If a bill that cleared the Iowa Senate becomes law, drunk underage college students would not get in legal trouble if they call 9-1-1 to get help for a friend who’s in danger. Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale met with students from Iowa, Iowa State and U-N-I who are lobbying for the bill. “The reality is currently on our campuses what’s going on is these kids are scared to call the police,” Zaun says.

Under the bill, intoxicated minors seeking assistance for someone who’s overdosing or being sexually assaulted would get a limited form of “immunity.” The bill specifies the student who called 9-1-1 — AND the person in danger — could not be disciplined by his or her school for drinking and would not face criminal charges for public intoxication, alcohol possession or having an open container in a vehicle. Zaun says 36 other states have similar laws in place today.

“We all know that younger people don’t always make good decisions, but what this does is give them immunity,” Zaun says, “and make sure that the person that needs emergency services are free to do that, without prosecution.”

The bill passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday. It must clear the Iowa House, too, and be signed by the governor before it may become law.

(Radio Iowa)

Two men have pleaded guilty to poaching-related charges in Greene County after a trespassing report to conservation officers. Forty-one-year-old Brett Cranston of Jefferson admitted to spotting a deer six miles south of Jefferson in December and firing shots at the animal. He followed the deer on county roads for around nine miles and firing shots at it until he was able to catch the buck in a cornfield southeast of Cooper.

Cranston pleaded guilty to trespassing while deer hunting, using motor vehicle to hunt deer and shooting within 200 yards of residence. He was fined 665 dollars, assessed eight-thousand dollars in damages, had his hunting privileges suspended for one year and forfeited his shotgun and the deer.

Forty-two-year-old Jeramiah Pedersen of Greene Mountain helped Cranston chase the deer and pleaded guilty to not having a hunting license and trespassing while hunting deer. Pedersen was fined 416 dollars.

(Radio Iowa)

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency says drying conditions will prevail over the weekend, therefore the Fire Danger rating for grassland and field fires, will remain HIGH. Officials say ss the forecast changes though, we may be looking at very High Danger from time to time during next week, with expected low humidity, sunshine, and winds. At times during the days next week, the fire danger may become EXTREME. But for now, fire stations and participating businesses are asked to please keep your Local Fire Danger Signs in the HIGH category. The next update will be on Monday, March 20th.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) and its Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) are urging partiers this St. Patrick’s Day to find a safe ride home if you plan on drinking. Before you decide to go out and drink, line up a designated sober driver, utilize GTSB’s & AAA’s Tow to Go Program, or find another alternative ride home.

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest holidays in America. Last year, there were zero fatalities in Iowa over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday (March 17 – 20, 2016), but there were 458 crashes resulting in 756 injuries, of which 16 were serious. A majority of the serious crashes on St. Patrick’s Day happen between midnight and 6:00AM.

No matter if you choose to drink or be the designated driver – remember that wearing your seat belt will provide the most protection in the event you don’t have the “luck of the Irish” and are involved in a crash.

Together, we can make this St. Patrick’s Day holiday a safe one and again have zero fatalities.

A traffic stop Wednesday night in Creston resulted in the arrest of an Adair County man. Creston Police say 32-year old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of Fontanelle, was arrested for Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was later released from custody on a $1,000 bond.

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

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say manhole covers were sent flying by explosions resulting from an underground electrical fire in Sioux City. Firefighters were sent to the scene around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Assistant Fire Chief Dan Cougill says the fire stemmed from a system failure and that a pressure buildup caused the explosions. No injuries have been reported. The fire knocked out power in several downtown blocks.

A hit-and-run accident in Red Oak has authorities looking for the driver of a red semi hauling a white cargo trailer. Red Oak Police say the owner of a 2006 Ford F-150 pickup reported Tuesday morning that the pickup was struck by an unknown truck and driver. Video surveillance showed that at around 10:45-a.m., the semi turned north in the 200 block of W. Oak Street into the United Farmer’s Mercantile Cooperative (UFMC) parking lot, where it struck the pickup, causing $2,500 damage. The semi then backed away and continued through the parking lot before turning east onto the 200 block of W. Oak Street. It then pulled into the Plaza Parking Lot, in the 1500 block of N. Broadway.

Anyone with information about the truck or its driver is asked to contact Red Oak Police.

Two people were arrested Wednesday afternoon on numerous, varied charges in Corning. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says a search warrant was executed at 500 Grove Avenue in Corning a little after 12-p.m. Taken into custody was Sean Stauffer and Misty Cross.

Stauffer was being held in the Adams County Jail on $41,000 bond on felony charges that include Failure to comply sex offender registry/2nd offense, Possession with intent to deliver, and Child endangerment. Additional charges include Possession of drug paraphernalia and “House of Ill Fame” (otherwise known as a “House of Ill Reput/and-or brothel).

Cross faces two felony charges: Possession with intent to deliver and Child endangerment. She was also being held in the Adams County Jail on $36,000 bond, for Possession of drug paraphernalia and “House of Ill Fame.”

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is on trial over claims by hundreds of farmers and business owners that its flawed stewardship of the Missouri River has contributed to devastating floods in five states. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims trial in Kansas City, Missouri, involves a 2014 lawsuit alleging the Corps has deemphasized Missouri River flood control and put more emphasis on habitat restoration. The U.S. government says authorities never promised to stop all Missouri River flooding.

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Rangers at Grand Canyon National Park have recovered the body of an Iowa man who reportedly fell from the rim of the canyon west of Mather Point. Park rangers say they received a call around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday about a park visitor falling off the rim. A helicopter crew was able to locate the body about 280 feet below the rim. But due to the time of day, rangers suspended the operation until Wednesday morning when they recovered the body via a helicopter long line.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Republicans argue a bill to reduce how much workers are compensated for on-the-job injuries will fix a system that unfairly burdens businesses, but others question whether the current policy needs big changes and counter that the overhaul may not address underlying problems. Balancing Iowa’s workers’ compensation law between business and employee interests rests at the heart of debate over the legislation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a person has died in a house fire in Des Moines. A news release from the city of Des Moines says firefighters were called to the house around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday for a fire and were told that an occupant was missing. Arriving firefighters found the home’s attached garage fully engulfed in flames. After dousing the fire, crews found a body in the garage.