A Native American casino in northwest Iowa is now offering a “non-smoking” gaming room. Travis Morgan is a spokesman for the WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan. “So many people out there love to gamble and hate cigarette smoke,” Morgan says. A state law that went into effect July 1st of 2008 bans smoking in public places, but Iowa’s casino industry got an exemption that has allowed smoking to continue on the gaming floors. Officials with the state-licensed casinos say banning smoking would put them at a competitive disadvantage and they have opposed efforts in the legislature to start enforcing the smoking ban inside the casinos.

The Native American casinos in Tama, Onawa and Sloan are not state licensed. The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska operates the casino in Sloan. “We’ve given WinnaVegas a big room — 70 slot machines — where you can come, gamble and not have to worry about cigarette smoke, cigar smoke, pipe smoke, nothing,” Morgan says. “It’s just an option that you have now at WinnaVegas that we hope is going to bring a core group of people to us because we’re the only ones that have something like this.”

Morgan says many customers consider the smokey casino floors to be a “downside” to their gambling experience. “We’ve just eliminated that problem,” Morgan says. The casino is about 20 miles south of Sioux City. The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska operates the Blackbird Bend Casino in Onawa, Iowa. The Meskwaki Tribe’s casino near Tama opened in 1992.

(Radio Iowa)

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Utilities Board has denied landowners’ request to halt construction of an oil pipeline beyond this week. The three-member board voted Thursday afternoon against a lengthy stay of construction of the Dakota Access pipeline on parcels of 14 landowners while a court considers a lawsuit they’ve filed. Chairwoman Geri Huser says the board concluded landowners have little likelihood of success in court case and that Dakota Access would be financially harmed by construction delays.

ELKADER, Iowa (AP) — Volunteers scrambled Thursday to erect sandbag walls around businesses and some homes as the rain-swollen Turkey River threatened to breach protective levees in northeast Iowa. Authorities say the flooding already occurring in Clayton County’s Elkader and elsewhere is expected to worsen as the river is forecast to hit 27 feet Friday morning in Elkader. That’s 15 feet above flood stage and just three-quarters of a foot under the record crest of more than 27.75 inches in 2008.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Five counties ravaged by storms and flooding in northeastern Iowa will get disaster assistance. Gov. Terry Branstad issued a disaster proclamation for Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties. Under the declaration, the counties can use state resources to recover from the disasters.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Trial has been set for a former Iowa City dog groomer accused of kicking a dog while it was in his care. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that 22-year-old Lucas Van Orden V is set to stand trial on Nov. 1 on an aggravated misdemeanor charge of animal abuse. If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison.

Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns, Thursday, reports two more candidates have filed nomination papers in advance of the November 8th General Election. Republican Keith W. Nelson, of Massena, filed his papers Thursday for the Edna Township Trustee position. And, Incumbent Republican Curt Behrends, of Wiota, filed papers Wednesday, for one of three seats on the Cass County Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

Persons interested in having their names on the Nov. 8th ballot for various County Offices, have until Aug. 31st to get their nomination papers with the proper number of signatures on them, in to the Cass County Auditor’s Office.

The Glenwood Police Department, Thursday, said a Glenwood man was arrested Wednesday on a Mills County warrant for Harassment in the 1st degree. 37-year old Christopher Brown, was being held in the Mills County Jail, on a $5,000 cash only bond.

Several, recent reports of residential and vehicle break-in’s and thefts in Harlan have authorities reminding residents to lock their homes, garages and cars. The Harlan Police Department says many houses and cars have been broken into, and items stolen. Each case remains under investigation.

Harlan Police also issued their latest arrest and incident report, Thursday afternoon. Officials said last Sunday, 40-year old Chad Petersen, of, Harlan, was taken into custody when officers were called to the 1100 block of Farnam Circle for a male subject trying to break into a house. Petersen was taken to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with intoxication in public.

Saturday, 26-year old Carlos Fonseca-Triminio was taken into custody, when officers were called to a possible domestic situation. As a result of the investigation, Fonseca-Triminio was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with domestic abuse assault, criminal mischief 4th degree, and trespassing.

August 18th, 50-year old Jeffrey Rowland was arrested following a traffic stop, in Harlan. Rowland was charged with driving a motor vehicle while suspended. He was cited, given a court date, and released.

On August 14th, 33-year old Bradley Robinson, of Harlan, was arrested when officers were called to the 1000 block of 7th Street for someone who was asked to leave the establishment and would not leave.  Robinson was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with trespassing. That same day, 22-year old Dustin Marchant, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop. Marchant was charged with driving a motor vehicle while suspended and cited for failure to prove security against liability.  He was given a court date, and released.

On August 13th, 24-year old Dillon Lorentzen, of Harlan, was arrested when officers were called to an unconscious person in the alley in the 1000 block of 7th St. Lorentzen was checked out by the Medivac ambulance personnel and Lorentzen refused treatment. Lorentzen was taken to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with intoxication in public.

On August 12th, Harlan Police were notified at around 3-a.m., that a 13-year-old male had not returned to his residence. Later that morning, after an extensive search was conducted, the male juvenile was found in the company of a second male juvenile. Both subjects were cited for curfew violations and released to their guardians.

And, on August 9th, 19-year old Trever Richter was arrested following a traffic stop in Harlan.  Richter was charged with driving a motor vehicle while suspended.  He was cited for the offense, and released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Utilities Board has declined to take immediate action on a request by 14 landowners to halt construction of a four-state oil pipeline. There is temporary stop on construction until Monday but the board met Thursday to hear two hours of arguments from Texas-based Dakota Access and the landowners on whether to order a more permanent delay.

The landowners have filed a lawsuit that challenges the board’s authority to allow eminent domain of their land for a privately owned pipeline project. That suit has not come before a court yet. The $3.8 billion pipeline has generated legal challenges and protests in North Dakota and Iowa.

The board adjourned until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, and will meet again Friday afternoon. It gave no indication when it would vote.

The union representing a majority of workers in the state’s prisons claims understaffing contributed to a pair of recent problems in southwest Iowa. AFSCME Iowa Council 61 issued a statement saying two correctional officers were physically assaulted by an inmate in a special needs unit at the Clarinda Correctional Facility on Sunday and one of the officers was taken to a hospital.

The union claims the facility in Clarinda is “dangerously understaffed” and eight positions were eliminated there in June.

Clarinda Correctional Facility

According to AFSCME, a lack of proper staffing contributed to another incident two weeks ago involving two inmates who smoked synthetic marijuana brought in by a visitor.

(Radio Iowa)

Here’s the full statement/News Release from AFSCME:

AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan issued the following statement regarding the Sunday evening assault on two correctional officers by an inmate at the Clarinda Correctional Facility:

“On Sunday, August 21, 2016, two correctional officers were physically assaulted by an inmate in a special needs unit. While one of the injured officers continued to work, the other had to be driven to the hospital, leaving only three available staff to respond to any incidents at the facility.

“Two weeks prior, another incident took place involving two inmates acting erratically after smoking synthetic marijuana (K2, spice) that was brought in during visitation. Anything that doesn’t set off a metal detector can come into the facility because officers are no longer allowed to pat-search visitors. It’s up to one officer to monitor 40 inmates during visitation, so it wasn’t a big surprise that this situation occurred.

“Ultimately, Clarinda Correctional Facility, just like all of our correctional facilities in the state, is dangerously understaffed and officers’ lives are being put at risk. These recent events are further proof of that. Not only are open positions not being filled, but eight positions were eliminated entirely in July. Clarinda Correctional Facility and the Department of Corrections are trying to increase services with fewer staff, and something’s got to give. Safety has to be a priority, both for inmates and staff. These conditions are a disaster waiting to happen.”

STATEMENT FROM IOWA DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS:
On August 21, 2016 there was an assault on two correctional officers at the Clarinda Correctional Facility during a cell search. Both officers received facial injuries. One of the assaulted officers was transported to local hospital for treatment.

There are incidents where staff encounter and respond that can result in threats and injury. The Department will continue to attend the needs of the injured officers and commends all responding staff for their prompt and excellent response to protect fellow officers and prevent any further harm. The Department will continue to ensure that Correctional Officers and staff receive proper training to protect themselves and co-workers under these difficult circumstances.

Fred Scaletta, Department of Corrections

From the Iowa State Capitol to your neighborhood bank to private homes, the U-S flag is being displayed at half-staff more often now than at any other time in history. Bill Gartner is in charge of the crew that raises and lowers the flags atop the state capitol. Gartner, a Vietnam veteran, wonders whether seeing a flag at half-staff is losing its impact, as it’s become so common. “It’s at half-staff so often I think it’s becoming hazy and fuzzy why it’s there, who’s done what,” Gartner says. “I just think it’s become meaningless because it’s always at half-staff.”

The national symbol has become a reflection of a troubled world; fallen soldiers and police officers, terrorism and mass shootings. A USA Today review found President Obama has signed a record number of proclamations to mourn tragedies at home and abroad. An Iowa native from Glidden is known as the “Flag Guru.” Mike Buss is at the American Legion headquarters in Indianapolis. “We’ve done it so often that really it’s lost its meaning,” Buss says. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a resolution from our membership to, I hate to say tighten up, but make it more important as to when the flag is at half-staff.”

When the U-S Flag Code was adopted in World War 2, casualties did not lower the flag, as Memorial Day is already set aside for those who died in military service. If a proclamation was issued for the funeral of every Iowan killed in Vietnam, the flag would have stayed at half-staff for more than two years, according to Colonel Greg Hapgood, spokesman for the Iowa National Guard.

Hapgood says, “It’s important that half-staffing is used judiciously so the solemnity of whatever that event is, is maintained and the respect of the nation is focused on that flag and that event or those people.”

Just when to re-set the flag is also confusing. In Iowa, and even the nation’s capital, the colors sometime are at half-staff when they shouldn’t be. For guidance on presidential proclamations, you can sign up for email alerts on the American Legion website: www.legion.org.

(Radio Iowa)

A traffic stop early this (Thursday) morning in Red Oak, resulted in the arrest of two women on drug charges. Red Oak Police say 23-year old Stephanie Rose Eggleston, and 18-year old Dakota Lynn Girouex, both of Red Oak, were arrested just before 3-a.m.

Eggleston faces charges that include Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Prescription Pills, Driving While Suspended, and Having No Insurance. Girouex faces charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving While Suspended, and Failure to carry SR-22 insurance.

The women were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond, each.

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

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