Today (Thursday), marks the first full-day of activities at the Cass County Fair, in Atlantic. The morning begins with breakfast at the Food Stand, with the KJAN crew serving up some awesome food. The Swine weigh-in takes place from 7:30-until 9:30-a.m.  Rabbit check-in is from 8-to 9:30-a.m., and the Poultry will be checked-in from 10-until 11-a.m.

Other scheduled activities include:

• Meat Goat weigh-in and Dairy check-in, 10:30-a.m. until Noon.
• Horse check-in & sheep weigh-in, from 4:30-to 5:30-p.m.
• 4-H exhibits open at 5-p.m.
• Little Miss & Little Mister contest 7-p.m.
• King and Queen Contest (on KJAN) at 7:30-p.m.
• Senior Recognition at 8-p.m.
• Outdoor movie at 8:45-p.m.

Senator Joni Ernst says taxpayers “shouldn’t cover the costs associated with gender reassignment surgery,” but Ernst says any qualified American should be able to serve in the military. President Trump has sent a series of tweets, announcing the U.S. military “will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the military.” Trump says transgender soldiers cause “disruption” and cloud the military’s focus on “decisive and overwhelming victory.”

Republican Joni Ernst is the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate. While Ernst says she, too, doesn’t think taxpayers should pay for soldiers to have gender reassignment surgery, Ernst would not bar transgender people from joining the military. Ernst says anyone who “can meet the physical training standards” and is willing “to defend our freedoms and way of life” should be allowed to serve.

The Associated Press reports Congressman Steve King is praising Trump for ensuring the military isn’t “experimenting” and allowing transgender individuals to become soldiers. Senator Chuck Grassley told a group of Iowa reporters Wednesday that he routinely defers to Ernst’s expertise on military matters, but Grassley says he hasn’t studied this issue. It’s unclear how many transgender soldiers are currently serving.

A report for the military estimates it could be about seven-thousand of the one-point-three million soldiers currently on active duty.

(Radio Iowa)

A teenager from Bussey, in southeastern Iowa’s Marion County, died Wednesday when the ATV he was riding struck a tree. The Iowa State Patrol says the 16-year old male was traveling southbound on a private trail inside the city limits of Bussey, when the 2015 4-wheeler he was operating, hit a tree. The impact caused the driver’s head to also strike the tree, causing severe injury. The teen, whose name was withheld, died at the scene.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The president of Briar Cliff University in Sioux City intends to leave his position at the end of the upcoming fall semester after serving less than two years. Hamid Shirvani said in a college news release Wednesday that the decision “is a result of a combination of family, personal and professional considerations.” The university board of trustees will begin its search in the next few months for a new president.

Shirvani began his Briar Cliff stay on June 1 last year, replacing Bev Wharton, who led the private Sioux City college for 15 years. Shirvani left a position as senior fellow at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C., to join Briar Cliff.

The fall semester student count showed a student enrollment more than 1,300 students.

The State Patrol this week nabbed another “extreme speeder” on an Iowa interstate. A Trooper clocked a driver Tuesday at 125 miles an hour at one of the busiest interchanges in the state – just east of Des Moines. A photo posted by the Patrol to Facebook included a note that the vehicle was driving “at a whopping 60 mph ABOVE the posted speed limit.”

(Motorist’s speed at the top of the digital readout; cruiser distance from suspect vehicle in lower readout)

In recent months, the Patrol has made similar posts about extreme speeding. A driver who was clocked at 144 miles-an-hour on I-80 in eastern Iowa was issued a $560 ticket. Another motorist was clocked at 124 miles-an-hour on I-29 in western Iowa and was handed a ticket of $424.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an incident of armed robbery that took place at around 12:30-a.m. today (Thursday), at Hanafan Park / the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge that links Council Bluffs to Omaha, over the Missouri River.

There, officers made contact with a male and female victim who reported they had been sitting on the terraces at Hanafan Park when they were approached by three armed subjects wearing masks. The suspects had displayed guns to them demanding they empty out their pockets and give them their money.

Council Bluffs PD Shield

The victims complied with the orders. The suspects took items from the victims and fled north bound on the bike trail. As the suspects fled, they are believed to have fired off several shots from a gun. The victims of the robbery were not injured.

Officers set up a perimeter of the area and searched it with both a K-9 and a drone equipped with a forward looking infrared camera. At this time the suspects have not been located.

The suspects are believed to be a female and two males. Anyone with information in reference to this case are urged to call the Council Bluffs Police Detective Division at (712) 328-4728 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP (7867).

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — United Airlines says it is saddened by the death of a giant rabbit after a flight from London to Chicago and is reviewing a lawsuit filed by the animal’s owners. The lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges the airline was negligent in the death of a rabbit named Simon. In response, United released a statement saying the company is “saddened by Simon’s death in April” and that the airline is “currently reviewing” the complaint.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Police in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale say a teen has accidentally shot himself in the leg while cleaning a handgun. Television station KCCI reports that officers were called to the teen’s house around 1 p.m. Wednesday. Police say a 16-year-old boy was cleaning the gun when he shot himself in the leg. He was taken to a local hospital, and his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines woman charged with murder is seeking a judge’s approval to use a “stand your ground” defense despite the law taking effect nearly two months after she allegedly shot and killed her stepfather. The Des Moines Register reports defense attorney argues the law should apply because 29-year-old Sera Alexander’s case will go to trial after the law took effect July 1. The law says a person doesn’t have to retreat before using deadly force if they think their life is being threatened.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors say a northeast Iowa businessman already convicted of failing to pay employment taxes has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an ethanol plant scam. Darrell Smith, of Forest City, entered the pleas Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids to charges of wire fraud and identity theft. Officials say that on several occasions, Smith transferred money from clients’ accounts without their knowledge into his bioenergy fund.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Tuesday of 45-year old Kerri Lynn Pace, of Villisca. Pace was arrested for Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance. Authorities say after receiving information of a gas drive off from Casey’s in Bedford, a vehicle fitting the description and direction of travel was located and stopped by deputy at the intersection of Highways 148 and 2. After a search of the vehicle was conducted with the assistance of K9 “Ciba,” methamphetamine along with scales and baggies associated with drug distribution was located. Pace cash bond was set at $25,000.

And, on July 21st, Zach Anderson, of Omaha, was arrested on a Page County warrant for failure to appear. It was believed Anderson was at a residence in Gravity. When Deputies tried to locate Anderson, he ran out the back door of the residence. K9 “Ciba” was deployed, tracked and located Anderson a few hundred yards away hiding in a tree. Anderson was arrested without further incident and turned over to Page County Deputies. Anderson was also wanted by Fremont County Iowa and Douglas County Nebraska.

United Airlines says it is saddened by the death of a giant rabbit after a flight from London to Chicago and is reviewing a lawsuit filed by the animal’s owners in Iowa. The lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges the airline was negligent in the care and transportation of the rabbit, named “Simon,” and then improperly cremated him. The lawsuit was filed more than three months after airline workers found the continental rabbit dead.

In response, United released a statement saying the company is “saddened by Simon’s death in April” and that the airline is “currently reviewing” the complaint. A group of Iowa executives filed the lawsuit seeking unspecified damages to cover the costs of the rabbit and punitive damages.

Attorney Guy Cook represents three Iowa businessmen who bought the rabbit with the intention of showing him at the Iowa State Fair and then displaying the animal to raise money for the annual event.