The State Fire Marshal says a retailer in Forest City is the first to complete the process to get a license to sell fireworks in Iowa. State Fire Marshal Jeffrey Quigle says some 600 people logged in to the website Thursday once they could start the process to get a license. His staff has been working to process all the requests.

“As of yesterday (Thursday) evening, we actually had 88 retailer licenses that are in process. And then we can further break that down to an actual 46 who have submitted site plans and were are in the process of reviewing,” Quigle says. Their goal is to complete a license application in three days. Quigle says they’ve been able to use software for the fireworks registration process that they already use for other things.

He says they already license sprinkle and fire alarm contractors, burglar alarm and nurse call contractors along with explosive blasters. “So we were able to build upon that licensing software. This is just a little bit different — we tried to make it totally online and eliminate paper,” Quigle says. He says they have also been getting hundreds of calls since the fireworks selling period began Thursday.

Quigle says they continue to update their website with information to help try and eliminate some of the phone calls, but he says they encourage anyone with questions to call, as he says they may be able to quickly answer the question. Quigle says those applying for licenses have done a good job of preparing their applications to follow the regulations posted online.

“We’ve seen a lot of people take time to read the two main chapters in that document which deal with both storage and then fireworks sales,” Quigle says. “..we’ve seen some really good site plans come in and we don’t have to call back and ask further questions, they are very, very good.” There are four wholesalers from out-of-state who have applied to sell fireworks in Iowa. Quigle says they’ve had inquiries from all over the country and many from in-state as well.

“It’s kind of a vast array of different people that we are seeing that are selling fireworks,” Quigle says. Fireworks can be sold through July 8th. A second sales period is set for around the New Year’s holiday.

(Radio Iowa)

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office along with the Iowa State Patrol report the arrest of two Illinois residents after a traffic stop on Friday. At 12:50pm Officers arrested 24-year-old Bishop C. Thornton and 23-year-old Kiersten L Tucker both of Moline, IL on valid warrants for Burglary issued by the State of Illinois. Bishop was held on $50,000 cash bond and Tucker was held on $30,000 cash bond. Both are being held in the Montgomery County Jail pending extradition back to Illinois.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – For her first trip across Iowa as governor, Republican Kim Reynolds accepted the free use of a jet owned by a wealthy businessman who is lobbying for state approval to build a Cedar Rapids casino.  Reynolds and Acting Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg barnstormed the state last Friday on the “Building a Better Iowa” tour. They stopped in Gregg’s hometown of Hawarden and Mason City, Cedar Rapids and Davenport.

The governor’s office told The Associated Press that the pair, a state trooper and staffers traveled in an airplane owned by businessman Gary Kirke, who donated the plane and services of two pilots as in-kind contributions to Reynolds’ newly-established gubernatorial campaign.

The arrangement, while allowed under ethics rules, is drawing criticism from Reynolds’ opponents and highlighting Kirke’s cozy relationship with the administration.

The Iowa Supreme Court rules parents can sue a doctor for failing to tell them their child may be born with a birth defect. Pamela Plowman and Jeremy Plowman sued after their son was born in Fort Madison who developed several medical issues, including cerebral palsy. An ultrasound taken prior to the child’s birth showed an abnormal growth of its head, but the Plowman’s were never told about any problems.

Pamela Plowman sued saying she “would have terminated her pregnancy” if she had know of the issues. She seeks payment for the cost of raising the child, mental anguish and loss of income. Her husband filed a similar lawsuit.

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled the right to sue for wrongful birth belongs to parents who were denied the opportunity to make an informed choice whether to lawfully terminate a pregnancy in Iowa. “It is not this court’s role to second-guess that intensely personal and difficult decision.”

Justice Edward Mansfield wrote a dissenting opinion. He says the decision is limited to a “severely disabled child” — but says the court does not define the term, and asks “what happens if testing indicates the child will be born blind or without a hand?” Mansfield says the court’s decision also opens up the possibility for other claims.

(Radio Iowa)

A man from Carroll County faces drug, weapon and other charges following an accident that took place at around 2:15-p.m. Thursday in Audubon County. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says 25-year old Nicholaus Allen Augustus, of Carroll, was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Carrying Weapons, No Insurance, No Driver’s License and Unsafe Passing. He was being held in the Audubon County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

Authorities say Augustus was traveling south on Highway 71 in a 2011 Chevy Colorado and attempting to pass a southbound 2016 Chevy Silverado driven by 79-year old Gareth Paul Christensen, of Audubon, when he cut Christensen off as he pulled over to the right. In the process, Augustus’ pickup struck the left front side driver’s side of Christensen’s pickup.

The collision resulted in  Augustus’ vehicle entering the west ditch, where it struck a utility pole. The pickup came to rest on its wheels in a bean field. No injuries were reported. Damage from the crash amounted to $11,000.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A former state employee who runs a web design company with her husband wants David Young’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Cynthia Axne announced her candidacy today (Friday) for the Democratic nomination in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District. Chief among her concerns are salvaging the Affordable Care Act, boosting education, putting people to work, guaranteeing paid family leave and providing affordable child care.

Axne says that from 2005 to 2014, she worked for the state, helping agencies deliver government services more effectively and efficiently.

Axne, who lives in West Des Moines, joins Des Moines consumer rights attorney Anna Ryon in seeking the Democratic nomination. Pete D’Alessandro says he’s exploratory a bid. He ran U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign in Iowa.

The 3rd Congressional District covers southwest Iowa.