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

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A woman from Union County was arrested late Thursday night on drug and other charges, in Creston. Authorities say 37-year old Bobbie Jo Wilson, of Lorimor, was taken into custody at around 11:30-p.m. on charges that include Driving While Suspended, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Neglect of a Child, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. Wilson was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on $2,000 bond.

And, 18-year old Brandon Barrett, of Afton, was arrested Thursday morning at the Union County Law Enforcement Center in Creston, on a warrant out of Union County for Probation Violation. Barrett was being held in the jail without bond, while awaiting a  hearing.

The 7:06-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Day number two of the Cass County Fair in Atlantic is underway. Some activities for today include:

• The Beef Weigh-in from 8-to 10-am
• Rabbit Show in the Indoor Show Ring, beginning at 9-a.m.
• Horse Show in the Horse Arena, at 9-a.m.
• 4-H and Commercial exhibits open at 10-a.m.
• The Meat and Dairy Goat Show is at 10:30 in the Outdoor Show Ring
• Noon special at the Foodstand: Chicken and Noodles.
• Livestock Judging, 3-p.m., in the Outdoor Show Ring
• Mutton Busting (Grandstand), at 6:30-p.m.
• Bull Ride (8-p.m.) at the Grandstand.

Other sites or activities to see and/or partake in at the Cass County Fair today through Sunday, include: Doyle Chainsaw artistry at 10-a.m., 3-p.m. and 5-p.m.; and, the Kids Barn Activities in the Commercial Building, from 10-am until 5-pm.

The Cass County Fair runs through July 28th, with no parking or admission fees. Check out the daily schedule and get more information about the Fair at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass And, follow the fair on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theCassCountyFair. Listen for our live broadcasts every day of the fair beginning today (Friday), from 1-until 7-pm, here on KJAN.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Webster City woman has pleaded guilty to Social Security fraud in which authorities say she received over $23,000 in benefits. According to a news release from U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau, 44-year-old Karlotta Venegas pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of supplemental security income benefits fraud.

Prosecutors say Venegas hid from the Social Security Administration that she had been outside the United States for more than 30 days on eight separate occasions in order to continue receiving supplemental security income benefits. Officials say the fraud took place between August 2008 and September 2013.

Prosecutors say Venegas received over $23,000 in benefits to which she was not entitled. She faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Venegas’ sentencing hearing has not been set.

Governor Terry Branstad wants Iowa to become the first state to offer a tax credit for transforming the “biochemicals” that are a byproduct of ethanol production. Branstad discussed the issue with former Iowa Governor and current U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vislack yesterday (Thursday) during a meeting in Washington, D.C.

“Secretary Vilsack, his department — the USDA, has done a pretty extensive report and they are putting together some federal programs to encourage and support this as well,” Branstad says. Branstad’s proposed state tax credit would not be for the ethanol production companies that make byproducts like corn oil and dried distillers grain when they make ethanol. Instead, the tax credit would be offered to companies that find new uses for those “biochemical” byproducts.

“This is something that we both think could be really beneficial for Iowa,” Branstad says. “There’s opportunity for us to get some federal assistance…Secretary Vilsack is really knowledgable about this and that’s an area where I see we have an opportunity to kind of team up and work together on.” Vilsack gave Branstad the report the U-S-D-A released last week about biochemical production and Branstad read it on his way to West Virginia, where the National Governors Association is holding its summer meeting.

Next summer, in 2016, the National Governors Association will meet in Des Moines and Branstad has invited Vilsack to be there for the event. Vilsack was Iowa’s governor in 2005, the last time Iowa hosted the summer meeting of the nation’s governors.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, led a bipartisan group which sent a letter to the head of the Department of Health and Human Services following the release of a second undercover video allegedly showing a Planned Parenthood official talking about selling body parts from aborted babies. “The goal of this letter was to draw attention to the legal, ethical and policy issues raised by the footage, and call upon Secretary Burwell to cooperate with ongoing and future investigations into these questions,” Ernst says. Ernst talked about the goal of the letter.

“We called on H-H-S to review the compliance of Planned Parenthood — one of the department grantees — with all relevant and applicable federal statutes, regulations and other requirements,” Ernst says. “I truly find this footage reprehensible, vial, and they truly raise questions that taxpayers deserve answers to.” During her weekly teleconference with reporters, Ernst was asked about a vaccine that reportedly can prevent the avian flu. Ernst says she is in favor of vaccines, but wants to be sure of the consequences of using them.

“What we want to make sure is if we are utilizing vaccines to prevent the avian influenza, that our trade partners will still accept any exports that we have in poultry production areas,” Ernst says. She says there is still not a consensus in the chicken and turkey industries about the use of the vaccines. “We’re going to have to look at this very carefully and those decisions — of course we rely heavily on producers to provide us with information on whether they believe the vaccines are the right way to go,” Ernst says. She says the U-S-D-A will also provide input on the vaccines as will state ag officials in the areas which have dealt with the outbreak.

Iowa was one of the hardest hit states with the avian flu outbreak .

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa court says people can drink alcohol in their cars as long as they’re parked on private property. The Des Moines Register says the Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday a state law banning open alcohol containers in vehicles doesn’t apply to people parked in private lots or driveways.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque woman says she has a state cannabis card allowing her to give an oil extracted from marijuana to her son, but she’s not allowed to do so in his care center. Instead, Jennifer McFadden says she gives the oil to her 12-year-old son, who has severe epilepsy, twice a day in the facility’s parking lot. She tells the Des Moines Register that the agency which operates the center says it can’t allow the oil into the facility. She says the agency told her that federal authorities still consider it a strictly controlled marijuana product.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Former state lawmaker Pat Murphy is embarking on a second Democratic bid for Congress, after a failed campaign in 2014. The 55-year-old from Dubuque lost a closerace to newcomer Republican Rod Blum in November.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — About 100 people were evacuated safely when a fire broke out on a paddle wheel boat on Clear Lake. The Globe Gazette reports the fire was reported Thursday morning, just after the Lady of the Lake cruise ship had docked. About 100 people, including 27 from a care center, were evacuated to shore.

The 2015 Cass County Fair got into full swing with the crowning of this years King and Queen on Thursday night in  front of the memory garden at the Cass County Community Center.  A large crowd gathered to see 9 candidates vie for Queen and 2 candidates compete for King.

(Left to right) Blake Miller,Emily McDermott, Alyssa Dean, Tyler Steele (Jim Field Photo)

4 Queen candidates were chosen from the previous judging to be interviewed in front of the crowd.  Those finalists were Haley Carlson, Alyssa Dean, Emily McDermott, and Tierney Sothman.  The two king candidates Tyler Steele and Blake Miller were also interviewed for final judging.

After final deliberations by the judges Alyssa Dean was crowned the 2015 Cass County Fair Queen and Tyler Steele was crowned King. Dean is the Daughter of Tim and Corissa Dean and is a member of the Cowpokes 4-H club and Griswold FFA.  Steele is the Son of Doug and Lynette Steele and is a member of the Grant Guys & Gals 4-H club and CAM FFA.

Also receiving awards were Emily McDermott as Princess, Tierney Sothman as Ms. Congeniality, and Blake Miller as Prince and Mr. Congeniality.

The remaining queen candidates were Jessica Aupperle, Katie Aupperle, Mandi Backhaus, Sydney Steffen, and Brookelyn Wahlert. Judging was done by Ronna Herzberg and Shelley Velman.

Also part of the event was the induction of Mary Ottmar into the Cass County 4-H hall of fame.  She was lured to the event under the guise of helping judge the King and Queen contest and then was surprised with the award.  Mary’s son Adam sweetened the surprise by flying in for the ceremony when she thought he was home in California.

The Cass County Fair continues through Tuesday, July 28th.  Listen for live coverage everyday on KJAN.

SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS-ADAIR-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE COUNTIES:

…HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 8 PM CDT FRIDAY…

* TEMPERATURE…HIGHS IN THE AFTERNOON WILL BE AROUND 90 AND COMBINED WITH THE RETURN OF DEW POINTS NEAR 80 RESULTING HEAT INDICES WILL RANGE FROM 100 TO 105 IN MANY LOCATIONS. HEAT INDICES FROM 105-110 ARE POSSIBLE IN FAR WEST/SOUTHWEST IOWA.

* IMPACTS…HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY OUT OF THE SUN…AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS…IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE. WHEN POSSIBLE…RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK…THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY…CALL 9 1 1.