Each of Iowa’s 99 county sheriffs is being asked to report on what local crimes they’re seeing that may be tied to international cartels, from illegal drugs to human trafficking. U-S Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s sending letters to every Iowa sheriff, asking for their input.

Cartel-driven crimes are “soaring” in the U-S, according to Grassley, but he says the local impact often remains unclear because there isn’t comprehensive data.

With Interstates 35 and 80, Grassley says Iowa is at an intersection of major smuggling routes, and Iowa law enforcement officers monitor those routes every day. Grassley, a Republican, blames Democrats for the situation.

Grassley also blames the U-S Drug Enforcement Administration for repeatedly stonewalling requests for records and hampering congressional oversight.

A Texas pastor who’s running for president says it’s time to end the country’s political divide and deal with some the crises America faces. Ryan Binkley spoke at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair.

Binkley emphasized his unity message during his “Fair Side Chat” with Governor Kim Reynolds, too.

Binkley says doing things like balancing the federal budget, securing the border and fixing the health care system all require the two parties to work together to resolve. Binkley is the lead pastor of a church in a suburb of Dallas. Binkley is also a businssman and co-founder of a mergers and acquisitions firm based in Texas.

At their meeting on Wednesday night the Atlantic City Council set September 6th as a public hearing date for the sale of land at 1014 3rd Street Place to the Atlantic School District. The building trades program at the school would build a home on the property valued at $100,000 or greater in exchange for a reduced sale price of $1 from the city.

The Atlantic Community School Foundation had voted unanimously on May 11th to fund a request from Atlantic High School Industrial Technology teacher Dexter Dodson for $150,000 to allow the construction trades program students to build a home from start to finish in the community.

The construction trades program has previously built a garage and helped erect the greenhouse at the Atlantic High School. Dodson and Noah Widrowicz, Middle and High School Industrial Tech teacher lead the program which has prerequisite classes to the building trades class. Construction is expected to begin in the 2023-2024 school year when approved.

The Atlantic City Council approved the first reading of a pay increase for City Council Members and the Mayor that would go into effect following the next election cycle.

The Personnel and Finance Committee met on July 26th to review survey results and endorsed moving the Mayor’s salary to $12,500 and the Council’s pay to $50 per meeting. The increase for the City Council would go into effect on January 1, 2024 and for the mayor on January 1, 2026 following the next election.

The current salary for Mayor is $10,000 and for Councilpersons pay is $40 per meeting. Those pay rates were last adjusted in 2015. Atlantic City Administrator John Lund said they used the Estherville Iowa Community Survey of communities with populations between 4,925 and 8,375 to base the new rates on.

One man was injured during a motorcycle versus deer collision in Greene County on Wednesday night. According to the Iowa State Patrol a 1982 Honda Night Hawk motorcycle driven by 27-year-old Trevor Michael Baugh of Jefferson was eastbound on 250th Street West of C Avenue in Greene County at about 9:43 p.m. when a female deer collided with the cycle, causing Baugh to be thrown off.

Baugh sustained serious injuries and was transported to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Carroll by Carroll County EMS and later transported by air ambulance to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines.

No further details are known at this time.

(Iowa DOT) If you are driving on U.S. 169 near Mount Ayr in the coming weeks you need to be aware of a road construction project that may slow down your trip.

Starting on Monday, August 28th until Thursday, September 28th, weather permitting, construction crews will need to close U.S. 169 from Iowa 2 south of Mount Ayr to the Missouri state line so a bridge on the roadway can be removed and replaced with a culvert. Crews will then need to repave the roadway over the installed culvert.

While construction work is taking place you will be directed around the work zone on a marked detour route in Iowa and Missouri using Iowa 2, Interstate 35, U.S. 69, U.S. 136, and U.S. 169.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through the 511 system.

A new organization called the Alliance of Parents and Taxpayers has been formed in the Pottawattamie County area.

According to spokesperson Kris Ranney the organization emerged from conversations between parents and taxpayers and the concerns and goals they share.

“We discovered that all of us- whether a parent or not- believe our children and how they are educated is of major importance. We all agree that we want to find ways to take real action that will matter.”

Ranney stated that the organization seeks to support schools and educators, forge bonds with communities, take action to protect the innocence of youth and to recruit, endorse and support school board candidates that adhere to the organization’s principles.

The group plans to introduce themselves to the public and gather input at a series of town hall meetings. The meetings set so far are as follows:

Council Bluffs Public Library, Monday, August 21, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Crescent Community Hall, Tuesday, August 29, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Carter Lake Community Center, Monday, September 11, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Council Bluffs Lewis-Central School District, Hy-Vee Madison Ave., Tuesday, September 26, 6:30-8:00 p.m

All town halls will be open to the public with no cost to attend. Other town hall dates and locations will be announced in the near future.

Those seeking further information should visit www.parentsandtaxpayers,org.