(Radio Iowa) – Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s waiting for details before saying whether he’ll support or oppose a bipartisan group’s response to recent mass shootings. Grassley says he’s “encouraged” by the progress on the subject so far in Washington. Grassley says, “What I’ve seen going on here in the last couple of weeks in the Congress, with the work of a bipartisan group that the leaders have put together in an effort to make schools safer, make it more easy to keep guns away from people that shouldn’t have them.” Rallies in six Iowa cities last weekend called on Grassley and Iowa’s other Republican Senator, Joni Ernst, to back gun restrictions.

Ten Republicans and ten Democrats announced Sunday they’d agreed on a package that includes making criminal records of juveniles available for background checks when a prospective gun buyer is under the age of 21. “I’m going to have to wait for the statutory language before I would take a position on it, but I’m encouraged by what they’re trying to put together,” Grassley says, “and I think that that’s a good thing and I’m glad to hear from Iowans who want to do it.” Grassley says he’s looking for two basic principles which he says are musts in the legislation. “One, to protect the constitutional rights that come from the Second Amendment,” Grassley says, “and make sure that anybody that’s deprived of those constitutional rights, that there’s a due process in place to protect their constitutional rights.”

Senator Joni Ernst is also withholding judgment on the package until she reads the text of the legislation. “The devil will be in the details…and making sure that they’re getting to the root causes of the issue of gun violence…and not infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens,” Ernst says. The Des Moines City Council is urging both Grassley and Ernst to support the bill when it comes up for a vote in the Senate. Iowa’s capital city has the state’s highest murder rate. Nine people have been victim of homicide in Des Moines so far this year. Seven of those cases were fatal shootings.

A Spencer man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison on a gun charge. 41-year-old Demetrius Wright was not allowed to have a gun after a conviction on a domestic abuse charge in 2017 and judges in Iowa and Florida had issued protective orders against him. According to the U-S Attorney’s Office, Wright had someone else buy him a pistol last year and he displayed the gun in a video, to send a threat to someone. Then, last August, authorities say Wright took a semi-automatic handgun that someone else had used in a shooting, to try to keep police from finding the weapon.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Police in Glenwood report a man from Omaha, 47-year-old Charles Mitchell, was arrested this (Tuesday) morning, for OWI/1st offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Mitchell’s cash or surety bond was set at $2,000.

(Mt. Ayr, Iowa) – The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office reports a call about a sex offender being inside the pool area at the Judge Lewis Aquatic Center, in Mount Ayr, resulted in an arrest. Authorities say when a Deputy entered the pool area, he was able to identify the suspect as 27-year-old Spencer Andrew Fisk, of Mount Ayr. Fisk was escorted out the park and after further questioning, was placed under arrested for non-compliance with Sex Offender Registry requirements.

Spencer Andrew Fisk

*Disclaimer: Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations, and any defendant [is] presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.*

(Bedford, Iowa) – Officials with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday), said on June 8, 2022, Deputies with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the theft of a stop sign in rural Taylor County. On June 9, 2022, a search warrant was executed on a residence in the 100 block of 2nd Street in Clearfield, in an attempt to recover stolen property. During the search, Deputies located a large amount of controlled substance along with other instruments used in the possession and or delivery of controlled substances. No one was home at the time of the warrant.

On Monday, June 13, 2022, 21-year-old James O’Connor, of Clearfield, turned himself into the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office on his outstanding warrants. O’Connor was charged with theft in the 5th degree and possession with intent to deliver. O’Connor posted bond and was released.

**All persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on drug charges at around 1:52-a.m. Monday, of 52-year-old Kristen Marie Hughes, from Red Oak. Hughes was arrested on two-counts Possession of Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $2,300. And, at around 3:20-p.m., Monday, 44-year-old Shawn Lyle McKenzie, of Essex,  was arrested at the Fremont County Jail, on a warrant for Contempt – Resist Order or Process of District Court. Bond was set at $1,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic will meet in a regularly scheduled session, beginning at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday (June 15, 2022). On their agenda, is the swearing-in of Atlantic Police Officer Jimmy James, who was promoted to Sergeant. Officer James joined the force in February (2022), and has served with the Perry Police Department, as well as the Louisa and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices. He has 16-years of law enforcement experience. The Council will also recognize Mike Henningsen and Dr. Carol Trewet, for their 20-years of service on the Atlantic Airport Commission, which is tasked with approving critical documents related to the FAA, and that provides major funding to the airport.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council is expected to approve a day long street closure for 4th Street, between Walnut and Chestnut, for SHIFT ATL’s Summer Soiree Summer fundraising event/dinner, set to take place July 16th. They will also likely approve a Wastewater Management Services Agreement with the City of Anita. Atlantic already has similar agreements in-place with Massena and Fontanelle. And, they will hold a Public Hearing on a second amendment to the FY 2022 City of Atlantic Budget. City Administrator John Lund has previously mentioned that neither her nor City Clerk Barb Barrick are happy about the amendment, and that there will be a full accounting on revenues and expenditures with the City’s Department Heads this Summer and Fall.

Other Council action includes the expected passing of a Resolution approving the Final Plat for the Redwood Subdivision in the City of Atlantic, and the dates for Fireworks, which are unchanged from last year. Fireworks are permitted in Atlantic on July 2nd, 3rd and 4th, from Noon until 11-p.m., under the current Ordinance.