DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The owner of the Argosy riverboat casino in Sioux City has asked a state judge to stop construction on a Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in downtown Sioux City. The Sioux City Journal reports that attorneys for Argosy parent Penn National Gaming Co. filed the motion in Polk County District Court on Monday. Penn is seeking to stop the construction until its lawsuit against the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission over the commission’s selection process for the new casino is resolved.

Work began in July on the $128.5 million Hard Rock casino. Last month, state regulators denied the Argosy’s request to renew its state gambling license. But the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission did not set a closing date for the floating casino.

The Iowa State Patrol has released the names of the victims involved in a fatal crash Monday morning in Harrison County. Officials say the driver of a 2000 GMC Sonoma pickup, 18-year old Salvador Valdovinos, of South Sioux City, NE, and a passenger in a 2012 Kenworth semi, 59-year old William Griffin, of Pine Bluff, AR, died at the scene of the crash near Mondamin. The driver of the semi, 58-year old Rebecca Griffin, also of Pine Bluff, was injured and transported by helicopter to Creighton Hospital, in Omaha.

Authorities say the pickup was traveling south on Interstate 29 at around 6:50-a.m., when it went out of control and crossed the median before striking the northbound semi, which was carrying dynamite. Officials say there was no danger of the dynamite exploding.

No injuries were reported following a single-vehicle accident Sunday, in Lenox. According to Police, Frank Valenzuela was backing up his car, a 2005 Ford, which was parked in his back yard.

Lenox P-D photo

The vehicles’ accelerator stuck, causing the car to speed through his back yard, across a ditch and East Van Buren Street, before it came to rest against a John Deere corn head parked at Barker Implement. Damage to the car was estimated at $2500.00. Damage to the combine head was unknown. No citations were issued

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PERRY, Iowa (AP) – The historic Hotel Pattee in Perry that abruptly closed earlier this summer now has a new owner.  Des Moines television station KCCI reports that Jay and Denise Hartz, of St. Louis, have bought the building and plan to reopen it by the end of October.  The couple plan to first clean the 40-room boutique hotel and make some repairs.

Mayor Jay Pattee says the development is “a huge deal for Perry.”  Jay Hartz said several Perry residents invested a total of $500,000 to reopen the hotel.  The hotel underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation in the 1990s, but closed in 2006 after losing money. A new owner re-opened it in 2008.

Its previous owner, Leisure Hotels, said it was forced to close the hotel in August because of financial difficulties.

Those who track farm injuries say grain bin accidents and wrecks involving all-terrain vehicles are increasing, while the number of children killed in farm-related accidents is on the decline. This is National Farm Safety and Health Week and Carolyn Sheridan — director of the “AgriSafe” program at Spencer’s Hospital — says operating a farm isn’t a “one-person show.”

“This involves the entire family many times or extended family members, so when we talk health and safety we need to…decide who’s doing the jobs…Maybe we’re asking somebody who’s young to do a job they’re not quite prepared for or maybe a farmer who’s maybe retired (or) slightly retired and they might be helping through the harvest season…What are we going to be doing different to keep those people safe?” Sheridan asks. “…Remember, throughout life we have different skill sets. You know, we may have a teenager who may be asked to do something different throughout the harvest because we need the workforce. So, what is our workforce made up of and what can we do make sure that we’re keeping them safe all through the harvest?”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, tractor roll-overs are the leading cause of death on the farm. Sheridan, who is a farm wife herself, counsels folks on the farm to ask questions. “And I maybe not have driven that tractor since last harvest and I don’t remember exactly what I’m supposed to do and we’re busy and maybe I don’t ask for the right instructions or remember those sorts of things,” Sheridan says, “or maybe that tractor seat isn’t far enough ahead for me and it’s hard for me to get those brakes and things.”

On average, about 112 kids under the age of 20 die each year from farm-related injuries. Sheridan says there are a number of things families have to consider in order to keep kids safe on the farm. “Do we have safe play areas? Are we taking them along with us?” Sheridan says. “What about after school? They’re coming home alone, you know are they’re going to look for us? — things such as that.” The latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows those working in the agriculture sector are in the most dangerous line of work in America. National Farm Safety Week was first established in 1944 and is held the third week in September.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A second ethics complaint has been filed against an Iowa state senator by a former aide to Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann. The complaint alleges Milo Republican Kent Sorenson broke Senate rules by seeking payment for political work. Peter Waldron’s complaint says a Sorenson aide sought compensation from Ron Paul’s presidential campaign in exchange for Sorenson leaving the Bachmann campaign and endorsing Paul. Sorenson didn’t immediately respond to a phone message.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former Des Moines youth pastor accused of sexually abusing two teenage girls will go to trial in November. Online court records indicate 27-year-old Ryan McKelvey’s trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 18. McKelvey is a former youth pastor at Heritage Assembly Church in Des Moines. Officers began investigating him after a girl and her parents reported an alleged sexual assault and say the investigation led to a second victim.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport man is charged with murder after family members agreed to have the victim’s body disinterred. The Quad-City Times reports 37-year-old Stephen Allan Boeding already was in jail when charged. Nothing seemed suspicious when 48-year-old Kevin E. O’Connell was found dead in his Davenport apartment June 6. But an anonymous source later told police O’Connell and Boeding had been drinking and O’Connell was choked to death. An autopsy eventually showed O’Connell was strangled. Court records didn’t list an attorney for Boeding.

KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — Visitation will be held Thursday and funeral services are scheduled Friday for former Keokuk Mayor David Gudgel. DeJong-Greaves Celebration of Life Centers confirmed Gudgel died Saturday at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City at age 63. Current Mayor Tom Marion says Gudgel’s public service will serve as a legacy to future generations.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An autopsy shows a Rockwell City police officer killed during a standoff died from a gunshot wound to his chest. Gerard Meyers, assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, says Monday the wound to officer Jamie Buenting was in the upper chest-lower neck region. The 37-year-old Buenting was shot early Friday as he and other officers attempted to enter a house to arrest 32-year-old Corey Trott, who was wanted on an assault warrant.

The Des Moines Register reported a complaint filed with Calhoun County District Court says Buenting was a few feet from the house when Trott fired a single shot from a .233 caliber rifle. Trott surrendered to authorities hours later. Trott faces a first-degree murder charge.

A victory by the Treynor High School Cardinals turned ugly last Friday night, after an angry parent allegedly assaulted Treynor High School football coach Steve Owens. According to the Daily NonPareil, the incident occurred at around 10:15 p.m., when Michael Beard, whose son plays for the team, grabbed Owens by the shirt and shoved him against a desk.

Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker told the paper Owens and an assistant coach were sitting in a high school classroom after the Cardinals defeated West Central Valley 27-26 in Treynor. Beard’s son entered the room to discuss his playing time in the game. Danker says Michael Beard entered shortly thereafter and yelling and complaining about his boy’s lack of playing time.

Danker says Michael Beard allegedly grabbed Owens by the shirt at his chest and shoved the football coach into a nearby desk. After the assistant coach yelled at Beard to stop, the man eventually left the room. Medical personnel transported Owens, who has a heart condition, to a Council Bluffs hospital as a precaution. He was treated and later released.

Deputies questioned Beard at his home and arrested him on suspicion of simple assault and disorderly conduct. He served time in jail over the weekend.