FAIRVIEW, Okla. (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey reports a 5.1 magnitude earthquake in northwest Oklahoma that was reportedly felt across Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Nebraska, Texas, Arkansas and Iowa.

Fairview police and the Major County Sheriff’s Office say there are no reports of injury or damage as a result of the quake that struck Saturday at 11:07 a.m. about 17 miles north of Fairview. A second earthquake measured at magnitude 3.9 struck in the same area at 11:17 a.m. The area is about 100 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.

The strongest earthquake on record in Oklahoma is a magnitude 5.6 centered in Prague in November 2011 that damaged 200 buildings. The temblors are the latest in a series of earthquakes linked to the injection of wastewater underground from oil and gas production.

ServSafe, the national certification program for food service managers, will be held in Atlantic on March 14, 2016. The cost of the course is $150 and includes 8 hours class time, a manual, and the national certification exam. There is a $50 discount for Iowa Restaurant Association members. It will be held at ISU Extension and Outreach Office, Cass County in Atlantic.

Anyone interested in preparing and serving safe food is welcome to attend. All food service operations are required to have at least one certified staff person. To receive more information and registration form, contact ISU Extension and Outreach, Cass County at 712-243-1132 or your local ISU Extension and Outreach office.

Anyone needing to take the recertification exam only may contact the office for more information. Registration is required by March 10.

w/ Chris Parks

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An Elliot man was arrested early Saturday morning for OWI Second Offense.  The Red Oak Police Department arrested 20-year-old Andrew Clair Coughlin of Elliot at 2:49am at the intersection of 200th Street and K Avenue.  Coughlin was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $2,000 cash bond.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office announced two citations and one recent arrest.  On Friday at 7:55pm Deputies cited 35-year-old Michael Vance Maccormack of Omaha for Driving While Suspended.  He was stopped at the intersection of Highway 34 and Boxelder Avenue.  Maccormack was released from the scene.

This (Saturday) morning at 2:29am Deputies arrested 20-year-old Daniel John Platt of Emerson at the intersection of 250th Street and K Avenue for Operating While Intoxicated 1st Offense.  Platt was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $1,000 bond.  During that same stop 21-year-old Wyatt Kane Bailey of Red Oak was cited for possession of an open container of alcohol as a passenger.  Bailey was released from the scene.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest Friday of a Red Oak woman on theft charges.  At 4:55pm officers arrested 24-year old Desiree Pauline Willis of Red Oak for Theft in the 4th Degree.  She was arrested on East Coolbaugh Street in Red Oak and taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and was held on $1,000 cash bond.

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) — A regional conference in Nebraska next month will focus on ways to encourage schools to get their food from local farmers and the benefits of that. More than 200 people are expected to attend the March 2 event in Nebraska City. The conference will attract a mix of farmers, ranchers, school food service officials and others concerned about the issue.

Throughout the day, speakers will offer advice on ways to increase the amount of local food served in schools and ways to teach students more about healthy food. The event is sponsored by the Center for Rural Affairs, Iowa Department of Agriculture and University of Missouri Extension.

More information is available online at http://www.cfra.org/midwest-farm-school .

The teenaged driver of a pickup died, and his passenger was injured, during a crash early this (Saturday) morning, in central Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol says 17-year old Chase Rylee Mohler, of Maxwell, was driving a 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup southbound on 645th Avenue, west of Maxwell, when the vehicle crested a hill, went out of control and into a ravine before vaulting out of the ravine and coming to rest on a farm drive embankment. Mohler, who was wearing his seat belt, died at the scene.

His passenger, 16-year old William James Spencer, of Maxwell, was transported to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines by Maxwell Rescue. The accident happened at around 1:20-a.m.  The Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by Story County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Maxwell Fire and Rescue.

An Iowa couple has pledged 100-thousand dollars to help restore the Battleship Iowa — but only if the non-profit group that manages the floating museum can match their donation. The historic ship was saved from the salvage yard and is docked in the Port of Los Angeles. Volunteers have been working to restore the battleship, but it needs more work. For example, the wooden deck, which is made of teak, needs to be replaced.

USS Iowa in action, 1984. (Wikipedia image)

An Iowa couple who has asked to remain anonymous is offering 100-thousand dollars for the effort, but the Pacific Battleship Center — the owner and operator of the Battleship IOWA Museum — has until June 30th to raise the matching funds. A few years ago the State of Iowa provided funds for the ship’s restoration and Iowans can show an Iowa driver’s license and board the ship for free. The Battleship Iowa floating museum was the site of a pre-Rose Bowl pep rally for thousands of University of Iowa football fans in late December.

(Radio Iowa)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa is facing a broad federal civil rights investigation into allegations that its athletics department does not provide equal opportunities for female athletes. Documents obtained by The Associated Press show the Office for Civil Rights is looking into gender bias allegations in 13 areas, including how the department counts participation levels, awards scholarships, and schedules practices and games. Investigators will visit Iowa in April.

The review comes as Iowa’s highly ranked men’s basketball and football teams have been showered with attention. If discrimination is found, the case could result in a settlement requiring the university to change policies or spend more on female programs. A school lawyer says she believes the review will show Iowa “strives to provide male and female students an equal opportunity to participate.”