DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says it is investigating one of its officers for social media postings deriding Islam and calling the religion an “evil ideology.” The Des Moines Register reports that a graphic on the Facebook page of Sgt. Dan Charleston said it included “verses from the Quran that inspire terrorists” and that Charleston accompanied the graphic with a comment: “No reasoning with this evil ideology.” The posting has been removed.

A phone listed for Charleston rang busy during several calls Friday. Department spokesman Rich Blaylock said “the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is very concerned with the messages posted on social media and are conducting an internal investigation.”

Charleston has twice run unsuccessfully for sheriff. He’s been a member of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for 19 years.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday) released a report on arrests that took place from May 19^th through June 6^th. In their report, authorities say among those arrested was 29-year old Cody Johnson, of Marne, who turned himself-in to the Taylor County Law Enforcement Center May 19^th, on charges of felony 2^nd Degree Burglary and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle. His bond was set at $10,000.

On June 3^rd, 30-year old Josh Green, of Shenandoah, was arrested in Bedford for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $300. That same day, 20-year old Cheyana Brownfield, of Blanchard, was arrested on an assault charge. Her bond was also set at $300.

On June 4^th, two people were arrested on drug charges at the Lake of Three Fires near Bedford: 18-year old Cole Nothwehr, of Shendandoah, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. His bond was set at $1,000. And, 24-year old Payne Dotson, of Braddyville, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $300.

On June 5^th, a 14-year old was arrested at the Lenox Pool for carrying a stun gun. He was charged with Carrying a Dangerous Weapon and referred to Juvenile Court. On June 6^th,  79-year old Ronald Bradly, of Bedford, was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order, 23-year old Keegan Bintz, of New Market, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault, and 53-year old Regina Alvarez, of Sibley, was arrested for Assault.

Officials with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office report this (Friday) morning, that “Due to a water line break within the Jail facility, the Pottawattamie County Jail Administrative Offices will be closed today. Due to the closure, there will be no visitation at the facility. It is anticipated that the office will reopen on Monday June 12th for normal business.”

Authorities apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause.

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

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The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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In an update to our story first posted Wednesday morning on KJAN.com’s News page, authorities have charged a Council Bluffs man accused of spanking his 2-year-old so hard she was left with several bruises. Court records say 25-year-old Ryan Rapier is charged with felony child endangerment resulting in injury.

The girl’s godmother had noticed bruises on the girl’s face, legs and bottom, and she told investigators that Rapier had said the girl had fallen out of her crib. Rapier told investigators that he’d spanked the girl twice Monday because she kept getting out of her crib and throwing things around the bedroom. He said he lost his temper and didn’t mean to hurt the child.

(Updated 6-a.m.)
A hot and slightly humid airmass will be in place this weekend into early next week accompanied by gusty south to southwest winds. Temperatures will peak in the middle 90s to near 100 degrees from Saturday into Monday, which will be near record to record values. In addition, dewpoints in the low to middle 60s combined with
these temperatures will create heat indices, or what it feels like, ranging from 95 to near 105 degrees.

If your plans over the next several days take you outdoors, make sure to drink plenty of water, stay in the shade if possible, and take breaks to rest. Also, watch out for pets and children in locked vehicles.

Some Iowans refer to the full moon in June as a “strawberry moon” because it’s often bright enough to go out at night and pick berries, but that will NOT be the case this year. While we’ve had several so-called “super moons” in the past year, astronomer David Kriegler says what we’ll see tonight (Friday) is just the opposite, what’s known as a micro-moon or mini-moon. Kriegler says, “Because it’s farther from us, it will be fainter in its brightness when it’s full and it will also be smaller.”

The moon’s orbit this month is much more distant from the earth than usual, so while the moon won’t actually be any smaller, it will appear so to the trained eye. “The mini-moons occur fairly often, about once every year or year and a half,” he says. “You have a full moon which is close to its apogee. It’ll be about 30% smaller and probably 20% dimmer than normal.”

For dedicated sky gazers, this moon may be something of a letdown compared to the spectacular full moons we’ve seen lately.  “This particular full moon occurs when the moon is farthest in its orbit,” Kriegler says. “For the last couple of months before this, we’ve had the full moon occurring when the full moon was closest to us, so right now, it’ll be farthest from us.”

Kriegler teaches physics and astronomy at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

(Radio Iowa)

Red Oak Police report the arrest on Wednesday, of Bobbie Jo Bruce, from Red Oak. Bruce was taken into custody at around 12:20-p.m. following a report of a domestic disturbance that happened near Summit and Eastern Streets, in Red Oak. As Police were interviewing Bruce, it was determined he had been driving a vehicle while holding a revoked license. He was taken into custody and later released on a $300 bond.

And, Red Oak Police say two people were injured during an accident Thursday morning. The crash occurred just before 8-a.m. at the intersection of G Avenue and Highway 34, when a 2003 Mazda 6 owned and driven by 40-year old Dana C. Crouse, of Red Oak, struck the rear of a 2013 Kia Rio driven by 52-year old Ruth C. Burns, of Red Oak. Burns, and her passenger, Sara Batten, were transported to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital to be checked out. Burns had complained of neck pain following the impact. Crouse was not injured. Damage from the accident amounted to $13,500.

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

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Regents has approved a tuition increase at each of the states three public universities, starting in the fall. The Press-Citizen reports that the nine-member board voted Thursday to approve an across-the-board $216 tuition hike for students at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. Increases for out-of-state, graduate and professional students at the University of Iowa will range from $1,078 to $2,578.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — An agreement between the University of Northern Iowa and Drake University Law School will allow students to shave a year off the time it normally takes to earn both a bachelor’s and law degree. The Courier reports that the 3+3 Program will see UNI students earn a bachelor’s degree in three years, then earn a law degree from Drake in the next three years.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — After more than two months without a winner, the Powerball jackpot has grown to $435 million. The jackpot for Saturday night’s drawing would tie for the nation’s 10th largest lottery prize. No one has matched all the balls drawn in the Powerball game since April 1, when a player in Arizona won $60 million. The chance of winning the jackpot is one in 292.2 million.

SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — A former Sibley-Ocheyedan football coach and teacher fired after the superintendent found him sleeping in a classroom next to a 10-year-old boy has pleaded not guilty to sex assault. The trial of Kyle Ewinger is set to begin Oct. 17. He’s also pleaded not guilty in Nebraska to a charge of sexually assaulting a child. No trial has yet been scheduled.