(Radio Iowa) – U-S Senator Joni Ernst of Red Oak says any deal to end the Israel-Hamas war must bring American hostages home and lead to the demise of Hamas. “One that is not just favorable to Israel, but one that ensures the forever of survival of Israel,” Ernst said. Ernst made her comments during a speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual convention last week, shortly after returning from a trip to the Middle East. Ernst has made four trips to Israel since the October 7th attacks, including one in late August.

“During my meetings with the leaders in the region I delivered one simple message: we need to bring home our American hostages and we must ensure a favorable outcome for the safety and security of our Jewish friends,” Ernst said. Ernst says the murder of American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin shows every second counts in the negotiations. “For over 330 days, Hersh had been held by Hamas after having one of his arms blown off while trying to save others on October 7th of 2023,” Ernst said. “The reality it Hersh should still be alive today.”

Seven American citizens are still hostages of Hamas. During her visit to the region last month, Ernst met with Israel’s prime minister as well as the leaders of Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Ernst says Iran must be held accountable for its support of Hamas. “They should be cowering in dread of the response awaiting them for spilling American blood,” Ernst said.

Ernst describes the Biden-Harris Administration’s approach to the Middle East as risk averse. Ernst told reporters at the convention any other administration would have sought retribution and gone after a terrorist organization that took Americans hostage on October 7th.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were treated for minor injuries, following a collision Monday afternoon northwest of Thayer. According to report, the accident happened at the intersection of 185th Street and Highway 169, when a 2004 Chevy pickup driven by 15-year-old Wyatt Frasier, of Thayer stopped as he was heading westbound, but then proceeded into the intersection on 185th Street.

The teen failed to see an approaching southbound 2022 Chevy pickup driven by 58-year-old Lyle Maynes, of Corning. Maynes was unable to stop. His pickup struck the pickup driven by Frasier, on the passenger side. The crash happened at around 2:40-p.m.

A 5th wheel camper being pulled by Maynes’ truck became detached in the collision, and bent the hitch on the camper, before it struck the rear of Maynes’ truck.

Maynes and his passenger, 59-year-old Bobbi Jo Maynes, were treated for injuries at the scene and released. Both vehicles and the camper were towed-away. Damage from the collision amounted to $26,000, according to the sheriff’s department.

The teenage driver was cited for Failure to Yield to a vehicle on his right.

(Hardin County, Iowa) – Two people died in a head-on crash Monday afternoon south of Ackley. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2016 Ford Edge SUV was traveling north on Hardin County Road D-15 at the same time a 2024 Isuzu truck was traveling southbound. The vehicles struck each other head-on at around 3:45-p.m., just north of 120th Street.

Both drivers died. Their names were being withheld, pending notification of family. The crash remains under investigation.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, EMA and Emergency Squad, Ackley Fire, and Eldora EMS.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Education for the Atlantic School District will receive presentations from three professional search (Headhunter) firms, Wednesday evening, as part of the Board’s regular monthly meeting, which begins at 5:30-p.m. in the High School Media Center.

Representatives from Ray and Associates, McPherson and Jacobsen, and HYA Associates are slated to make 45-minute presentations each, with regard to what those firms can offer to the district, in its search for the next Superintendent.

On August 28th, the Atlantic School Board decided to receive those, and other, possible presentations, in an effort to get an early start on finding a replacement for Interim Superintendent, Dr. Beth Johnsen. She was hired in 2023 to fill the void left by the resignation of former Superintendent Steve Barber. Dr. Johnsen took over the post with the understanding the position will expire at the end of her two-year contract, which concludes with the end of the 2024-25 School Year. Dr. Johnsen was encouraged to apply for the full-time position, if she so desires.

The special presentations will begin at 6:15-p.m., Wednesday. In other business, the Atlantic School Board will act on: funding for the Jack & Jill 4-year preschool; An HVAC replacement in the Bus Garage; and a 2026 planned trip for certain students to Costa Rica.

The Board is also expected to act on: The resignation of Oran Perkins as Asst. Baseball Coach for the 2025 Summer Season. Recommendations to hire Classified Hourly Positions for Kitchen Cooks, Felicia Swope and Destinee Well.

They will also act on recommendations for Supplemental Pay for the following Athletic and Activity roles:

• Mike Greving – HS Girls Wrestling Coach (’24-’25)
• Heath Kelley – JH Boys Basketball Coach
• Grace Clay –  HS Musical Pit Director
• Homecoming Float Sponsors:
  • Freshman – Elizabeth Herrick-Williams
  • Sophomore – Molly O’Hara
  • Junior – Trisha Koenig
  • Senior – Holly Esbeck.

View the full meeting agenda here: PUBLIC AGENDA 09112024

DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines has returned an indictment charging 18 individuals with offenses related to bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa today (Monday), said as alleged in the Indictment, Defendants orchestrated a nationwide scheme to defraud financial institutions and draw funds from stolen business checks. Defendants, located across the country, first obtained the stolen checks from uncharged co-conspirators.

They then registered sham entities with the IRS and state government agencies—including the Iowa Secretary of State—with names which were identical or similar to the legitimate recipients of the checks. After obtaining registration documents and IRS employer identification numbers, Defendants opened or attempted to open accounts at banks and credit unions in the names of the sham entities, intending to deposit the stolen checks. While attempting to open the accounts, Defendants made material misrepresentations to or concealed material facts from the banks and credit unions.

The Indictment alleges that once Defendants were able to open the accounts for the sham entities, they deposited or attempted to deposit the stolen checks in the accounts. If the deposit was successful, Defendants withdrew large amounts of cash from the accounts and/or obtained cashier’s or official checks from the accounts. Defendants distributed the proceeds among their co-conspirators.

Oftentimes, Defendants obtained cashier’s or official checks written to sham entities that were created for the purpose of laundering stolen check proceeds. Defendants used the money obtained from the stolen business checks for their personal benefit and purposes.

The Indictment alleges the Defendants’ conduct affected at least twelve business victims and at least fourteen financial institution victims. Defendants and their co-conspirators attempted to deposit at least $10 million worth of stolen checks into fraudulent accounts and were able to obtain at least $2.1 million in proceeds from their criminal conduct.

If convicted, Defendants face a maximum penalty of thirty years in prison on counts alleging bank fraud or bank fraud conspiracy and ten years in prison on counts alleging money laundering or money laundering conspiracy.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case with assistance from the Postal Inspection Service, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and Secret Service, as well as with assistance from numerous state and local agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Essley, Kristin Herrera, and Joseph Lubben are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

(Crawford County, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a wastewater bypass at the City of Denison in Crawford County. Officials at the Iowa DNR Field Office in Atlantic received a call today (Monday) from Denison Municipal Utilities (DMU) regarding a wastewater bypass due to a lateral service line that had become plugged.

The discharge was discovered around 7:40 a.m. at the Denison Country Store located at 1108 4th Avenue S. in Denison. It is estimated that up to 300 gallons of sewage flowed onto the ground and a portion of it flowed into a storm sewer which outlets to the Boyer River.  DMU staff were able to remove the blockage and officials say the discharge has stopped.

Cleanup efforts have begun. Residents are advised to avoid the area. Water samples have been collected for testing. No dead fish have been observed at this time. The Iowa DNR will follow up with the city for further assessment.

To report a release after hours, please call the DNR’s emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of an incident. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.

(Radio Iowa) – A new state-by-state report on adult and childhood obesity will be released this week, and Iowa health officials are hoping to see improvement after a poor showing last year. Ellen Compton, a registered dietician with Gundersen Health, says Iowa parents who are packing their kids’ lunches can make eating healthy a priority.

“It just takes a little bit more prep work,” Compton says, “so making sure that you are preparing things like fruits and vegetables in advance and pre-packaging them into little Ziploc bags, having them available and ready, so that you can just grab that from the fridge, instead of something like a bag of chips.” Compton says the same goes for snacks, and rather than letting kids dive into a big bag of munchies, portion out their helpings in advance, and focus on healthy.

“Trail mix is a great one. It helps to keep kids feeling full, and sometimes can add a little sweet treat in there with some chocolate chips, and just making sure that you’re packaging them in appropriate portion sizes,” Compton says, “so typically, following the serving size on the back of the package is a good idea.” She encourages parents to send their kids off to school with a lunch that’s nutritious, and size-appropriate — not too much food, and not too little.

“Make sure that you have your fresh foods in there, like fruits and vegetables, kind of catering a little bit to what your kids like, so they’re more likely to eat what you pack them,” Compton says, “and making sure that there’s some sort of a protein in there. Protein is going to help to keep them feeling fuller for longer.”

Last year’s report from Trust for America’s Health found Iowa’s adult obesity rate held steady at 37-percent. Colorado had the nation’s lowest obesity rate at 25-percent, while West Virginia was highest at 41-percent.

(Radio Iowa) – A group of northern Iowans, including landowners along the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline route, plan to host a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) in Titonka. Bud Jermeland of Forest City says they’ll discuss the options people have when they’re contacted by Summit.

“To know what’s currently happening with the pipeline, to know legal wise what they need to know — if they need to seek legal counsel,” Jermeland says, “questions they need to have answered, options as far as letting their land go to eminent domain and what that process entails.”

In late August, Summit began holding informational meetings in areas where the original pipeline route would be expanded if regulators approve extending the route. Summit will host a meeting in Kossuth County next Monday and in Hancock County this Friday. “It’s an individual choice,” Jermeland says, “but we just want them to know there are options out there.”

Summit will host an informational meeting tonight (Monday) in Buchanan County. Meetings are scheduled for Tuesday in Fayette and Bremer Counties. On Wednesday, Summit’s information meetings will be in Butler and Floyd Counties.

Summit’s project would be the largest carbon capture and storage project in the world and the company’s executives say the pipeline will expand economic opportunities for ethanol producers and for corn farmers.

(Here’s the link to when and where Summit’s informational meetings are being held: https://summitcarbonsolutions.com/iowa-utilities-commission-approves-public-information-meeting-dates-for-summit-carbon-solutions-expansion-counties/)

(Corning, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Adams County, today (Monday), said a man from Carbon (IA) was arrested at around 10:30-p.m. Aug. 30th, for OWI/2nd Offense. 55-year-old Michael Newsome was pulled over on 183rd Street and Highway 148, and upon further investigation, arrested on the OWI charge. Newsome’s breath alcohol content registered .228 (nearly 3x the legal limit). He was transported to the Adams County Jail and released a short-time later after posting a $2,000 cash-only bond.