Dave and Buster’s — a national chain of restaurants with video arcades — wants to expand in Iowa and give customers PlayStations and iPads as prizes. But Iowa law limits the value of prizes for “concession games” In retail establishments to no more than $100. David Adelman, a lobbyist for Dave and Buster’s, is urging Iowa legislators to lift the limit and let the business to come to Iowa. “The construction investment, the property taxes, the sales taxes to the state — I mean, states around the country have seen this as a no-brainer,” Adelman says. “Again, it’s a job-creating opportunity. This is a family-friendly environment.”

Similar establishments in Iowa such as Chuck E. Cheese’s or Fun City operate under the 100 dollar limit. The bill would raise the limit to 950 dollars. The state’s gambling industry warns it’s a slippery slope that could make “amusement devices” in these establishments similar to casino games. Senator Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs, patronizes a Dave and Buster’s across the border in Omaha. “We’ve had a Dave and Buster’s I believe for probably the past 10 years and casinos for at least 20 to 25 (years),” Dawson says. “I’ve never heard anyone in my metro area talk about a cannibalizing or businesses or competing operations or anything along those lines.”

Dave and Busters, a Dallas-based business, operates more than 100 locations around the country. The bill it backs in the Iowa legislature must pass a committee by the end of next week or the proposal will be ineligible for consideration again this year.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities in southeast Iowa are investigating a fatal accident that happened at around 10:45-p.m., Tuesday. The Iowa State Patrol reports 41-year old Christopher James Feldman, of Bloomfield, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene, when his 1997 Toyota went out of control on northbound Highway 63, and collided with a southbound 2017 Mack semi tractor.The driver of the semi was identified as 61-year old Marion Dale Zook, of Ankeny. Zook was not injured in the crash.

Following the collision, both vehicles came to rest in the west ditch.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Attorneys for Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and his neighbors say they’ve settled a years-long dispute over a private road. Trial had been scheduled to start Tuesday in a case that pitted the nation’s longest-tenured college football coach and his wife against the other families living along a road outside Iowa City. The lawsuit involved the cost of road maintenance and claims that the Ferentzes’ privacy fencing and landscaping were encroachments. Both sides say they’re pleased to settle the case.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say eight died – including two teenage sisters _ on Iowa roads as a winter storm swept the state Monday, leading to dozens of crashes and a 50- to 70-car pileup near Ames. The Des Moines Register reports that 17-year-old Avery Arneson and 13-year-old Aiden Arneson, sisters from Decorah, died a two-vehicle crash around 8:30 a.m. Monday on a county road in northeast Iowa. Another fatal crash happened at around 4:30-p.m. Monday, in Cass County.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The person offered the job as president of Briar Cliff University in Sioux City has declined the position. The Sioux City Journal reports the university planned to announce the new president this week but instead learned the person had withdrawn from considerations due to family obligations. In response, college trustees named Rachelle Karstens as interim president. Karstens, the executive vice president, has overseen the college’s operations since the resignation of president Hamid Shirvani.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Labor, public health, environment and animal protection organizations are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reject plans to change the way hogs are slaughtered and processed for meat. Thirty-five organizations including Compassion Over Killing, Friends of the Earth and Waterkeeper Alliance have asked Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to reject the rules proposed last month.

The Iowa DNR invites hunters and trappers to attend listening sessions where they can share suggestions and thoughts about Iowa’s hunting regulations and seasons. The public meetings are the first step in setting rules for the fall 2018 hunting season and will take place Feb. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. at 18 Iowa locations.

During each meeting, DNR staff will facilitate a discussion about what went well last fall, what didn’t, and what changes hunters and trappers would like to see for the upcoming seasons.

Meetings will be held locally, in Atlantic, Council Bluffs and Creston.

• Atlantic, Iowa DNR office, 1401 Sunnyside Lane
• Council Bluffs, Fish and Game Club, 531 Comanche Street
• Creston, Southwestern Community College, 1501 West Townline, Room 180

The National Weather Service is offering free, Storm Spotter Training classes in the KJAN listening area. They are open to the public. Each training class is an hour and a half. Participants from neighboring counties are encouraged to attend.

Classes will be held as follows:

• Madison County – 6-p.m. Wednesday, February 28th, at the Madison Holding Company (201 W. Court) in Winterset.
• Ringgold County – 6-p.m. Wed., March 7th, at the Ringgold County Courthouse in Mt. Ayr.
• Audubon County – 7-p.m. Thursday, March 8th, at the Audubon County Courthouse.
• Crawford County – 6:30-p.m. Wed., March 14th, at the Denison Fire Station.
• Adair & Guthrie Counties – 7-p.m. Wed., March 21st, at the Menlo Community Bldg.
• Adams County – 6:30-p.m. Monday, April 2nd, at the Corning Fire Station.
• Dallas County – 7-p.m. Wed., April 4th, at Dallas Co. Emergency Mgmt., in Adel.

Additional information and Storm Spotter Resources are available at: http://www.weather.gov/dmx/ stormspotting (A Calendar is in the Spotter Training tab at the bottom of the page).

The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday), updated their investigation into the Jan. 28th death of an inmate. Sheriff Dan Altena reports 29-year old Dustin Lee Herbst, of Sioux City, died by suicide, according to autopsy results.

The Sheriff said the jail has numerous cameras throughout the facility, which are continually monitored by corrections staff. The corrections officers also perform physical checks within the entire jail, including the cells. The incident involving inmate Herbst occurred inside one of the cells, between the time periods when jail checks are performed by corrections officers. There are no cameras inside the cells.

Herbst was found by Detention Officers at around 6:30-p.m., January 28th. He was unresponsive and was rendered emergency aid. Rescue efforts were unsuccessful, and the inmate was pronounced dead by the Sioux County Medical Examiner.

The Clarinda Police Department wants to remind citizens that a city wide on street parking ban will go into effect if two inches or more of snow accumulates. The parking ban will remain in force until the snow quits falling & the streets have been plowed from curb to curb. Vehicles found in violation are subject to parking citations, tow & impoundment.

Please comply with the parking ban so the snow plow operators can perform their duties.

(CORRECTION noted in second paragraph to indicate the series of events that occurred after the Sierra crossed the median)

An accident that claimed a life on Interstate 80 in Cass County, Monday, brings the death toll from crashes during the snow storm, to eight. The Iowa State Patrol said late this afternoon (Tuesday), that 28-year old Ariel Gruenberg, of Columbia, SC, died at the scene of the crash that happened at around 4:28-p.m. on I-80 eastbound, one mile east of the Wiota Exit.

Gruenberg was traveling eastbound in a 2011 GMC Sierra, when the vehicle went out of control and crossed the median into the westbound lanes of traffic. A 2004 Freightliner truck, driven by 40-year-old Michael Williams, of Neola, was westbound and hit Gruenberg’s vehicle head-on. Williams’ vehicle then crossed the median into the eastbound lanes. A 2014 Freightliner truck, driven by 41-year-old Amy Douglas, of Old Town, Florida, was eastbound and collided with Williams’ vehicle. A 2012 Ford F150 pickup, driven by 22-year-old Tyler Springer, of West Des Moines, was eastbound and hit the trailer of Williams’ vehicle.

On I-80 in eastern Iowa, police say 21-year old Josephina Mae Buffington, of Fairfax died, near Grinnell, at around 1:20 p.m., and another person died and two others were injured at 1:40 p.m., in a crash near Durant.

In northeast Iowa, two sisters from Decorah, 17-year-old Avery Arneson and 13-year-old Aiden Arneson, died a two-vehicle crash around 8:30 a.m. Monday on a county road in northeast Iowa. Four other teens were injured and hospitalized in that crash.

In Cedar Rapids, two men died in a crash on Interstate 380. Killed were 24-year-old Jacolby Jesse Burks, of Cedar Rapids, and 21-year-old Devion Martel Luster, of Dixon, Illinois.

A bus driver from Independence, MO., 53-year old Dana Easter, died and several people were critically injured in the pileup that closed Interstate 35 near Ames, Monday afternoon.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Labor, public health, environment and animal protection organizations are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reject plans to change the way hogs are slaughtered and processed for meat.

Thirty-five organizations, including Compassion Over Killing, Friends of the Earth and Waterkeeper Alliance, asked Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Tuesday to reject the rules proposed last month.

The rules allow plant employees instead of government inspectors to determine which animals are slaughtered and allow increased line speeds. The groups say the changes risk increased food contamination, worker injuries, animal abuse and water pollution.

The USDA says the rules don’t risk food safety and improve industry practices, and the National Pork Producers says they increase efficiency, inspection effectiveness and the rapid adoption of new food-safety technologies.

The USDA is taking comments until April 2.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department today (Tuesday), released their latest activity and incident report. In it, they mentioned that on Friday, Feb. 2nd, 25-year old Michael Christopher Hut Sims, of Harlan, was cited following a traffic stop, for driving under suspension and operation without registration.

And, no injuries were reported Monday, after a vehicles driven by Dustin Allen Delgado, and Andrea Mae Petersen, both of Harlan, collided.The accident happened at 6th and Market Streets, as Petersen was northbound on 6th and approaching Market.

Delgado was westbound on Market and stopped at 6th, but didn’t see Petersen’s approaching vehicle. He pulled out into the intersection. Both vehicles slid on the snow-covered road until Petersen’s vehicle made contact with the driver’s side of the Delgado vehicle.