Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) — Hospitals across Iowa are preparing for a possible influx of people later this month when thousands of bicyclists pedal through their cities. Up to 10,000 riders are expected to traverse the state in the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Race Across Iowa, also known as RAGBRAI. Buchanan County officials say they can reasonably assume at least some riders will require medical attention.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — Charles City police are looking for a dognapper. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports a male pit bull mix was taken from the PAWS Humane Society shelter sometime during the night of July 5th. Shelter manager Julie Taylor says the dog was in a kennel with an outdoor run and someone broke the padlock on the run.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines Public Schools has announced its five schools will remain with the Central Iowa Metropolitan League. At least eight schools had discussed breaking away from the activities conference, but many of the schools had backed off that suggestion by Friday. The district announced that its five members would remain in the CIML at least through the 2015-16 school year.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque mental health counselor who admitted to abusing a dependent adult has been sentenced to one year of probation. Sixty-nine-year-old Lowell Routley was sentenced last week after he pleaded guilty to dependent adult abuse. Court documents say that between November 2010 and October 2012, Routley withdrew funds for personal use from the special-needs trust fund of a patient.

Police in Council Bluffs say a motorcyclist who witnesses say was hit and run over by a car, was in critical condition Saturday afternoon. 27-year old Daniel W. Starkey, of Council Bluffs, was transported to Creighton Medical Center in Omaha, where he was being treated for life-threatening conditions. Witnesses told police an older, red car, possibly a Toyota, was chasing Starkey’s motorcycle before hitting the bike and possible running Starkey over. The driver of the car was described as being as white man in his 40’s, with longer, greyish hair.

Police found Starkey and his cycle in an alley in the 2400 block, between west Broadway and 2nd Avenue, at around 9:10-a.m., Saturday. After hitting the cycle, the car continued through the alley and turned southbound onto south 25th Street.  If you have any information about the incident or can help identify the driver of the car, please call -712-328-STOP.

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) — Those with an eye toward healthy living have probably noticed the words “aronia berry” in everything from juices and powdered supplements to baby food. Midwesterners probably know it as chokeberry, the name European settlers centuries ago gave the berry they found tart, astringent and more pretty than palatable.

The native North American plant is in the midst of a transformation, prized for its exceptional health benefits and easy cultivation. The almost black-purple, pea-sized berry gets its more agreeable name from its genus, Aronia melanocarpa.

Now dubbed a “superfood,” research shows the berries packing more antioxidants than blueberries, acai and goji berries. Producers are also taking notice, with thousands of the shrubs being planted by farmers — mostly in Iowa, but also in other upper Midwest states — every year.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Drug Paraphernalia charges after a traffic stop Saturday (7/12) morning.  At approximately 12:45am officers conducted a traffic stop in the 600 block of East Hammond Street.  During the stop officers conducted a search of the vehicle which was driven by 18-year-0ld Dylan Elwood Taylor of Red Oak.  Officers discovered a makeshift pipe used for smoking marijuana.  Taylor was then cited into court for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor, and was given a court date.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a single vehicle accident involving a concrete truck on Friday (7/11) morning.  At 8:30am a concrete truck owned by Echo Concrete and operated by 37-year-old Gary Johnson was traveling north on Quince Avenue from Highway 34 when the right front tire blew out causing the truck to go in the east ditch.  The driver did not have any injuries.  The truck was able to be pulled out of the ditch without losing it’s load of concrete.

Officials with the Iowa DNR and Shelby County sheriff’s office responded to a report Thursday night of pesticide leaking from a sprayer near 2000th St. and Dogwood, in Earling. They found a small amount of herbicide had reached the side of the road, with an unknown smaller amount flowing to a tributary of Picayune Creek. A United Western Coop employee was spreading the mix of Roundup and Cobra when a hose became plugged and the material spilled.

Estimates vary from between 15 and 100 gallons of herbicide sludge spilled. The co-op excavated about 20 cubic yards of soil Thursday night to prevent environmental damage. The DNR checked the creek Thursday night and Friday morning and found no evidence of dead or distressed fish.

The DNR will continue to monitor the cleanup and consider appropriate enforcement.

(Updated 5:55-p.m.)

Three people were injured and transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, following a collision between a pickup and a passenger car Friday afternoon, on Atlantic’s east side. The crash at the intersection of Highways 6/71 (near the Wal-Mart) was reported at around 4:15-p.m.

Photo’s by Ric Hanson/KJAN News

Atlantic Police Lt. Dave Erickson told KJAN News the accident happened when the driver of a red, 2001 Dodge Ram pickup attempted to turn onto southbound Highway 71 from westbound Highway 6. The vehicle turned directly in front of an eastbound, black 2005 Ford Focus. Initial reports indicated there was only one injury.

Erickson said there ended up being three people transported to the hospital: The female driver of the Ford, and two male occupants of the pickup truck.The driver of the truck was cited for making an improper left turn. The names of the accident victims will not be released until Monday, according to Erickson. Damage from the crash amounted to approximately $12,000.

Atlantic Fire and Rescue, and Medivac were called to the scene. Atlantic Police were assisted at the scene by Deputy Josh McLaren with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, who provided traffic control. Additional details were not available late Friday afternoon.

Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County said today (Friday), a Panora man was arrested on drugs charges last weekend. Russell Gardner faces charges that include Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Hydrocodone, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was arrested Sunday evening and has since bonded out of jail.

Gardner was arrested after the SUV he was driving was stopped by a Guthrie County deputy near the intersection of Highway 4 and 190th Street in Guthrie County, at around 6:35-p.m., Sunday. During the traffic stop the deputy deployed his K9 partner, which hit on the passenger side of the vehicle and after a search, resulted in the recovery of the illegal stash.