(Radio Iowa) – A Washington, D.C. jury has found a Des Moines man guilty on seven criminal charges related to his role in the rioting inside the U.S. Capitol on January 6th of last year. Doug Jensen was among the first to be arrested after the attack and he said during an F-B-I interview that he wanted to be a poster boy for that day’s events. Jensen was seen in widely broadcast and shared videos confronting a U.S. Capitol Policeman on steps near the U.S. Senate floor.

The prosecutor told jurors Jensen didn’t just lead the mob that day, he weaponized it. Evidence during the trial showed Jensen was the 10th person to enter the Capitol. Jensen is likely to be sentenced in December.

Jensen’s attorney told jurors the pandemic did weird things to us, including Jensen, who believed online conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and what would happen on January 6th.

(Radio Iowa) – The Democratic candidate in Iowa’s fourth congressional district says proposed carbon pipelines are not the right way to cut carbon emissions. Ryan Melton is the Nevada Democrat challenging Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra. “I’ve been opposed to carbon capture pipelines since day one,” Melton says. “It’s definitely a failed climate change solution. If you go look at the record, there have been plenty of carbon sequestration plants that have opened and closed because they over promise and under deliver.”

Melton says there are better ways to use the federal tax credits developers of the carbon pipelines hope to secure. And Melton says emergency responders in rural Iowa are ill equipped to respond if there are ruptures to carbon pipelines. “We are facing an existential crisis when it comes to climate change. We need bold action,” Melton says. “Marrying ourselves to the status quo with a failed technology is not the way to go.” Melton says the carbon capture pipeline projects would be a boondoggle. He’s also opposed to President Biden’s move last spring to temporarily allow the year-round sale of E-15 — gasoline with a 15 percent blend of ethanol.

Melton says ethanol could be part of the mix, but it’s time to develop other energy sources that aren’t an additive to fossil fuels. “We need to have a much wider diversification of options because no politician and no scientist can sit here right now and tell you which of those options is going to be the silver bullet answer for climate change mitigation,” Melton says. “I think we should really be spending a lot more of our resources on next (generation) renewable energy — wind, solar — while still maintaining corn ethanol because, again, we need diversification.”

Melton made his comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa P-B-S. Congressman Feenstra’s campaign manager issued a written statement, calling Melton an out of touch ally of President Biden who will continue the attacks on our way of life.

(Southwest Iowa) – The Community Foundation for Western Iowa, formerly Pottawattamie County Community Foundation, announced today (Friday), that the Women’s Fund of Southwest Iowa’s latest grant cycle has awarded $45,000 in project funding to four organizations. Grants to the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, Council Bluffs Schools Foundation, MICAH House, and the STARS Scholarship Program will support programming and projects that are focused on improving the quality of life and well-being of women and children in southwest Iowa.

“Empowering women in all phases of their life is the focus of the Women’s Fund of Southwest Iowa,” said Lucy Hough, board member and chair of the Women’s Fund of Southwest Iowa. “Since its inaugural year, the fund has awarded 19 grants to 17 organizations whose purpose is to enrich lives throughout our western Iowa communities by supporting programming for women’s safety and well-being, education, dynamic solutions for engaging seniors, and accessible, quality childcare options. Through the generosity of our donors, we have been able to make dreams a reality, and for that we are grateful.”

• The Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce received a $5,000 grant to support their L.I.F.T. Mentoring Program, a joint endeavor between the Omaha chapter of the Human Resource Association of the Midlands and the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce that is focused on supporting talented professional women looking to restart their careers after an extended absence from the workforce. The L.I.F.T. Mentor Program provides opportunities for participants to receive a one-on-one professional mentor, get reacquainted with the local professional network, strengthen professional skills, broaden their perspective, explore new career paths, and experience a direct and guided mentorship.

The Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce will serve 20 women per cohort, ages 18-61 and are returning to work in the metro area. Grant funding from the Women’s Fund of Southwest Iowa will support the interviews through the SurveyMonkey platform, print materials (handbooks) and advertising costs related to the program, and refreshments for the professional development workshops.

• The Council Bluffs Schools Foundation received a $20,000 grant to support the construction, equipment, furnishings and other construction-related costs of their new Early Learning Center that will serve nearly 200 at-risk students in full-day preschool and birth-to-3 childcare. Located at 8th Street and Avenue G, an area of high need and centrally located within the district, the Early Learning Center will house fourteen classrooms serving children from birth to five years old. Eleven classrooms will be designated for preschool-aged children, helping to achieve a district goal of providing universal full-day preschool for four-year-old children and high-need 3-year-old children, and three classrooms will serve children ages birth-to-3, with the ability to expand to six birth-to-3 rooms.

In addition to meeting the educational needs of students enrolled in the Early Learning Center, comprehensive child development programming would provide parent and family engagement; health, safety, mental health, medical, dental, and nutritional services; and the option of before- and after-school care provided in partnership with the Council Bluffs Schools Foundation to support parents’ needs for childcare extended beyond the regular school day.

• MICAH House received a $10,000 grant to support construction costs of their “Building Beyond Shelter” Child Care Center project. MICAH House intends to build a 12,000 square foot child development center on the Charles E. Lakin Campus next to their existing homeless shelter. This center will serve up to 70 children in a trauma-sensitive and service-rich environment. The majority of the children served would be those staying at or in transition from MICAH House. The goal of the child development center is to eliminate barriers to access, provide in-depth assessments, and immediately start wrap-around services for children experiencing homelessness. Staff will work with families to transition children to permanent care settings that meet the family’s longer-term housing and employment goals.

Additionally, the capital campaign includes some light shelter renovations. The shelter is always nearly at capacity, and furniture and fixtures have been used daily since their installation in 2008. The focus of these improvements will be windows and window treatments, doors, closets, and beds.

• The STARS Scholarship Program received a $10,000 grant to support operational needs and childcare scholarships for STARS Scholars. Funding will assist the STARS Program’s seminar series, training for the program director, and the individual needs of STARS Scholars. Additionally, funding will also assist with childcare scholarships for students who are seeking affordable childcare while studying and/or working and are not applicable for state assistance.

The STARS Program supports low-income parents and custodial grandparents in Pottawattamie County in pursuit of college degree attainment. STARS assists with removing barriers, providing a scholarship for both direct or indirect expenses such as tuition, fees, books, childcare, and living expenses. STARS also offers programming designed to assist with career planning, financial planning, professional skills, and self-sufficiency. Over the last 25 years the STARS program has served over 400 scholars in pursuit of a post-secondary degree.

Additional information about the fund and granting guidelines can be found at www.ourpccf.org/womens-fund.
The Community Foundation for Western Iowa is nationally accredited by the Council on Foundations (www.cfstandards.org), is overseen by a volunteer board of leading citizens, and run by professionals with expertise in identifying the needs of western Iowa. As a tax-exempt public charity, 501(c)(3), that serves thousands of people who share a common interest in improving the quality of life in western Iowa, the Community Foundation also offers a 10% match (up to $250,000 per fund) for the creation of a charitable endowment fund or donation to an existing eligible endowment fund.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested on Burglary and other charges, Thursday morning. 69-year-old Joseph Alan Thomas, of Omaha, and 47-year-old Tracey Lynn Klahn, of Council Bluffs, were arrested at around 7:24-a.m. at a location on Ingrum Avenue. Both face charges that include Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Possession of burglary tools, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Trespass in the 1st Degree. Their bonds were set at $8,300 each.

Thursday night, 40-year-old Julian Luciano Martin, of Malvern, was arrested in Mills County for Domestic Abuse Assault/Display or use of a weapon, and Interference with Official Acts. Martin was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

And. at around 10:10-a.m. today (Friday), 35-year-old Anthony David Stephens, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Sarpy County, NE., on a warrant for Theft in the 1st Degree. His bond was set at $10,000.