC met Tuesday evening to discuss the amending of the City Code to allow chickens. The Committee voted 2-to 1 to recommend approval, with Gerald Brink voting No, Chris Jimerson and Ashley Hayes voting in favor of the recommendation.

If the Council approves, the matter will be return to the CPC to write the rules that will be incorporated into an amended ordinance. The re-write will then go back to the Council. Councilman Gerald Brink said no one he’s spoken with or heard from is in favor of allowing chickens inside the City limits, but Councilperson Hayes said she’s hearing just the opposite.

Brink said he doesn’t buy into the “eggs are cheaper if you raise chickens at home” point of view, saying “You can buy eggs for 49-cents a dozen…you’ve [still] got to feed the chickens.” Councilman Chris Jimerson said people who want chickens aren’t concerned about the price of eggs, as most were back when the Bird Flu hit Iowa. Hayes agreed. Jimerson said “This newer generation isn’t so much concerned about price. They’re concerned about the quality they’re getting,” and if they feed the chickens themselves, they know what goes into the final product. Hayes said also, that they can profit from the sale of eggs produced in excess of what they can use in their household.

Atlantic City Administrator John Lund said he’s checked with Red Oak, Shenandoah and Harlan about their poultry ordinances. Harlan doesn’t allow them, Red Oak allows a Farmland Animal permit, with the City Administrator conducting inspections. And Shenandoah only allows them in Agricultural areas outside of town.

Separately, the Committee was not in favor of allowing Ducks within the City limits, but if the “yes/no” measure is approved by the Council, that too will come back before the Committee for rule writing.

Two people riding a motorcycle were injured during a collision between the cycle and a deer Tuesday night, west of Griswold. According to dispatch reports, the accident happened just before 10-p.m. on Highway 92. Griswold Fire and Rescue along with Medivac ambulance were called to the scene near the Apple Orchard, west of Griswold. Additional information was not immediately available.

And, one person was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital following a single-vehicle accident at around 7:40-p.m.Tuesday on 22^nd Street, near the Sundance Apartments. Dispatch reports indicated a vehicle struck a light pole at that location, and that a male subject was outside the vehicle, laying on the ground.

Officials on the scene said a westbound Jeep went out of control and entered the south ditch before hitting the utility pole. The SUV then came to rest on its wheels. The victim was transported by Medivac ambulance to the hospital. The accident remained under investigation, and additional information was not available.

Officers were assisted at the scene by deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and personnel from the Atlantic Fire and Rescue Department, along with Medivac.

Up until today (Wednesday), at least, Iowa farmers were putting in some long hours, taking advantage of good weather while they can, to get all their crops planted. Robert Lynch, who farms north of Fort Dodge, says he worked nearly around the clock on Sunday and finished planting one of his corn fields early Monday morning.

The USDA’s weekly crop update shows 52-percent of the state’s corn acreage was planted as of Sunday. That’s about a week behind last year’s pace, but just a little later than average. “The corn is probably right on line. If we try to get in by the sixth to eighth of May to get our corn finished up, and turn right around and do the beans, it’s probably right on line,” Lynch said. “The beans will be good to get in this early too.”

Statewide, nine-percent of the soybean acreage is planted. That’s about two days behind average.

(Radio Iowa, w/thanks to Dean Borg, Iowa Public Radio)

Authorities in Montgomery County report three people were arrested, Tuesday. Red Oak Police say 69-year old Linda Kay King, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 3-p.m. for Theft in the 5th Degree, in connection with the alleged theft on Monday from a grocery store, of items valued at less than $200. King was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 cash bond.

Red Oak Police also arrested 27-year old Carley Marie Whiteaker, of Red Oak, on an active Montgomery County warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. Whiteaker was taken into custody at around 3:50-p.m. and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where her bond was set at $150.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies Tuesday night, arrested 39-year old Samuel Joseph Norris, of rural Red Oak, for Domestic Abuse Assault and Child Endangerment. Norris was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail, pending a court appearance.

A motorcyclist died Tuesday, after their cycle collided with a van in eastern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports the collision that happened just after 6-p.m. Authorities say a 2008 Chrysler van driven by 27-year old Katie Brown, of Arlington, IA, was traveling west on Delaware County road C-64 just past 120th Avenue, when an eastbound 2006 Victory motorcycle crossed the center line of the road and collided with the van.

The name of the motorcyclist was being withheld pending notification of family. Officials say Brown was transported by ambulance to the hospital.

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Corrections fired a prison captain after finding that he purchased ammunition for his and other employees’ personal use through its supplier at the tax-free government rate. D.J. Quinlan, a supervisor at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville, was fired Feb. 17 after spending nine months on paid leave during a disciplinary investigation. He’s appealing his firing even as an inquiry by the Division of Criminal Investigation remains open.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has extended an order that blocks part of a new law requiring women in Iowa to wait 72 hours before they can get an abortion. The high court said in a ruling filed Tuesday that a temporary injunction approved Friday shall remain in effect until a district court takes further action regarding a lawsuit brought on by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa and Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa is seeking to delay the upcoming trial in a discrimination lawsuit filed by fired women’s field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum. Assistant attorney general George Carroll filed a motion Tuesday seeking to push back Griesbaum’s June 5 trial until a later date, saying the university “will not be able to present an adequate defense” in the 10-day period originally envisioned for the trial.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The city of Cedar Rapids will join Des Moines and Muscatine in appealing a recent judge’s ruling saying the Iowa Department of Transportation has the authority to order cities to remove automated traffic-enforcement cameras from highways and interstates. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that the Cedar Rapids City County voted 7-1 Tuesday to appeal to ruling.

PORT RICHEY, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a Florida man who made death threats against Iowa’s governor and other state officials has been arrested. The Tampa Bay Times Pasco County deputies arrested 59-year-old Richard Gillow on Monday and charged him with making written threats to kill.

Authorities say the Port Richey man posted on Facebook and sent emails saying he was going to kill Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Attorney General Tom Miller, Guardian Ad Litem Kim Ayotte and an employee of the state’s Department of Human Services.

An investigator in Iowa tipped off Florida authorities to the threat. Officials say Gillow believed the Iowa officials were involved in the removal of his grandchildren from his daughter’s custody. Gillow was freed on $10,000 bail.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has extended an order blocking part of a new law requiring women to wait 72 hours before they can get an abortion. The high court said in a ruling filed Tuesday that a temporary injunction approved Friday will remain in effect until a district court takes further action regarding a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa and Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.

ACLU and Planned Parenthood want to permanently halt the requirement, which is part of a new law that also bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The groups argue the waiting period, among the longest in the country, could cause undue harm to women by requiring multiple appointments.

Attorneys for the state have challenged that argument.