DENISON, Iowa (AP) – Winds gusting to 87 mph have knocked over train cars and toppled trees in parts of Iowa. Authorities say no injuries were reported from the storms that ran through the state early Thursday morning. Crawford County emergency management coordinator Greg Miller says trees and branches are down in several communities and that power also had been briefly lost.

The National Weather Service says the 87 mph gust was reported at the Denison Municipal Airport. Union Pacific spokeswoman Calli Hite says 22 cars on an eastbound UP train derailed near Westside around 2:30 a.m., but there were no injuries and no release of contaminants.

A resident of Audubon County who lives about 7-to 8-miles east of Exira off 280^th Street, told KJAN News a solid wood corn crib that’s stood the test of time for over 50-years, was blown over sometime between 2:25-and 2:45-a.m. today. In Central Iowa’s Story County, a hoop building was destroyed near McCallsburg, a large tree limb snapped and fell on a house, and a shed was damaged.

On the eastern side of the state, gusts knocked over an unoccupied semitrailer at the Isle of Capri Waterloo casino, and another semi overturned near Hudson.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has signed legislation designed to address worker shortages in Iowa. The new state law will guide changes in career and technical programs for Iowa students in the seventh through 12th grades. The goal is to make those programs align better with community college courses and, ultimately, ensure students are gaining skills that will help them get a job. Representative Mary Ann Hanusa, of Council Bluffs says regional partnerships will be formed, involving educators and other adults in the community.

“To bring together school districts and community colleges and the business and agricultural community so that they can help develop a sort of a holistic career opportunities and career pathway for our students,” Hanusa says, “to expose them to new careers and new opportunities with which they may not now be familiar.” The new law requires each public and private school in Iowa to develop a unique “career and academic plan” for each eighth grader. Senator Brian Schoenjahn, of Arlington, says the goal is to make “high quality” technical education available at the high school level.

“We have the Regional Academy for Math and Science at Oelwein. We have the Career and Technical Education (Academy) at Maquoketa — tremendously successful partnerships between businesses, community colleges and high schools that are guiding our students,” Schoenjahn says. “Unfortunately, these great opportunities don’t exist all over our state.” Representative Patti Ruff of McGregor says the law will help students gain the skills for jobs that may not require a four-year or even a two-year college degree.

“But through apprenticeships and other job shadowing and internship options, they will be able to find that path to a successful career and, thus, a successful life,” Ruff says. The bill passed the House and Senate unanimously earlier this spring. Governor Branstad signed the bill into law this morning (Thursday) during a ceremony at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo.

(Radio Iowa)

One person was arrested this (Thursday) morning in Atlantic, after authorities received word a man had displayed and fired a weapon in the vicinity of 16th and Oak Streets. Authorities say a short time later, police located a man matching the description of the suspect, as he was walking along East 14th Street, near the Heritage House. The suspect, identified as 25-year old Joshua Olwell, of Atlantic, was unarmed when police stopped to talk with him

An investigation lead officers to locate the weapon in on private property near the road, in the area of 15th and Hazel Streets. Olwell was taken into custody and charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon without a permit, Reckless use of a firearm, and Harassment in the 2nd degree. Authorities say additional charges are possible.

Olwell was booked into the Cass County Jail and held pending an appearance before the magistrate.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A federal judge is planning a trial to determine whether Iowa’s sex offender treatment program is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Mark Bennett said in an order Wednesday that he hopes to set the two-week trial for Nov. 28. The case concerns sex offenders who completed prison sentences but are locked up at a state institution in Cherokee for treatment, based on findings that they’ll likely reoffend.

They’ve argued the program is unconstitutional because it doesn’t give them adequate treatment, and that they’re essentially serving life sentences because few offenders complete it. Testimony from employees has confirmed staffing shortages and cutbacks in treatment.

Bennett says the trial will determine whether the program violates constitutional standards, is punitive rather than therapeutic, and is the least restrictive way to treat sex offenders.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says four people were arrested on separate charges this week. On Tuesday, 42-year old Shelly Ann Lamkins, of Tabor, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault and Child Endangerment. That same day, 48-year old Scott Timothy Hall, of Emerson, was arrested on a warrant for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Bond for both subjects were set at $5,000.

On Wednesday, deputies in Mills County arrested 33-year old Keith Alan Wilson, II, of Glenwood, on a warrant for OWI/2nd offense, Reckless Driving and two counts of Failure to Maintain Control. His bond was set at $1,000. Also arrested Wednesday, was 54-year old Jona Lee Gatlin, of Malvern. Gatlin was charged with Criminal Trespass. Bond was set at $300.