(Updated 6:19-a.m.) Anita Rescue and Wiota 1st Responders were called to the scene of a semi tractor-trailer rollover accident early this morning on Interstate 80, in Cass County. According to dispatch reports, the semi was in the north ditch on its side near Exit 64, westbound. Two people were said to have suffered serious injuries. One was flown from the scene by Midwest Med-Air, another was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital before being flown to a hospital in Des Moines by Mercy helicopter. The accident was reported at around 4:45-a.m. No other details are currently available.

Midwest Med-Air (photo by Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Agency)

Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass County EMA (Click to enlarge)

(RADIO IOWA) — President Trump is scheduled to visit Iowa this Thursday. Congressman Rod Blum, of Dubuque tweeted about the visit, saying Trump would participate in a round table” discussion in Blum’s hometown of Dubuque. Abby Finkenaur, the Democrat who’s challenging the congressman’s bid for a third term, says Blum “has a responsibility” to make it clear how much Trump’s “Twitter trade war” is damaging farmers’ finances. Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann downplays the idea Republicans are abandoning the president.

“The Republican Party of Iowa stands with President Donald Trump. We’re proud of you, Mr. President,” Kaufmann said. “There! We’ve got that out of the way.”  Kaufmann made his comments Friday evening to about 400 Republicans gathered in a Des Moines for a party fundraiser. “Do we agree 100 percent of the time? No. No one does. Are we proud of him? Absolutely. Is he better than the left-wing nuts that they’d like to replace him with? Always!” Kaufmann yelled into the microphone, the volume of his voice so loud it drew chuckles from the crowd.

The top Republican in the Iowa legislature also addressed the party activists and donors. House Speaker Linda Upmeyer of Clear Lake touted the agenda Republicans in the House, Senate and governor’s office pursued the past two years. “If you care about lower taxes, gun rights, protecting life, election integrity or responsible budgets, you had a good two years,” Upmeyer said. “…But here’s the thing: we’re only halfway there. The Democrats are running to reverse every single bit of this.”

Upmeyer says a G-O-P priority for 2019 will be passing a resolution so Iowans may vote on a constitutional amendment on gun rights. “Our constitution is one of the very few in the nation that doesn’t enshrine your right to bear arms today,” Upmeyer said. “…So that’s what I mean — we’re only halfway there.”

Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver of Ankeny says Republicans decided to “think big” rather than make small changes that didn’t “ruffle feathers.” “We can continue down the path that we’re heading,” Whitver said, “or we can go back to the way of Chet Culver and Democrats in control.”

Whitver told his fellow Republicans 2018 is the “most important election in at least a generation.”

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:33 a.m. CDT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker says Iowa’s successful strengthening of a ban on texting while driving could be a model for legislation after years of unsuccessful legislative efforts to crack down on distracted driving. State Sen. Merv Riepe says Iowa shows how enforcement can be increased. The Iowa State Patrol says citations for texting while driving have increased sixfold in the past year since Iowa lawmakers allowed officers to begin pulling over drivers for texting.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Open government advocates are alarmed by public officials’ increasing use of digital tools that can make text and email messages. The executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition says technologies such as private messaging apps undermine state open government laws. But some governors and state lawmakers say public employees should be free to communicate on private cellphones and social media platforms without triggering open records requirements.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State football team showed up in storm-ravaged Marshalltown to help residents clean up two days after a destructive tornado swept through the city. The Marshalltown Times-Republican reports that the entire Cyclones roster was on hand Saturday. Players did everything from clearing tree limbs and debris, raking yards, moving remnants of houses, rooftops and garages, and removing furniture from damaged homes and businesses.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Workplace safety officials are investigating the fatal injury of a man at a manufacturing plant in north-central Iowa’s Fort Dodge. The Messenger reports that the man died after being hit by and pinned under a steel beam Thursday evening. Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration spokeswoman Deborah Babb says the beam was being erected as part of a construction project at CJ Bio American in Fort Dodge when the accident happened. Babb declined to release the victim’s name.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting Monday at City Hall, beginning at 5:15-p.m. On the agenda is the introduction of Ron Flory as Park Foreman, and updates on: The Schildberg Development Project, including West Shelter and East Playground; The Nishna Park, and with regard to the Sunnyside Park entrance sign.

Parks & Rec Director Seth Staashelm will provide reports on Summer Programs, the Sunnyside Pool, Campground and the August 18th Doggie Dip, slated to take place from 1-until 4-p.m. on that date.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The growing popularity of digital tools that can make text and email messages vanish may be welcome to Americans seeking to guard their privacy, but open government advocates fear they are being misused by public officials. Some are using them to conduct business in secret and evade transparency laws.

Whether communications on those platforms should be part of the public record is a growing but unsettled debate in states across the country. Daniel Bevarly, executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, tells The Associated Press that technologies such as private messaging apps undermine state open government laws.

But some governors and state lawmakers argue that public employees should be free to communicate on private, non-governmental cellphones and social media platforms without triggering open records requirements.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker says Iowa’s strengthening of a ban on texting while driving could be a model for legislation after years of unsuccessful legislative efforts to crack down on distracted driving.

State Sen. Merv Riepe, an Omaha area Republican, says Iowa shows how enforcement can be increased. The Iowa State Patrol says citations for texting while driving have increased sixfold in the past year since Iowa lawmakers allowed officers to begin pulling over drivers for texting.

Nebraska is one of four states that ban texting but require a second traffic violation for an officer to stop a motorist. Iowa legislators strengthened a ban on texting in 2017 in a bipartisan bill that extended the ban on using smartphones while driving to include social media and games. Iowa lets drivers use phones for navigation.