DAVEPORT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man has been injured in an explosion at a Davenport apartment building. The blast occurred around 4 a.m. Saturday. A city news release says debris was found in the yards by firefighters, who quickly put out the flames inside. A man who lives in the ground-level unit was taken to a hospital. The explosion is being investigated.

The Griswold School Board is set to hold their regular monthly meeting 5:30-p.m. today (Monday), in the Central Office at the Middle School/High School Building. During the meeting, the Board will receive an update on the facilities projects from representatives with KPE Architects and/or Estes Construction. Afterward, they will discuss and possibly take action on Second Grade for 2018-19. They’re also expected to act on approving: the Technology Plan and Technology charge; rate of pay for activity drivers; 2018-19 sharing agreements with Riverside, CAM, and Atlantic, with regard to an Elementary Guidance position, Elementary Art Teacher, and Transportation Director/Industrial Tech Programs, respectively.

The Audubon School Board will meet beginning at 7-p.m. in the Board Room at the High School. Action items include: Approving a Negotiated Agreement with the Audubon Education Association; Boiler Room Roof project; Personnel matters, and possible action on an Administration Early Retirement Policy. At the end of regular business, the Board will hold an Exempt session of the purpose of discussing strategy pertaining to Collective Bargaining.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say one person was hospitalized after a fire that damaged an apartment building on the southwest side of Des Moines. Firetrucks were dispatched a little after 1 p.m. Sunday. Station KCCI reports that arriving firefighters saw smoke coming from the third floor of the Wakonda West Apartments and fire and smoke blowing out of the front of the building.

One person was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The person’s name hasn’t been released. The fire cause is being investigated.

While the Iowa Department of Public Health put out a request for proposal last week for a second company to manufacture medical marijuana — there are no plans to add licenses for more dispensaries. D-P-H deputy director Sarah Reisetter says the law only allows five dispensary licenses.  “For us to be able to offer additional dispensary licenses, the legislature would need to change the statute,” Reisetter explains.

A Cedar Rapids city council member called for more licenses after the recent awarding of licenses Sioux City, Council Bluffs, Windsor Heights, Waterloo and Davenport. He says some Iowans will have to drive a long way to get to the dispensaries. Reisetter says the Health Department will keep an eye on the situation as the products start being distributed. “We will certainly collect information and we will collect feedback. We want to be a source of information for the people in the program,” Reisetter says. “Being the regulators and being the people who maintain the patient registry, we are a natural place to hear some of those concerns and questions that a patient may have.”

She says there is another way for people in the program to provide feedback. Reisetter says the medical cannabidial board is another way for people to give input on changes in the law as she says the board makes an annual report to the Iowa Legislature on January 1st of every year. She says they will keep the board up to day and she says the board has a public comment period at every meeting. Reisetter says they want to be sure they are hearing from those involved in the program. “Certainly we will provide feedback in terms of information that we are receiving, and our advisory board might decide to make a recommendation as well,” Reisetter says.

MedPharm Iowa is required to have the medical marijuana products available by December 1st of this year.

(Radio Iowa)

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two separate arrests took place, Sunday. At around 3:50-p.m., 19-year old Justice Guy Myers, of Villisca, was arrested in Villisca, on an Adams County Bench Warrant for Violation of Probation. Myers was turned over to Adams County authorities and was being held at the Adams County Jail on a $1,000 cash only bond. And, 43-year old Justin Wade Woods, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 8:20-p.m. Sunday, on a valid Pottawattamie County Bench Warrant for Violation of Probation. Woods was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $10,000 bond.

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack says the current U.S. Ag Secretary has authority to provide some short term financial support to farmers that Vilsack did not have during his eight years as the nation’s secretary of agriculture. If the trade dispute with China escalates, Vilsack says Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue has “unfettered access” to Commodity Credit Corporation resources.

(as said) “Which can be used in a very thoughtful and strategic way to provide some direct assistance for a period of time,” Vilsack says. “The reality is it’s a stop-gap measure. It’s not something you can necessarily do that is permanent and, frankly, most of the farmers I talk to would prefer not to have a support structure and system. They would prefer to have a free and open market opportunity.”

Vilsack is president and C-E-O of the U.S. Dairy Export Council and he’s been to China twice this year. Vilsack says the Chinese are “not fearful” about a trade war, although they hope to avoid it. And Vilsack says officials in other world capitals believe a trade war would put a damper on the world economy, which appears to be perking up a little bit.

(as said) “No question China has not played by the rules,” Vilsack says “The question is how we go about making sure that they change and I think one of the things the administration is now trying to do, that I think is a good thing, is that they’re trying to get allies in this effort.”

Vilsack says there are plenty of companies and farmers in other countries that have been damaged by China’s conduct.

(as said) “There’s no question that China has basically gamed the system, certainly as it relates to intellectual property,” Vilsack says. “But there are ways in which we could solicit the help of the E.U., Japan and others to put pressure on China to basically change their ways without damaging agriculture.”

Vilsack made his comments this weekend during an appearance on Iowa Public Television’s “Market to Market” program.

(Radio Iowa)