DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit by one of Iowa’s largest public workers unions that challenged the state’s new collective bargaining law.

The ruling Monday by District Court Chief Arthur Gamble concludes the law’s new classification for public safety workers is rational. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Iowa Council 61 argued in its lawsuit that the classification — which allowed some workers to keep bargaining over working conditions taken away for others — violated the state constitution.

AFSCME Council 61 President Danny Homan says in a statement the union is considering its legal options, including an appeal.

The decision comes after a separate judge dismissed a similar lawsuit filed by the state’s largest teachers union. Iowa State Education Association says it’s considering an appeal.

Three separate accidents were reported in Cass County over the past few days. The Sheriff’s Office says at around 8-p.m. last Friday, a two-vehicle accident occurred on I-80 eastbound at the 58.25 mm. A 2010 Honda CR-V owned and driven by 70-year old Linda Ustad Waters, of Sioux Falls, SD, was eastbound on I-80 on the inside lane when her vehicle was struck in the left rear by a 2015 International tractor/trailer driven by 74-year old Kenneth A. Cochran, of Wellsville, OH, that was in the outside lane. The collision resulted in Waters’ vehicle to spinning around and coming to rest in the median. No injuries were reported. Damage to Waters’ vehicle is estimated at $4,000; damage to Cochran’s vehicle is estimated at $800. Cochran was cited for Log Book Not Current.

At around 9:30-a.m. Saturday, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a one-vehicle accident on Marne Road approximately ¼ mile east of 590th Street. A 2003 GMC Sonoma pickup driven by 34-year old William Joseph Bullock, of Walnut, was eastbound on Marne Road when Bullock fell asleep and drove into the north ditch, striking a sign and coming to rest a the bottom of the embankment. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $1,000. Bullock was cited for No Valid Driver’s License.

And, at around 6:47-p.m. Saturday, a single-vehicle accident happened on Highway 71 at the I-80 underpass.  A 1995 Ford trailer driven by 69-year old Larry G. Neiswinger, of South Charleston, Ohio, was northbound on Highway 71 when the grain dump box on the trailer struck the overpass, causing the box to become separated from the truck and block the one of the northbound lanes of Highway 71. No injuries were reported. Damage to the trailer is estimated at $5,000; no damage was noted to the bridge.

A woman from Missouri and a man from Creston were arrested last week in Greenfield, after they entered a home and allegedly assault a sleeping woman and two men. Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports 23-year old Molly Mare Ueligger, of Grant City, MO., and 20-year old Paul Lee Albrechtsen, of Creston, were arrested at around 12:10-a.m. on Oct. 24th.

Both were charged with Burglary in the 1st Degree, a Class B felony, after they knowingly entered a residence where they were not welcome, and allegedly assault the occupants of the home. In addition, Ueligger was charged with Obstruction of Emergency Communications, after she allegedly took a cell from from one of the male victims, while he was being assaulted and trying to dial 9-1-1. Ueligger and Albrechtsen were being held in the Adair County Jail on $5,000 bond, each. Albrechtsen subsequently posted bond on Oct. 26th.

Sheriff Vandewater reports also, 56-year old Rodney Gene Thompson, of Orient, was arrested Oct. 22nd, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, 3rd offense, and OWI/1st Offense. Thompson was taken into custody at around 2:25-a.m. following a traffic stop. He was released later that same day on a $5,000 bond. And, 42-year old Nicole Lee Glendenning, of Stuart, was arrested by Stuart Police at around 3-a.m. on Oct. 27th, for OWI. She was released later that same day on a $1,000 bond.

Genelle Deist, Chair of the Audubon County Community Foundation, is pleased to announce that the Foundation received an estate gift of $5,000 from Milo & Dolores Clemmensen this summer. Those funds will be used to support two projects: the “Albert the Bull” project received $3,000 for maintenance, while the Friendship Home received $2,000 for renovations. Milo & Dolores Clemmensen were lifelong Audubon residents. Dolores passed away in 2013 at age 83 and Milo passed away in January 2017 at age 89. They participated in many aspects of community life: Chamber of Commerce, Audubon County Treasurer’s Office, Audubon Fire Department, Audubon State Bank, Audubon Golf & Country Club, and countless social clubs and community betterment causes. Their children asked the Audubon County Community Foundation to assist in a Fall distribution of their estate gift to the community that was interwoven in their parents’ lives.

The nonprofit organizations submitted applications to the Audubon County Community Foundation by the September 1st deadline, and were awarded their Milo & Dolores Clemmensen grants along with the other grantees by the ACCF Board. Audubon County agency representatives received their checks on October 26th.

Board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are: Chair, Genelle Deist of Audubon; Vice Chair, Joel Hoegh of rural Brayton; Secretary/Treasurer, Barbara Johnson of Audubon; Shelley Burr of Audubon; Steven B. Hansen of rural Audubon; Daryl Olsen of Audubon; and Joseph T. Rasmussen of Exira. For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact any of the Board Members, or call Dennis Nissen, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on a multi-vehicle, multi-state pursuit and arrests that took place, Sunday. Authorities said deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a call of several Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Camaros driving at high rates of speed southbound on Interstate 29 near Highway 34. Deputies made contact with three Dodge Chargers stopped at the southbound off ramp of Interstate 29 at exit 20. The vehicles fled the scene.

Deputies began pursuing a blue 2017 Dodge Charger southbound on Interstate 29 from exit 20. The vehicle crashed at the intersection of Highway 2 and Interstate 29, and continued westbound on Highway 2 reaching speeds of over 127 MPH. The vehicle entered Otoe County, Nebraska, and then continued on Highway 75, northbound into Cass County, Nebraska. Deputies lost sight of the vehicle near Murray, Nebraska. Deputies were advised that the vehicle had wrecked at a residence south of Murry Road on Highway 75. A Fremont County K9 was deployed and a male was taken into custody by Nebraska authorities.

The male, identified as 18-year old Antonio Ddwaye Massey,of Kansas City, Kansas was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center with minor injuries connected to the vehicle accident by Murray Rescue. Massey was arrested by the Omaha Police Department on a warrant out of Fremont County in connection to the pursuit.

Deputies also made contact with an Orange 2018 Dodge Charger Daytona in Hamburg, Iowa. They began pursuing the vehicle southbound into Missouri and back into Iowa. Deputies and Iowa State Troopers chased the vehicle northbound on 250th Ave from 310th Street. The vehicle wrecked in the 2900 block of 250th Ave.  Three juveniles from Kansas City, Kansas were arrested at the scene. The vehicle valued at over $41,000.00 was totaled in the accident. Two juveniles were treated and released at local hospitals with possible injures.

Iowa State Troopers also pursued a black Camaro and a Black Charger towards Missouri on Interstate 29. The vehicles continued into Missouri. Other recovered vehicles included a white Dodge Charger that was recovered by Mills County deputies after it was abandoned at Exit 10 of Interstate 29. Deputies and Troopers also recovered an abandoned and wrecked Black Dodge Charger that was abandoned at exit 1. All vehicles recovered were reported stolen from a car dealership in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Iowa deputies arrested: 18-year old Antonio Ddwayne Massey, of Kansas City, Kansas for Theft 1st Degree with other charges pending; A 17-year-old male from Kansas City, Kansas for Theft 1st Degree and Felony Eluding; A 16-year-old female from Kansas City, Kansas for Theft 1st and Felony Eluding; A 15-year-old passenger was released without charges. Several other charges are pending

Deputies with the Fremont and Mills County K9 units assisted Missouri authorities in pursuing several vehicles, including a stolen Missouri State Patrol vehicle in Atchison and Holt Counties. Both agencies deployed K9’s as well as Missouri authorities. Several suspects were arrested. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office in Iowa. The Otoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Plattsmouth Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, and Murray Fire and Rescue assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today (Monday) announced the first flu-related death of the 2017-2018 influenza season, was an elderly (81 years of age and older) Central Iowa man, who died in October. Influenza activity in Iowa has been low so far this season, but IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, says this death is an indication that flu can be a serious illness. “This death is an unfortunate reminder the flu virus does have the potential to cause severe illness and death, especially in the very young, very old or those who have underlying health conditions.”

The CDC recommends that essentially everyone over 6 months of age should receive the flu vaccine. Now is a good time to be vaccinated, before the holiday season begins. It takes up to two weeks after vaccination for the body to achieve full benefit against the flu virus. The flu is a respiratory illness caused by viruses. The flu comes on suddenly and symptoms may include fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches. Illness typically lasts two to seven days, and often puts healthy people in bed for days. The ‘stomach bug’ which causes diarrhea and vomiting is not caused by the influenza virus, but usually by norovirus; thus, the flu vaccine will not protect you against this illness.

To learn more about influenza in Iowa, visit http://idph.iowa.gov/influenza. Contact your health care provider or local health department to find out where the vaccine is available in your community or use the Flu Vaccine Finder at https://vaccinefinder.org.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department have released the identities of two people involved in a fatal crash over the weekend. The driver of the vehicle, 33-year old Josiah Volentine, of Omaha, died at the scene. His passenger, 32-year old Kristopher Harrold, of Council Bluffs, was critically injured and transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The accident happened just before 7-p.m. Saturday on Interstate 29, near the 54 mile marker.

Officials say the vehicle driven by Volentine left the road, hit two light poles and a sign before rolling over at least once. Speed and/or alcohol were believed to be factors in the crash, which remains under investigation.