(West Des Moines) – Iowa 3^rd District Representative Cindy Axne, Thursday, announced funding requests for 15 community Projects in Iowa’s Third Congressional District she submitted to the House Appropriations Committee. On the list is a one-million-dollar request to construct a childcare center in Griswold. The proposed center will provide year-round child care, including full-time, drop-in, and before and after school care. The center, located south of the Griswold Elementary School, is designed with four childcare rooms to accommodate children ranging from six weeks to four years of age, including a separate area for before and after school care.

Currently, the Noble Initiative Foundation is in the process of an aggressive $2.3 million capital campaign to build the facility. In addition to the funding request for Griswold,  Axne submitted funding requests for one-million dollars to retrofit green storm water infrastructure practices in Pacific Junction. She’s also requesting $779,025 to help Adams County Economic Development Corporation create an entrepreneurial and incubator center in Corning.

Other, (area) projects submitted to the House Appropriations Committee for FY23:

• $2,000,000 to replace a bridge on 250^th Street between Evergreen Avenue and G Avenue in Montgomery County
• $1,789,100 to revitalize downtown Mount Ayr through surface transportation improvements
• $1,500,000 to add 30,000 square feet to the Food Bank of Iowa’s warehouse in Des Moines
• $1,000,000 to retrofit green storm water infrastructure practices in Pacific Junction
• $779,025 to help Adams County Economic Development Corporation create an entrepreneurial and incubator center in Corning

Under guidelines issued by the Appropriations Committee, each Representative may request funding for up to 15 projects (up from 10 in FY2022) in their community for 2023. Projects are restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams. Only state and local governments and non-profit organizations (including special districts and quasi-governmental non-profits) are permitted to receive funding.

In compliance with House Rules and Committee requirements, Congresswoman Axne has certified that she, her spouse, and her immediate family have no financial interest in any of her requested projects.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Red Police arrested a woman late Thursday night, on a Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation. Authorities report 39-year-old Jessica Lynn Boyce, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 11:24-p.m., in the 400 block of E. Valley Street. Boyce was being held in the Montgomery County Jail, on a $20,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The three candidates competing for the Iowa Democratic Party’s U.S. Senate nomination say college student debt is a problem, but during a debate last (Thursday) night on Iowa P-B-S they disagreed about providing relief to borrowers. Mike Franken of Sioux City says wage stagnation and the profits banks and investors make from college loans have made the situation worse.

“But I believe it’s a divisive issue in America to set aside student loans,” Franken said. “…Somebody who graduated two years ago, do we compensate them?…Is this an ongoing thing and if we constantly wipe out student loan debt, what do you think the cost of college is going to do?” Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids suggests college debt relief could be offered as an incentive to get college grads to settle in places where there’s been population loss.

“If we do anything when it comes to relief, it should be targeted,” Finkenauer says. “I mean, you should not be giving anything to anybody who’s making more than — gosh — $100,000 or more a year. That’s just not how anything like this should work.” Glenn Hurst, a physician from Minden, supports not only wiping out current college loan debt, but paying back people who paid off their loans.

“We really need to be looking even farther forward,” Hurst says. “…Community college should be free, so should trade schools.” The candidates agree that congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to abortion nationwide. Finkenauer said as a 33-year-old woman, her presence in the Senate would send a strong message as lawmakers debate abortion rights.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to replace the oldest man currently in the United States with the youngest woman in history ever to get there?” Finkenauer asked. As the U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to overturn Roe v Wade, Franken says it’s time to put the framework of the opinion in federal law, without additional restrictions. “I believe this is a responsibility of the women, and her doctor,” Franken says. Hurst supports expanding the U.S. Supreme Court from nine to 19 justices.

“We’ve got to have a complete change in the way we do things in Washington, D.C.,” Hurst said. Finkenauer says congress should consider term limits for Supreme Court justices. Franken suggests justices should be limited to serving no more than 18 years.

The three candidates are asking Primary voters to choose them as the General Election challenger to Republican Chuck Grassley. Grassley, who is seeking an eighth term in the U.S. Senate, is widely expected to defeat a primary challenger. Jim Carlin, a Republican state senator from Sioux City, had about 54-hundred dollars cash on hand in his campaign account at the end of March.

(Shelby, Iowa) – Two people in an SUV were injured Thursday afternoon, during a crash in Pottawattamie County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2011 Chevy Suburban driven by 57-year-old Eric Schiefelbein, of Johnston, was eastbound on Interstate 80 near Shelby, when the vehicle left the road and entered the south ditch. The accident happened at around 2:45-p.m.

The SUV struck a pile of concrete and vaulted into the air before coming to rest on its top, in a ravine. Two passengers in the vehicle, 58-year-old Ann Schiefelbein and 31-year-old Olivia Ritter, both of Johnston, were injured. Ann Schiefelbein – who was not wearing a seatbelt – was flown by LifeNet helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha. Ritter was transported by Minden Fire and Rescue to the UNMC. Authorities she was was wearing a seat belt.

Additional passengers and the driver, were uninjured. Shelby and Minden Fire assisted the Patrol at the crash scene.

(Radio Iowa) – A major league baseball star who’s now a pastor is the headliner for a faith-based event at the Field of Dreams movie site this weekend. Darryl Strawberry, a power hitter for the New York Mets and New York Yankees, played on four teams that won the World Series, but he was suspended three times during his playing career for substance abuse. Mike DeJong, organizer of this Saturday’s “Revival at The Field” in Dyersville, says Strawberry is a born again Christian with a powerful message.

“In his past, he had addictions, he had many other things that he dealt with, but quite a life change,” DeJong says. “Quite a story of hope and change.” Strawberry lives in the St. Louis area and released a book last year titled “Turn Your Season Around: How God Transforms Your Life.” DeJong met Strawberry a decade ago, while DeJong was on his honeymoon.

“Watching his life today is just incredible, what he’s went through, so developed a friendship with him and have done some ministry with him over the years,” DeJong says. “Just a wonderful guy to share a message of hope.” DeJong, who lives in Sioux Center, is an area representative of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

The revival event he’s organized at the Field of Dreams this Saturday is to start at 1 p.m. and ends after sunset. Each vehicle at the site will be charged a 20 dollar parking fee, but DeJong says there are no other fees for participants.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports charges and citations are currently pending in connection with an injury accident that occurred at around 5:06-p.m. on April 30th. The accident happened near the intersection of North Olive Street and Boston Road.

Officials say a 2001 Ford Explorer being operated by Timothy Asmus, of Audubon, was southbound on Olive Street when the SUV crossed over the center line. An oncoming 2017 Chevrolet Silverado being operated by Gary Hogberg, of Exira, was traveling northbound and was forced to veer off the roadway to avoid a collision. The Silverado continued through the ditch, an adjacent fence and came to rest in a farm field.

The Explorer also continued through the ditch, paralleled the fence line for a distance but eventually drove through the fence as well. Asmus attempted to continue through the field but his SUV became stuck or disabled. Asmus left the scene of the accident but was later identified by law enforcement officers investigating the case.

Hogberg was transported for medical attention and care. The Silverado sustained an estimated $3,000 worth of damage, the Explorer sustained an estimated $1,000 worth of damage and the fence line sustained an approximated $1,000 worth of damage as well.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday) released a report on arrests stemming from April 26th through May 16th.

On May 16th: 33-year-old Steven Behlers, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County Warrant for Theft in the 3rd Degree. Behlers was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

On May 10th, 37-year-old Aaron McCutcheon, of Harlan, was arrested on a Cass County Warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault 1st. McCutcheon was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

On the 7th, Cass County Deputies arrested 53-year-old Rene Valdivia, of Carroll, for Violation of a No Contact Order and Trespass 1st Offense. Valdivia was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.

And, on May 2nd, 50-year-old Hadjii Covington, of Omaha, NE, was arrested in Cass County for OWI 2nd Offense. Covington was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held until his later release on bond.

On April 29th, Deputies arrested 36-year-old Jacqueline Griffith, of Exira, on a Cass County Warrant for Violation of Compulsory Education. Griffith was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held until her later release on her own recognizance.

On April 26th, 28-year-old Zachary Wood, of Anita, was arrested on a Cass County Warrant for Child Endangerment. Wood was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held until his later release on bond.

“All criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday), said that yesterday (Wed., May 18th), they made aware of a SCAM phone call involving the name of “Officer Marc Freeman”.  This scam call involving “Officer Marc Freeman” also involved an alleged Agent from Washington DC.  The scammers are informing potential victims that their financial accounts are being / have been frozen and that the account owners need to purchase and load money onto gift cards.

After this purchase, these scammers will then later request the information contained within said gift cards.  During this scam, it appears that the Cass County Sheriff’s Office phone number was also “spoofed”, as one of the phone numbers used in this scam was noted as the Sheriff’s Office phone number of 712-243-2206. 

Please be aware that this phone call is a SCAM and is not coming from “Officer Marc Freeman” OR any Federal Agent(s).  Furthermore, this office encourages people to NOT give personal information and/or financial information out over the phone.  If you receive a phone call from our office line of 712-243-2206 but you feel that it might be part of a scam, please feel free to disconnect from that call and call the same number back.

Your return call will be connected to our office phone line or the Cass County Communications Center and will not return back to the potential scammer(s).  If you have any questions regarding this scam or others like it, please contact our office at 712-243-2206 or your local law enforcement agency, respectively.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says the baby formula shortage in the U-S is due to a lack of foresight and action by the Democrat administration. “Back in February Abbott’s Sturgis Michigan facility closed down following a voluntary recall of baby formula. The Biden administration’s F-D-A should have developed a plan to prevent shortages then — but they sat on their hands for months,” Hinson says. The baby formula is regulated by the F-D-A and Hinson says that’s important to keep it safe, but they need to be able to react to these types of situations.

“We still haven’t seen a plan from the F-D-A in my mind there is no excuse for this incompetence,” Hinson says. “Last week I called for the F-D-A to provide a clear timeline for getting formula back on the shelves as well as a plan to prevent future shortages. This cannot happen again,” she says. Hinson says a plan proposed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threw money at the problem, but didn’t provide a long-term solution. Hinson says families looking for special formulas may find some relief soon.

“Abbott is releasing certain types of metabolic formulas that were previously on hold. If that applies, parents should be calling Abbott the 800 number is 1-800-881-0876. And they can call that number for assistance and start the process in getting some of that formula as quickly as possible,” according to Hinson. The president announced that he is invoking the Defense Production Act to try and help speed up the restocking of the formula.

“We’ve been in direct conversations with Abbott, and before the President’s announcement yesterday we had already received word from them that they are working to not only get that plant operational but that we should be in a place where shelves are backstopped within four to eight weeks,” Hinson says. She says the president’s action does not go to the root of the problem in creating a plan for the F-D-A to deal with the situation. Hinson made her comments during her weekly conference call with reporters.

Anita, Iowa – Iowans interested in the results of a DNR study to improve water quality in Lake Anita in Cass County can view a presentation on the Iowa DNR’s YouTube channel. Lake Anita is on the state’s list of impaired waters for high levels of algae. The current study, or DNR water quality improvement plan, shows how these problems are caused by too much phosphorus in the lake. The problems impact recreation on the lake and aquatic life.

The plan explores the amounts and sources of phosphorus entering the lake and offers potential solutions to reduce those levels and work toward fixing the problem. The document is designed as a guide for local resource agencies, partners, stakeholders and residents to improve the lake.

The presentation is available now at youtube.com/iowadnr through June 20. The full document can be downloaded on the Iowa DNR’s website at the following: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/WaterQuality/WatershedImprovement/WatershedResearchData/WaterImprovementPlans/PublicMeetingsPlans.aspx.