A southwest Iowa man was arrested Friday for his role in a failed, apparent suicide pact. According to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, 58-year old James Allen Zing, of Thurman, for allegedly assisting or participating in a suicide attempt on Jan. 19th with his girlfriend, 47-year old Gwendolyn Nelson Melloway. The incident allegedly occurred in the 1500 block of Western Avenue in Thurman. Melloway died Jan. 21st from acute mixed drug overdose, which the State Medical Examiner ruled a suicide.

Zing’s toxicology report from Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs revealed he had “relatively low levels” of drugs in his system. His arrest followed an investigation that lasted several months.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad has issued a proclamation of disaster emergency and activated an assistance program for four Iowa counties affected by recent severe weather. Branstad said in a news release Friday that the Iowa Individual Assistance Program has been activated for Cass, Harrison, Montgomery, and Ringgold counties. Pottawattamie County was declared under a disaster emergency on Tuesday and is open to the assistance program.

ATLANTIC, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa man who served in Afghanistan appears in a new documentary featuring his unit. Nathan Allen, of Atlantic, appears in the film, “The Hornet’s Nest.” The movie features Allen’s unit, the 101st Airborne Division. reports the movie shows the unit as it experiences hostile fire in Afghanistan in 2011. Allen is wounded trying to help another soldier in his platoon reach safety. Allen received a Purple Heart for his service, and retired as a sergeant last year. He says the movie helps him remember the incident, and helps others understand what the soldiers experienced. The movie is playing in Atlantic from June 12th through 19th.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Bridge engineers in Nebraska and Iowa says the safety problems seen in Delaware with an interstate bridge are not likely to happen here. Scott Neubauer, Iowa’s bridge maintenance and inspection engineer, says Iowa doesn’t plan inspections like Delaware is requiring.

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — A 30-year-old Clinton man has been accused of setting a fire that his mother put out in their apartment. The Clinton Herald says Rex Brandt is charged with felony arson. Clinton County Jail records said Brandt remained in custody on Friday. His attorney declined to comment.

Gov. Terry E. Branstad, Friday, issued a proclamation of disaster emergency and activated the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for Cass, Harrison, Montgomery, and Ringgold counties in response to recent storms. Additionally, Pottawattamie County, which was already declared to be under a disaster emergency on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, will be opened to individual assistance.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $39,580, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual
expenses related to storm recovery.

The grant application and instructions are available at the “Disaster Assistance” link on the Iowa Department of Human Services website: www.dhs.iowa.gov.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — A task force has voted to discontinue the current setup of an annual celebration at Iowa State University, though no decision was made on specific changes. Members of the group voted unanimously Thursday to discontinue Veishea in its current form. The Des Moines Register reports they discussed eliminating the celebration’s well-known name and spreading events throughout the year instead of a multi-day event in the spring.

The group formed shortly after a late-night crowd disturbance in early April. People are accused of overturning cars and toppling light poles. One student was injured. The task force will make recommendations about Veishea to University President Steven Leath, who will make the final decision on its future.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a Glenwood woman was arrested Thursday morning. 21-year old Lindsey Joanne Krause was arrested just before 8-a.m. on a warrant charging her with assault. Krause posted bond. Her preliminary hearing was set for June 16th.

The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce’ Board of Directors has approved a merger with the Shelby County DevelopSource. In a meeting held Wednesday, the board met to discuss and act on the approval from their chamber members. On May 29th, the Chamber sent out a survey for all of their members to fill out and vote on the merger.

Of the 61 members who voted in the survey, 82 percent were in favor, 17 were against and 4 members skipped the question. Another question in the survey asked if a merger between the organizations is in the best interest and 87 percent said yes.

Two entities will combine to create one board with a total of 8 members, 4 from the Chamber and 4 from the DevelopSource boards. More information will be released once the details are hashed out on where the new organization will be located, by-laws are set in place and a new director is hired.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

(Updated 11:50-a.m.)

A motorcyclist died this morning when the cycle collided with a car in Council Bluffs. The accident occurred at around 6:45-a.m. Council Bluffs Police Sergeant Jason Bailey says the crash happened just north of the Mall of the Bluffs. “The Buick was going south making a left hand turn to turn into the business here,” Sergeant Bailey says, “the motorcycle was going north.”

The cycle was operated by 37-year old Mickie Carroll, of Council Bluffs. Carroll died at the scene. Bailey says no charges have been filed, as yet, but his initial investigation indicates the motorist, identified as 66-year old James Binns, of Council Bluffs, was at fault.  “We don’t know if he didn’t see him or what but he made a left hand turn in front of the motorcycle,” Bailey says. “He didn’t have a chance to stop and he struck the car.”

The accident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa/Council Bluffs P-D)

Officials with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) say Greenfield native Jared Baier will be spending his summer outdoors, helping to preserve and restore Iowa’s natural beauty through a unique internship program. The INHF selected Baier and nine other students from Iowa colleges as statewide land stewardship interns for the summer of 2014. Baier is a graduate of Nodaway Valley High School. He is majoring in forestry at Iowa State University and expects to graduate in December 2014.

INHF looks for college students who possess a passion for conservation and a desire to learn hands-on techniques for preserving Iowa’s natural areas. Baier said “This is a great hands on experience that will help further my career in the future.” INHF chooses its land stewardship interns based on their dedication to conservation and their devotion to restoring the state’s natural places.

Erin Van Waus, INHF land stewardship director, said “The interns help INHF achieve its goal of restoring rare and special native habitats throughout Iowa, and the enthusiasm and expertise each intern brings to the position is priceless.” The internship program allows INHF to increase its capacity to do high-quality restoration while offering the students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience.

Baier’s internship is sponsored by the estate of Richard “Sandy” Rhodes II, an INHF member from eastern Iowa known as a prairie restoration enthusiast. INHF is a nonprofit, conservation group that works with private landowners and other partners to protect Iowa’s land, water and wildlife. Since its founding in 1979, INHF has helped protect more than 130,000 acres of Iowa’s wild places.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Bridge engineers in Nebraska and Iowa says the safety problems seen in Delaware with an interstate bridge are not likely to happen here. On Thursday, Delaware ordered immediate inspections of major bridges after closing a leaning bridge Monday. Officials think piles of dirt dumped near the bridge might be responsible for shifting the ground beneath the span.

Nebraska State Bridge Engineer Mark Traynowicz says a combination of inspections and laws requiring permits for any work or dumping of state rights of way would thwart similar problems in Nebraska.

Scott Neubauer, Iowa’s bridge maintenance and inspection engineer, says Iowa doesn’t plan inspections like Delaware is requiring. Neubauer says he’s never heard of an instance in Iowa with a contractor piling anything near a bridge that would interfere with its structural integrity.

A public hearing will be held Monday evening in Atlantic with regard to an Early Start Calendar Waiver for the 2014-2015 school year. The hearing will take place at 7:30-p.m. in the Atlantic High School Media Center, prior to the start of the regular Atlantic School Board meeting. During the hearing, district patrons may speak for or against the Early Start Calendar Waiver, which allows districts to request from the Iowa Department of Education, authorization to begin classes earlier than specified in the Code of Iowa.The district is required to hold a public hearing on the matter prior to July 1st if it intends to begin classes earlier than a day during the calendar week, in which the first day of September falls.

During the Atlantic School Board’s regular meeting, the Board will hear special presentations from Gary Sinclair, Finance Support Co-Director for the Iowa Association of School Boards, and, an update from the Lindamood Bell Reading and Comprehension program instructors.

The School Board will also act on: approving various staff contracts, volunteer coaching positions and/or resignations; a digital sign for the Atlantic Middle School; New teacher employment; other, administrative matter, and, the 2014-2015 Early Start Calendar Waiver.

Discussion items to follow, include an Atlantic Middle School teacher request, and a draft Honorary Diploma policy.