Four candidates have filed the necessary paperwork, qualifying to compete for the Democratic Party’s U.S. Senate nomination. Former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge of Albia, State Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids and two former legislators who ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010 are hoping to win their party’s 2016 nomination. The winner will challenge long-time Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley in November.

Republican and Democratic candidates for federal office as well as the state legislature faced a deadline Friday. They had to file enough petition signatures in the Secretary of State’s office to qualify for their party’s June Primary ballot. Three of Iowa’s four congressional districts will have primaries.

Republican Congressman Steve King faces a challenge from fellow Republican Rick Bertrand, a state senator from Sioux City. In the third congressional district, three central Iowa Democrats — Desmond Adams, Jim Mowrer and Mike Sherzan — are running in a primary. Two Democrats filed the paperwork to run in Iowa’s first congressional district. The race between Cedar Rapids City Councilwoman Monica Vernon and former Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy of Dubuque is a rematch from two years ago.

Five Democrats competed in a primary then. Murphy won, but lost to Republican Rod Blum. Blum, Republican Congressman David Young of Van Meter and Congressman Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Iowa City, are all seeking reelection. Dr. Christopher Peters of Iowa City filed to run as a Republican in Loebsack’s district, but state officials say they’re waiting for him to submit the original rather than a copy of one form before confirming he has qualified for the ballot.

All 100 seats in the Iowa House and 25 of the 50 seats in the Iowa Senate are on the ballot in 2016. NO incumbent from either party in the Iowa Senate who is seeking reelection faces a primary challenge, but there are NINE incumbents in the House who must defeat a primary challenger in order to seek reelection in the fall.

(Radio Iowa)

A traffic stop Saturday by a deputy with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, resulted in the arrested of two people on drug and child endangerment charges. Authorities say an SUV driven by 29-year old Jessika Leach, of Braddyville, was pulled over for a registration violation on Interstate 29 northbound, near Percival.

During the investigation, Leach was found to have a suspended license. An inventory of the vehicle revealed a small amount of marijuana and approximately 67.3 grams of methamphetamine was inside. Deputies learned a large portion of the methamphetamine was discovered hidden in a bag with children’s toys and clothing. Leach as well as a passenger in the vehicle, 45-year old Jerry Easley, of Braddyville, were taken into custody.

Easley

Leach

The pair were arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver (Methamphetamine) a Class B Felony, Failure to Affix a Tax Stamp, a Class D Felony, and two counts of Child Endangerment, an Aggravated Misdemeanor. Leach was also cited for traffic violations. Both are being held at the Fremont County Jail on $109,000 bond.

Two children in the vehicle, aged 6 and 7, were released to family members at the direction of the Iowa Department of Human Services.  Fremont County Deputies were assisted by the Fremont County K9 Unit.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A man accused of killing his mother and grandmother says he didn’t do it. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 30-year-old Michael Dieckmann denied the two first-degree murder charges Thursday in a Pottawattamie County court hearing. Dieckmann is being held on $1 million bond. He is accused of killing his mother, 63-year-old Jacqueline Dieckmann, and grandmother, 91-year-old Illa Pfeiffer, Wednesday morning at the trio’s Council Bluffs home.

Police say another daughter of Pfeiffer’s found the bodies around 10 a.m. Wednesday. Police say one of the women was stabbed, but the cause of the other’s death awaits more investigation. Some of Dieckmann’s family members say he is mentally ill.

HINTON, Iowa (AP) – Central Valley Ag says two of its workers injured in a northwest Iowa grain elevator explosion this week are now in stable condition. The Sioux City Journal reports that the company released the information on Friday. The explosion occurred just after 1 p.m. Thursday at Central Valley Ag in Hinton. The two injured workers were taken to a Sioux City hospital in serious condition, and then transferred to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.

The cause of the explosion hasn’t been determined, but engineering and insurance experts, as well as the Iowa State Fire Marshall, were on site the Friday to try to determine the cause.

Police in Red Oak say one person was injured during a rollover accident Saturday morning. 38-year old Brian Russell McCleary, of Villisca, suffered minor injuries after his vehicle was struck by a car and left the road before rolling over one and a-half times, coming to rest on its top. McCleary, who was not wearing a seat belt, was transported by ambulance to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Police say the accident happened at around 8-a.m., when a 2001 Honda Accord driven by 17-year old Anna Marie Aufdenberg, of Red Oak, slowed, but did not stop, as she was approaching the intersection of Highway 34 and N. 8th Street, in Red Oak. The northbound Honda struck McCleary’s westbound 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee, causing the SUV to flip over.

Aufdenberg, who was wearing her seat belt, was not injured. Police cited the teen for Failure to Obey a Stop sign. Damage from the crash amounted to $5,000. Red Oak Police were assisted at the scene by personnel with the Red Oak Fire Department, and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) – Efforts to increase speed limits on Iowa freeways and rural roads failed in the Legislature this year amid safety concerns, but officials acknowledged such moves are popular with drivers and likely will come before lawmakers again.

Several bills were introduced in the state House this session, but all died before votes by a full committee. One measure would have allowed speed limits of 75 mph on some stretches of interstate freeways, up from the current 70 mph. Two other bills aimed to raise speed limits on some rural, two-lane roads from the current 55 mph limit.

Lawmakers on the House Transportation Committee ended up having more questions than answers, including concerns about safety and cost.  But some truckers seemed ready for the higher speeds allowed in states neighboring Iowa.

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

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

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Spring arrives this weekend and while the weather is still far from being springlike, soon, Iowans will be zipping around on their bicycles. A new survey finds many Iowans who enjoy pedaling their two-wheelers could use a refresher course in cycling laws. Gail Weinholzer, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says the results were something of a surprise.

“We asked people how confident they were knowing the bike laws in their state,” Weinholzer says. “Apparently, only 61% of all Iowans feel comfortable that they know the bike laws in the state of Iowa.” Studies find that wearing a bicycle helmet can prevent 85-percent of all traumatic brain injuries in cycling accidents, but many Iowans don’t bother to buckle one on.

“There isn’t a helmet law, but we did ask them how often they wear a helmet,” Weinholzer says. “Only 58% of Iowans actually admitted to wearing a helmet some of the time.” Before pumping up the tires and heading out on the trail for the first time, she suggests cycling enthusiasts review the safety recommendations and familiarize themselves with the laws.

“The most important thing I would remind people, if they’re biking on roadways, you bike with traffic,” Weinholzer says. “Many times, people think they should be riding into traffic, but that typically has more to do with pedestrians. Make sure you obey all of the traffic safety laws that other vehicles need to obey. You’re not exempt. You still have to stop for stop signs and red lights and those sorts of things.”

For more tips on choosing a bike and helmet, as well as maintaining and riding a bike, download Bike Basics – The AAA Guide to a Great Ride here:

http://exchange.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/AAA-Bike-Basics.pdf

(Radio Iowa)

A traffic stop late Friday night in Montgomery County resulted in the arrest of a Villisca man on a charge of OWI/2nd offense. 29-year old Anthony Duane Pond was taken into custody just before midnight in the 300 block of E. High Street, in Villisca. Pond was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.