No injuries were reported after a pickup struck an apartment building in Red Oak, Monday morning. According to Red Oak Police, 18-year old Anthony Rohner, of Red Oak, was driving a full-size 1996 Chevy pickup, when the vehicle hit an apartment building at 217 S. 2nd Street. The accident happened at around 1-a.m. Monday, but police weren’t notified until Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities say following an investigation, Rohner, who lives in the apartment building that was struck, admitted he was at fault. The structure sustained an estimated $4,000 damage, while damage to the pickup was estimated at $200.

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

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Four officers were elected during the Montgomery County Extension Council organizational meeting held Jan. 18th. The nine-member council annually elects officers to comply with Iowa law. Joe Jardon, of Red Oak, is the re-elected chairperson. Jardon will preside at all meetings of the extension council, have authority to call special meetings and perform duties performed and exercised by a chairperson of a board of directors of a corporation. Mike Olson, of Red Oak, was elected vice chairperson.

Darcy Dalton, of Villisca, was elected secretary; and has the responsibility of keeping the minutes of all extension council meetings and signing required papers for the council. The council elected Bill Drey, of Red Oak, to the treasurer position. The treasurer receives, deposits, has charge of all of the funds of the extension council, and pays and disburses funds. The treasurer insures an accurate record of receipts and disbursements and submits reports to the extension council.

The council is the county governing body of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. They hire county staff, manages the county extension budget of approximately $366,000, and helps determine programming. In partnership with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the council provides educational opportunities that bring university resources to the needs of the county and region. Local extension programs include 4-H, after school programs, Master Gardeners, and Powerful Tools for Caregivers

The Montgomery County Extension office is located in Red Oak.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Sec. of Agriculture Bill Northey Tuesday, announced that $2.49 million has been awarded through the “Fueling Our Future 100” initiative to support the installation of 107 new blender pumps and 8 underground storage tanks that can be used to distribute higher blends of renewable fuels. An estimated 187 blender pumps and 25 underground storage tanks will be installed to provide consumers with access to higher blends of ethanol through the program. Among the locations to benefit from the initiative, is the Kum and Go in Stuart, and STAR Energy, in Guthrie Center. This was the 1st round of funding through the program and applications are due Feb. 1st for the 2nd round of funding.

The funding for the projects is from a $5 million competitive grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) program Iowa received to support the initiative. All funds must be matched by non-federal funds, including up to $2.5 million from the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure program. The fueling sites applying for assistance will also be required to provide a minimum of $2.5 million.

Pumps and tanks funded through the program are currently required to be operational by December 31, 2016 and continue operations for the intended purpose of dispensing higher blends of ethanol through December 30, 2021. More information about the program, a copy of the application and other materials can be found on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov under “Hot Topics.”

A traffic stop late Tuesday night in Fremont County resulted in a Nebraska woman’s arrest on drug charges. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy pulled over a vehicle in Hamburg at around 11-p.m.  The K9 unit was deployed during the investigation, and as a result, resulted in the arrest of 24-year old Janae Austin, of Omaha. The woman was taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance with intent.

Inside the vehicle, numerous containers of Butane Hash Oil (a marijuana concentrate), was found. Austin was transported to the Fremont County Jail and held on a $5,000 bond.

Poultry producers in Iowa are on high alert as an outbreak of avian influenza is being dealt with in Indiana. At least ten turkey farms in a single Indiana county are reported infected. T-J Myers, an administrator at the U-S-D-A’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, says the outbreaks appears to be contained. “There’s been a lot of good work to increase our preparatory efforts at the federal side, the state side and the industry side,” Myers says. “Industry and poultry producers have been doing a lot to strengthen their biosecurity so we are hopeful that as we respond very quickly to this virus that we can get it contained.”

The Indiana situation is being closely monitored and Myers says the agency is not calling for vaccinations. “Our vaccination policy is to only use it if we feel that it would be an important adjunct to our stamping out policy,” he says. “At this point, we are not looking to do any sort of vaccination.” While the bird flu outbreak appears to have spread to multiple farms in Indiana, they are all in close proximity within one county and officials believe the spread has been halted.

Given that, vaccinations shouldn’t be needed. “That’s something that we would only use if we felt that it was necessary to assist us in containing a spreading virus,” Myers says, “which we are not looking at right now.” A total of 77 poultry operations in Iowa had bird flu outbreaks last spring and more than 31-million chickens and turkeys were wiped out in Iowa, which was by far the worst-hit state.

Losses in Iowa alone from the outbreak may total one-billion dollars. No new cases of bird flu have been reported in Iowa since last June and the final quarantine was lifted on December 1st.

(Radio Iowa)

A 25-year-old college student who was volunteering on Ben Carson’s Iowa Caucus campaign has died after a roll-over accident on Interstate 80 in western Iowa. A van driven by a campaign staffer hit a patch of ice, rolled and was struck by another vehicle near Atlantic Tuesday morning. The campaign field director and two other campaign volunteers were treated and released from the local hospital, but Braden Joplin was flown to an Omaha hospital for treatment. Carson temporarily suspended his campaign and flew from South Carolina to Omaha to meet with Joplin’s family.

“I think that’s where we need to be right now,” Carson said. Joplin died of his injuries late Tuesday afternoon. Carson released a written statement a few hours later, saying one of the “joys of campaigning is the privilege of meeting bright young men and women” like Joplin. Carson says he’s filled with “a deep and profound sadness” at the young man’s death.

As news of the accident spread on social media, messages of support came from candidates and campaign staff on both sides of the political aisle. Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders began his Sioux City rally last night with a moment of silence in honor of Joplin. Carson says that outpouring of support shows “life will always transcend politics.”

Carson called Joplin and those like him who volunteer for campaigns “the unsung heroes of the political process.” Joplin was a student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He was among a group of student volunteers who arrived in Iowa this month to volunteer in the run-up to the February 1st Iowa Caucuses.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

ATLANTIC, Iowa — A staff member with the Ben Carson presidential campaign has died from injuries he suffered during a crash in Interstate 80 Tuesday morning, in Cass County. An official for a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, says the Carson campaign volunteer, 25-year-old Braden Joplin, died late Tuesday afternoon. Six others were hurt in the crash.

ATLANTIC, Iowa — Two people were killed when the car they were in went out of control Tuesday morning west of Atlantic, and was struck broadside by a pickup truck. The Iowa State Patrol says the victims were 49-year old Melissa Jones, of Walnut and 39-year old John Maxwell, of Anita. Both were in the car. The driver of the pickup, 57-year old Dennis Weihs, of Marne, was transported to the Cass County Hospital by Medivac Ambulance.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Senate lawmakers in Iowa are considering a “ban the box” bill that would limit when employers can ask job applicants about their criminal histories. The bill would prohibit an employer or employment agency from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal history until the applicant has been selected for an interview or after he or she has been given a conditional job offer. Supporters say the bill offers a second chance to applicants who have been turned down for work. Critics say it could be a liability to employers.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police have arrested an Iowa City man after officers say he used a plastic gun to rob a bank. Iowa City police say the Tuesday morning robbery occurred at the U.S. Bank on William Street. A witness reported seeing a man with a gun robbing the bank. Iowa City police say a University of Iowa police officer later stopped 30-year-old Clifton Rayner Brinkmeyer and in a search found a fake, plastic gun. He was charged with second-degree robbery.

BLOOMFIELD, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a southeastern Iowa man who was killed in December died of gunshot wounds. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and State Medical Examiners released how 39-year-old Michael Thomas Goodwin Sr. died. Davis County Sheriff’s Office deputies found his body on Dec. 13 after receiving a call asking that they check on the man at his home north of Bloomfield. On Jan. 11, police charged a 16-year-old boy with first-degree murder.

ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Governor Terry Branstad says state residents shouldn’t let Ted Cruz win the Iowa caucus because he opposes continued federal government support of ethanol. The Republican governor spoke at a renewable fuels conference Tuesday. His state leads the nation in ethanol production. Cruz supports phasing out a federal policy that sets a minimum for the amount of ethanol blended in the nation’s gas.

The Iowa State Patrol Tuesday evening released details and the names of those involved in a crash that happened at around 9:30-a.m. Tuesday, on Interstate 80 in Cass County. Officials say a 2015 Ford Transit Van carrying members of Presidential candidate Ben Carson’s campaign staff, was traveling west on I-80 about a mile east of the Elk Horn exit, when the vehicle went out of control on the icy road. The Carson campaign late Tuesday evening one of the staffers had died.

The van crossed the median and into the eastbound lanes, where it was hit by a 2012 Chevy Avalanche. The van then rolled into the south ditch. Injured in the crash was the driver of the van, 27-year old Jonathan McCall, of Sugar Land, TX (who was wearing his seat belt), 18-year old Aaron Ohnemus (no city given – not wearing a seat belt), and 24-year old Braden Joplin, of Midland, TX. Joplin, was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic before being transferred to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where he later died.

Also injured was 34-year old Laneanne Lane, of Exira, a 12-year old male, a 5-year old male (Seat belt used), and a 10-year old female (seat belt used). The Patrol says all three of the children, and Laneanne Lane, were transported by Medivac Ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. The children were subsequently transferred to Children’s Hospital, in Omaha. Ohnemus were transported to CCMH by Walnut Rescue.

The accident prompted Carson, the Republican presidential candidate, to cancel campaign stops Tuesday and Wednesday.

(Revised 6:34-p.m.: The State Patrol has corrected info. to reflect Melissa Jones is from Walnut, not Anita)

Two people died and another was injured during a crash Tuesday morning on Highway 83, about one-quarter of a mile east of Highway 173. The Iowa State Patrol identified those who died in the crash between a pickup and a car as 49-year old Melissa Jones, of Walnut and 39-year old John Maxwell, of Anita. The driver of the pickup, 57-year old Dennis Weihs, of Marne, was transported to the Cass County Hospital by Medivac Ambulance.

The Patrol says a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Jones, was traveling east on Highway 83 at around 11-a.m., when the car went out of control while trying to negotiate a curve. The car crossed the center line of the road and was hit on the passenger side by Weihs’ 2016 Chevy Silverado  pickup.

Both vehicles came to rest upright in the northeast ditch. Jones and Maxwell, who were wearing their seat belts, died at the scene. Weihs was also wearing his seat belt. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Medivac ambulance assisted at the scene.