A motorcycle crash Wednesday evening left a Council Bluffs man in critical condition. According to the sheriff’s department, 31-year old Chad Walker was riding a 2008 Suzuki northbound at a high rate of speed and passing another vehicle on Pott.County Road L-34 near Pin Oak Road, when he missed a curve. The cycle went off the west side of the road and came to rest in a field. Walker was flown by LifeNet helicopter to Creighton University Medical Center, where a hospital spokesperson said he was in critical condition, Thursday.  Walker was cited on suspicion of reckless driving and failure to maintain control of his vehicle.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden says Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney renounced his own tax cut during Wednesday’s presidential debate. While campaigning in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Biden said a $5 trillion tax cut is the “centerpiece” of Romney’s campaign for president. But Biden said that during the debate, “We found out he doesn’t have a $5 trillion tax cut. I guess he outsourced that to China.” Biden said President Barack Obama was “presidential” and put forward “a clear specific plan” during the debate. But he said Obama had a hard time figuring out Romney’s positions on issues: “You never know what game Gov. Romney is going to come with.” Biden said Romney “either changed his positions on some issues or he doesn’t remember them.”

The owner of a Guthrie County bar was beaten early Sunday morning by three men who had attended a wedding reception. According to the Guthrie County Time and online court records, the attack occurred at around 12:40-a.m. at the Owl’s Nest on Main Street, in Panora. Officials say 40-year old Brian Dean Plowman and 25-year old Nicholas Richter, both of Adair, along with 35-year old Eric Adkins, of Urbandale, each face a felony charge of Assault without intent causing Serious Injury, and Disorderly Conduct, a Serious Misdemeanor. The charges stem from the alleged assault of Owls Nest co-owner Scott Kurtz, following a verbal argument that got out of control. 

According to Panora police, the three men had been attending a wedding reception at the Lake Panorama National Conference Center following a wedding at Adair. They left the reception and went to the Owls Nest. At around 12:40-a.m., authorities received a 911 call informing them about a fight in front of the Owls Nest in which a group of people were beating up on Kurtz, who was transported to a hospital in Des Moines by private vehicle, for treatment of his injuries.

Plowman, Richter and Adkins left the scene before police arrived, but all three were later taken into custody. They have since posted bond and were ordered to appear in court for their preliminary hearings set for later this month. 

Officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Council Bluffs construction office say lane restrictions will be in place on westbound Interstate 80 over the South Expressway in Council Bluffs, to allow crews to remove and replace the back wall on the South Expressway bridge. Work on the project will begin 7-p.m. Friday, Oct. 5th, and continue until 8- a.m. Monday, Oct. 8th, weather permitting. Work is being scheduled for the weekend to minimize traffic delays on I-80.

Motorists may want to select the South Omaha Bridge Road (U.S. 275) or I-680 to I-29 east of the metro area as alternate routes. Construction work will continue on the weekends for up to four weeks until the project has been completed. The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limits and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts.