Thirteen families have joined a civil lawsuit against a former Council Bluffs pediatrician who was sentenced Aug. 15th to 10-years in prison for possessing child pornography. The Daily NonPareil reports the families assert in the lawsuit Dennis Seaborn Jones allegedly recorded videos of the patients’ private areas during his examination of the patients. The lawsuit also names Methodist Physicians Clinic, where the former pediatrician practiced.

A man from central Iowa was arrested early this (Sunday) morning in Red Oak, on a warrant out of Clarke County. Police in Red Oak report 54-year old Russell Dean Simmons, of Des Moines, was taken into custody near north 2nd and Oak Streets at around 3:10-a.m., on a warrant for Failure to Appear in court on a charge of Theft in the 3rd degree.

Simmons was being held in the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, pending transport by authorities to Clarke County, or payment of $300 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Back in 2010, Gov. Terry Branstad pledged to create jobs, boost incomes and reduce government spending as part of his bid to return to office. Four years later, his re-election campaign promises are far less ambitious.

The Republican governor — who holds a significant lead over Democrat Jack Hatch in recent polls — has released just a handful of policy proposals so far in his run for a sixth non-consecutive term. All are modest in nature, dealing with issues like college tuition and Internet access. Much of his campaign trail chat is about his recent achievements in office, including collaborating with the Legislature on a property tax cut and new education spending.

Branstad said the agenda he laid out in 2010 was always meant to take five years, so he’s still working to meet those targets. “In addition to those ambitious goals, we are also spelling out goals I want to accomplish in this coming term,” he said.

Hatch, a state lawmaker from Des Moines, said Branstad doesn’t want to create high expectations for another term. “He can’t even meet the promises he made four years ago,” Hatch said.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Republican Governor Terry Branstad and Democratic challenger Jack Hatch offered competing ideas on job creation during their second debate. Branstad and Hatch faced off yesterday at a middle school in Burlington, in the southeastern part of the state. Branstad is running for an unprecedented sixth non-consecutive term.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque police officer attempting to arrest a woman suffered a serious knee injury earlier this week. The Dubuque Times Herald reports the injury occurred Wednesday when officers were called to a local hospital for a disturbance. Beck was treated at the hospital for the injury. Police say he will be unable to return to duty for several weeks.

ELDON, Iowa (AP) — Cardinal School District students in southern Iowa who take the bus now have something to look forward to on the ride to and from school. The small district in Wapello County has outfitted its buses with high-speed, wireless Internet, Des Moines television station KCCI reported Saturday. It’s also giving students in grades 6 through 12 tablet computers loaded with educational apps and games.

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) — Tenants escaped injury after their Evansdale town house caught fire this weekend. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the fire was reported around 4:55 p.m. Friday after three people in the town house smelled smoke and fled with their pets.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City woman accused in the death of her infant son has pleaded not guilty to child neglect and child endangerment resulting in death. Rebekah Williams-McCarthy, 24, entered the pleas Friday in Woodbury County District Court, the Sioux City Journal reported. Williams-McCarthy was formally charged Sept. 12. The charges stem from the April 29 death of her 2-month-old son, Leonard Williams. She is also charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent person in connection with her two other children.

Woodbury County Attorney Patrick Jennings said an autopsy showed the baby died of malnutrition and dehydration. A bond review hearing for Williams-McCarthy has been set for 10 a.m. Monday.

Earlier court documents filed in the case say Williams-McCarthy failed to take the baby to doctor appointments and did not pick up vouchers for baby formula. The apartment in which she lived with her children was not safe for them, the documents said. Leonard’s father, Michael Williams, 26, has pleaded not guilty to neglect of a dependent person in connection to the death. He carried the baby into a hospital before the child was pronounced dead.

He is scheduled to stand trial Oct. 14.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — When a group of historians gathered last spring in Omaha to discuss the revival of teaching Middle America’s history, among their plans had been to start an online Midwest history journal. Instead, this week they saw the University of Nebraska Press send out the inaugural print editions of the Middle West Review, an academic journal devoted to the history of the Midwest and Plains.

The 180-page issue features eight peer-reviewed articles, 18 book reviews and an interview with a 94-year-old former University of Wisconsin-Madison history professor it deemed “the last prairie historian.”

University of Iowa graduate student Paul Mokrzycki, the journal’s editor-in-chief, says it will help preserve the region’s history and provide a place for historians to publish their work, helping them get college tenure, grant funding and book deals.

A man from Pottawattamie County was arrested Friday afternoon, following a 50-mile chase during which speeds topped 120-miles per hour. KCCI-TV reports 31-year old Ace Ivan James Leonard, of Council Bluffs, was defiant even after authorities took him into custody in West Des Moines. Leonard stopped the Scion he was driving on Interstate 80 near the Jordan Creek Parkway, only after it ran over stop-sticks, which punctured the tires, and after officers used a pit maneuver to knock the car onto the shoulder. State Patrol Sgt. Scott Bright said Leonard was barred from driving and had warrants out for his arrest, which is why they believe he refused to stop.

The chase began near Ames on Interstate 35 at around 11:40-a.m., Friday. The pursuit continued southbound on I-35 and entered Des Moines from the east mix-master and onto Interstate 235 just before noon. Leonard and law enforcement vehicles in pursuit of him traveled south near the downtown area and then continued west into West Des Moines and onto Interstate 80. The chase finally ended at around 12:10-p.m. Sgt. Bright said at one point speeds during the chase reached nearly 130 mph, with Leonard driving erratically, including onto the shoulders of the road, and weaving in-and-out of traffic.

As officers were leading the handcuffed man to their squad car, Leonard was seen struggling with them.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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An altercation between two men and Police officers in Red Oak has resulted in arrests, but no reports of injuries. According to Red Oak Police, 19-year-old Shae Daniel Lewis and 22-year-old Justin Lewis Marsden, both of Red Oak, were taken into custody shortly after 11-p.m., on charges of Assault on a Peace Officer and Interference with official Acts.

Red Oak Police officers were sent to a home in the 1200 block of East Summit Street at around 11:05 p.m., following a report of person’s underage drinking alcohol. When they arrived one of the subjects identified as Daniel Lewis, allegedly became uncooperative and belligerent with Officers.

At one point Lewis allegedly placed his hands around an Officers throat. Another man, identified as Justin Marsden, allegedly grabbed the same Officer, resulting in a second physical altercation. After a brief struggle both Lewis and Marsden were brought into submission when Police deployed a Taser.

Lewis and Marsden were taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, where they were being held on $1,000 cash bond each. And, as a result of the original investigation 18-year-old Cheyenne Musland, of Red Oak was cited and released on the charge of possessing alcohol while underage.