DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Legislators in the Republican-controlled Iowa House have begun debate on a so-called “heartbeat” bill that seeks to ban most abortions in the state. Lawmakers are expected to debate for hours Wednesday over the legislation, which would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. That’s usually around six weeks of pregnancy.

The measure would need a final vote in the GOP-led Senate before it can be sent to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who hasn’t said whether she’d sign it into law. If enacted, the legislation would almost certainly be challenged over whether it violates U.S. Supreme Court rulings.

Mississippi passed a law earlier this year that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. That legislation is considered the nation’s most restrictive abortion law, but it’s on hold amid litigation.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department have released additional information with regard to an officer involved shooting that took place a little after 3-a.m. Tuesday (Today). Authorities say a preliminary review of the available evidence and information has been completed by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber and the Council Bluffs Police Department.

As a result of that review Council Bluffs detectives have obtained felony arrest warrants for 28-year old Clifton A. Wade, whose last known address was in Bondurant. Wade was still being treated at a local hospital for non‐life‐threatening injuries (including lacerations to his face and a gunshot wound to the arm) suffered during a collision with two Council Bluffs Police cruisers and from being shot by a Council Bluffs Police Officer following the collisions. Upon his medical release, he will be turned over to Nebraska authorities on warrants for two-counts of Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer, and felony Eluding.

Wade has not yet been booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail. All the officers involved made it home safely. The officer who fired the shots that injured Wade has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation runs its course. The other four officers have been cleared to return to duty. Their names will not be released until sometime later this week.

Wade was arrested and transported to the hospital following a chase that started near a construction site. The pursuit began on South 11th Street in Council Bluffs and ended on Interstate 29 southbound.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports two men were arrested on warrants, recently. Vandewater says on April 26^th, Greenfield Police arrested 29-year-old Brian Keith Cunningham, of Greenfield. He was taken into custody on a warrant for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order, and on two warrants for Violation of Probation. Cunningham was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $10,000 cash-only bond.

And, Deputies in Adair County arrested 34-year-old Joshua Ray Derry, of Fontanelle, April 22^nd, on a Union County Warrant for Violation of Probation. Derry posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond. Adair County Deputies also arrested 18-year-old Koy Alan Brandt, of Greenfield, on April 28^th for Possession of Marijuana. He was held in the jail on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. 18-year old Jesse Christopher Christensen, of Fontanelle, was arrested April 27^th in Adair County, for OWI 1^st Offense and Driving While License Denied/Revoked for OWI. He was being held on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

And, 61-year old Barbara Ann Davis, of Dexter, was cited in Adair County on April 25^th, for Operating While Intoxicated 1^st Offense. She was released on the citation.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A July trial has been scheduled for a Nebraska resident accused of stabbing to death a woman in Sioux City. Court records show a written plea of not guilty was filed Monday in Woodbury County District Court for 20-year-old Melissa Camargo-Flores, of Dakota City, Nebraska. Her trial is set to begin July 10. The charge: first-degree murder.

She’s accused of stabbing 24-year-old Kenia Alvarez-Flores on April 8. Court documents say Camargo-Flores admitted stabbing Alvarez-Flores and told investigators she’d been involved in a relationship with the victim’s boyfriend. Authorities say the two women were not related.

Police in Harlan report four recent arrests. On Monday, 35-year old Brent Michael Swisher, of Harlan, was arrested following a call of a disturbance in the 1000 block of Cyclone Avenue. He was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with interference with official acts. Last Saturday, 56-year old Dwight Alan Carroll, of Harlan, was cited for driving while suspended following a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 44 and Maple Rd.

On Friday, 43-year old Darline Jean Bothwell, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop in the 1300 block of College Blvd. She was transported to the Shelby County Jail on an active Plymouth County warrant and charged with driving while suspended and failure to secure financial liability. And, on April 24th, 28-year old Chelsea Rae Hill, of Harlan, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

A new study from the University of Iowa takes a closer look at the factors involved in emergency vehicle accidents. Professor Corinne Peek-Asa (Kor-rin Peek-A-suh) co-wrote the study and says they found police vehicles are more likely to be involved in accidents when heading to a call. “For police vehicles, we did find that they have a higher crash risk when they are driving in lights and siren mode. But we didn’t find the same thing for ambulance and fire vehicles. Their crash risk wasn’t higher if they were in emergency mode,” Peek-Asa says.

She says the increased danger for accidents in police vehicles could be attributed to a couple of factors. “One big difference is that sometimes police are actually in pursuit, so they are not going to a scene,” Peek-Asa says. “But also, even their job at a scene is a little different. Police need to get there first and control the scene and make sure there’s no violence going on and that everyone at the scene is safe.” Peek-Asa says ambulances and fire trucks may be more recognizable to motorists as they speed to an emergency. “Most fire vehicles and ambulances, they look different than other cars. Whereas police vehicles have the lights and sirens, but are somewhat similar to the fleet of other vehicles on the road,” according to Peek-Asa.

She says he study shows how important it is for motorists to quickly recognize any type of emergency vehicle and get out of the way. “More often than not the vehicles that crashed with the emergency vehicle had contributing circumstances. More often than the emergency vehicle itself,” she says. Peek-Asa says emergency vehicle drivers have many distractions to deal with and motorists can help. “The most important thing is to –even if it is not in your lane -0- to pull over to the side so you are not a visual distraction to the emergency vehicle,” Peek-Asa says. “Even if it doesn’t seem like you are in the way, it is important for all vehicles on the road to pull over just so the emergency vehicle can see better and understand what movement is going on — they don’t have to worry about which direction you are going.”

There’s also some advice for those driving patrol cars. Peek-Asa says more accidents happen at intersections and in winter weather conditions. She says police should remember to stick with their intersection protocol, knowing that other motorists can often not be aware of what is happening. And she says police are often out helping people in on really bad snowy conditions, and this reinforces the need for police to be cautious in those conditions.

The study looked at crashes involving emergency vehicles in Iowa between 2005 and 2013.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, will act on approving an Order for an Engineering Agreement with Snyder and Associates Engineers, for the Bull Creek Tunnel Relining Project. City Administrator John Lund says in 2016, the City issued a bond for $990,000 for “Storm Water Drainage Improvements,” with the debt to be paid from the Storm Water Utility, for a period of 20-years. That was in anticipation of major improvements to Bull Creek. The Army Corps of Engineers stepped-in however, and assumed domain. The Corps also demanded mitigation for the improvements, causing the costs to soar to more than $3.9-million. Lund says since then, the City has spent a considerable amount of money on other Bull Creek-related projects and engineering, leaving around $545,000 of the fund remaining.

One of the projects that remained, was relining of the old storm sewers throughout the downtown area of Atlantic. Lund says the City will be able to completely finish the relining project for an estimated $399,750 from the unused bond money. The remaining $146,000, he says, can either be applied to completing the more than $3.9-million enclosure and relief project, or for a capital improvement reserve for future storm water projects.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on re-appointing Steve Livengood to the Community Promotion Commission, for which he currently serves as Chair. His term expired last year, and Livengood wishes to continue to serve on the Commission. The Council will also set May 16th as the date for a Public Hearing to Amend the FY 2018 Budget. Lund says if the City overspends on any of the nine state-defined budget activities during a particular fiscal year, it is required to pass a budget amendment. It is a routine matter, according to Lund.

The Council will also recognize the Atlantic Police Reserve Unit, which recently was awarded with the Iowa State Reserve Law Officers Association’s Donald H. Mackman Outstanding Unit Award for the second year in a row. It’s also the seventh time Atlantic has won the award. The City’s Reserve Officers include: Bob McHugh; Jeff Hackwell; Jake Karns; Cole Lowary; Ryan Barnholdt; Jarrad Cavin, and Pastel Force. And, the Council will act on an Order to close designated streets on Saturday, May 19th, beginning at 3-p.m., for the Ba-da Ba-da Bing Bang Rally.

The Atlantic City Council meeting begins 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in their Chambers at City Hall.