Three longtime employees of the Iowa State Patrol have been placed on leave over concerns with the state’s new contract for handguns. The state patrol employees are Major Todd Misel, Major Michael Winter and Lieutenant Richard Pierce.

Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Roxann Ryan

In an email to employees, Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Roxann Ryan said the agency is reviewing the process that led the state last year to contract with Smith & Wesson to supply handguns to officers.

Few other details are known, but two retired DCI Special Agents are leading the investigation. Ryan also announced that the patrol’s leader, Colonel David Garrison, is being reassigned to his previous position as a lieutenant. Ryan said the move is not related to the gun investigation and Garrison requested the reassignment. Ryan has named Michael Van Berkum as the new chief of the Iowa State Patrol.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Agriculture officials say five more farms likely have been affected by the deadly H5N2 bird flu virus, including an egg-laying operation with 5.5 million chickens. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says more than 15 million of Iowa’s 60 million egg-laying chickens are now affected with the news of it spreading to another farm in Buena Vista County. Thursday’s numbers include two turkey farms in the same county with an unknown number of birds, an egg-laying farm in Sioux County with 84,000 chickens and an unknown number of chickens on a Clay County egg farm.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines Water Works has tapped into reserve storage wells as nitrate levels in the rivers used for source water exceed federal regulations. The Register reports the public utility on Thursday began drawing from an aquifer storage well in Clive, one of two 300-million-gallon reserves under Water Works’ control.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — One person is dead and two others have been taken to the hospital following a head-on collision in Cedar Rapids. Authorities say two vehicles were involved in the wreck Wednesday. Police say the driver of one of the vehicles, 53-year-old Jonathan Dale of Mount Vernon was pronounced dead at the scene. The collision is under investigation.

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Redskins have taken Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff with the 5th pick of the NFL draft. Scherff, listed at 6-foot-5 and about 320 pounds, is from Denison, Iowa.

A bill before the U.S. Senate would require any potential nuclear agreement with Iran to be reviewed by Congress. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst calls it a “crucial” measure to ensure preservation of the country’s interests and security. “This enables the American people to have a voice in that process,” Ernst told reporters in a conference call today (Thursday). “Congress must have more oversight of this process and the opportunity for thoughtful consideration to ensure that we have been very clear about our demands and the framework of any final agreement.”

The bill would give Congress a 30-day review period if and when a final nuclear accord with Iran is struck. Ernst believes Congress should be allowed to vote to approve or reject any such accord. “Iran’s more than a quarter century long effort to obtain a nuclear weapon will not subside overnight and it is a faulty assumption that Tehran is on the side of the rule of law,” Ernst said.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved the bill earlier this month and President Obama pledged his support — but promised a veto if there are amendments added that are unrelated to Iran’s atomic program. Ernst and others who are trying to push the bill through the Senate have been fending off proposed amendments by a few Republicans, including several running for president in 2016.

(Radio Iowa)

Supporting a great local cause can be as easy as buying flowers. On Friday, May 8th, Hy-Vee will donate $1.00 from every hanging basket purchased to the Cass County Health System (CCHS) Foundation. Volunteers from CCHS will be at Hy-Vee to help customers pick out a beautiful hanging basket, and the funds raised will go towards the 2015 Annual Campaign.

CCHS Foundation Director Dawn Marnin and Hy-Vee Gen. Merchandise Mgr. Aaron Siggins.

“Hy-Vee has been a great supporter of the CCHS Foundation for years,” said Dawn Marnin, Foundation Director. “This promotion is just in time for Mother’s Day, which seems appropriate since our campaign’s goal is focused on new mothers and infants.”

This year’s campaign goal is to purchase a Central Monitoring System for the Cass County Memorial Hospital OB Department, which costs $100,000. Last year’s campaign enabled CCMH to purchase new fetal monitors, which need to be read at the patient’s bedside.

Adding the Central Monitoring System will allow nurses and physicians to closely monitor multiple babies at the same time. Together, these two systems create a powerful tool to monitor and protect our newborns and their mothers.

(Press Release)