(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s gotten a response from federal investigators in a case where a woman died at a Buffalo Center nursing home. Senator Grassley says the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services responded to his request for more information on the February 27th death of Virginia Olthoff at the Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center. State investigators say she was in pain and may not have had water several days before her death. C-M-S has fined the nursing home more than 77-thousand dollars. Grassley says the C-M-S administrator told him in a letter that the nursing home has had 19 complaint investigations conducted in the past five years and has “come back into substantial compliance with program requirements” after each one.

The Republican Senator says he appreciates the response, but says he is concerned about the Timely Mission Nursing Home’s compliance history and the sheer number of complaint investigations. He says the reported events are “extremely troubling” and call into question whether the facility has the ability to make lasting changes. He says he will continue to press for more information on this case and others like it.

(Radio Iowa) — A foul odor reported in the city of Storm Lake on Thursday was traced back to someone flushing garbage down their toilet. Tom Roos, inspector for the DNR’s Spencer field office, says the investigation into an odor complaint lead city crews to a “blockage” at a lift station – which sent untreated wastewater into a storm sewer near King’s Pointe Resort. “The lift station is equipped with a screen to protect the pumps and there were all kinds of debris from rags, to plastic, to a whole lot of drinking straws,” Roos said.

When the wastewater backed up, previous repairs developed a leak, allowing wastewater to reach the storm sewer and the lake. A DNR news release issued Friday cautioned people to avoid the northeast side of the lake for 48 hours. Roos is reminding people NOT to flush trash down the toilet. “Things get into sewers that aren’t supposed be there all the time, but (this) was pretty unique,” Roos said. “I mean, I think we all know what toilets are used to flush and any other debris that gets flushed down there, as we can see, causes some pretty significant problems.”

According to the DNR’s news release, the city of Storm Lake has hired a contractor to plug the storm water line to prevent future problems and the DNR will consider “appropriate enforcement action.”

Two people were arrested overnight Friday into early this (Saturday) morning, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, 22-year old Chiara Nicole Ethen, of Red Oak, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop at around 2:33-a.m. today (Saturday). She was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond. And, at around 8:45-p.m. Friday, 32-year old Kyle Gregory Wadley, of Red Oak, was arrested for OWI/drugged-1st offense. Wadley was also being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

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

LeCLAIRE, Iowa (AP) — Police in eastern Iowa say they have arrested a suspect in the armed robbery of a convenience store _ the ex-boyfriend of the clerk who was held at knifepoint. LeClaire police say officers were called Thursday night to a QC Mart for a robbery in progress. Arriving officers say the suspect had fled, but that the cashier identified him as her ex-boyfriend, who was arrested in Davenport on Friday.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Officials say heavy rainfall has overwhelmed Waterloo’s sewer system, letting untreated sewage reach rivers and streams. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier says Waterloo Waste Management Services reported three locations where sewage escaped manholes and six more spots where workers bypassed sanitary sewer lines into street drains to prevent other spills. A city official says the untreated wastewater is heavily diluted, owing to the nearly 8 inches of rain in the past week.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — An 18-year-old man already facing a murder charge has been accused of another shooting. Police have charged Jacob Heckethorn with attempted murder, saying he shot Clifford Collett Sr. on Aug. 16 in Ottumwa. Wapello County District Court records say Heckethorn already has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder in the original case.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Enrollment is down at three of Iowa’s public universities, but officials say the decline is intentional at two of the schools. The Des Moines Register reports that overall enrollment at University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa dropped 2.2 percent this fall to about 79,600 students. The Iowa Board of Regents says the first two schools want more manageable enrollment levels as officials focus on retaining students and increasing graduation rates.