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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers gave final approval to a gun-rights bill Thursday, approving a stand-your-ground provision and concealed carry on Capitol grounds. The Iowa House voted 57-36 for the legislation. It now heads to Gov. Terry Branstad, who in the past has supported gun-rights legislation. The final bill represents weeks of back-and-forth between the House and Senate to finesse sweeping changes to the state’s gun laws. GOP lawmakers have tried for years to expand Second Amendment rights in Iowa.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Navy is denouncing an incident in which members of its officer training program at Iowa State University posted explicit photographs on a Facebook page. The March 4 incident involved seven members of the school’s NROTC program. A spokesman says Navy leaders learned about the photographs the next day and responded quickly, saying such behavior “does not comport with our core values.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Aetna says it will stop selling individual health insurance policies in Iowa. The announcement Thursday comes just days after a similar one from Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield. The Des Moines Register reports that tens of thousands of Iowa residents who aren’t insured through an employer or the government are currently covered by the individual policies Aetna will stop selling. Only one other insurer, Medica, sells individual policies in most Iowa counties.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A 54-year-old Davenport man has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and sexual assaulting a woman in January. The Quad-City Times reports that Alan Ray Cassias filed a written plea Thursday through his attorney. Police say Cassias offered a ride to a woman he saw walking on Jan. 18. She asked to be taken to her job, but police say Cassias instead drove to his apartment, where he choked and tied up the woman before sexually assaulting her.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers have given final approval to a gun-rights bill that includes a stand-your-ground provision and the right to carry concealed firearms on state Capitol grounds. The Iowa House voted 57-36 Thursday for the bill, which had already cleared the Senate. It heads to Gov. Terry Branstad, who in the past has supported gun-rights legislation.

Most elements would take effect July 1 but a provision to allow minors under 14 to use handguns with parental or guardian supervision would take effect immediately.

Democrats, who largely opposed the bill, focused criticism on so-called Capitol carry and stand-your-ground language. The stand-your-ground language allows deadly force even if alternative actions are available or an assessment of danger is incorrect.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says 24 states have approved similar laws.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office is reporting two arrests took place today (Thursday). 25-year old Skylar Lair, of Randolph, was arrested at around 8:40-a.m., after deputies were called to the 1800 block of Highway 59, north of Shenandoah, for a report of a possibly intoxicated female who had entered a business at the location. Lair was charged with Public Intoxication and Possession of Methamphetamine.  She was being held at the Fremont County Jail on a $1,300 bond.

Lair

And, 22-year old Joseph William Michael Haughton, of Hamburg, was arrested on a warrant for violation of probation. He was previously arrested twice before by Fremont County Deputies. Haughton faces charges that include Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on March 12th, and Violation of a No Contact Order on March 18th. Haughton was released on his previous charges from jail on April 1st. He was being held without bond on the new charges, pending court proceedings.

Haughton

(Update 4:17-p.m.)  A Cass County resident has died as the result of a boating accident at Lake Anita State Park. According to dispatch reports from the scene, the body of a man was discovered floating in the water near the second silt pond, just before 3:30-p.m. Anita Fire Chief Josh Peach told KJAN’s Ric Hanson that the man was in a kayak when the accident occurred. A life jacket was not found near his body, but Peach said it may have gotten hung-up somewhere. The winds were creating turbulent conditions on the water today, and Peach said “It’s not a good day to be out on the lake on a small boat or canoe/kayak type of thing.”

The victim has been identified, but his name is currently not available.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another health insurer has announced it will stop selling individual policies in Iowa, just days after Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield made a similar announcement. The Des Moines Register reports Aetna informed Iowa regulators Thursday that it would stop selling individual policies, which cover tens of thousands of Iowans who don’t have access to employer-provided coverage or government plans.

Like Wellmark, Aetna cited instability in the insurance market. Aetna had already had stopped selling such policies in most states for 2017, citing turmoil in the wake of the Affordable Care Act.

Aetna says it had not decided whether to pull out of the three remaining states where it sells individual policies: Nebraska, Delaware and Virginia.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says the recent rain the county has received is great, but wind and abundant sunshine over the next few days will rapidly dry out dead grasses in the area, therefore, the County field and grassland Fire Danger index is being upgraded from “Low,” to “Moderate” until next Monday, (April 10th). Seivert advises businesses and local fire stations should placetheir fire danger signs in the Moderate category through the weekend.

Property owners considering a controlled burn should notify their local fire chiefs.

The Guthrie and Dallas County Sheriff’s Departments will hold an informational meeting on April 18^th, with regard to the Reserve Deputies Program. The meeting takes place in the Community room on the south side of the Dallas County Central Campus at 25747 North Avenue, in Adel, from 7-until 9p.m., April 18^th.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office is looking for persons over the age of 21, both male and female, who are interesting in applying for a Reserve Deputy position. The meeting is designed to inform applicants of the new standards implemented by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, including the testing procedure that’s required to be completed by a Reserve Deputy.

If you have any questions about the Reserve Deputy program, contact Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright or Chief Deputy Jeremy Bennett, at 641-747-2214.

Iowa-born astronaut Peggy Whitson will be getting more time in space, while adding another command title to her resume. Whitson was supposed to return from her latest mission aboard the International Space Station in June — but NASA has announced plans to let her stay in orbit an extra three months. The 57-year-old Beaconsfield native has already spent more time in space than any other woman and later this month, she’ll set a new duration record for all U-S astronauts.

It’s Whitson’s third mission to the station and on Sunday, she’ll be named station commander, the first woman to hold the command twice. In a NASA news release, Whitson is quoted saying: “This is great news. I love being up here. Living and working aboard the space station is where I feel like I make the greatest contribution, so I am constantly trying to squeeze every drop out of my time here. Having three more months to squeeze is just what I would wish for.”

Whitson’s two previous stays on the space station in 2002 and ’08 lasted six months each. This mission will now run nine months, with her return rescheduled for September. Just last month, Whitson set a new record for most spacewalks by a woman and her next EVA (extra-vehicular activity) should put her in third place for spacewalking among all astronauts.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Conservation Board is now taking Pre-orders for their Native Plant Sale! The order form and payment will be DUE May 1st 2017 at 4PM.  Forms can be found online http://www.atlanticiowa.com/county/county-departments/conservation-office/

Native Local Eco-type live Plants will be sold. Live plants from nursery will come as small plugs; cells are 5” deep x 2” wide at top or 4.5”deep x 2” Cone. 2 Species of Native grass, and 9 Native Forbs including many that benefit Pollinators!  All orders must be picked up during designated times at the Conservation offices in Lewis unless prior arrangements made.

Designated pick up times will be: Thursday May 25th, from 8-a.m. until 6-p.m., or Friday May 26th, from 8-a.m. until 4:30-p.m. Plants not picked up will be donated with NO REFUND.

The Atlantic Police Dept. reports a Harrison County man was arrested on two charges, Wednesday. 31-year old Matthew Kempston, of Dunlap, was charged with OWI/1st offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine. Kempston was booked into the Cass County Jail.