State regulators have set the process in motion to get the casinos in Council Bluffs and Dubuque out of greyhound racing. The legislature passed and the governor signed a bill that shuts down the Dubuque track and shifts the management of dog racing in Council Bluffs to the Iowa Greyhound Association. It also creates a retirement fund for greyhound owners and breeders who want to get out of the business. Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission administrator, Brian Ohorilko, says they’ve decided to send out a Request For Proposals (RFP) to hire a consultant to help them.

“The commission will have to write rules, but this will be an additional step where prior to the rulemaking process –if there is an acceptable bidder for the R-F-P — we can allow them to go through a process, get input from all of the stakeholders, and make a recommendation to the commission,” Ohorilko says. Ohorilko says the consultant is important because there aren’t any other situations they can look to as an example. “There is not. There has been instances where jurisdictions have passed legislation to end greyhound racing, but there is no instances where that has occurred and there’s been a fund that would be distributed back to the industry,” Ohrilko explains.

The deal reached in the legislation has the Council Bluffs casino pay 65 million dollars over the next seven years, and the Dubuque casino will pay one million dollars a year in the fund. Half of that money goes into the retirement fund and the other half can be used by those who remain in the industry to run the Dubuque Greyhound Park. Ohrilko says it could take until fall to the actually get things going. “Essentially, that process to review the bids and select someone will take a few months,” Ohrilko says. “And then if the commission selects a vendor, we will want that vendor to have time to meet with all the stakeholders and participants.” It could take until the end of the this year to have everything in place. “I think it’s reasonable to assume that once a bidder is selected then the bidder would have three to four months to work through that process,” Ohorilko says.

The bill says the Bluffs Run track in Council Bluffs should close, and the management of the Dubuque track should shift by December 31, 2015.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Harlan Police Department report five people were arrested on separate charges over the past week. On Monday, officers arrested 29-year old Reid Hemminger, of Harlan,on an active Shelby County warrant for probation revocation. Hemminger was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

27-year old Kenny Smith, of Harlan, was arrested Sunday, after officers were called to a disturbance in the 1900 block of Industrial Avenue. As a result of the investigation Smith was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with domestic abuse assault. And, 33-year old Jessica Tody, of Shelby, was arrested Sunday in the 1000 block of 6th Street and taken to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with intoxication in public, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of prescription drugs.

On Saturday, Harlan Police arrested 29-year old Amanda Wicker, of Harlan, on an active Shelby County warrant charging her with theft, 5th degree. Wicker was transported to the Shelby County Jail. Last Friday, officers in Harlan were called to the 1900 block of Chatburn in reference to an assault. As a result of the investigation charges were filed with the Shelby County clerk of court charging 50-year old Tracy Kobold, of Harlan, with domestic abuse assault for allegedly assaulting Terrianne Rushton, Council Bluffs.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

OSKALOOSA, Iowa (AP) — A group of scientists have found a mammoth bone at a dig site in southern Iowa’s rural Mahaska County. The group was cleaning up mud and other debris when they made the discovery Saturday. Researcher Holmes Semken says the bone shows evidence of fractures.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has issued disaster proclamations for five Iowa counties following strong storms. Branstad issued the proclamations for Cedar, Lyon, Plymouth, Pocahontas and Sioux counties. The action lets state resources be used to prepare for, respond to and recover from storms and flooding on public land or private land that might threaten public health and safety.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — A Marshalltown man accused of setting two fires in April says he wanted to commit a crime so he could be incarcerated. Forty-eight-year-old Van Gentry made the comments during a probation revocation hearing linked to a separate forgery case. Gentry is accused of setting a local church building and trailer home on fire in April. Records say Gentry later went to a police station and admitted to both crimes.

FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) — Fort Madison police have identified a 13-year-old girl who shot herself after an officer began to approach her on a city street. Police identified the girl as Samantha Brooke Chismark, of Fort Madison. She shot herself June 11 and died the next day. Police say before an approaching officer could reach her, Chismark took a handgun from her purse and shot herself in the head.

WASHINGTON (AP) — One Republican senator says the conflict between Iraq’s Shiites and Sunnis has been going on for 1,500 years — and he says, “Whatever we do, it’s not going to go away.” Richard Shelby of Alabama is among the lawmakers who voted to authorize military force in Iraq 12 years ago, but are now voicing doubts that U.S. air strikes will turn back the insurgents who are threatening the Iraqi government. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says, “After a decade of war, we’ve all had enough.”

As President Barack Obama considers what to do in Iraq, there is little agreement in Congress on what steps he should take — despite some Republican voices calling for air strikes and stepped-up military action. Sen. John McCain is among those Republicans.

A Democrat who voted for the Iraq invasion in 2002 — Tom Harkin of Iowa — now calls it “one of the worst votes” he ever cast. And as the U.S. again considers intervention in Iraq, Harkin says that vote is “weighing heavily” on his mind.

Obama will discuss the situation in Iraq with House and Senate leaders of both parties at the White House tomorrow.