A U-S Senator from Iowa says “there’s every reason to be afraid” as North Korea’s leader vows to restart that nation’s nuclear reactor, hinting it would provide materials for atomic weapons. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s “very concerned” as the U-S moves more troops, ships and warplanes into that region. “We’ve had so-called saber rattling from North Korea for probably 15 years but we have a 31-year-old leader of the country who I don’t know much about,” Grassley says “I don’t know if we know enough about him to draw any conclusions.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said in a speech Sunday that nuclear weapons would be “a reliable war deterrent and a guarantee to protect our sovereignty.” Grassley fears Kim’s inexperience and recklessness could lead to trouble. “He could be young enough that he’s willing to take any chances, doesn’t understand the potential dangers that are ahead, both for him as well as other people involved,” Grassley says. “He may be just trying to saber rattle to consolidate his own political agenda.”

Kim has repeatedly threatened to invade South Korea and to attack American bases in the Pacific. Last month, a North Korean official reportedly said he’d back launching a preemptive nuclear strike on Washington D-C, saying, “the stronghold of evils will be engulfed in a sea of fire.” Grassley says he’s seen the reports from U-S experts who say North Korea doesn’t have the technological capability to pose a legitimate threat, but he says there’s still reason for concern. “The military is very strong in that country and I presume they’re strong enough that if they don’t like him, they could throw him out,” Grassley says. “We just don’t know the situation and so there’s every reason to be afraid.”

North Korea’s nuclear plant has been idle since 2007.

(Radio Iowa)

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested late last week on separate warrants. Officials say 43-year old Jodie Marie Sherman, of Shambaugh, was arrested March 27th by Council Bluffs Police on a Page County warrant for Failure to Appear. Sherman was held in the Pottawattamie County Jail until being transferred to the Page County Jail, where she was being held on $2,000 bond until making an appearance before a District Court Judge. Sherman originally faced an Aggravated Serious Misdemeanor charge of Domestic Abuse Assault with intent or display of a weapon.

Last Thursday, 39-year old Raymond Dean Wiley, of Essex, was arrested at his home, on a Page County warrant stemming from a local traffic stop, where he was arrested for Driving While Suspended or revoked. Wiley was brought to the Page County Jail and later posted a $1,000 bond.

In a follow-up to a story we first told you about Saturday morning, officials in Shelby County say a Harlan man was charged with OWI following an accident in which a car struck a house in Harlan on Saturday. The Harlan Police Department says 18 year old Christopher J. Hopkins Jr. of Harlan was driving a Ford Taurus on 19th Street around 4am Saturday when the vehicle went out of control, went through a yard, struck a tree and hit the north side of the residence at 1104 19th Street.

Authorities say Hopkins told officers the brakes went out on the vehicle, causing him to lose control. An investigation showed he had a blood alcohol level of .16%. Hopkins was taken to the Shelby County Jail. Upon further investigation, Hopkins was also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to maintain control. 22 year old Dane Dodge of Harlan was charged in the accident with providing alcohol to a minor.

(updated 12:27-p.m.)

The Iowa State Patrol says a Central Iowa man died during a rollover accident this (Tuesday) morning, in Cass County. 53-year old Larry Richard Mott, of Dallas Center died after being ejected from his passenger car when it flipped end-over-end and came to rest on its top in the north ditch. The accident happened on Interstate 80 at around 5:45-a.m., at the 56.5 mile marker westbound (About one-half mile east of the Elk Horn exit).

Mott died at the scene. Officials say he was not wearing a seat belt.