(Harlan, Iowa) – A former middle school teacher with the Harlan Community School District faces charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. According to KETV in Omaha, 31-year-old  Eric Croghan was released on bond in Shelby County, according to court documents.

In March, Croghan was placed on leave amid an investigation alleging he communicated with an undercover agent online, requesting nude photos of a child. According to court documents, Croghan allegedly distributed an image depicting child pornography to an undercover FBI agent and admitted that, while using Kik, received images depicting child pornography more than 100 times and sent images depicting child pornography less than 100 times.

Croghan also allegedly told the agent that he slept with three female students between 14 and 16 years old, according to court documents. FBI agents tracked the IP address, phone information, social media and property information for the username to Croghan. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s cybercrime unit was alerted and, in February, served a warrant on Croghan for all digital and electronic devices.

According to court documents, Croghan was interviewed on the same day as the search warrant and he admitted to using Kik, as well as sending and receiving images depicting child pornography. In March, the district put him on leave, calling the allegations troubling, and accepted his resignation

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says China is the greatest threat to the peace and prosperity of the world and the U.S. cannot shrink from the challenge. “That goes for trade, that goes for energy and most certainly it goes for the global world order,” Ernst says. The commander of U.S. Naval Intelligence recently warned that China is building up every part of its military — from space and cyber to its navy. Ernst, a Republican, is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. She suggests China’s president Xi Jinping is a lot like Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

“China is trying to engage in those same type of activities as Russia as they look towards the South China Sea and Taiwan,” Ernst says. Ernst says cloud computing firms in China are trying to infiltrate and undercut U.S. companies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft. Ernst is calling on the Biden Administration to impose sanctions on China and encourage the same response from allied countries that are facing the same economic and national security threats from China’s technology.

“I believe in America first, but never America alone,” Ernst says. “There is so much potential that we can tap into out there from our partners and our allies.” Ernst made her comments at a recent foreign policy forum in New York City.

Atlantic, Iowa – On April 29, the Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA) team made up of administrators, office staff, and 51 drivers came together for a day for professional development, training, and recognition. The biannual Drivers’ Meeting, held in spring and fall, was held at Atlantic Golf and Country Club and the SWITA facility in Atlantic. Drivers refreshed their skills, engaged with office staff and their fellow drivers, and celebrated each other. The theme for the training was “Back to Basics” with a strong emphasis on safety. SWITA prides itself on being a safe, affordable transportation for all and this year’s meeting made sure to focus on that. Drivers attended breakout sessions on topics such as wheelchair securement, vehicle inspections, incident reports, etc.

Another highlight of the spring drivers’ meeting is awards. Recognition awards were presented to Driver of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Kelly Davis Servant Leadership Award, staff years of service recognition awards, and Outstanding Driver Awards. All drivers have the opportunity to nominate their fellow drivers for the awards, which allows drivers to give their input on who they feel has shown commitment to service to riders and are dedicated SWITA team players.

Dean Driskell received Driver of the Year award based on his ability to go above and beyond for his fellow drivers, his passengers, and dispatchers. He is a friend to everyone. He knows his passengers well and they enjoy having him as a driver. He is knowledgeable and great at sharing his knowledge with others, especially those who are new. He takes pride in his job, and you can see that in the way he cares for his bus and his passengers.

Wray Ludington received Rookie of the Year award based on how quickly and efficiently he has taken on the SWITA driver role. He is eager to learn and often is cross training on other routes. He has been a “GO TO” driver when it comes to getting shifts covered, day or night. He has a very good understanding of many routes and is proficient in driving them safely. He is pleasant to work with and he goes above and beyond for his passengers and dispatch.

Kristen Templeton, Transit Coordinator, received the Kelly Davis Servant Leadership Award recognizing her commitment to the SWITA team and her ability to serve that team with distinction. The Kelly Davis Award honors the memory of former Transit Coordinator Kelly Davis, who passed away in 2022. This award is presented yearly to an employee who demonstrates a desire to serve their community and team in the way that Kelly did; with a sense of purpose and selflessness. Kristen currently oversees six transit staff and 75 drivers. She is responsible for the majority of the scheduling for the agency and has to match the right drivers with the right routes. Kristen has a positive attitude and works hard every day to get the people in southwest Iowa where they need to go.

This years Outstanding Driver Awards went to Jon Parsons (Cass), Lynn Baumbach (Montgomery), Mike Ames (Page), Don Lantz (Harrison), and Terry Musich (Shelby).

Years of Service Recognition was presented to the following drivers: Mike Clark (5 years), Dennis Nelson (5 years), Dennis Giedd (5 years), Jerry Josephson (5 years), Larry Anderson (15 years), Jacqueline Williams (15 years), and Barbara Smithson (15 years). Also recognized were the following retired drivers: Roger Matson, Bernie Budwell, Dave Aylsworth, Richard Retz, and Carol Rehm.

SWITA is Southwest Iowa’s public transportation system. SWITA has around 75 drivers and is available to all residents in Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby counties. SWITA is Iowa’s largest rural public transit agency and has continued to grow since the Covid Pandemic, while all other Iowa transit agencies have seen declining ridership. In fiscal year 2022, SWITA had 480,229 rides which is an increase from FY21 at 377,547 rides and FY20 at 305,932 rides. SWITA is projected to have a total of approximately 515,000 rides by the end of FY23. SWITA would not be able to operate as efficiently and as safely as it does now without the hard work and dedication of all of the SWITA transit staff and drivers.

DES MOINES –  Gov. Kim Reynolds, Tuesday, issued a disaster proclamation for Story County in response to severe weather that occurred on May 7. The governor’s proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Management Program for Story County.   

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

The Disaster Case Management Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions.