The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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AMES, Iowa (AP) – Campus visits have been scheduled for the four finalists in the search for the next president of Iowa State University. The Des Moines Register reports that the first person is set to be in Ames on Monday, the fourth on Oct. 12. Their identities are being kept secret until a day before their visits.

Officials say 64 people applied to the job, which was left vacant when Steven Leath left to take the top job at Auburn University in Alabama. Benjamin Allen, a former Iowa State provost and past president of the University of Northern Iowa, has been interim president in Ames.

The finalists are scheduled to answer questions from students, staff, alumni and others during one-hour public forums. Live video of each forum will be available at www.presidentsearch.iastate.edu .

A delegation of grain buyers, scientists and government officials from South Korea recently visited several farming operations in Iowa, including the row crop and hog farm of Denny Friest, in Radcliffe. Friest is a fourth generation farmer and says the international visitors got a good look into Iowa agriculture at his family farm near Garden City.
“We were just sharing how our farms work and what our farm is like,” Friest says. “I gave them a general farm tour to show how we grind feed on our farm, utilize corn, soybean meal and dried distilled grains into our rations. We showed them how we do things to encourage them to be buyers of our corn, buyers of our ethanol, buyers of our distilled grains, buyers of our soybeans.”

Friest is a director on the Iowa Corn Growers Association and says the organization focuses on finding global markets for unused commodities. “Twenty-five percent of the corn, 25% of the soybeans, roughly 25% of the hogs, and 25% of the beef that we grow in this country, we have to find another home for because we cannot consume that,” he says. “We work real hard as corn growers to develop markets overseas.”  Friest says the delegation of South Koreans was taken aback by Iowa’s agricultural capabilities. “They were suprised at how much independence we have as producers on how we did things,” he says. “We touched on all kinds of things we do to be conservationists and economists. They were surprised about the investment in the machinery and the value of some of the machinery we had to be able to be a farmer, too.”

Other stops included at the Iowa Corn Office in Johnston, a cow and crop farm, the Quad County Processors ethanol plant in Galva and the Golden Grain Energy ethanol plant in Mason City. South Korea is the third largest importer of U.S. corn and distillers dried grains, and also purchased more than 42-million gallons of ethanol in the past year.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the National Weather Service in Des Moines this (Tuesday) morning, report that one of the widespread rainiest 7-day forecast periods in quite some time is expected across Iowa this week. Starting today, showers and thunderstorms will move across Iowa from west to east.

We will get a break from the rain on Wednesday, before moderate to heavy rainfall moves in during the day Thursday, lasting overnight into much of Friday. Officials say this time period will likely bring the highest rainfall totals to Iowa during this week, primarily along and south of Interstate 80. Urban and small streams may flood, and flash flooding/river flooding cannot be ruled out at this time.

Temperatures this week will generally be in the upper 60s to mid 70s. As of now, it appears the middle of next week could bring our first round of true “fall-like” weather, as low temperatures may be in the 30s, with highs struggling to break out of the 50s. There’s a lot of time between now and next week, so stay tuned!

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Des Moines man faces an assault charge after authorities say he bit off another man’s earlobe. The Des Moines Register reports that 42-year-old George Thomas Chambers was arrested Sunday on an assault causing bodily injury charge. Police say Chambers bit off the man’s ear during an Aug. 21 fight.

He later allegedly told police, “I’m Mike Tyson,” a reference to the professional boxer who famously bit Evander Holyfield’s ear during a 1997 fight. Authorities say Chambers’ accuser initially didn’t want to press charges, but later changed his mind and contacted police. Police issued a warrant that led to Chambers’ arrest on Sunday.

A welfare check on a man found sleeping on a bench in Red Oak early this (Tuesday) morning, resulted in his arrest. Red Oak Police say Officers witnessed 22-year old David Andrew Watson, of Red Oak, asleep on a bench in the area of N. 4th and E. Coolbaugh Streets, at around 2:10-a.m.  Watson was subsequently placed under arrest for Public Intoxication and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $300.

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some Iowa lawmakers are turning their attention to opioid abuse in the state, though it’s unclear what action they may take next legislative session. A committee will meet at the state Capitol this month to discuss the issue, including a new report from the University of Iowa with recommendations to reduce opioid overdoses and deaths. Rep. David Heaton, a Mount Pleasant Republican leading the committee, says he expects bipartisan support next year for legislation aimed at reducing opioid abuse.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A district court judge in Iowa has upheld a new state law that requires a three-day waiting period for abortions, a move that will send the issue to the Iowa Supreme Court. Polk County District Judge Jeffrey Farrell says in a ruling issued Monday that the law doesn’t place an undue burden on women. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa are challenging the constitutionally of the waiting period and additional clinic visits. They have filed an appeal.

MARENGO, Iowa (AP) — A woman accused of killing a trucker at an Iowa rest stop along Interstate 80 has pleaded not guilty. Mariana Lesnic entered the written plea Monday in Iowa County. She’s charged with first-degree murder in the Sept. 6 shooting death of 60-year-old Ernest Kummer, who lived in Monroe.

VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) — Many northwest Iowa students hope their enrollment at the University of South Dakota over the past two years will save them several thousand dollars. The Sioux City Journal reports that the South Dakota Board of Regents began extending in-state tuition to new Iowa freshmen and transfer students attending one of the state’s four public universities in the 2016-2017 school year. The university says the incentive has led to a nearly 70 percent increase in Iowa residents at the university.

An accident Monday morning in Ringgold County claimed the life of a Union County man. The Iowa State Patrol reports 58-year old Philip Swanson, of Creston, died when the 2005 Chrysler Pacifica he was driving collided with a truck. The accident happened at around 7:35-a.m. at the intersection of Highways 2 and 25.

Officials said a 2016 Volvo truck driven by 51-year old Gary Clausen, of Huxley, and registered to Perishable Distributers, of Iowa, was traveling east on Highway 2, when Clausen looked at his GPS and ran through a stop sign. Swanson’s northbound SUV struck the passenger side of the truck’s trailer. Swanson, who was wearing his seat belt, died at the scene.

Clausen was not injured in the crash. The accident remains under investigation, with charges pending completion of the investigation. The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Iowa State Patrol at the accident scene.

Police in Shenandoah have charged a man from Emerson with Theft in the 2nd Degree, in connection with the theft of a Pontiac G6 that had been reported stolen Saturday. And, 28-year old Jonathan Lee Million, of Emerson, was arrested Sunday near Clarinda, in connection with the theft from Shenandoah, of a 2010 Polaris ATV. Million was being held without bond in the Page County Jail, pending appearance in front of a Magistrate.

Shenandoah Police report also, Zachary Bond, of Shenandoah, was arrested Saturday on a Page County warrant. He was being held in the Page County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

And, Christopher Bowers, of Essex, was arrested Saturday on charges that include Driving While License Suspended, Interference with Official Acts, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Bowers was taken into custody following a traffic stop and brief foot pursuit. His bond at the Page County Jail, was set at $2,000.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County said Monday, that a Pottawattamie County man was arrested at around 2:25-a.m. Sunday, for Burglary in the 3rd degree, Theft in the 2nd degree, and Criminal Trespass. 52-year old Michael Anthony Weltch, of Council Bluffs, was being held in the Mills County Jail on $13,000 bond.

And, 60-year old Jean Margaret Rodenburg, of Glenwood, was arrested Sept. 28th, for OWI/1st offense. Her bond was set at $1,000.