A woman from Red Oak was arrested at around 3:30 this (Monday) morning, in Red Oak. Authorities say 30-year old Sara Ann Billie-Kier was taken into custody for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor. Billie-Kier was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

A traffic stop at around 12:10-a.m. Sunday in Adams County, resulted in the arrest of a man on a drug charge. Joshua Strange, of Clarinda, was taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance, after a baggy of methamphetamine was found inside his vehicle.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:05 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say an investigation into animal treatment at an Iowa state lawmaker’s hog farm found no evidence that animals were being abused despite video that a group posted that appeared to show otherwise. Two people with California-based Direct Action Everywhere entered a hog farm last spring owned by Republican Iowa state Sen. Ken Rozenboom. Mahaska County Sheriff Russell Van Renterghem says an investigation didn’t find any abuse. Rozenboom said he decided in December to lease the hog building to a different farmer. He has said veterinary records show the herd was being treated for a respiratory infection that contributed to the problems Direct Action Everywhere documented.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A student is suing Drake University in Des Moines, along with a fraternity at the school and several fellow students for an unspecified amount after he said he nearly died from a hazing incident. Court documents filed Feb. 7 show Marcus Shields is suing the school, Theta Chi fraternity, its Drake chapter and others. The lawsuit says Shields was a 19-year-old freshman last year and a Theta Chi pledge when the fraternity engaged in hazing, included coercing and forcing him to drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Shields says he pleaded with his fraternity brothers that “he didn’t want to die,” and had to be taken by ambulance to a hospital for acute alcohol poisoning.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Democratic Party has selected a new interim chairman to replace Troy Price, who resigned this week following a meltdown in the state’s lead-off presidential caucuses. The Des Moines Register reports that the party’s State Central Committee voted Saturday to install Iowa state Rep. Mark Smith, of Marshalltown, as interim chairman. The vote came a day after party officials agreed to hire two high-profile lawyers to investigate the factors leading to the problems that hamstrung the Feb. 3 Iowa Caucus, when problems with a mobile app and other issues prevented it from releasing results.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Officials say two people suffered minor injuries in a fire that destroyed a Fort Dodge towing and auto business. Television station KCCI reports that the fire broke out Friday afternoon in Mid Iowa Towing. Firefighters arrived to find a large fire in the company’s shop area, with flames reaching the roof. The building is not served by the city and did not have fire hydrants, requiring the firefighters to use 500-gallon water tanks. Officials say the lack of water and presence of a large amount of flammable liquids, coupled with high winds, caused the fire to grow and spread quickly. Two of the business’ employees were treated for burns on their hands.

The Audubon School Board is set to meet 7-p.m. Monday in the High School Board Room. Action items on their agenda include:

• The (possible) purchase of a Bus
• Setting the time/date for a Public Bargaining meeting for the Board’s Proposal
• (Possible) Action on Staffing Changes for FY 21 including – a 1/2 time Social Worker; 1/2 time Interventionist and 1/2 time Title 1 Teacher; FFA Asst. Advisor.
• (Possible) Action on Non-Certified Health Insurance.
• Certain Board Policies
• Approval of a 28-E agreement w/the Woodward-Granger School District.
• Approve Superintendent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Coon Rapids-Bayard District (CR-B).
• Approve Continued Sharing with CR-B for the services of: Superintendent; Human Resources; Transportation Director and Elementary School Counselor.
• Setting the date/time for a Public Hearing on the School Calendar.
• and, Personnel matters.

The Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board will hold a Public Hearing a little after they convene their meeting 6-p.m. Monday, in the Conference Room at the Elk Horn Building. The hearing is with regard to a proposed 2020-21 School Calendar.

The Board will then hear a presentation by the State qualifying Lego League students. The Exira-EHK “Spartan Bots” advanced to State in First LEGO League Competition that was held January 18th at ISU.

In other business, the Board will discuss and act on approving: The 2020-21 Calendar; An 80/20 Sharing Superintendent Agreement with the IKM-Manning District; Revisions to 400-series Board Policies, and Personnel matters.

Members of the City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board will hold their regular monthly meeting beginning 5:15-p.m. Monday, at City Hall. Action and/or New Business items on their agenda include:

• Continued discussion with regard to a Campground Host (At the Schildberg Rec. Area)
• The Community Gardens Project (at Mollett Park).
• Recycling cans.
• City of Atlantic Walking Map.
• PALS (Friends of the Parks) news.
• Bull Creek Erosion Control.

And, in his report to the Board, Parks & Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen is expected to talk about:

1. Starting to contract Summer Coaches/Coordinators positions.
2. An update on Summer Help.
3. Signage for City Parks.
4. Summer Programs.
5. and updating the Board on the New Year’s Challenge.

Both lanes of Interstate 80 eastbound in Pottawattamie County were blocked for at least a couple of hours Sunday, following a semi tractor-trailer rollover accident that took place late Sunday morning. The crash took place at mile marker 36, near Avoca.  A detour is in operation was in operation until the wreck could be removed from the travel portion of the road. The road was reopened to both lanes at around 1:30-p.m.

Additional details were not immediately available.

Two people from southeast Iowa were injured during a single-vehicle crash Sunday morning, in Henry County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 19-year old Wyatt R. Barbison, of Brighton, was flown by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, after he failed to negotiate a right turn at the intersection of Ash Avenue and 120th Street. The SUV went off the west side of the road and struck a tree. The accident happened at around 7:35-a.m.

A passenger in the vehicle, 19-year old Nathaniel B. Reynolds, of Mt. Pleasant, was also injured. No report on their conditions was immediately available. The Patrol says neither man was wearing a seat belt. The accident remains under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say an investigation into animal treatment at an Iowa state lawmaker’s hog farm found no evidence that animals were being abused despite video that a group posted that appeared to show otherwise. Two people with California-based Direct Action Everywhere entered a hog farm last spring owned by Republican Iowa state Sen. Ken Rozenboom.

Mahaska County Sheriff Russell Van Renterghem says an investigation didn’t find any abuse. Rozenboom said he decided in December to lease the hog building to a different farmer. He has said veterinary records show the herd was being treated for a respiratory infection that contributed to the problems Direct Action Everywhere documented.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Democratic Party has a new chairman. “We’ve endured enough negatives. We must now focus on what is positive and what we can do to make life better for Iowans.” State Representative Mark Smith of Marshalltown was elected by the Iowa Democratic Party’s State Central Committee on Saturday. He takes over from Troy Price, who resigned as chairman after blow back over the party’s inability to provide timely results from the Iowa Caucuses. “I made the decision to step down so that we don’t get constantly stuck in constant recriminations about what happened on Caucus Day, but rather that we can turn the page and keep our focus on what matters most, which is winning in November,” Price said. “That is the goal of this party.”

Price got a standing ovation from the party leaders after his brief remarks. Smith acknowledged the difficulties of the past two weeks and he promised to restore trust in the party. “I know how to work. I how to recruit. I know how to fund raise. I know how to organize,” Smith said. “I know how to win.” Smith and three other men from Des Moines were nominated to be the next chairman. Bob Krause has run unsuccessfully for party chairman before. Gabriel de la Cerda is a factory worker and candidate for congress in 2014. “We have the wind at our back because there is a Trump in the White House, but we cannot play prevent defense,” de la Cerda said. “We have to go on the attack.” Joe Henry is a long-time activist in the League of United Latin American Citizens.

“Young, old, rural, urban, people of color and diverse communities — we hear you,” Henry says. “…The party must become your voice.” Smith spoke with reporters Saturday afternoon. He said his first priority will be to travel around the state to hear the concerns of party activists. “We had thousands of volunteers across this state who did their jobs incredibly well and a number of people talked about the positive experience they had with the caucus in this wonderful unique method of democracy that we have here in this state,” Smith says.”We had things that went wrong…This review will give us some answers in that regard, but let’s keep in mind that most things very well.” Before Smith took the helm, party leaders arranged for a former federal prosecutor and a former state attorney general to investigate what caused the Caucus counting chaos.

Smith is now a member of the Democratic NATIONAL Committee and will be engaged in the debate over whether Iowa’s Democratic Party Caucuses should be first in 2024. “We, in Iowa, are committed to this process,” Smith said. “We study the candidates very well. We give the candidates the opportunity to travel across this state and to meet with people and to hone their message as well and so I will make a strong argument that we should keep the caucuses here.” Smith says he’ll work to ensure the safety of Iowa Democratic Party staff who’ve gotten threats after the Caucus results were delayed. Smith announced last fall that he would not seek reelection to an 11th term in the Iowa House. Smith says as a sixth generation Iowan, it’s important to him that the state have a strong Democratic Party and that’s why he’s put off retirement to tackle this job.