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

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa State Fair has announced new food items for this summer’s contest. Three finalists have been chosen for the New Food Contest, and fairgoers will be able to vote on them. Corn in a Cup is one of the finalists. Sweet corn is cut off the cob and then mixed with pork chorizo, butter, chayote cheese, lime juice, sour cream, mayonnaise and “Magic Dust.”

The second finalist is the Toasted Coconut Caramel Cluster, a combination of toasted coconut, caramel fudge and pretzel bits that’s frozen on a stick and dipped in chocolate.
The third finalist is the Ultimate Bacon Explosion, which features brisket infused with a light jalapeno cheese, blended with seasonings, and then wrapped in bacon. It is smoked and then sauced in a sweet chili barbecue sauce.

Council Bluffs Firefighters responded to a reported explosion this (Thursday) morning.   The Council Bluffs Police Dept. says firefighters were called to the home of Patrick Burget at 2827 Avenue D, at around 4:17-a.m.  Upon arrival, it was learned an unknown suspect had ignited an explosive device on the porch of Burget’s residence, causing damage to the porch and surrounding windows. No injuries were reported.

The incident remains under investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Crimestoppers at 712-328-7867.

Flash flooding, a tornado, funnel clouds, large hail and damaging winds were all a part of the most recent storm to pass through western and west central Iowa Wednesday evening into early this (Thursday) morning. The National Weather Service says Adel in Dallas County had 7.1-inches of rain with the recent storm from 5:30-a.m. Wednesday to 4:30-a.m. today (Thursday). Three-miles northeast of Yale, in Guthrie County, a Weather Service employee reported 6.08-inches of rain since 7-a.m., Wednesday, with the total rainfall expected to be much higher.

Extensive flooding was reported this (Thursday) morning throughout Greene County, flash flooding taking place at around 2-a.m. six-miles north-northwest of Jamaica and along Highway 25 south of Scranton. Elsewhere across the area Wednesday evening, hail the size of hen eggs (2-inches in diameter) was reported three-miles south of Brayton at around 7:30-p.m., while other locations, such as Guthrie Center, Menlo, and Winterset experienced golf ball-size hail (1 3/4″ diameter). Half-dollar (1 1/4″) was reported in Redfield, and quarter-sized hail (1″ diameter) was reported at many other locations.

Thunderstorm wind damage was reported to have occurred in Guthrie Center, Menlo, and Earlham, with winds gusting anywhere from 50-to 80-miles per hour. Flash flooding was reported Wednesday evening as well, near Guthrie Center.

A tornado was reported at around 7-p.m. Wednesday six-miles south/southwest of Panora, in Guthrie County, while funnel clouds were observed near Linden, Redfield, Casey, Menlo, and elsewhere. No injuries have been reported.

U-S Senator Joni Ernst says she is “deeply, deeply concerned” about the direction the president is going in allowing U-S families to offer private ransom payments for relatives kidnapped overseas.  “I do not believe families should be negotiating with terrorists,” Ernst says.

Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says the president is sending a mix message. The federal government will continue its policy of not making ransom payments, but president signed an executive order creating a new office to deal with hostage families, including the facilitation of communications with terrorist groups that could theoretically be used to organize ransom payments.

“I don’t agree with what the president is doing, and I think he puts a number of these families at great peril by encouraging them to do so,” according to Ernst. “It is our responsibility to ensure that we are getting those hostages back as a federal government.” Ernst says the president’s plan raises the risk for everyone.

“I think that puts not only any hostages at increased risk — but also those families. We shouldn’t put them in that position,” she says. “It is our responsibility as a federal government to ensure that we are protecting our citizens. And when they are in hostage situations, we should be the ones who are getting those hostages back.”

Ernst says the president’s plan doesn’t help the issue. “We do not negotiate with terrorists, we don’t want to fund those organizations and we don’t want to encourage them either. I think there is a better way to do this. I do believe that the Department of Defense should really spearhead these hostage situations,” Ernst says.

Under the new directive from President Obama, families will not be prosecuted if they attempt to pay ransoms to get their relatives released.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

FLOOD WATCHES & WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT (please see the KJAN Weather page for details)

WILLIAMSBURG, Iowa (AP) — Iowa farm equipment maker Kinze Manufacturing says it must lay off 215 workers as business has slowed because of the impact of low grain prices on farmer purchases. The privately held company based in the eastern Iowa near Williamsburg makes planters and grain carts. Deere and Company another major farm equipment maker laid off 910 workers in its Iowa factories and 500 in Illinois in January.

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) — Two construction workers were hospitalized after a building site collapsed in eastern Iowa. Evansdale emergency officials say the two were being treated for non-life threatening injuries after the collapse at a planned Kwik Star convenience store on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities are investigating the cause.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Fort Dodge officials are moving ahead with plans to move a creek and shore up a bank to reduce erosion and improve water quality. The Messenger reports the $2.1 million project at Soldier Creek is being done by Fort Dodge and Webster County. Workers also will reduce pollution by adding basins to another part of the creek.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City man has received a 50-year prison sentence for beating a 20-month-old boy to death in 2012. The Press-Citizen reports that 23-year-old Jorge Perez accepted a plea agreement Wednesday afternoon. Perez was charged in the death of Marcus Balderas, the 20-month-old son of Perez’s then-girlfriend, Mireya Balderas. He entered an Alford plea in May.

(Update 9:40-a.m.: Santorum’s visit to Iowa has been cancelled for today)

Republican presidential candidate and winner of the 2012 Iowa Republican Caucus Rick Santorum (R-PA) is making a campaign swing through western Iowa today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday). The Senator begins with an 11:30-a.m. tour and visit of Mahle Engine Components, in Atlantic.

At 1-p.m., he’ll tour and visit World Cal, in Elk Horn.  An hour later, he’s expected to tour and visit Liberty Labs, in Kimballton.  And at 6:30-p.m., Santorum will hold a meet-and-greet/fundraising event in Glenwood. I

Tomorrow, the Senator will hold a faith and freedom roundtable discussion in Logan. The events are open to the media only, and are not available to the public.

A Red Oak man was arrested at around 8:30-p.m. Wednesday, for Failure to Appear in Court on a Public Intoxication charge. Red Oak Police say 49-year old Russell Lee Peterson was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

The Red Oak police department responded to a house fire that broke out Wednesday, June 24^th at around 8:13-a.m. at 309 E Nuckols street in Red Oak. Upon arrival, it was discovered that the residence was still occupied by the tenant Nicole Smith and 4 small children. All occupants did evacuate the residence with the assistance of law enforcement without injury. The fire was showing from the back of the residence and initial fire ground operations did contain the fire to back of the residence. No injuries were reported. The fire is currently under investigation at this time.

As Iowans head off on their summer vacations, more of them are taking their work along for the trip. A survey by the staffing service Robert Half International shows 68-percent of people on vacation still check in with the office or do work online. Mike Gremmer, regional vice president for Robert Half in Des Moines, says that number took a big bounce since the last survey in 2012. “It’s up 20% so that’s up what I would consider substantially,” Gremmer says.

Today’s electronic gadgets are making it harder and harder to unplug, even if the boss isn’t demanding you stay in close touch. “Definitely the advancements in technology and on-demand access to financial information is making it so much easier and tempting,” Gremmer says. “As far as how much is self-inflicted versus the boss, I think a lot of it is self-inflicted, to be honest with you.”

He says workers sometimes feel obligated to check in with the office because their boss set that trend. Supervisors should reverse that habit, if possible. “There’s a way you can do that by setting the expectations with your team members and then sticking to it,” Gremmer says. “It also gives one some work-life balance. It shows your team that if you’re leading by example and if you’re doing it, then they will do it as well.”

Gremmer says everyone needs to recharge their own personal batteries while on vacation, and not the ones on their smart phone, laptop or tablet.

(Radio Iowa)