U.S. Senator-elect Joni Ernst is eligible to retire from her career in the Iowa National Guard, but she may continue to serve in the military long after she’s sworn in as a senator in January. “It’s caught somewhere in between,” Ernst says. “I’m going to keep it as is for just a little bit and then likely make that decision probably later this spring.” Ernst, who joined the Iowa National Guard in 1993 and is now a lieutenant colonel, was a company commander in 2003 when her unit was sent to Iraq. She then commanded the Iowa Guard’s largest battalion, of more than 12-hundred soldiers, before recently shifting to serve as a senior officer at the Iowa Guard’s headquarters in Johnston.

“I’m out of battalion command, so the outside time commitment is not as much,” Ernst says. Ernst was off the campaign trail this summer for a week of active duty, then — about 34 hours after being declared the winner of Iowa’s U.S. Senate race — Ernst reported for two days of active duty. Other members of congress serve in the guard and reserve, including South Carolina Lindsey Graham, who is in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and is a senior instructor for the Air Force Judge Advocate General program. Graham has encouraged Ernst to remain in the Guard. During a campaign swing through Iowa with Ernst in October, Graham emphasized Ernst’s previous role as a battalion commander.

“A military commander is a unique job in the Army. Very few people get it and to be a good commander, you have to bring out the best in those under you who are diverse. They have different political views, different religious views and you mold it into a team, ” Graham told reporters after an event in Des Moines. “…Very few members of the Senate have military experience.” There is no prohibition against members of the Guard serving in the U.S. Senate. Half a dozen Guard members are currently serving in the House and the newly-elected Senator from Alaska is in the Marine Reserve.

“I know there are other ways of doing two-week duties and things like that which might work a little better with my schedule, so we’re still sifting through that with the Guard before I make that decision to retire,” Ernst says. Ernst’s husband, Gail, is a retired Army Ranger.

(Radio Iowa)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors are dropping an effort to seize nearly $33,000 from an Iowa restaurant owner’s bank account. The New York Times reports the IRS became suspicious of Carole Hinders because of a pattern of cash deposits of less than $10,000. Hinders says the cash came from her Mexican restaurant, Mrs. Lady’s, in Arnold’s Park, Iowa, that doesn’t accept credit cards.

Hinders wasn’t accused of a crime, but federal law makes it illegal to deposit less than $10,000 if it is part of an attempt to circumvent federal reporting requirements. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Cole said in a motion filed Saturday the case should be dropped to conserve judicial resources.

Cole says evidence showed that Hinders had skirted bank reporting rules, but he decided the case wasn’t worth pursuing now.

Members of the City of Atlantic’s Park and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors will hold their regular monthly meeting Monday evening, at City Hall. During the session, which begins at 5:15, Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring will update the Board on progress with the Bike Hitching posts, the fishing dock at the Schildberg Park Recreation Area, and the Parks & Rec Assistant Director’s position.

Herring will also discuss the department’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget, including the need to make some cuts, and he’ll provide an update on the Bull Creek Walking/Biking Pathway, as well as the status of the park gates being open at Sunnyside Park while the weather remains mild. Typically, the gates are closed the first week in December.

Members of the CAM School District’s Board of Education are set to meet Monday evening in the library at the high school, in Anita. At 5:15, the Board will hold a session pertaining to the School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) Agenda. Discussion during the meeting includes objectives for 2014-2015, with regard to the Iowa Assessment, Bullying and Harassment, and Book Study. They’ll also talk about School Hardware Plans for 2014-2015, as well as Clarity Study information and access.

During their Regular Board session, which begins at 6:30-p.m., the CAM School Board will discuss, and possibly act on: a contract with regard to sponsoring for the Dance Team; an Athletic Trainer; the Early Retirement package and/or applications; Early graduation requests; the 1-to 1-laptop initiative; an agreement with Connections Academy, and other, administrative matters.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Authorities are searching a western Iowa lake for a man who was reported missing after a canoe capsized, and a second man was being treated at a hospital after swimming to shore. Council Bluffs Police Sgt. Darren Budd says the canoe the two men were in capsized around 1:45 p.m. Sunday, at Lake Manawa. The men were not immediately identified.

At the time of the accident, the water temperature was around 35 degrees, but one of the men managed to swim to shore and alert the park ranger. The swimmer was taken to a Council Bluffs hospital for treatment.

Rescue crews searched the lake until nightfall Sunday without finding the missing man but had to suspend their efforts. Authorities plan to resume the search Monday morning.

A man from eastern Iowa suffered from an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound Saturday morning while checking his traps in Keokuk County. The Iowa DNR says 70-year old James Conger, of Ollie, was leaning over to remove a possum from a live trap when a .22-caliber revolver he was carrying in a coat pocket fired into his leg at approximately 7:30 a.m. Saturday northwest of Ollie.

Conger was taken to Ottumwa Regional Health Center by a private vehicle where he was treated for a non life-threatening injury.