(Updated 7:22-a.m.) CONROY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a tornado has damaged farmsteads and crop fields and high winds from other storms have torn at homes and knocked out power in eastern Iowa.

Iowa County authorities say the tornado touched down about a mile north of Williamsburg a little before 6 p.m. Tuesday and churned northeast, skirting Conroy before lifting. No injuries have been reported at the three damaged farmsteads. Thunderstorms packing winds up to 75 mph downed trees and power lines in Dubuque County overnight, leaving thousands of people without electricity.

More than 9 inches of rain has been reported in southern Clayton County, where authorities evacuated up to 20 homes because of flooding. Quarter-size hail was reported in the Holy Cross area.

The Ottumwa Police Department is investigating after three of four dogs found locked in a hot car on Saturday died from heat exposure. Ottumwa Police Chief Tom McAndrew says that while no charges have been filed at this time, officers do know who was responsible for the animals. The incident occurred during the annual A-K-C All Breeds Dog Show at Bridge View Center.

McAndrew confirmed that the animals were in Ottumwa for the dog show. McAndrew says the investigation is ongoing and asks anyone who might have information on the incident to contact the Ottumwa Police Department.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Ending a case that’s been called a remarkable injustice, prison officials have dropped all sanctions imposed on an Iowa inmate for his role in an alleged 2009 gang rape that he says never happened. The decision by the Iowa Department of Corrections is a victory for Joe Byrd, who had denied involvement in the alleged attack through 7 ½ years of hearings and appeals. Department officials will expunge the discipline from Byrd’s record as if the case never happened, shaving time off his sentence.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa Senate Republican Caucus aide has testified in her sexual harassment lawsuit that sex, race and sexual orientation were regular topics of conversations and jokes in the office. The Des Moines Register reports that 39-year-old Kirsten Anderson testified in her lawsuit Tuesday. Much of her testimony focused on the behavior of a male senior analyst whom she said in 2010 seemed angry and daily referred to women using an obscenity.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Officials have identified a woman whose body was pulled from the Wapsipinicon River last month. The Courier reports that the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the body found June 15 is that of 47-year-old Rhonda Apfel, of Waterloo. Dr. Jonathan Thompson with the state examiner’s office says the cause of death hasn’t been determined and is pending further tests.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Another man has been sentenced to prison in connection to a Burlington shooting that police suspect was prompted by a still-unsolved homicide. The Hawk Eye reports that Holland Ewing Jr., of Chicago, was sentenced Monday to 10 years. Police say the three conspired to shoot into a house where they thought the killer of their friend, Breon Combs, was. Combs also lived in Chicago.

Police in Harlan last week arrested a man from Mills County, on charges that include Disarming an Police Officer, and assault on a peace officer. 41-year old Patrick Lee Amburn, of Glenwood, was arrested July 6th following a traffic stop that was initiated in the 100 block of Cyclone Avenue, in Harlan.

Authorities say in addition to the previously mentioned charges, Amburn was taken into custody for reckless driving, interference with official acts, speeding, failure to obey a stop sign, operating a non-registered vehicle, littering, open container and violation of financial liability coverage. Amburn was being held on bond in the Shelby County Jail. His initial hearing was set for July 17th.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department report a building was struck by a vehicle, Monday. Authorities say Darlene Totten, of Denison, was driving a 2004 Chrysler Concorde, when her foot slipped off the brake and onto the accelerator. He vehicle then struck the building located in the 1900 block of Chatburn Avenue. No injuries were reported and a dollar amount of the damage along with other information, was not provided.

The Harlan P-D said also, 47-year old Anthony Thomas Parks, of Sioux City, was arrested July 5th, following a call about a possible intoxicated male near the area of Highways 59 and 44. Parks was charged with Driving Under Suspension and for violation of financial liability coverage. Also on July 5th, 36-year old Theresa Patten, of Harlan, was cited for a fireworks regulation violation, following an incident in the 2100 block of 21st Street. On July 4th, 31-year old Terri Lynn Hallas, of Shelby, was cited for Driving While Suspended, following a traffic stop in Harlan.

And, on July 8th, 35-year old Matthew Malone, of Harlan, was arrested on a Monona County warrant. Malone was released to a Shelby County Deputy, who then transported him to Monona County.

Members of the Cass/Atlantic Development Corporation (CADCO) held their annual meeting Tuesday evening in the Camblin Addition shelter house at Sunnyside Park, with dinner catered by the Downtowner. Guest speaker for the evening was Mike Messing, Manager for the 150-million gallon per year Elite Octane Ethanol Plant that’s under construction, on the northern side of Atlantic.

Elite Octane Ethanol Plant Mgr. Mike Messing

Messing said construction will start soon at the plant, on the world’s largest freestanding bins for storing corn. He says the bins will 156-feet in diameter, 29 rings high and hold 2 million bushels each. Later this week or next, concrete will be pressure-pumped into the ground to place the structures on. Construction crews started camping out at the Schildberg Recreation Area almost as soon as the camping pads were installed. Altogether, there are currently about 100 people working on various aspects of the project.

Once all the steel work is done, pipe fitters will be scampering around the site installing at nearly 25-miles worth of pipe. Messing said residents should begin to see an influx of workers coming into town within the next couple of months. When the plant is up and running, it will process 400- to 420-thousand gallons of ethanol per day. He says the initial run will produce 120,000 gallons per day and increase to 150,000 gallons soon thereafter. The rest depends on the supply of corn.

Messing says they hope the project will be complete by Sept., 2018. They will begin taking applications for skilled, general and advanced positions (like chemists) at eliteoctane.net within the next week or so. It is important that you use “dotnet,” because there is an eliteoctane.com that has nothing to do with the ethanol plant project.

50 employees are expected to be on the payroll when the plant is fully functional. Messing said the annual payroll is expected to be $6.5-million. Base pay on the low end will be approximately $18.50 per hour, with the more advanced positions paying considerably more. The heavy work force likely won’t be needed until the Spring of 2018.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Officials have identified a woman whose body was pulled from the Wapsipinicon River last month. The Courier reports that the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the body found June 15 is that of 47-year-old Rhonda Apfel, of Waterloo.

Dr. Jonathan Thompson with the state examiner’s office says the cause of death hasn’t been determined and is pending further tests. Authorities had been looking for Apfel since May 28 near the river near Dunkerton. A motorcycle and other items belonging to Apfel were found inside the Bruggeman Wildlife Area outside Dunkerton.

Officials with the Union County Sheriff’s Office report the arrest at around 9:15-p.m., Monday, of 28-year old Trevor Jack Dillon Loudon. The Creston man was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for theft 4th degree.  Loudon was being held in the Union County Jail on $1000 bond.

An eastern Iowa truck driver suffered minor injuries when the semi he was driving crashed at around 9:10-a.m. today (Tuesday), in Council Bluffs. According to Bluffs Police, the accident happened on Interstate 80 westbound, at mile marker 3.5.

A 2011 Peterbilt semi-tractor trailer fully loaded with meat products and operated by  43-year old David M. Raper, from Newton,  was westbound on I-80 when for unknown reasons the rig went out of control, and sideswiped a concrete barrier. The semi then hit a DOT portable electric sign on the shoulder of the interstate and continued into the grassy median where it went up an embankment.

The tractor-trailer overturned onto its side before skidding across four lanes of oncoming traffic on the I-80 eastbound and I-29 southbound split, where it struck a light pole. The rig finally came to a rest on the southwest shoulder of the I-80 eastbound and I-29 southbound split. Raper was transported by rescue to Jennie Edmundson Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries and released. Police issued him a citation for failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle.

Bluffs Police officials credit two separate semi-tractor operators that were eastbound on I-80, and who observed the semi crossing the median into the oncoming lanes. Those drivers applied their brakes, stopping all the traffic behind them from continuing into the path of the out of control semi, possibly preventing multiple accidents or injuries.

Council Bluffs Police accident investigators were assisted by the Iowa State Patrol and will both be continuing their investigation. As of 2:15-p.m., the two far right lanes of the I-80 eastbound and I-29 southbound split remain closed, as well as the on ramp from the south expressway to the interstate until the towing company can remove the semi from the shoulder. All other lanes remain open for eastbound traffic.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says a call at around 5:30-a.m. Monday about a truck parked in the middle of 260th Street, near Nodaway, resulted in the arrest of a man on multiple charges. Deputies responding to the area saw a dark colored car leaving as they arrived. A traffic stop was conducted, but the vehicle took off.

Deputies noticed three people inside the vehicle, but only two were present when the car finally stopped. A K9 unit was called out the the location where the car was first seen, which was across from a farm home on 265th Street.

The K9 team picked up a track and found 30-year old Richard Dean Pierce, of Red Oak, laying in tall grass inside a bean field. Pierce was arrested for Burglary, Criminal Mischief, Trespassing, Theft, and on a warrant from Nodaway County, Missouri. His bond was set at $5,000.