DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man slain in Des Moines over the weekend. The Des Moines Police Department identified the man as 43-year-old James Moss Jr. He’d been found injured at a home early Saturday morning and was pronounced dead later at a hospital.

Police say they’re still looking for a person who was at the home at or near the time Moss was attacked. Another person at the home then has been interviewed and released.

Police in Council Bluffs were dispatched at around 3:23-a.m. today (Monday), to 2008 5th Ave in reference to a burglary call. Upon their arrival Officers made contact with the victim, who said she woke up to two unknown male parties leaving the residence through the back porch. The victim said also, due to it being dark she could only tell that the parties were wearing dark clothing and mask. The woman also stated as they were leaving the residence, the suspects possibly displayed a handgun.

This is an ongoing investigation and if anybody has any information in reference to the crime please call the Council Bluffs Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

(Radio Iowa) — Visitors from as far away as Australia are expected to head for southwest Iowa’s Madison County this coming weekend during the 50th annual Covered Bridge Festival. Heather Riley, executive director of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, says there will be guided tours of the historic wooden bridges, arts and crafts, a photo contest, live music, festival food and more. “Typically, we look for about 20,000 people over the weekend,” Riley says. “We have a 5K, there’s a quilt show, the car show is on Sunday as well as our parade. We have two stages of entertainment.”

While there were once a few dozen covered bridges in Madison County, there are now just six, which includes one bridge that fell victim to an arson fire in 2017. “We’re going to do a ribbon-cutting and a rededication of Cedar Bridge which is now fully rebuilt and back,” Riley says. “That’s a $720,000 project and lots of donations by Iowans and from people across the country who enjoy our covered bridges, too.”

Cedar Bridge damaged by arson. (Credit Sarah Boden IPR)

Originally built in the 1883, the Cedar Bridge rose to fame in the early 1990s after James Waller’s novel, “The Bridges of Madison County,” was published and then adapted for film. Cedar Bridge is on the cover of the book. Madison County is considered the Covered Bridge Capital of Iowa, with the largest collection of covered bridges in one area in the western half of the Mississippi Valley.  “I think at one time there was some discussion about maybe tearing down these covered bridges and thankfully, some enlightened soul decided, ‘No, these are actually pretty special,’ so the Covered Bridge Festival began in 1970 as a way to preserve them,” Riley says. “The book was written 20 years after that which drew even more attention to our community.”

The county seat, Winterset, is also home to the John Wayne Birthplace Museum and the Iowa Quilt Museum. The festival runs Friday and Saturday (October 12-13)

More info at: www.madisoncounty.com/covered-bridge-festival/

Two Council Bluffs men were arrested on separate charges Sunday, following a traffic stop in Red Oak. Red Oak Police say 49-year old Richard David Poast was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, with 36 withdrawals in effect. 46-year old Donavan Sands was arrested on three active warrants for Violation of a Protection Order. Both were transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where Poast was being held on a $566.25 bond, and Sands was being held without bond.

No injuries were reported Sunday evening following a collision caused by sun glare. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says at around 6:33-p.m., a two-vehicle accident was reported at 110th Street & Highway 48, east of Elliott. An investigation determined that a 2005 Mazda Tribute, owned and driven by Roger Schooling, of Red Oak, stopped, and was leaving the stop sign on 110th Street, when his vehicle struck a 2012 Ford Fusion owned and operated by Mark Naser, of Griswold. Authorities say Naser was turning southbound onto 110th when the accident occurred. Damage to the vehicles amounted to $6,000. Officials say no citations were issued due the visual impact of the sun.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Sunday, of  22-year old Delson Grantham, of Fontanelle, was arrested in the 2700 block of Highway 2 in Taylor County. He was charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol 2nd Offense. Grantham was additionally charged with Driving While License Suspended and cited for Speeding 68 in a 55 mile per hour zone. Grantham is being held at the Taylor County Jail on $2,300 bond pending an initial appearance with the Magistrate.