WINTERSET, Iowa (AP) – Former Madison County Attorney Anthony Zane Blessum has been charged with assaulting his former girlfriend.  The Des Moines Register reports that the 56-year-old Blessum has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault with intent to inflict injury and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. He was charged on Jan. 14th.

Police reports say Blessum and the woman argued at Blessum’s house in Dallas County on June 11. A 911 call was placed from the house, and officers found the woman with several injuries. She was taken to a hospital for treatment, but Blessum was not arrested that night.  Iowa Assistant Attorney General Laura Roan is prosecuting the case.  Blessum’s attorney, Shane Michael, says Blessum acted in self-defense.

Blessum served as Madison County attorney from 1987 to 1997.

Partial newscast w/ Ric Hanson

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Snow and gusty winds are slicking roads and slowing travel in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. A winter weather advisory remained in effect Wednesday morning for the southeastern quarter of Nebraska. Weather forecasters estimated that up to 3 inches of snow had fallen by early Wednesday morning in the Omaha area, while Lincoln officials reported around 6 inches of snow. In western Iowa, roadways were covered with a mix of snow and ice, and the Iowa Department of Transportation warned of treacherous driving conditions.

Most schools from Lincoln to Omaha in Nebraska and in western Iowa canceled Wednesday classes.  The National Weather Service has also issued a winter storm warning for parts of central Iowa later Wednesday, with Cedar Rapids forecast to get up to 7 inches of snow.

One person was injured during a single-vehicle accident Tuesday night about 3.5-miles east of Stuart, on Interstate 80 in Adair County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2006 Chevy Colorado pickup driven by 41-year old Heather Ann Roberts, of Council Bluffs, was traveling west on I-80 at around 10:30-p.m., when the vehicle went out of control. The pickup crossed the median and was hit broadside in the passenger side by a 2006 Volvo semi, driven by 49-year old Michael P. Cole, of Oswego, IL. Both vehicles then came to rest in the east ditch off of eastbound I-80. Roberts was transported by Stuart Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. A report on her condition is not available. The driver of the semi was not injured.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

City officials in Carson say a problem they experienced on Tuesday which resulted in cloudy or discolored water, has been resolved. On Tuesday, the City said mechanical failure at the water treatment plant was causing a higher concentration of potassium permanganate to exist in the water. Since the initial announcement, the City gone through the processes necessary to make sure water coming out of the taps is clean and clear, but some discolored water may remain in private lines for  a short time.

The City recommends that any resident currently experiencing discolored water, should flush all of your private lines until the water runs clear. Carson’s maintenance supervisor also recommends that you run a cycle through your washing machine to clear it of any remaining colored water. Once the water is clear it is fine to drink.

An Iowa based organization is planning a cross country event this summer to raise money for cancer research. Marathoner Steve Cannon says the Million Dollar Marathon will involve a series of nonstop marathons through 15 states. “It’s called the Million Dollar Marathon for a reason. Our goal is to raise a million dollars. That’s the kind of money that can really move the needle to help those people who are in the fight,” Cannon said. The relay will involve runners passing a baton every 26.2 miles — covering a total of 3,850 miles from the Pacific to the Atlantic.  “We will end up with 160 runners, each running a marathon one after the other and each with their own cancer story,” Cannon said. “Many of them will be cancer survivors. Some of them will be people who are actively in treatment. Some of them will be people who have incredible stories to tell of loved ones lost or loved ones who are in the fight.”

Cannon is no stranger to raising money and awareness for those in the fight against cancer. In 2009, he ran the entire RAGBRAI route and last summer, he became the first person to run around Lake Michigan. That 1,037 mile journey was completed in just 40 days – as Cannon averaged a marathon a day. Cannon has partnered with the Des Moines based group Above + Beyond Cancer on plans for the Million Dollar Marathon. Mercy Cancer Center Director Dr. Richard Deming, founder of Above + Beyond Cancer, said each marathoner will be joined by other runners — basically anyone who wants to participate. “Just yesterday I saw a patient and she just turned 90 years old. She’s a survivor. She has a walker and she wants a piece of this marathon,” Deming said. “We find the opportunity for people like her, a 90-year-old breast cancer survivor with a walker, to carry the baton and be a part of this.” Each of the 160 marathon runners selected will be asked to reach a fundraising goal of $7,000.

Deming started the Above + Beyond Cancer organization a year ago. He noted while 600-thousand (600,000) people will die of cancer in the United States this year, there are also 14-million Americans who are living with cancer or beat it.  “Cancer no longer has to be a death sentence,” Deming said. “One can overcome cancer and cancer can actually be a springboard to teaching you so many things about life.” Charlie Wittmack, the only American to have climbed Mount Everest and swim the English Channel, is executive director of Above + Beyond Cancer. He’s led cancer survivors and others touched by cancer on several expeditions – including climbs to a Mount Everest base camp and to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

“It’s truly been an extraordinary year – four expeditions, hundreds of speaking events, hundreds of hours spent advocating, days and days devoted to fundraising, service and volunteerism,” Wittmack said. “It’s hard to believe we’ve done all of that in the course of a year.” The Million Dollar Marathon is scheduled to begin on June 21 in Washington State. It’s unclear when the relay will pass through Iowa. Deming said ceremonies honoring the runners will be held in Denver, Colorado, Des Moines and Washington, D.C.

More information: http://coasttocoastforcancer.org

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Iowa Lottery say an Atlantic woman was the latest big instant-scratch game winner in Cass County during calendar year 2012. Jennifer Hansen won $30,000 in the “Crossword” game, with a ticket purchased at the Casey’s General Store’s  west location on southwest 7th Street. And, Tamara Wiley, of Lewis, was the county’s latest and biggest lotto winner during the same period, winning $40,000 in the Powerball game, with a ticket purchased at Casey’s east, on east 7th Street, in Atlantic.

In fiscal year 2012, Iowa Lottery sales hit a record $310.9 million and have continued at a record pace in the months since then. Officials say a significant number of tickets expire each year without being claimed. In fiscal year 2012, more than $1.1 million in lotto prizes expired in Iowa without being claimed. Prize money left unclaimed after redemption deadlines goes into the lottery’s prize pools for future games, so it will be used to pay prizes, just not those prizes that have expired.

Check your numbers on the Iowa Lottery’s website at www.ialottery.com, where you can also find a current list of unclaimed lotto prizes of $10,000 and above. Winning lotto numbers may be checked by visiting the lottery website or calling the winning numbers hotline at (515) 323-4633. They may also be checked by visiting a lottery retail outlet or calling the lottery at (515) 725-7900 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The driver of a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am was transported to the Shenandoah Memorial Hospital following a single vehicle accident Tuesday morning south of Shenandoah. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports 23-year old Jessica Lynn Strange, of Riverton, was traveling north on Highway 59 at around 7:45-a.m., when for reasons unknown, the car went on to the east shoulder of the road. When the woman over-corrected, the car crossed the road and went on to the west shoulder of Highway 59.

When Strange over-corrected a second time, the car went into the east ditch and slid sideways over a metal post before coming to rest next to some small trees. Strange suffered possible, unknown injuries during the mishap. Her car sustained about $1,600 damage. No citations were issued.

The Trustee in the case of the Portsmouth-based G and R Feed and Grain Company Incorporated bankruptcy case, reports an informational meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 5th at 1:30 p.m. at Club 191 in Portsmouth. The meeting is informational only and claim forms will be available. Trustee Deborah Petersen says the U.S. Department of Agriculture has sold all stored grain. Each producer with a warehouse receipt for stored grain will receive a letter in the next couple of weeks from the USDA. Producers
can expect to receive a check for their stored grain from the USDA within 4 – 6 weeks after all grain is removed. Petersen says at this point, there is no action for producers to take with the USDA.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture has sent letters to producers who sold grain to G & R for cash or who sold grain on an unsigned contract and were not paid. Such individuals may qualify for the Indemnity Fund and may receive up to 90% of their claim, with certain limits from IDALS. These producers can file their claims with the Iowa Department of Agriculture, as well as with the
Bankruptcy Court. If you have a claim for a deferred price contract, or other amount due you, you should take action
to timely file a claim with the Bankruptcy Court. If you have a contract for future delivery of grain, you will soon receive notice of rejection or assumption of that contract, as the Trustee will not be fulfilling those contracts, but may have offers to purchase them or assign.

Once the decision is made, the Trustee will file the necessary notice with the Court and all holders will receive notice of the Trustee’s action. Contracts that are rejected, once approved by the Court, will have no further action required. If contracts are assumed or sold, then the producer will be required to fulfill the contract. The Trustee is gathering other information and working on liquidating all assets as soon as possible, as well as collecting all accounts due G & R, which filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on January 1st, 2013. The company’s estimated debt is between $1 million and $10 million. Its estimated assets are up to $50,000.