This is National Wear Red Day (Friday) and Iowans are encouraged to don at least one article of clothing in that bright color to draw attention to a critical health issue. Cassie Wessing, spokeswoman for the Iowa chapter of the American Heart Association, says heart disease takes a toll on many thousands of Iowans every year. “We encourage everyone to get out that red dress, your red shoes, your red tie, whatever it is you have and dress up in red to celebrate American Heart Month,” Wessing says “Help us raise awareness that heart disease is our #1 killer and help empower people to take charge of their heart health.”

Cardiovascular disease and stroke are the leading causes of death in Iowa, claiming almost ten-thousand lives every year. “One in three people are effected,” Wessing says. “If you don’t have heart disease yourself, you likely have a friend, family member or loved one who has been effected. It’s really touching all of our lives and is important to all of us.”

Special events are planned in several Iowa cities. Learn more at www.heart.org.

(Radio Iowa)

The state agency which regulates alcohol sales has sent the governor its recommendations following a review of regulations. Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division communications director, Robert Bailey, says the report focuses on the changes in the way alcohol is manufactured, particularly at microdistilleries. “The recommendations include removing the cap that is placed on them for annual production. Currently they are limited to 50-thousand gallons a year. We suggest removing that cap,” Bailey says.

They also recommend increasing the limit for sales to the public at the distilleries. “If you visit a native distillery now, you are limited, you can buy one-point-five liters, that’s two bottles,” Bailey says. “We’re recommending increasing that to essentially being nine liters or a case.” The proposed change that may have the most impact allows customers be able to try the product on site. “The big one will be — we are recommending that microdistilleries are allowed to sell their products by the glass at their facilities,” Bailey says.

He says they also want to streamline the licensing process for those who sell beer. “There has been a single A and a double A. Single A meaning regular beer and double A mewing high-alcohol content beer. We are combining those two licenses so a beer manufacturer just needs to get one license,” Bailey says.

The change would reduce some of the cost and time for those who are now buying both licenses. Microdistilleries weren’t around in Iowa until 2010 and Bailey says the recommended changes are driven by the desire to bring them into line with other producers in the industry. “This largely is to bring parity to the manufacturing sector. Right now native wineries have considerable retail privileges and brewers also have considerable retail privileges, but distillers have been limited in their retail privileges,” Bailey explains. “So these recommendations provide for a more equal playing field, a more level playing field.”

Several groups worked with I-A-B-D on the report, including the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Bailey says they are trying to continue the proper regulation of the industry, while also realizing that things have changed, and visiting the place where the alcohol is made is now a big part of the experience. He says wineries, breweries and distilleries have become destination stops, with many of them now in towns and communities which have other tourism features as well.

Bailey says it’s now up to the governor and legislature to decide how to proceed. “These recommendations have been provided to the governor and these recommendations have also been put into a draft bill that should be coming to the legislature soon, it’s just now coming out of the draft stage,” Bailey says.

Bailey says the report’s final recommendation that the state continue with its review, and move to licensing, administrative actions, and administrative appeals to look for reform opportunities there.

(Radio Iowa)

Two people from Nebraska were arrested on drug charges early this (Friday) morning, following a traffic stop on Interstate 29 in Fremont County. Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports the Fremont County K9 unit stopped a vehicle just seven-miles north of the Missouri border. As a result of an investigation, 24-year old Marvin Monroe and 48-year old Kimberly Freeman, both of Omaha, were arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Monroe and Freeman were taken into custody without incident and transported to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center, where they were being held on $1,000 bond, each.

Kimberly Freeman

Marvin Monroe

The Iowa State Patrol is investigation a serious injury, rollover accident, that took place on Interstate 29 in Fremont County Thursday evening. According to their report, 27-year old Mitchell Eugene Kimpston, of Riverton, was driving a 2004 Chevy Cavalier southbound on I-29 at around 5:15-p.m., when for reasons unknown, the vehicle went out of control near the Thurman exit.

The car entered the median and rolled over. Kimpston, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected as the vehicle rolled. The car came to rest in the northbound lanes of I-29. Kimpston suffered serious injuries and was transported by LifeNet Helicopter to CHI in Omaha. A report on his condition was not released.

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Senate Republicans in Iowa have approved an education funding bill that some school officials argue will increase class sizes and lead to teacher layoffs. The GOP-controlled chamber voted 28-21 Thursday for the legislation, which would go into effect for the budget year that starts in July. It has support in the Republican-led House, where a vote is scheduled Monday. The bill would add about $40 million to Iowa’s roughly $3 billion kindergarten through 12th grade budget.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa would forego millions in federal dollars in order to stop contributing a small amount of state funding toward Planned Parenthood under a bill that has been approved by the Republican-controlled Senate. Republican lawmakers backing the legislation declined to say how Iowa would foot the bill. The vote was 30-20 along party lines. It now goes to the GOP-led House.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police have taken a woman into custody, saying she attacked an 89-year-old church deacon with a knife. Police say the assault happened at St. Augustin Catholic Church around 11 a.m. Thursday, when a woman in the sanctuary attacked the deacon with a large knife, leaving cuts on his face and hands. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A February trial has been delayed for an Iowa woman accused of trying to flush her newborn down a toilet and then leaving it for dead in a trash can. Court records say Ashley Hautzenrader is charged with attempted murder and child endangerment. The new trial starting date is Aug. 15.