One person from Nebraska died and another was injured during a collision late Saturday night on Interstate 80, in Adair County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2001 Nissan Sentra driven by 45-year old Both Thoch, of Bellevue, NE., died when his car was struck by a 2014 Volvo semi at around 11:30-p.m. on I-80 westbound, about one-mile west of the Adair Exit.

Authorities say Thoch’s car broke down in the right travel lane. The driver of the semi, 44-year old Ken Mmanga, of Niles, MI., didn’t see the car until it was too late. He was not hurt in the crash. Both Thoch died at the scene. A passenger in his vehicle, 42-year old Kek Yok, of Omaha, was injured and transported by Adair EMS to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic. Both men were wearing their seat belts.

Following the collision, both the car and the semi came to rest in the north ditch.

A man from Nebraska was arrested following a high-speed pursuit and crash early this (Sunday) morning, in southwest Iowa. Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports that at around 2:45-a.m., the Fremont County K9 Unit attempted to stop at BMW driven by 26-year old Erik Kreifels, of Nebraska City, NE.

Kreifels attempted to elude deputies near Farragut, by at times traveling at speed in excess of 115 miles per hour. He was pursued into the 3900 block of Highway 2 before Kreifels lost control of the vehicle, which spun and slid into a field.

Kreifels was arrested at the scene of the crash without further incident. No injuries were reported. Kreifels was charged with OWI/2nd offense and brought to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center before later being released on $2,300 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:30 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s largest utility is in the midst of a $3.6 billion investment in wind power and intends to keep spending on the towers with a goal of producing 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources. The Des Moines Register reports that MidAmerican Energy plans to build 1,000 more turbines over the next couple of years on top of the more than 2,000 it already has around the state. The utility’s share of its energy that comes from renewable sources will jump from 55 percent to nearly 90 percent.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Some Iowa City Community School District students snagged an interesting find on a recent nature field trip: a rare Central newt. Chad Swope, who leads the annual field trips, told the Press-Citizen that herpetologists confirmed the small salamander as a Central newt _ a threatened species not native to Johnson County. Fifth-grader Brody Hiscock found the newt in his next as he scooped up turtles, frogs and snails.

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) — A passenger in a March single-vehicle crash has been charged with causing the wreck. The Courier reports that 28-year-old Antonio Raymone Harris, of Waterloo, was arrested Thursday and charged with willful injury and two domestic assault counts. Investigators say Harris grabbed the wheel and pulled it toward the ditch, causing the March 7 crash that seriously injured him. The girlfriend suffered only minor injuries in the crash.

CORWITH, Iowa (AP) — A 5,000-head hog confinement has been proposed in north-central Iowa’s Hancock County. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that Grey Owl Farms VI has filed an application to build the hog confinement about four miles east of Corwith. The Hancock County Board of Supervisors will vote during its regular meeting Monday to set up a public hearing for the application.

The Griswold School Board met in a Special Session Friday afternoon at the Middle School/High School Building. Superintendent Dave Henrichs started-off by mentioning three items on agenda would be tabled and discussed at a future meeting. They include Approval of Contract Renewals for Certified Staff, Non-Certified Coaches/Sponsors, Administration, Quasi-Administration and Support Staff, as well as setting the Contract Issue and Return dates.

The Board Friday, approved the resignation of Elementary teacher Veronica McKee at the end of the current school year. And, a potential new hire for the district Teresa Furnas, decided after a week-long trial, she did not wish to continue with the district, therefore she will not be hired. In other business, the Griswold School Board Approved a Reduction in Force, or RIF. Superintendent Henrichs recommended, and the Board approved, the reduction of T-J Quick from a full-time teacher to a 7/8 time teacher.

That’s because he has not kept his license up for a Health Instructor as agreed to in 2014. Henrichs said there currently is no one on staff who is certified to teach a Health course, a required offering The move will allow the District to seek someone who is allowed to teach Heath. Quick will have a chance to get his license renewed and return to full-time.

The Griswold School Board, Friday, also approved offering cash In-Lieu of Insurance, which would save the District over $3,000 per year. Henrichs said staff members currently have no incentive NOT to take single health insurance, but if their staff is covered by a spouses’ or other insurance policy, they can waive coverage and the District would give them $250 per month in cash.

The move affects about six or seven employees, and will not impact the District’s group insurance coverage or policy. The Board also approved what Henrichs called “The concept,” of changes to the Professional Salary Range, because they’ve agreed to have a labor-management committee explore and set the details later. No changes were made to the salary range. The also approved placing limits on the number of paid coaches, based on the number of students participating in a sport.

The final items on the agenda approved by the Board, included Master Contracts with the Certified and Non-Certified staff, which calls for, among other things, NO increase in salaries, with the exception of TSS (Teacher Salary Supplement), but there was a District-wide $16,575 insurance package increase, which is a 25/60 total package increase.

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Judges are sealing warrants that allowed police to obtain blood and urine samples from “The Bachelor” Chris Soules and to enter his home after a fatal crash. Two orders released Friday say the release of warrant materials could jeopardize the investigation into Monday’s accident and undermine Soules’ right to a fair trial. Soules is charged with leaving the scene of a deadly accident after his truck rear-ended a tractor, killing 66-year-old farmer Kenneth Mosher.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — An Illinois man has been given 20 years in an Iowa prison for the fatal shooting of another Illinois resident. The Quad-City Times reports that 19-year-old Juwan Johnson, of Rock Island, Illinois, was sentenced Thursday in Scott County District Court. Prosecutors say Johnson killed 19-year-old Louis Woodson Jr. outside a store in Davenport on Sept. 2, 2015. Woodson lived in Quincy, Illinois.

RED OAK, Iowa (AP) — Firefighters in southwestern Iowa have rescued a man trapped under a tractor. Omaha television station KETV reports that the accident happened early Friday morning at Red Oak, Iowa. Crews were sent to the area around 6:15 a.m. for a report of a tractor rollover and a person trapped. Arriving firefighters found a tractor on its top with a man underneath. Crews used special inflatable bags to lift the tractor and get the man out.

CHELSEA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a woman has died after a fire at her home in central Iowa. Poweshiek County officials say 56-year-old Catherine Foster died after firefighters found her late Thursday morning inside the residence a little more than 2 miles south of Haven.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a rural Red Oak man suffered minor injuries and possible hypothermia after being trapped underneath a tractor overnight. At 6:30am on Friday morning Deputies responded to a reported overturned tractor with the operator pinned beneath it. Deputies found 73-year-old Robert J. Jones of rural Red Oak had been removed from being pinned underneath the Farmall 504 he had been operating the day before.

Jones best assessment was that the incident occurred at approximately 4:30pm on Thursday as he was rotary mowing and the tractor rolled and pinned him underneath the operator’s station.  He was discovered Friday morning at about 6:15am by his wife. The accident occurred just west of a residence on F Avenue on private property.

Jones was extricated and transported to Montgomery County Memorial Hospital by Red Oak Fire and Rescue for treatment of what appeared to be minor injuries and possible hypothermia. The injuries weren’t expected to be life threatening.

The tractor received an estimated $1,000 in damage during the accident.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Judges are sealing warrants that let police obtain blood and urine samples from “The Bachelor” star Chris Soules and to enter his home after a fatal Iowa crash. Two orders released Friday say the release of warrant materials could jeopardize the investigation into Monday’s accident and undermine Soules’ right to a fair trial.

Soules is charged with leaving the scene of a deadly accident after his truck rear-ended a tractor, killing 66-year-old farmer Kenneth Mosher. Authorities say he called 911 and sought help for Mosher before leaving for his Arlington home, where he declined to answer the door until officers obtained a warrant.

Judges approved warrants allowing officers to search Soules’ home, a red truck, and to obtain blood and urine specimens. Police are investigating whether alcohol was a factor.

Work on some of the rural bridges in Cass County Continues. County Engineer Charles Bechtold informed the Board of Supervisors during their meeting this (Friday) morning, that Bridge #134 by Massena was poured a couple of weeks ago and the railings have been installed. It should be open in a couple of weeks. Bridge #17 in the southern part of the County is scheduled to have a deck poured next Wednesday, weather permitting.

He says two bridges are still under design, in-house. Bridge #433 on Olive Street was contracted out, and is expected to be done by November.

Bechtold said also, they’re having a hard time getting QUALITY gravel. Atlantic’s gravel pit he said, is shut-down, and they’re having to pull rock out of other, more distant quarries.

It costs about three-dollars per ton to haul if it comes from Atlantic, but four-dollars per ton from elsewhere. It takes 250-tons of rock and $4,000 to gravel one-mile of road.