Two Iowans who served a combined 66 years in the U.S. House of Representatives say they’re glad to be sitting on the sidelines these days. Ninety-three-year-old Neal Smith, a Democrat from Des Moines, served 36 years in the House, starting when Dwight Eisenhower was president. “The people I served with, most of them wouldn’t be there today because they wouldn’t stay,” Smith says. “…It’s just so different. When I was there we put coalitions together on every bill. We just expected to.”

Former Congressman Jim Leach, a Republican from Iowa City, says he never saw a time as “intense” as this during his 30 year career in the House. “People didn’t think that dysfunctionality should be a goal or a strategy,” Leach says. Leach was asked if he’s happy not to be in congress right now. “Oh gosh yes. I’m happy to be sitting next to Neal and we’re both happy to be free men.” Leach and Smith are the guests on this weekend’s “Iowa Press” program which will be broadcast Sunday at noon on Iowa Public Television.

Both lawmakers were known for their low-budget campaigns. Leach refused to accept contributions from political action committees and Leach argues America has become “less democratic” because “power brokers” with deep pockets are calling the shots. “I always considered myself a moderate in politics, but on one subject I’m terrifically radical and that is I would take both PACs and corporations out of the money game and have partial public financing of elections where small contributions could be matched, up to a point,” Leach said on IPTV. Smith spend a little over 10-thousand dollars on his first race in 1958. By 1994, his last campaign, Smith had hired a fundraiser.

“I never did ask anybody for a contribution,” Smith said. “I just wouldn’t do it…Today, you couldn’t run for congress that way. Today, you have to spend one or two days a week asking people directly for money.”
According to Leach, that’s ridiculous. “Both parties tell all newly-elected members, ‘You have to spend two days a week on telephones raising money,'” Leach says. “Well how many voters think they’ve elected someone to do that? Money is the driving force behind everything in the word politics today. If there’s any reaction to what is happening in this shutdown, it ought to be a demand for reform of that system.”

Leach, who is 70 years old, is currently a visiting professor at the University of Iowa. The 93-year-old Smith credits his longevity to healthy living, as he never drank liquor or coffee and only smoked for three months when he was in his late teens.

(Radio Iowa)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say they have found skeletal human remains in a drainage ditch in Council Bluffs. Omaha TV station KETV reports officers found the remains Friday morning just south of the riverfront exit near Interstate 480 in Council Bluffs. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says the remains were of an adult. Police and criminal investigation crews remained on the scene long after the remains were gone, excavating the area in search of evidence. No human tissue had been found as of Friday afternoon. Investigators sent the remains to the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny, for identification. The results are expected to take several weeks.

Police Sgt. Dave Dawson says officers were following up on a 2-year-old missing person report from Omaha police when they found the remains. The missing person, Chance Fletcher, was last seen in a chase with officers under the freeway bridge. Fletcher would have been 22-years old this year. On Dec. 15th, 2011, Fletcher led several Iowa law enforcement agencies on a high-speed vehicle chase that ended when he wrecked off of I-480 and fled on foot. Authorities searched the area for two hours with police canines that day but were unable to find the suspect. Fletcher’s family confirmed that he hasn’t been seen since that day. In March of 2012, he was entered into National Missing and Unidentified Persons Database.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials say a law that allows a parent to give up custody of a newborn has been used 17 times since it was enacted in 2002. The state Department of Human Services says the latest safe haven case involves a girl born at a home on Oct. 5. The newborn’s mother sought medical attention and requested the child be declared a safe haven baby.

Iowa’s safe haven law allows a parent to give up custody of a baby that’s 14 days old or less with no questions asked. The law is in response to a 2001 case involving a mother accused of killing her newborn. All safe haven babies in previous cases have been adopted. Officials say the latest newborn girl has been placed with a foster family.

A conversation on the impact and benefits of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) held Thursday evening in Red Oak, drew an audience of about two dozen people. Officials say attendees hear from panelists who shared their personal stories of how the ACA (commonly referred to as “Obamacare”) will provide access to individuals and their families, under a variety of circumstance.

Audience questions included those pertaining to prescription medications and current dollar amount caps, whether ACA coverage is better than current coverage, and where to find help. The event was held at the Red Oak Fire Station.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Friday (Today), of an Atlantic man on on OWI charge.  35-year old Nicholas Alan Pelzer, was taken into custody a charge of OWI 2^nd Offense. Pelzer was brought to the Cass County Jail where he was released later in the day on his own recognizance.