(Atlantic, Iowa) – A REMINDER: The second of two Cass County Republicans “Know your candidates” forums will take place this (Monday) evening, at the Cass County Community Center, in Atlantic. The event will begin at approximately 7-p.m. and conclude at 8:30-p.m. Whereas the last forum covered the candidates’ positions on Laws & Regulations; Energy & Labor, and Exploring Agriculture, this second forum will lean more toward discussion concerning Government Control, Education, and Law and Order.

The following Republican candidates for office have been invited to attend:

• For U-S Senate: Incumbent Charles Grassley.
• State Senator – Candidate for U-S House: Jim Carlin
• Candidate for U-S House/3rd District: State Senator Zach Nunn; Nicole Hasso; Gary Leffler.
• Candidates for State Auditor: ToddHalbur; Mary Ann Hanusa.
• Candidate for State Attorney General: Brenna Bird.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Democratic Party’s candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and congress rallied with about 600 activists at a party fundraiser this weekend. The three Democrats vying for their party’s U.S. Senate nomination shared their biographies and their plans for defeating Republican Senator Chuck Grassley in November. Former Iowa Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer, of Ceder Rapids touted her 2018 race to defeat Republican Congressman Rod Blum  of Dubuque.

“Every single time I have been a Democrat on the ballot, I have gotten more votes and overperformed Democrats above us who had more money,” Finkenauer said. “…I am the only federal Democrat to win Dubuque County since 2014.” Mike Franken of Sioux City, a retired Navy admiral, told the crowd he’s running to dial down the political temperature in the country.

“We elect leaders more interested in representing a political party than our communities,” Franken said. “We glorify them. We plant our flags. We pray for demagogues…We distrust more easily and we judge more quickly.” Glenn Hurst, a physician from Minden, said if Democrats want to beat Grassley, they need to nominate a prairie progressive like former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin.

“That’s the type of candidate that wins in Iowa,” Hurst said, “and I am happy to be the only progressive in this race.” Candidates in all four of Iowa’s congressional districts spoke to the crowd. Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines, who is seeking a third term in the House, was the closer for the group.

“I’ve been literally standing in the face of incredible opposition for the last four years now,” Axne said. “Nobody thought I was going to flip this seat, but not only did I flip this seat, I held it last (election) against every single odd in this state and I plan on doing it again,” Axne said. Some of the evening’s loudest applause came when speakers praised teachers — and criticized Republican Governor Kim Reynolds for proposing to send state tax dollars to parents who enroll 10-thousand children in private or religious schools.

Deidre DeJear is the Democratic Party’s candidate for governor.  “100% of our students need our governor’s attention right now, today, and she’s only focused on 2%,” DeJear said. “That’s unreasonable.” House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst) was more blunt. Konfrst used the words petty and vindictive to describe Reynolds. “She has become very focused on her national brand, her national image. She wants to be a Trumper,” Konfrst said. “…She’s auditioning for a Fox News gig or a VP slot and none of that is good for Iowa.”

A spokesman for the Republican National Committee says Iowans know who really represents their values and beliefs, and who’s pushing a far-left agenda.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Trees Forever, Friday, planted an Accolade Elm tree with the fourth graders, in observance of Arbor Day. The tree was planted near Schuler Elementary.

Pictured are the students and Mayor Garrett with the tree in the background near the large 150 held by students. (Photos and story courtesy Dolly Bergmann)

Dolly Bergmann with Atlantic Trees Forever, explained that Arbor Day was started in Nebraska, on April 10, 1872, making this year the 150th Anniversary. Mayor Grace Garrett joined the students to celebrate the anniversary of Arbor Day.

Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett had signed the Arbor Day Proclamation at the April 20th council meeting.

Fremont Sheriff Kevin Aistrope, today (Saturday), said that at around 10-a.m. Friday, his deputies were called to Hamburg for a report of a stolen semi and trailer. The caller advised the suspect had fled the scene and was hiding near an abandoned residence on southern Washington Street.

The K9 “Roby” was deployed, and the male was located and arrested without incident. The suspect, 39-year-old Joshua Osborne, of Omaha, Nebraska, was placed under arrest for Operating without Owner’s Consent, Burglary 3rd Degree, Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree, and Interference with Official Acts.

Joshua Osborne

Authorities allege Osborne was driving a semi-tractor near the area of Main Street and Willis Street when his vehicle become disabled in mud. He then allegedly burglarized a nearby semi and then took a second semi without the owner’s consent, causing damage.

Osborne was being held at the Fremont County Jail on $5,000 bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two recent, separate arrests. Saturday morning (April 30) deputies arrested 20-year-old Lucas Robert Swanson, of Stanton. He was charged with driving while suspended and failure to file SR-22 insurance. Swanson was being held on bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

And, Friday afternoon (April 29), 53-year-old Rene Telesforo Valdivia, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was arrested for possession of marijuana. He also was being held on bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

Andrew Lee Edwards

A Des Moines man was arrested early Saturday morning in Mills County following a short pursuit. According to the Mills County Sheriff’s Office a Sergeant attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am for speeding on Interstate 29. The vehicle failed to stop and continued for a short distance on the Interstate before stopping near the 40-mile-marker.

The driver, 39-year-old Andrew Lee Edwards of Des Moines was taken into custody on multiple charges. During the pursuit Edwards threw a bag out of his window, which was recovered and identified as methamphetamine. Edwards then admitted to swallowing a large amount of meth during the pursuit. He was taken to Mercy Hospital by Pacific Junction Rescue and later released and taken to the Mills County Jail. Edwards faces charges of Eluding, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving While Barred, and Obstruction Prosecution.

Edward also had multiple outstanding warrants for his arrest. That included a warrant out of Adel for Harassment 1st Degree. Another warrant out of Benton County, Minnesota was for Probation Violation.

The Mills Count Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, Glenwood Police Department, and Pacific Junction Rescue.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 32-year-old Mildred Helenora Douglas of Red Oak on an Adams County Warrant for Failure to Appear. Douglas was arrested on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in the 1300 block of North Broadway Street in Red Oak. Douglas was then transported to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and turned over into their custody.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says President Biden’s Homeland Security chief should resign. Hinson says Secretary Alejandro Mayorkis has failed to secure the southern border.

“It’s frustrating to me that I feel like here we are again after a year, we were giving these warnings a year ago about the situations not only at our border communities, for our law enforcement officers not only down in Texas and in places like Iowa who continue to raise the alarm that this crisis has worsened,” Hinson said during a hearing this week in Washington.

In March, US authorities arrested 210,000 migrants attempting to illegally cross the border with Mexico — the highest monthly total in two decades. Hinson, a Republican from Marion who spoke with Iowa reporters today by phone, said the Homeland Security secretary does not have a plan to deal with an expected surge in illegal border crossings after May 23. That’s when the order is lifted that has been sending those caught at the border back to Mexico to await immigration proceedings.

“There has been a huge void in leadership at the Department of Homeland Security,” Hinson said. “When he’s saying that he’s effectively managed the border and we are hearing about these complete failures, not to mention the safety and security risk to our entire country, that to me is a dereliction of duty.”

The Homeland Security secretary has said his agency is setting up temporary facilities along the border to handle more migrants and has proposed a new regulation to speed up deportations. Due to a court ruling, asylum seekers will still be required to wait in Mexico for their hearings in U.S. immigration court.

(Radio Iowa)  – Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne says “urgent” action in congress is necessary to address the lack of competition in the meatpacking industry. The CEOs of the four companies that control 80% of the beef processing in America testified at a House Ag Committee hearing this week. Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, is a member of the committee.

“Today consumers are literally paying more for their beef, producers are getting less for their cattle and yet your four companies net income has reached record highs,” Axne said during the hearing. A Missouri man testified that he’d contemplated suicide because of the prices he’s getting for his cattle. That prompted Axne to recite the phone number for the national suicide hotline.

“The sad part is I’m sitting here at a hearing for our cattle producers, having to put out information like that, because it’s so rough on our producers in Iowa and in other places to get ahead,” Axne said.

The president of the Montana Cattlemen’s Association told Axne concentration in the meatpacking industry has made rural America “a slum.”

(Radio Iowa) – A 14-year-old was killed in a hit-and-run a few blocks from her Des Moines High School.

Des Moines Police say Ema Cardenas was struck by an SUV at about 3:45 Thursday afternoon. School officials say Cardenas was a freshman at East High and had been a student in the Des Moines school system since kindergarten.

Ema Cardenas

Late this morning, police announced they’d located a vehicle about a mile away from the accident and early this afternoon, police said they had arrested 38-year-old Terra Jean Flipping. She’s been charged with leaving the scene of an accident causing serious injury or death.