SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa foster care officials are leading efforts to recruit and retain foster families as the state deals with a shortage of available homes. The Sioux City Journal reports that over 4,000 children are in need of a foster home in Iowa. Western Iowa has the greatest need for foster families because it has the highest child removal rate in the state. An Iowa Department of Human Services Child Welfare Bureau official says it’s the result of a more active juvenile justice system and a higher rate of drug use in the western part of the state.

Foster care providers say there’s also a demand for African-American, Hispanic and Native American families, as well as families willing to take teenagers, children with special needs and sibling groups of three or more.

NEW HAMPTON, Iowa (AP) — A court has scheduled separate trials for the Iowa parents of a 4-month-old baby whose maggot-infested body was found in a swing in his family’s home. Twenty-eight-year-old Zachary Paul Koehn and 20-year-old Cheyanne Renae Harris, both of Alta Vista, have pleaded not guilty to charges of child endangerment and first-degree murder in the death of their son, Sterling Koehn. Koehn’s trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 3 in New Hampton. Harris’ trial is set to begin Jan. 31.

Authorities say deputies and medics called to the couple’s apartment on Aug. 30 found Sterling dead in the swing. A medical examiner found maggots in his clothing and skin that indicated he hadn’t had a diaper change, bath or been removed from the seat in over a week.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office says two people were arrested on separate OWI charges, and one was taken into custody for Public Intoxication, recently. At around 11:30-p.m. Saturday, 35-year old Christopher Lawrence Adkins, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense and Carrying Weapons, after authorities investigated a property damage accident involving an SUV he was driving.

At around 5:50-p.m., Saturday, 52-year old Ismael Rodriguez-Ramirez, (residence not listed), was arrested at the Casey’s Store in Crescent, for Public Intoxication.

And, at around 7:50-p.m. Friday, Pott. County Deputies arrested 56-year old Carol Ann Gusman, of Underwood.  She was taken into custody after authorities received word a motorist was following a tired or intoxicated driver in the Underwood area, and that at one point the vehicle went into a ditch. The suspect vehicle, a 1994 Honda Accord, was located in the area of L-34 and Juniper Road, traveling southbound very slowly. The vehicle also had a very loud or defective exhaust. After the vehicle pulled over for the Deputy, Guzman admitted she had consumed between two and four beers earlier in the evening. She was subsequently placed under arrest.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater today (Monday), reported a woman from Casey was arrested last Thursday night on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Theft in the 4th Degree. 48-year old Pamela Joann Murphy, of Casey, was taken into custody in Greenfield by Adair County Deputies and turned over to Cass County Deputies. Her bond was set at $2,000. On Friday, 27-year old Lukus Jamal Garner, of Des Moines, was arrested on Adair County warrants for Failure to Appear in Court, on original charges of Driving While License Under Suspension, Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 1st offense, and Operating a vehicle without a registration card or license plate. Garner was released later that same day on $1,000 bond. And, 24-year old Rigoberto Barrera-Cruz, of Lenox, was arrested Nov. 12th in Adair County, for Driving While Barred. He was later released on $2,000 bond.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports a man and a woman were arrested Saturday evening for Burglary and Theft of Services, along with Possession of Marijuana. Officers took the pair into custody at around 5:30-p.m. Authorities allege 31-year old Seth Allen Simmons, a homeless person, and 37-year old Shelley Lane Steiner, of Villisca, entered the Celebrity Inn at 1323 S. 16th and occupied a room overnight.  Brothers said the pair were not authorized to stay there, and failed to pay for their lodging. Furthermore, it is alleged Simmons and Steiner caused some minor property damage in the room.

They were also found in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Simmons and Steiner were arrested without incident in the Clarinda Fareway parking lot. They were being held in the Page County Jail on $5,600. Police reports have been submitted to the offices of Page County Attorney Carl M. Sonksen for review regarding the filing of formal charges.

Officials with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office report a man from Wisconsin was arrested Friday morning after a deputy went to check on a disabled rental truck. Deputy Eric Hempel was dispatched to the 38-mile marker of Highway 6, at around 7-a.m, for a truck stalled in traffic. After he arrived on the scene and made contact with the driver, the driver became aggressive towards law enforcement and refused commands to get on the ground. 47-year old Chad Joseph Tryba, of Green Bay, WI., was taken into custody after a Tazer was deployed. He faces charges that include Disarming a Peace Officer/Aggravated Assault (A Class D felony), Child Endangerment without injury, and Interference with Official Acts.

A fire at a home about a mile west and one-quarter of a mile south of Brayton, Saturday afternoon, left a family that was new to the area, homeless. Brayton Fire Chief Tom McGovern told KJAN News that that Fire was reported at around 1-p.m., Saturday. By the time firefighters arrived, the upper floor of the home was fully engulfed in flames. The parents, three kids and three other adults had escaped without injury. The State Fire Marshal was expected to be on the scene today (Monday), to try and determine the cause of the blaze. The names of the victims were not immediately available.

Firefighters were on the scene for several hours, and were called back several times to extinguish some hot spot flare-up’s. Other fire departments lending assistance in the form of water and/or personnel, include those from Exira, Atlantic, Elk Horn, Kimballton and Audubon. Officials with the Exira-EHK School District posted on their Facebook page that the family was looking for a place to live and clothes for their three children.

The sizes they would need are 10-12 size for a boy, 4-5T size clothes for a boy, and 2-3T clothes for a little girl.  Any donations can be brought to the office in Elk Horn or Exira.