COLO, Iowa (AP) – Officers are investigating the deaths of two people in what Story County officials say was a murder-suicide. A relative called 911 after discovering the bodies around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at a residence in Colo. The Story County Sheriff’s Office didn’t immediately release the names of the two, nor provide information about the causes of their deaths. State officials have joined the investigation.

OMAHA,Neb. (AP) –  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers doesn’t expect to eliminate from its reservoir system all the leftover water from last year’s near record runoff that led to massive flooding along the Missouri River. Officials are raising the current releases in expectation of high spring runoff again this year. The Corps’ John Remus told the Omaha World-Herald the system needs to make as much space as possible in light of forecasts for warmer than normal weather and higher than normal runoff. He says the Corps normally doesn’t release more during the winter because of the potential for ice jams and dams upriver.

SAINT LUCAS, Iowa (AP) – It seems residents of Saint Lucas are doing their part to boost the tiny northeastern Iowa town’s population. Television station KCRG reported that the town of about 150 is experiencing a baby boom. Resident Courtney Schott said 19 babies were born to town residents from August 2018 to October 2019, and several families have announced that they’re expecting again. The boom follows about 10 years of more young families settling in the Fayette County community. Resident Eric Dietzenbach says the town has “completely changed from, you know, a bunch of retired people a bunch of young families.”

(Radio Iowa) — With recreational marijuana now legal just over the Mississippi River in Illinois, Iowa officials are warning residents to comply with state law. Iowans can now buy pot in Illinois but it’s still illegal to transport the drug across state lines or to drive under the influence. Sergeant Alex Dinkla, with the Iowa State Patrol, says troopers may be more vigilant, especially in eastern Iowa. “They’re going to be probably a little extra awareness on that side of the state as they are working,” Dinkla says. “But as the state as a whole, we take a very strong stance against it, that, if you have any marijuana in your vehicle, on your person, you will be charged with that.”

The long list of Illinois dispensaries includes facilities in Rockford, Fulton and in the Quad Cities area. Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy echoes the warning from the state patrol. Kennedy says, “We just want people to understand, when they go over to Illinois and they buy it, even if they may buy it legally over there, as soon as they cross the state line it is no longer legal and we are going to enforce it as such.”

When it comes to driving under the influence of marijuana, it’s notoriously difficult to test for impairment caused by the drug. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there’s no national standard for drugged driving.

(Reporting by Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports 45-year old Bobby Jo Haley, of Creston, was arrested Tuesday night at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. Haley was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for OWI/1st offense. Haley was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman was arrested on drug and child endangerment charges early this (Wednesday) morning, following a traffic stop in Bedford. Deputies stopped a 2019 GMC Acadia at around 2:30-a.m., for speeding. The Taylor County K9 “Ciba” arrived, and indicated to the presence of narcotic odor in the vehicle. Following a search of the vehicle, Deputies located approximately one pound of marijuana and one-half pound of methamphetamine.

CORALVILLE– The Iowa Department of Corrections reports several security staff members were assaulted by an inmate at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center at approximately 11:20-a.m, Tuesday.  Authorities say an inmate attempted to leave his unit without authorization. As additional security staff responded, the inmate became combative and landed several closed-fist strikes on the responding correctional officers. Officers quickly gained control of the combative inmate, and placed him in restraints.

The staff members that were assaulted by the inmate were treated by institution medical staff. The inmate appears to have not suffered any injuries. The incident remains under investigation.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DUNKERTON,Iowa (AP) — A former police chief of a small town in eastern Iowa, has pleaded guilty to charges that she collected pay for hours she didn’t work. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that Katherine Krieger entered the pleas Monday to theft and felonious misconduct in office. She was chief in Dunkerton, a town of about 830 residents around 100 miles northeast of Des Moines. Prosecutors say Krieger collected pay for hours in Dunkerton when she was working another law enforcement job and for training and meetings she never attended last spring. Court records say she received $3,000 in unearned pay.