Authorities in Taylor County report charges have been filed in connection with a fatal accident between a car and a bicyclist just outside of Lenox, last Summer. The Lenox Police Department says the Taylor County Attorney’s Office charged Jessica M. Brown, of Lenox, with Failure to Stop at an Assured Clear Distance. On Friday, Jan. 3rd, 2014, a conviction was entered against  Brown for the offense and she was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $500, plus fees and court costs amounting to $235.

Officials say the events leading up to the charge began on Sunday, June 23rd, 2013, at about 9:00 a.m., when the body of Gerald O. Williams was found in a ditch along 110th Street, approximately ½ mile east of Vail Avenue in Lenox.  Williams’ wife had been traveling out-of-state and when she was unable to contact him, she called local law enforcement and requested a welfare check be conducted. The officers determined that Gerald Williams was not at his home, and during the check of his residence officers noticed that his bicycle was not there.

Because Mr. Williams was an avid bicyclist, a search was made of popular bicycle routes in the area, and searchers ultimately found his body in the ditch along 110th Street, which is a popular bicycle route in the Lenox area. The incident was investigated by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Lenox Police Department and the Iowa State Highway Patrol, with assistance by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Through this investigation it was determined that the day prior to the discovery of Gerald O. Williams’ body, on Saturday, June 22nd, 2013, at about 9:15 a.m. Williams was riding his bicycle eastbound on 110th Street and was struck by an eastbound car driven by Jessica M. Brown.

Williams died as a result of the injuries he sustained when he was hit by the car.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have reopened a portion of Highway 30 near Ames after a plume of gas from a chemical leak dissipated. Crews responded to a business at the Iowa State University Research Park shortly before noon Friday after a hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid chemical leak spread over the area. Water was sprayed to diminish the plume.

Des Moines television station KCCI says a delivery driver was dropping off the chemicals at a business when the two accidentally mixed. The driver of the delivery truck was taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

Sheriff’s officials in Page County say a College Springs man was arrested Wednesday following an investigation into a cut internet line. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says a female resident on Galesburg Street reported her internet had stopped working sometime during the evening of Dec. 31st or early morning hours of Jan. 1st. Deputies investigating the situation discovered the internet line had been cut.

During the investigation, the owner, Kevin Long, who resides in College Springs but not at the woman’s residence, was interviewed. Long has a no contact order in place between him and the female resident. Following the interview, Long was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order.

He was held in the Page County Jail and bonded out the next day.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says he has finalized an agreement with federal authorities to expand low income health care in Iowa. Branstad announced Friday that the state received final documents this week from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Iowa sought a waiver enabling the state to receive more federal Medicaid money for the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan.

Under the plan, the state will take federal funding to create a new health plan for some poor residents and to pay the premiums for other low-income Iowans to get private insurance on the new health care exchanges. The program could eventually cover up to 150,000 Iowa residents.

State officials said more than 65,000 people have applied for coverage under the plan.

Officials in Ames say part of Highway 30 near Ames is blocked off after a chemical leak was reported. KCCI says the incident was reported just before noon. Ames Police Sgt. Chris Crippen said a hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid chemical leak was reported at a business in the ISU Research Park just south of the highway on N. Loop Drive.

Officers started closing the highway about 12:04 p.m., the Iowa DOT reported. The highway is closed between the South Dakota Avenue ramps and the South Duff Avenue ramps.

There have been no reports of injuries thus far.