MARENGO, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa man accused of punching to death a 2-year-old girl has pleaded not guilty. Court records say 29-year-old Cody Stevenson filed the plea electronically Wednesday in Iowa County District Court. The charge: first-degree murder.

A criminal complaint says Stevenson struck the daughter of his live-in girlfriend three or four times in the abdomen on June 30 at a Williamsburg apartment. Authorities say the girl died July 3. The records don’t list her name.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman was arrested early this (Friday) morning following a traffic stop on a Moped. At around 1-a.m., a Deputy noticed a Moped traveling 33-miles per hour on Tamarack Road eastbound from 420th. Following the traffic stop, the driver, 26-year old Cassie Jo Brown, of Avoca, was arrested for Driving While Revoked.

And, at around 12:20-p.m. Thursday, 26-year old Lisa Lydia Carsley, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. An Investigator with the Sheriff’s Department was conducting surveillance on a suspected, unattended vehicle allegedly used in a burglary and theft in the County, at 750 Creek Top road in Council Bluffs. The Investigator noticed a female and male enter the vehicle. After the vehicle was stopped by authorities, it was determined both suspects had active warrants. Officials seized a glass meth pipe at the scene.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three recent arrests. Taken into custody Wednesday, was 46-year old David Allen Holste, of Corning, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Holste was being held in the Cass County Jail on $10,000 bond. And, 30-year old Karly Rose Thurmond, of Atlantic, was arrested Wednesday on two Jefferson County (IA) warrants. Thurmond was brought to the Cass County Jail and transferred later that day to Jefferson County.

On Tuesday, Cass County Deputies arrested 42-year old Matthew Paul Hardick, of Council Bluffs, on two District Court warrants for Probation Violation. Hardick was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports the driver of a vehicle involved in a single-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon on Highway 6, was arrested for OWI. 62-year old Jessica Ferrera, of Council Bluffs, was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries she suffered when she fell onto a barbed wire fence after her vehicle went into a ditch a little after Noon, Thursday.

The accident happened as the woman was driving east on Highway 6, between Oakland and Griswold. During an investigation, Ferrera tested above the legal limit for intoxication.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office is asking for your help. Officials say a little after 8-a.m. today (Friday), the Rolling Hills Bank in Casey, was robbed. The suspect, a white male, wore a hoodie with a bandana pulled up to the bottom of the glasses. It’s believed the man didn’t use a weapon. He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, walking east on Logan Street. No one was hurt during the incident. Authorities believed the suspect was acting alone.

The incident remains under investigation by the FBI, which will act as the leading agency. The Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Transportation and the Adair and Guthrie County Sheriff’s offices are  cooperating in the investigation.

If anyone saw someone or something suspicious around Casey that they feel is relevant, contact the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office at (641)747-2214.

Officials with Casey’s General Stores say the company is teaming up with the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (IAICU) to help students and parents in the college planning process. The convenience store chain is providing fuel discount coupons to families traveling to tour private college campuses during Iowa Private College Week, July 31 to August 4.

During the week, Casey’s General Stores will provide 5-cent per gallon fuel discount coupons to those participating in a campus tour.  As an additional incentive, each of the 25 institutions will provide up to two $500 bookstore vouchers to be given away in drawings for students who visit at least three campuses and mail in an entry form.

The first week of August is traditionally Iowa Private College Week (IPCW), when Iowa’s non-profit, private colleges and universities synchronize campus tour schedules across the state, making it easy for students and parents to schedule up to ten campus visits in only one week. During the week, Iowa private colleges and universities coordinate start times for twice-daily, morning and afternoon tours at each campus. To make arranging the tours even more convenient, students can go to one registration website and schedule tours at any of the 25 campuses. The registration site includes information about each of the colleges and universities and has tools to help families map out a tour schedule.

Students are encouraged to go to the website IowaPrivateCollegeWeek.org to find out more and to register for visits during Iowa Private College Week, July 31st to August 4th.

DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.2 percent for June. The state’s jobless rate was 3.8 percent one year ago. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent in June. Beth Townsend, Iowa Workforce Development Director, said “Iowa businesses experienced unusually high job growth in June. Annual growth in the state has been weak since the beginning of the year; however, this month’s expansion in total non-farm employment helped solidify improvements in Iowa’s job market including growth in the service industry, manufacturing and financial services.”

The number of unemployed Iowans increased to 53,600 in June. The current estimate is 10,500 lower than the year ago level of 64,100.  The total number of working Iowans decreased to 1,633,100 in June. This figure was 2,900 lower than May and 3,200 lower than one year ago.

Seasonally Adjusted Non-farm Employment:

Iowa establishments displayed strong hiring in June and added 11,200 jobs. This month’s increase is historically large and due to both gains in private and public sectors. Industries that are seasonal in nature all grew this month with the largest increases being in recreation and eating and drinking establishments. Government also added jobs this month (+4,000) with gains being largely attributable to local governments. Compared to last year, government is now up 600 jobs, whereas private sectors have now advanced by 25,000 jobs following this month’s surge.

Leisure and hospitality added the most jobs this month (+3,100). This was the largest increase among private sectors and breaks a string of seasonal losses stretching back to January. Restaurants and drinking establishments helped boost employment in accommodations and food services this month (+2,000). Manufacturing followed with its second-consecutive gain in June (+1,600). Once again, gains were evident in both durable and non-durable goods factories. The monthly increase pulls manufacturing back into the green versus this time last year. Other gains this month included education and healthcare services (+1,500) which experienced its first gain since March. Finance, insurance, and real estate added jobs again this month (+1,100) and hasn’t pared payrolls since last August.

Alternatively, losses this month were light and limited to just two sectors: trade, transportation, and utilities  (-700) and other services (-400). Annually, total non-farm employment rebounded from lackluster annual growth this month and now rests up 25,600 jobs versus last year. Education and healthcare services have added the most jobs over the last twelve months and have been fueled by the expanding healthcare industry (+8,700). Growth in private education services has been stagnant since last June. Trade and transportation continues to trend above last year’s mark despite this month’s drop and has advanced 5,100 jobs. Finance has steadily climbed over the past several months and is now up 4,700 jobs annually. The only sector still trending below last June is information services (-1,200).