(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, is joining with Representative Mike Waltz of Florida in what she says is an effort to enforce U-S sanctions against Iran. Ernst says the Biden administration continues to pursue an agreement with Iran even though the country has continued targeting of American military members in the Middle East, and they are verified assassination plots against American citizens in the U-S. “The Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration in 2015. promised to stop Iran’s nuclear program and achieve peace in the region. Neither happened. In fact, Iran’s terror operations increased and their nuclear program was not comprehensively dismantled,” Ernst says.

Ernst says the previous administration proved that a tough stance is needed with Iran. ” President Trump’s aggressive stance toward Iranian terror deterred our adversaries and secured our homeland. The Biden administration’s foolish and fanciful pursuit of peace, through appeasement must be stopped,” she says. Ernst says her bill is designed to kept Iran in check. “The bill would enforce U-S sanctions on Iran until the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that Iran has not supported any attempt or activity to kill a U-S citizen, former or current U-S official or an Iranian living within the United States,” Ernst says.

She says it would codify the Trump administration’s maximum pressure of sanctions and prohibit lifting sanctions on Iran — including those that President Biden intends to lift to reenter the Iran nuclear agreement — until the State Department can certify no assassination attempts or bounties are placed on current or former U-S officials for five years.

(Creston, Iowa) – A Union County man was arrested at around 12:23-a.m., today (Thursday). Police in Creston report 49-year-old Robert Michael Pilon, Jr., of Creston, was arrested at his home on charges that include Operating (a vehicle) while under the influence/1st offense, Interference with Official Acts, and Obstruction of Emergency Communications. Pilon was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,600 cash or surety bond.

(Lake City, IA) – Authorities in northwest Iowa, Wednesday, arrested two former Lake City Police Officers and the City Administrator in Lake City, following an Iowa Attorney General’s Office investigation into law enforcement officer certification. One of the officers – 45-year-old Anthony Robert Snyder – was hired by the Atlantic Police Department in February of this year, after leaving the Lake City P-D. Snyder, 57-year-old Eric Clifford Wood, and 46-year-old Aaron Lee Alspach, are accused of providing fraudulent information to obtain Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) certification. All three men were charged with misconduct in office and perjury. Wood faces an additional charge of obstruction of prosecution.

Wood was released Wednesday after posting a $20,000 bond, and Alspach and Snyder were released after posting $10,000 each. Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue, this (Thursday) morning issued a statement, saying “On September 21, 2022, the Atlantic Police Department was made aware of charges filed by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office on Officer Anthony Snyder for an incident raising questions on his ILEA certification process handled by another city prior to his employment with the City of Atlantic.” The Chief went on to say Officer Snyder has been placed on paid administrative leave while our department awaits further details on the situation and determines what actions may be taken.”

[Neither] “The Atlantic Police Department nor the City of Atlantic have any further information or ability to comment further on the situation at this time,” Hogue said. The Lake City City Council fired Alspach in October 2021 after he repeatedly failed to attend the ILEA academy.

(Radio Iowa) – Talks between Ingredion and the union that represents workers at the company’s Cedar Rapids plant have broken down — after Ingredion officials brought armed guards to a negotiating session this week. Paul Iverson of the University of Iowa Labor Center says that’s not typical.  “All across the country workers have been sending the message that they’re not going to take business as usual,” Iverson says. “People are demanding better pay, they’re demanding better hours, they’re demanding more respect in the workplace and so it’s a little odd for Ingredion to be using tactics that I thought had gone out years ago.”

A spokeswoman for Ingredion says about 100 employees have been threatened with violence since the strike began and security had been present throughout negotiations. Ingredion is a multi-national company that turns vegetables into ingredients used worldwide by a variety of industries. Members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union went on strike at the company’s Cedar Rapids plant on August 1st. The union represents 127 hourly workers at the plant.

(Radio Iowa) – A report says there were more attempts to get books banned from the nation’s libraries last year than ever before, and the director of Iowa’s largest public library system is speaking out against what she calls censorship. Sue Woody, who heads the Des Moines Public Library, says she considers equitable access to information a basic right for all. “I really feel like the library has a very important role to defend against censorship of all kinds,” Woody says. “That goes right along with our right to free speech, our right to tell our stories, and our right to read those stories, or as the case may be, not read those stories.” The library system in Iowa’s most populous city has a long history on the topic.

She says Forrest Spaulding, the library’s director in 1938, wrote a document speaking out against censorship and intolerance which won long-lasting, national acclaim. “He penned what is known as the Library Bill of Rights, and that was later adopted by the American Library Association, and it’s something that we still go by today,” Woody says. “It’s all about the freedom to read, equitable access to library resources, and resistance to censorship. They were talking about this way back then, and we’re still talking about it today.” A report from the American Library Association found there were 729 attempts to remove materials from school, university, and public libraries in 2021, what Woody calls very troubling.

“It’s ironic in that when we read other people’s stories, when we read about people who are different from us, it brings us together,” Woody says. “Yet they’re purporting that we did just the opposite and not let anyone read these stories. So this is really an uptick in the last 20 years. I don’t think we’ve ever seen this amount of censorship.” This is Banned Books Week across America, and she says Des Moines’ six libraries are spending the week celebrating the freedom to read and educating the public on the harms censorship can inflict in our communities. No challenges to books have been issued in Des Moines in the past year, Woody says, and it’s exceptionally rare for a book to be removed.

“We have had a few challenges but we typically do not take a book off of our shelves,” Woody says. “We do have policies that guide our actions as to what books we have and circulate, and what books we choose not to circulate, but we will always listen.” Woody says one of her favorite banned books is “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury. She says the fact Bradbury wrote the book on a rented typewriter in the basement of a library gives her goosebumps.

On the web at https://www.dmpl.org/banned-books-week

(Blairstown, Iowa) – A school bus collided with an SUV, Wednesday afternoon, in eastern Iowa, resulting in some students and both drivers being injured. In a press release, officials with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office said the Benton Community School school bus was occupied by nine students and the bus driver. Of the nine students, three were transported by ambulance for evaluation at a local hospital. The remaining students and bus driver were transported by personal vehicle or released to a parent or guardian. The extent of the injuries is currently unknown. No injuries were believed to life- threatening.

The driver of the SUV was also transported by ambulance for evaluation. The names of the individuals involved were being withheld as of the latest report.

Agencies assisting with the accident include Blairstown Fire Department, Blairstown Ambulance, Area Ambulance, Belle Plaine Ambulance, Department of Motor Vehicle Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa County Ambulance, Benton Community School District Administration.

(Scott County, Iowa) – A pickup truck that was eluding the Iowa State Patrol in Davenport Wednesday night, went out of control and collided with an embankment before rolling over, resulting in the death of a woman and serious injuries to a man. The Patrol reports the 2002 Chevy Avalanche was traveling south on Eastern Avenue from Elm Street, in Davenport, when it crashed and came to rest at Eastern Avenue and Pleasant Street, at around 8:15-p.m., Wednesday.

The person who died was identified as 24-year-old Alecia M. Garcia, of Davenport. The injured victim was 31-year-old Damonte Stewart, of Oklahoma City, OK. was transported to Genesis Hospital in Davenport. Neither was wearing a seat belt.

The Patrol did not indicate in the report, the reason for the pursuit, and it’s not clear who was driving the pickup. The crash remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – A 17-year-old male juvenile was arrested today (Wednesday) by Webster County Sheriff’s deputies at Fort Dodge Senior High School. The arrest followed an investigation into a shooting that occurred late last Friday night during a party at a residence in rural Webster County. There was a juvenile female who was shot during the party. She was transported to Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The male juvenile was charged with Intimidation with dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and possession of a firearm by an ineligible person.

The juvenile made his initial appearance in Webster County magistrate court and was ordered held on a 16-thousand dollar cash only bond. He is being held at the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center in Eldora.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Harlan Police Department, Wednesday, released information with regard to five arrests that took place between Sept. 12th and the 19th. This past Sunday (9/19), 38-year-old Johnathan Patrick Antrim, of Council Bluffs, was arrested following a traffic stop. Antrim was transported the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while suspended, no proof of insurance, and operating a non-registered vehicle.

There were three arrests Sept. 17th, in Harlan: 19-year-old Reese Lloyd Schwery, of Panama, was arrested following a stop. Schwery was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and minor in possession of alcohol; 20-year-old Chloe Isabella Schmidt, and 29-year-old Ashlen Marie Rutherford, both of Harlan, were arrested following a call for service. Both women were charged with domestic abuse assault.

And, on Sept. 12th, 54-year-old Keith David Finstad, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop. Finstad was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and fail to obey stop sign.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett, Wednesday evening, issued the Oath of Office to the two newest members of the City’s Parks and Recreation Department Board. The Parks Board, during their meeting Monday evening, selected Jeremy Butler to succeed Ashley Hayes, who resigned in August. And, Shirley Jensen, who was already on the Board, but had been improperly given the Oath when she was appointed to the Board, was sworn-in.

In other business, the Mayor proclaimed the week of Sept. 17-23 “Constitution Week,” in the City of Atlantic. Constitution Week is celebrated annually during the week of September 17-23 to commemorate its history, importance, and bring attention to how it serves still today. The celebration started through a petition of Congress in 1955 by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The resolution was later adopted by the U.S. Congress and signed into public law on August 2, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Mayor Garrett announced also, that Halloween Trick-or-Treating will be held City-wide in Atlantic on Oct. 31st, from 5-until 7-p.m. The Council, Wednesday, unanimously approved an Order permitting a fireworks show by Wild Wayne’s, during the Atlantic Homecoming game on Oct. 8th. They also approved an Order pertaining to the closure of 6th Street between Chestnut and Poplar, on Oct. 8th, from 1-until 5-p.m., for the Pre-Fire Prevention Parade. Councilperson Elaine Ottee explains…

There will be games and activities available for families in the downtown Atlantic City Park as part of the event. The Council also approved the closure of selected streets on Friday, Sept. 23rd, from 2:15- and 3:30-p.m., for the Atlantic Homecoming Parade.

Oath of Office issued to Jeremy Butler

Oath of Office issued to Shirley Jensen.

A public hearing was held during Wednesday’s Council meeting, on a proposal to enter into a General Obligation Land Acquisition Loan Agreement for the purchase of land from the Comes Family Trust. The land will be used for housing development. Hearing and having received no comments, the Council unanimously passed a Resolution authorizing and approving the Loan Agreement, the issuance of $500,000 taxable G.O. Bonds, and the levying of taxes to pay for them. They then acted to pass a Resolution with regard to an application to rezone City-owned property at 301 Maple Street, for the purpose of expanding an existing local business. City Administrator John Lund…

And, the Atlantic City Council passed the third and final reading of an amended Ordinance pertaining to Panhandling, as well as the second readings of Mowing, and Solid Waste Removal. The Council voted 4-to 2 (With Councilman Sisco absent), to pass the second reading of an amended snow & ice accumulation removal Ordinance. Councilmen Pat McCurdy and Jim Behrens had separate reasons for voting “Nay.”