U-S Republican Senator Joni Ernst, from Red Oak, will hold a couple of public events in the area next month. Her office said today (Monday), Ernst will hold a Montgomery County Town Hall Meeting Jan. 7th, beginning at 9-a.m., at the Montgomery County Family YMCA (101 E. Cherry St.).

And, Ernst will be in Winterset Jan. 7th, for a “Coffee with Joni,” beginning 2:30-p.m., at the Northside Cafe (61 E. Jefferson St.). Ernst says one of her top priorities is to complete a 99 county tour of Iowa, so she can hear directly from residents across the state.