(Radio Iowa) – Big changes are coming to Iowa’s Bottle Bill. Governor Reynolds has approved a bill that will soon let most grocery stores and other retailers opt out of accepting empty bottles and cans and paying back the nickel deposits. The 44 year old Bottle Bill was created as a way to reduce litter and encourage consumers to recycle drink containers. Grocers have complained about being forced to allow filthy empties into their stores.

There are only five dozen redemption centers left, as the handling fee for recycling has been stuck at a penny per container. The bill Reynolds signed into law triples that handling fee and advocates say that will spur more people to open redemption centers. Critics say many Iowans will lose the convenience of returning empties as hundreds of retailers opt out of the program, meaning drink containers will wind up as litter or trash in the landfill.

The governor’s staff announced late Friday that Reynolds had approved a two-year moratorium on new state casino licenses. It’s a set back for developers and city officials who’d been planning to seek a license for a Cedar Rapids casino complex. Reynolds also gave the go-ahead for a new January season for deer hunting, in areas overrun with deer, and hunters would be able to use A-R-15 style rifles during that season.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa – Officers with the Oskaloosa Police Department, along with agents of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, are investigating the June 18 death of 28-year-old Alison Cooper of Newton. 

The investigation began after Ms. Cooper was brought to Mahaska Health, where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiners will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of Ms. Cooper’s death.

During the investigation, law enforcement arrested 35-year-old Brandon Lee Slobe of Oskaloosa for narcotics violations without incident. Mr. Slobe has been charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, unlawful possession of prescription drugs, and failure to affix drug tax stamp.

Assistance on this investigation was provided by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office. 

Law enforcement is unaware of any ongoing threat to the public related to this investigation. Anyone with information about the death of Alison Cooper is asked to Oskaloosa Police Department at (641) 673-3201.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Fire Department and Cass EMS personnel, were called to the America’s Best Value Inn across from Walmart, in Atlantic, Sunday afternoon, for a report of smoke and a possible fire. The call came in at around 3:49-p.m., after hotel management found smoke on the second floor of the hotel as fire alarms were going-off. Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel…

Chief Cappel said once they gained entry into the room, the visibility was so poor, they conducted an “interior attack” on the fire, and searched for any possible victims.

He said there was heavy smoke on both floors of the two-story structure on the west side of the hotel. Cappel said the fire originally started upstairs, with the smoke pouring into the hallway and first floor.

Firefighters did pull two mattresses that were on fire from the hotel room, along some other items. Once the building is ventilated and checked for hot spots, the State Fire Marshal will be called to lend extra investigative expertise to try and determine how the fire started. Cass EMS, Atlantic Rescue, Atlantic Police, and the Cass County Drone team assisted at the scene. No injuries were reported. Crews worked the fire and clean-up in 91 degree heat.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Fire Department and Cass EMS personnel, were called to the America’s Best Value Inn across from Walmart, in Atlantic, for a report of smoke and a possible fire. The first emergency personnel on the scene found smoke on the second floor of the hotel. The call came in at around 3:49-p.m.

Additional details are not immediately available.

(Stanton,Iowa) – A man from Clarke County was arrested northwest of Stanton early this (Sunday) morning, following a traffic stop. 20-year-old Deng Bulis, of Osceola, was taken into custody at around 3:45-a.m., for OWI/1st offense, after his BAC test registered .113%.  Bulis was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

And, Red Oak Police report an arrest occurred at around 8:50-p.m. Saturday, following a traffic stop in the 2400 block of N. Broadway Street. 32-year-old Tyler Eldon Buckner, of Emerson, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $491.25 bond.

(Percival, Iowa) – A collision between a car and and an SUV Saturday evening in FREMONT County, left two people in an SUV dead and three injured. All five victims were from Nebraska. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2021 Dodge Charger and a 2020 Jeep Wrangler, were both northbound on I-29 near mile marker 16, when the car went out of control and struck the SUV. The accident happened at around 7:38-p.m.

After the impact, the vehicles entered the ditch ditch and rolled over. The car came to rest on its top . The Jeep came to rest upright, in a field east of I-29. All of the occupants in the Jeep were ejected or partially ejected. Two of the occupants, a 14-year-old male and a 16-year-old female from Gretna, NE, died at the scene.

The remaining three SUV occupants were transported to the UNMC by LifeNet 1-1 helicopter, Glenwood Rescue, and Audubon LifeNet. They were identified as (the driver) 20-year-old Garrett Grossman, and 18-year old Hannah Devitt, both of Omaha, and a 15-year-old female, also from Omaha. The driver of the Dodge Charger, 26-year-old Rodelio Martinez, of Columbus, NE, was not injured. The names of the juveniles were not released. The Patrol says the juveniles were not wearing a seat belt. Grossman and Devitt were properly belted-in.

While the crash remains under investigation, alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor.