In an update to our story Thursday morning about two Creston men arrested Wednesday evening on drug charges, authorities said later, that 39-year old Steven Knowles and 18-year old Kane Allen Michael Farlow were taken into custody following a pursuit. Creston Police say Farlow was driving a 2004 Nissan Ultima that was being pursued by law enforcement.

The car was traveling about 60-to 70-miles per hour in a 45-mph zone, when it went out of control at around 6:10-p.m., Wednesday. The vehicle hit a curb and concrete sewer before coming to rest in a field near the intersection of Highway 34 and Industrial Parkway. Farlow was transported by law enforcement to the Greater Regional Medical Center in  Creston, to be treated for a wrist injury. His passenger, Steven Knowles, had minor injuries that did not require a trip to the hospital.

Both men were arrested for Possession of Marijuana, Meth and Drug Paraphernalia. Farlow was served a warrant while being detained at the Union County Jail, for violation of Pretrial release on an original charge of Felony Eluding. He was also charged with Eluding causing bodily injury and Reckless Driving. Farlow may face an OWI charge as well, pending the result of lab tests.

Iowa delegates at the Republican National Convention are leaving Cleveland today (Friday) in a mostly unified front, touting Donald Trump. Iowa delegate Jake Chapman, a state senator from Adel, says you “cannot discredit” what Trump has been able to do in his business life — and during in this campaign. “As the convention has gone along, as we’ve heard more speeches, there is definitely a unity coalescing,” Chapman says. Iowa delegate Robert Cramer, a businessman from Grimes, is on the board of directors for The Family Leader, a Christian conservative group. Cramer says picking Indiana Governor Mike Pence as the V-P nominee shows Trump not only wants to win, he wants to govern.

“He’s just a really solid, Christian guy who is humble leader and wants to do the right thing,” Cramer says, “and so I think he will be really good for Trump.” Bill Anderson, a state senator from Pierson, says Pence will “definitely” appeal to the party’s evangelical voters. “We’re building a positive message for November and that’s what I came here to do, that’s what I’ve been talking to my constituents about,” Anderson says. “Obviously, I didn’t support Mr. Trump during the Caucuses, but at the end of the day we have a process and this is the fulfillment of that process.”

Gregg Cummings of Lamoni, an alternate delegate at the convention, says Trump’s pick of Pence shows he’ll surround himself with good people. “Hopefully he’ll open the bag further and spill the beans on the rest of his cabinet,” Cummings says. “…If he does that, I think we will see a stronger, unified party.” Greg Heartsill, a state representative from Columbia, says the stakes are high in other races, too, as Republicans hope to keep a majority of seats in the U.S. House and Senate — and win statehouse races around the country.

“We can’t afford for folks to stay home because their candidate didn’t make it,” Heartsill says. First-time national delegate Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa says the convention experience does “motivate and inspirate” the delegates to dig in back home. “I think there’s a lot of enthusiasm and support for getting Donald Trump and Mike Pence elected as president and vice president this coming fall,” Miller-Meeks says. Cheryl Kramer of Dubuque was among the Iowa G-O-P’s guests in Cleveland, attending her eighth national convention. She has volunteered to work on the Trump campaign.

“I was with him nearly from the beginning,” Kramer says. “I’m very motivated anyway. Politics has been a part of my life. I first worked for Ronald Reagan’s campaign in 1966 in California. That’s what first got me going, so it’s 50 years this year.” Iowa delegate Amy Christen of Davenport supported Jeb Bush in the Iowa Caucuses and “cannot stand” Hillary Clinton. She’s offering this advice to Iowans who’ve told her they are upset with both Clinton and Trump:

“Don’t do the stay-home protest. Go and vote. Vote for the least worst alternative or, if you need to, vote Libertarian,” Christen says, “or write in — as long as it’s not Daffy Duck.” Christen says that will show party leaders that voters won’t “just stay home” because they’re faced with two unlikeable candidates. Democrats will gather next week in Philadelphia for their party’s national convention.

(Radio Iowa)

Republican Congressman Steve King has a “long history” with Tom Vilsack. And, as speculation grows that Vilsack might be Hillary Clinton’s choice as a running mate, King is praising the ag secretary’s “work ethic.” “He’s administered a huge department in our government, so I think he would be an asset to their ticket,” King says, “although you know I’d be working against him.” King first met Vilsack when the two were state senators. King says when he was first elected in 1996, some of the “seasoned” members of the state senate warned King not to debate Vilsack.

“He’s a very intelligent man. He has a good work ethic. He is well-prepared,” King says. “When I look at the preparation of his colleagues from back in those days, I think Tom Vilsack’s matched anybody’s and exceeded most.” Vilsack’s wife, Christie, ran against King in 2012. When Vilsack was governor, King successfully sued over Vilsack’s executive order that barred discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender state employees.

“We have a long history. We’ve been to court against each other and a number of other things,” King says. “They weren’t all pleasant and agreeable circumstances, but he has the capability.” And King says a Clinton-Vilsack ticket might make a difference in a swing state like Iowa. “I don’t know whether it’d be a dramatic thing in Iowa, but surely there’s always that piece of state pride,” King says.

If Vilsack is picked, though, King says he’ll make the case Vilsack hasn’t been a “stronger advocate” for ag policy during the past seven and half years, especially since the Obama Administration hasn’t increased required ethanol production levels. King also plans to bring up Vilsack’s approval of the state law which required all state documents to be written in English, something King championed as a state senator. King suggests Vilsack’s position on “English Only” laws may have changed.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — MidAmerican Energy had issued a peak alert, Thursday,  asking its customers to conserve energy from 2 until 7 p.m., as a way to hold down costs. MidAmerican says it has enough generating capacity to meet the demand, plus a reserve.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A transgender prison worker has filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission saying the Department of Corrections violated his constitutional rights by refusing to allow him to use the men’s bathroom and showers at work. Jesse Vroegh has worked for the state since 2009 and is a nurse at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville. He’s also challenging denial of some medical treatment and procedures by his state-provided insurer.

DURANGO, Iowa (AP) — A Durango, Iowa, woman has been charged with theft and elder abuse, accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from an aunt who had Alzheimer’s. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that 44-year-old Molly Bodish made an initial court appearance Wednesday and posted $5,000 bond. Police say a search of the woman’s bank records show Bodish wrote checks to herself or for her personal use from her aunt’s account totaling more than $365,000 over several years

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The head of Iowa’s Republican Party says his delegation expressed anger and disappointment at U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for delivering a speech at the GOP national convention that didn’t endorse Donald Trump for president.

The 2016 Cass County Fair Little Ms and Mr Contest along with the King and Queen contest were held on Thursday night at the Atlantic High School Auditorium.  The contests were moved to the High School due to the oppressive heat and humidity.

15 different candidates participated in the first annual Little Ms. and Mr. contest.  Names were drawn to determine who would win those titles and Reilly Becker was named Little Mister and Faithlynn Scholl was named Little Miss.

In the King and Queen contest 20 young women competed for the Queen title and 6 young men vied for the title of King.  Preliminary judging narrowed the queen candidates down to 6 finalists.  The finalists were asked a few questions in front of the crowd as final judging took place.

Some 4-H awards and honorees were announced as the judges made their final selections. Miss and Mister Congeniality, Prince and Princess, and King and Queen were then announced.

For the boys Adison Erickson was named Prince while Nate Moen was named Mr. Congeniality and King. Moen is a member of the Washington GEM 4-H club and Atlantic FFA and is the son of Clint and Laura Freund.

On the ladies side Emma Dorsey was named Princess. Megan Behrends was named Miss Congeniality and Queen.  Behrends is a member of the Benton Franklin 4-H Club and Atlantic FFA. She is the daughter of Curt and Michelle Behrends.

The 2016 Cass County Fair King Nate Moen and Queen Megan Behrends will now fulfill duties of handing out awards throughout the Cass County Fair and Behrends will get the chance to participate in the State Fair Queen Contest.

Police in West Nashville, TN, Thursday afternoon, released additional details on a crash that took place Wednesday morning. The accident claimed the life of 17-year old Zoey Van Eaton, who was to have begun her senior year at the Nodaway Valley High School, in Greenfield, this fall.

Authorities say the teen was a passenger on a Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by her father, 49-year old Scott Van Eaton, of Fontanelle. The initial investigation determined Scott Van Eaton was traveling west on River Road near Indian Creek Road about 7:15-a.m. when he lost control of the motorcycle while negotiating a curve.The cycle slid into the oncoming lane of traffic and was struck by the eastbound Subaru Forrester.

The driver of the SUV, 62-year old Betty Hunt, told police she could not avoid the collision. Zoey Eaton and her father were transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where Zoey Eaton was pronounced deceased. Her father was reported to be in critical but stable condition. Betty Hunt was not injured in the crash. Police say neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in the crash.

Nodaway Valley School District Superintendent Dr. Casey Berlau said they received word of the accident, just as the Nodaway Valley Baseball team was winning the right to attend the State Baseball Tournament.

Grief counselors were available at the Nodaway Valley High School this (Thursday) afternoon. Dr. Berlau aks people to keep the Van Eaton family in their prayers.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of bankers suggests there’s been a drop in the already weak economic outlook for rural areas of 10 Western and Plains states. A report issued Thursday on the Rural Mainstreet Index says it fell to 39.8 this month from 43.9 in June. Survey officials say any score below 50 on any of the survey’s indexes suggests a decline in that area.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the overall index has remained below growth-neutral for 11 straight months. He says that over the past 12 months, farm prices are down 9 percent and livestock prices are down 16 percent.

Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

Police in Red Oak have arrested a man on a valid warrant out of Carroll County, for Contempt of Court. 34-year old Jesse Donald Trost, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 12:30-p.m. today (Thursday). Trost was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and was awaiting extradition to Carroll County.

DES MOINES– Starting Aug. 1, Iowa communities with populations of 5,000 or smaller can apply for special funding to inspect abandoned commercial buildings. The funds, from the DNR’s Derelict Building Grant Program, allow eligible communities to investigate the amount of asbestos present in a building and determine the physical characteristics and stability of these structures by completing structural engineering assessments.

“If a building collapses and the presence of asbestos is unknown, it can increase the economic burden on the community,” said the DNR’s Scott Flagg. “In addition, a building’s appearance may not reveal the actual condition of the structure. Building assessments can assist communities determine how best to address an abandoned building.”

The Derelict Building Grant Program provides small communities and rural counties financial assistance for abandoned commercial and public structures, which can improve the appearance of their streets, revitalize local economies and alleviate the environmental concerns these buildings can pose. Projects selected may apply for funding in 2017 for additional program-related tasks.

For more information and to obtain an application on the Derelict Building Grant Program, contact Scott Flagg at 515-725-8318 or Scott.Flagg@dnr.iowa.gov. No applications will be accepted after 4 p.m. on Aug. 18.

Students and staff with the Nodaway Valley School District are filled with mixed emotions today. School District Superintendent Dr. Casey Berlau said they received word as the Nodaway Valley Baseball team was winning the right to attend the State Baseball Tournament, a student died in an out-of-state motorcycle accident

Zoey Van Eaton.
Photo courtesy Nodaway Valley School District.

The student was identified as Zoey Van Eaton, who would have been a senior at Nodaway Valley this fall. According to WKRN-TV in Nashville the teen was a passenger on a motorcyle that collided with a car in West Nashville around 7-p.m., Wednesday night. Van Eaton and the driver of the motorcycle were both taken by ambulance to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center where Zoey died from her injuries.

Berlau said they will have grief counselors available at the Nodaway Valley High School from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. today (Thursday).

He asks people to keep the Van Eaton family in their prayers. Additional details about the accident are currently not available.