DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has declined to confirm a doctor to the Iowa Board of Medicine because of an online comment she made about the LGBT community. The Des Moines Register reports that Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ appointment of Katherine Asjes failed Wednesday. All 18 votes against the appointment were cast by Democrats. Democratic Sen. Tony Bisignano says Asjes’ supportive comment on an online article in the Catholic World Report that criticized the LGBT community is concerning.

Senate Minority Leader Janet Petersen says the comment raises concerns about whether Asjes would protect the health of all Iowa residents. Asjes says that while she expressed agreement with the author, her comment was made seeking additional information. The state Board of Medicine regulates physicians and surgeons, osteopathic physicians and licensed acupuncturists.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County say deputies responded Wednesday evening to a residence in the 600 block of N. Highway Street in Oakland, for a domestic disturbance. Following an investigation, 36-year old Lucas Roderick Erno, of Oakland, was arrested at around 7:20-p.m., for Domestic Assault with injury. The alleged victim, his 41-year old girlfriend, suffered apparent minor injuries during the incident. Erno was brought to the Pott. County Jail and booked-in.

Authorities looking for a missing northeast Iowa teenager with autism are moving the search in a new direction. Officials no longer plan to use volunteers in what’s been a massive effort to find 16-year-old Jake Wilson of La Porte City, who disappeared Saturday evening when he went for a walk near a creek just a few blocks from his home and didn’t return. Over the last four days, more than 2,100 volunteers have searched about 255 square miles of land in and around La Porte City, checking and re-checking woods and farms fields with no signs of Wilson.

Now, with Thursday (today) marking the fifth day since the teenager’s disappearance, authorities plan to move forward using the help of specialists who are trained to search waterways and other spots not easily accessible. About 30 local, state, and federal investigators are actively working the case.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Glenwood report this (Thursday) morning, 35-year old Misty Petterson, of Glenwood was arrested Wednesday, for possession of drug paraphernalia. Pettersen’s bond was set at $300 cash or surety. 

SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — A June trial has been scheduled for a woman whose sport utility vehicle collided with a car in northwest Iowa, fatally injuring the car driver and his 5-year-old son. Osceola County District Court records say 49-year-old Ann Vanderpool, of Milford, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two counts of vehicular homicide while driving intoxicated and two counts of vehicular homicide by reckless driving. Her trial is set to begin June 26.

Authorities say the accident occurred June 10 on Iowa Highway 9 near Sibley, when Vanderpool’s vehicle crossed the center line and struck the car. The car driver, 48-year-old Travis Mier, of Spirit Lake, was pronounced dead at Osceola Community Hospital. His son Elliot was pronounced dead later at a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, hospital. Vanderpool also was hospitalized.