DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Braley has a friend in Carole King. Braley’s campaign announced Thursday that the singer-songwriter would meet with supporters at four locations around the state on Friday. The four-term congressman from Waterloo is locked in a tight Senate race with Republican Joni Ernst. Both are vying to win the Senate seat vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.

King, whose 1971 album Tapestry won four Grammy awards, will appear in Council Bluffs, Creston, Newton and Iowa City to thank volunteers. She is the second musical star from the 1970s to back Braley. Last month Joe Walsh, of the Eagles, promoted a fundraising effort that gave contributors a chance to win tickets to an Eagles concert. For $5, contributors could be entered to win tickets and go backstage.

Officials with the Iowa DNR report floodwaters from recent heavy rains across southwest Iowa caused a dike on the south side of the main tract at Riverton Wildlife Management Area in Fremont County to blow out, rapidly raising the water level in the marsh. The rising water level has made the main Riverton boat ramp inaccessible and is putting water over the main access road.

The main access road and boat ramp will be closed until water levels recede. The Jensen tract south of the town of Riverton is still open to boat and walk in hunters. The Riverton Wildlife Management Area is a 4,000 acre public hunting and wildlife refuge area popular with waterfowl hunters. Iowa’s special September teal season is open through Sept. 16. The duck hunting season in the south zone is Oct. 4-8 and Oct. 18 to Dec. 11.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska doctors treating an American aid worker infected with Ebola say he has responded well to aggressive treatment in the past week. Dr. Phil Smith said Thursday Dr. Rick Sacra received blood transfusions from an Ebola survivor shortly after he arrived at the Nebraska Medical Center last Friday.

In an update to our story at 9-a.m. today, officials with Southwest Valley Schools in Corning say a sophomore at the school died following a crash at the intersection of Vanilla Avenue and 200th Street, near Corning, in Adams County. In a press release, Superintendent Willie Stone announced that Christian Silva was killed the crash.

Stone says all students were informed of the incident, and grief counselors were made available at school to help anyone dealing with the grief of Silva’s death. All school-sponsored events at Southwest Iowa schools scheduled this (Thursday) evening were postponed.

Additional information about the accident has not been released.The crash was being investigated by the Iowa State Patrol.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The nation’s corn and soybean farmers will harvest by far the largest crops ever this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday in a new report. Bigger crops have been expected this year as adequate rain and cool temperatures made for favorable growing conditions, but the new estimates far surpass previous records.

Corn farmers are expected to harvest nearly 14.4 billion bushels of corn, up from last year’s 13.9 billion bushel record. The 171.7 bushels per acre yield is significantly higher than the previous record set in 2009 of 164.7 bushels per acre. Record yields will be set in 18 states, the USDA said.

Despite the strong forecast, concerns have grown in recent days that early cold weather is creeping into the upper Midwest and some crops are maturing later this year. Temperatures below freezing could slow or stop crops from reaching full maturity and affect the harvest. That possibility was not reflected in Thursday’s report.

Ten states including Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska have the highest number of ears per corn stalk ever, the USDA said. After meeting all current demands for corn — including exports and use for animal feed, ethanol and food for people — the USDA estimated 2 billion bushels of corn would remain in stock. That’s the highest ending stock in a decade.

The soybean harvest estimate also moved upward to a new record of 3.9 billion bushels. The previous record was 3.4 billion bushels in 2009. The per-acre yield is now estimated at record 46.6 bushels per acre.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden is returning to the key presidential state of Iowa next week, reminding voters not to count him out of the next presidential campaign. The White House says Biden will be in Des Moines on Wednesday. He’ll speak at an event for a Catholic social justice group called Nuns on the Bus.

Biden’s visit will come days after former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton comes to Iowa to headline retiring Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin’s annual steak fry fundraiser, attended by thousands of Iowa political activists. Last year Biden was the headliner for that event, which frequently attracts potential White House contenders.

Both Clinton and Biden are considering running again for president in 2016. Iowa traditionally holds the first presidential primary contest.

Two people were arrested on separate charges Wednesday, in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office says 38-year old Patrick Lee Amburn, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail on a warrant for Probation Violation. He was taken into custody at around 10:30-a.m. and held on $20,000 bond.

And, 49-year old Adam Duane Wright, of Pisgah, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office in Glenwood, Wednesday evening, on a warrant for Probation Violation.  His bond was set at $10,000.

In an update to our earlier story about a three-vehicle accident Wednesday afternoon, in Pottawattamie County, the Sheriff’s Office identified the teenaged driver and passenger of a car struck by a Griswold man on a motorcycle on the eastern outskirts of Council Bluffs. Sheriff Jeff Danker says a 2012 Nissan Versa occupied by 17-year old Kelsey Fagan and 15-year old Katie Hopping, both of Council Bluffs, and a 2008 BMW motorcycle driven by 57-year old Aldon Pangelina, of Griswold, were both initially traveling east on Highway 92 at around 3:20-p.m.

Witnesses said the Nissan, driven by Kelsey Fagan,  was in the process of turning Northbound onto Stoneybrook Drive when the collision occurred. As the collision occurred the Nissan was pushed into the Westbound lane of Hwy 92, causing it to collide with a 2007 Mercury Mariner. The Mercury was being operated by a 27-year old Jessica Luke of Oakland, with 25-year old Laura Lajke of Macedonia, as the passenger.

Aldon Pangelina, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered severe head injuries and was transported by medical helicopter to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha. Both of the teens in the Nissan were transported by Lewis Township Fire & Rescue to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs as a precautionary measure. Officials say Jessica Luke and Laura Lajke both refused medical treatment at the scene.

Hwy 92 was closed for both Eastbound and Westbound traffic for approximately 3-hrs while Traffic Accident Investigators from the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office worked the scene. Further investigation will be conducted into the cause of the accident.

Police in Clarinda arrested two people on drug charges, Wednesday. According to Chief Keith Brothers, at approximately 9:30 p.m. officers arrested 26-year old Elizabeth Marie Merriett, of Tarkio, Missouri and 39-year old Jay Dean Miles, of Clarinda, for possession of a drug believed to be methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Miles was also wanted on an outstanding warrant from Pottawattamie County for contempt of court.

Merriett and Miles were both arrested pursuant to a traffic stop at 16th & Logan Streets. They  were taken into custody without incident and booked into the Page County Jail in lieu of bail, pending initial appearances before the Page County Magistrate.

The matter has been referred to the offices of Page County Attorney Jeremy S. Peterson for review and determination regarding the filing of formal charges.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The Nebraska doctors treating an American who is battling the Ebola virus are expected to provide an update on his condition Thursday afternoon. Dr. Rick Sacra was flown to the Nebraska Medical Center last Friday for treatment in the hospital’s specialized 10-bed isolation unit.
Sacra’s doctors said earlier this week that the 51-year-old from Worcester, Massachusetts had been improving since he arrived but it was too soon to say if he would recover.

Sacra has been using a video conference system to visit with his wife, Debbie Sacra, while receiving experimental treatment. Sacra was the third American aid worker with the Ebola virus to be flown to the U.S. for treatment. A fourth worker, whose identity has not yet been revealed, arrived Tuesday morning at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.