Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announces the filing period for state and federal candidates has come to a close. A total of 249 candidates submitted their nominating petitions to the Secretary of State’s Office. “I applaud all the candidates who have taken the bold step to enter the political arena,” Secretary Pate said. “Putting yourself out there to be vetted by your fellow citizens requires courage. Running for office is all about public service and I hope all Iowans will participate in the process to choose the best representatives possible.”

Four candidates have filed the necessary paperwork, qualifying to compete in June’s Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate. 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.

The full list of candidates whose petitions have been received and accepted is available on the Secretary of State’s website at this link: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/candidates/primarycandidatelist.pdf.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A daily quiet time has been established at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Hospital officials say less noise provides a more professional atmosphere for staff members and easier rest for the more than 33,000 patients admitted each year. The initiative took effect Tuesday. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that quiet time runs from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

DUNKERTON, Iowa (AP) — A former Dunkerton high school student is taking his case to the Iowa Supreme Court after he was convicted of carrying a gun onto school grounds. Justices will hear oral arguments in 20-year-old Mar’yo Lindsey Junior’s case on April 14th in Clinton.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A man and a teenager found guilty in connection to a drag racing crash that killed a couple in Davenport have been sentenced. The Quad-City Times reports that 37-year-old Timothy Bell and a 17-year-old were sentenced Friday. The Associated Press generally does not name juveniles charged with crimes.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Paul Jesperson banked in a half-court shot at the buzzer to give 11th seeded Northern Iowa a 75-72 win over Number 6 seed Texas Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament’s West Region. Jesperson’s shot came in the same building where Golden State’s Stephen Curry hit a dramatic game-winner against the Oklahoma City Thunder last month.

A man from Montgomery County and a woman from Nebraska were arrested Friday afternoon in Red Oak, for Domestic Abuse Assault. Red Oak Police say 44-year old Darin David Dyke, of Red Oak, and 45-year old Angelica L. Janovich, of  Papillion, NE., were taken into custody at around 4:30-p.m. in the 1100 block of Division Street, in Red Oak. The pair were brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held without bond, pending an appearance before a Magistrate.

The Fremont County Attorney’s Office said Friday, a man from Sidney man was sentenced to prison earlier this past week, on a felony charges that include delivery of marijuana, and a drug tax stamp violation. 20-year-old Jacob Nicholas Thorne was sentenced to 10-years in prison. The charge and sentence was the result of a Feb. 24th undercover drug investigation in Bartlett, that was conducted by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Cass and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies.

During the investigation, Thorne and another person were observed exchanging more than 17 pounds of marijuana for $18,000 in cash. After the exchange had been made, both suspects were intercepted and arrested without incident. The drug and currency were recovered by law enforcement.

Thorne was being held in the Fremont County Jail, while awaiting transportation to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center at Oakdale to serve his ten year sentence. The Fremont County District Court case involving Thorne’s accomplice is still ongoing.

The Fremont County Attorney’s Office, Friday, said a man from Shenandoah was sentenced Tuesday to 10-years in prison after pleading guilty in February to a felony, Delivery of Methamphetamine charge, which was the result of his Oct. 31st, 2015, arrest. 42-year-old Victor Bruce Ingrim was also ordered to pay all court costs and fines associated with the case.

Another person arrested following an investigation into the delivery of meth, was 44-year-old Ann Ingrim, of Shenandoah. She pled guilty to a lesser charge in January and was given a deferred judgment with probation.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Friday, said a Glenwood man, 30-year old Justin Brian Williams, was arrested at around 8:30-p.m. Wednesday, following a traffic stop. Williams was cited for speeding, Operating a non-registered vehicle, Failure to provide proof of financial liability, and careless driving. He was arrested on a Failure to Provide SR-22 insurance, charge. Bond was set at $1,000.

The Sheriff’s Office said also a Pacific Junction man was transported to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs by Glenwood Rescue, following an accident Wednesday evening. Donald Harwick was traveling north on 195th Street at around 5:45-p.m., when his 2002 Chevy drifted towards the right edge of the road. Harwick over-corrected, sending the vehicle into a spin off to the left side of the road, before it overturned and came to rest on its passenger side, in the west ditch.

The two candidates running for Sheriff in Page County, Friday, issued a joint statement to make the public aware that theft of, damage, desecration, or destruction of a political sign is a violation of Iowa code (716) defined as Criminal Mischief.The warning comes on the heels of signs for incumbent Sheriff Lyle Palmer and his challenger, Chief Deputy Jake Daly. Both men have filed to run on the Republican ticket for the June 7th Primary.

The Sheriff and his Chief Deputy said they “Both have had signs stolen and now have had a sign damage / desecrated by someone. To put it bluntly we have more serious incidents / investigations to work on at this time. While this is not a crime that usually engulfs a lot of our time in Law Enforcement, if it continues it will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.”

They warned that “There are different degrees of this (Iowa) code with enhancements that carry serious penalties. The penalties can carry jail / prison sentences from 30 days in the County jail and up to two (2) years in state prison depending on the damage.”

The Sac County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating former Odebolt, Iowa couple Jennifer Kuhl and Justin Siegner, both of whom are wanted in Sac County, Iowa on child endangerment charges. Kuhl and Siegner (pictured below), and their one-year-old daughter are believed to be in the Denison, Iowa area. If you have any information regarding the couple’s whereabouts, please contact your law enforcement or call the Sac County Sheriff’s Office at 712-662-7127.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports one person suffered possible, minor injuries during a rollover accident this (Friday) morning. 34-year old Fernando Rivas, of Lenox, was traveling east on Highway 34 at around 11-a.m., when he lost control of the 2013 Nissan he was driving. The car entered a ditch and rolled onto its top, sustaining $7, 500 damage. Rivas was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.