(Radio Iowa) There are two statewide races in tomorrow’s (Tuesday’s) Primary election for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat. “I like serving the people of Iowa,” Grassley said. “I try to work as hard as I can to represent them.” Grassley campaigned in Iowa on Saturday, including an event with Governor Kim Reynolds in West Des Moines. “She’s in a powerful position as governor,” Grassley says. “You know that my seniority is putting me in a powerful position to represent, work hard for Iowa.”

If he’s re-elected, Grassley would be the senator with the longest tenure in January. Jim Carlin, a state senator from Sioux City, is running against Grassley in the Republican Primary. Three candidates are running in the Democratic Party’s U.S. Senate Primary. Democrat Mike Franken held a get out the vote rally in Des Moines Sunday evening. Franken, a retired Navy admiral, says if he’s elected Senator, rebuilding the Iowa Democratic Party will be part of his mission.

“A new level of progressive thought, liberal thought — like Iowa used to be,” Franken said. “… we were the generator of good ideas.” Franken reviewed what he considers faults in Grassley’s voting record and told the crowd he’s prepared to respond to Republican campaign tactics. “We’re on the right side of this. Stand up. Be kind. Be quick with the response and don’t let it go,” Franken said. “We’ll win this.” Democrat Abby Finkenauer, a former Iowa congresswoman, spoke to supporters Sunday afternoon in West Des Moines.

“We need you to vote, vote, vote Tuesday. If you haven’t already, go on Tuesday, bring your friends, bring your neighbors, bring everybody,” Finkenauer said, “and then we also need you in that General.” Finkenauer told the crowd she got more votes in her congressional district than Democrats who were running for governor and U.S. Senate in 2018 and 2020.

“Every single time I’ve been on that ballot, again, I have over-performed the Democrat above us who has had more money,” Finkenauer said. “We have brought together coalitions that, honestly, some Democrats that have ran for federal office have struggled to do.” Glenn Hurst, a physician from Minden, campaigned at the Arts Festival in Iowa City on Sunday.

Hurst plans to watch Primary Election returns at home with his family on Tuesday night. Finkenaur will host supporters at an event tomorrow (Tuesday) night in Cedar Rapids. Franken is holding a Primary Election Night event in Des Moines.

(Radio Iowa) – A man is in custody, accused of shattering the window of a downtown Sioux City church during Sunday’s church service. Pastor Aaron Iacino was delivering the sermon at the Holiness Church when it happened at about 10:45.

It turned out to be the metal lid from the trash cans the City of Sioux City has placed in the downtown area. Iacino says the congregation was startled, but no one was injured. “That front window was huge and obviously everyone was really jolted,” he says, “but I saw it looked like a vandalism thing and not an attack, so I knew we were safe.” Iacino says police quickly arrested the suspect, 34-year-old Victor Cieselski.

“There were already called because this person had already caused some problems at some other businesses,” Iacino says. “Now we’re dealing with the police reports and insurance claims and we’ve got the window boarded up and hopefully we’ll get it replaced soon and keep doing what we’re doing.” Cieselski is charged with aggravated assault and third degree criminal mischief.

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday, said a one person was arrested following a traffic stop early Saturday morning on Interstate 29 northbound, at mile marker 24. Authorities say 22-year-old Daphne Makayla Andrews, of Carthage, MO., was taken into custody after a traffic stop in the 24 Mile marker of Interstate 29. At around 1:22 am., Saturday, a Fremont County Deputy observed a 2009 Nissan Maxima traveling at 98-mph on the interstate. After stopping the vehicle, the deputy approached and observed marijuana in plain view of the passenger.

Andrews was arrested for possession of marijuana and released after posting one-thousand-dollar bond.

A CRIMINAL CHARGE IS MERELY AN ACCUSATION AND A PERSON IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

Daphne Andrews (Mills County S/O photo)

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Democrats are proposing changes that would dramatically simplify their Caucuses in 2024, as party leaders try to keep their caucuses first-in-the-nation. The Iowa Democratic Party suggests getting rid of all the complicated math, coin flips and other Caucus night rules that have been used for decades to figure out which presidential candidate won the Caucuses. Instead, the party proposes using mail-in ballots — the party is calling these “presidential preference cards” rather than “ballots” — in the weeks before the night of the Caucuses. The winner would be announced when the Caucus meetings begin in precincts throughout the state.

Iowa Democratic Party chairman Ross Wilburn says it means the party would be able to engage with more Iowa voters than ever before. There was delayed reporting of the Iowa Democratic Party’s Caucus results in 2020 and party leaders have made no secret they dislike caucuses and prefer primaries in states that have diverse populations and will be key battlegrounds in the General Election. Iowa Democrats are now competing with parties from 20 other states for early spots on the voting schedule for 2024.

The Iowa Republican Party’s Caucuses will be first in 2024. National G-O-P leaders have agreed on a schedule for caucuses and primaries that keeps Iowa at the front. Iowa Republicans have a different process for selecting a winner. The party essentially conducts a straw poll after people gather at precincts on Caucus Night.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The deadline is fast approaching to reserve your seat at the Iowa Insurance Division’s “Fraud fighters” forum. The forum – which includes a complimentary lunch – is set to take place June 14th from 11:30-a.m. until 2-p.m., at the Cass County Community Center, in Atlantic. There is No Charge to attend, but due to limited seating you must make your reservation by June 7th online, at IowaFraudFighters.gov. Your registration is being requested so organizers have enough meals on-hand to serve.

There are many different types of fraud perpetrated on Iowa’s citizens, especially older Iowans. Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen says the Iowa Insurance Division, Iowa Attorney General’s Office and Senior Health Insurance Program (ShiP) have partnered together to bring to light the number and types of fraud that impact older Iowans.

The Fraud Fighters forums being held around the State, helps Iowans learn how to protect themselves and their loved ones from various scams. Some of those scams are weird and obvious, but the scammers that are often most successful, play on their victim’s emotions. That’s especially true when it comes to investment scams.

Ommen said people in the community are themselves, “Fraudfighters,” and helped to prevent potential victims of scams carryout the instructions they’ve been given, to pay for services and investments. One case here in Atlantic, involved an elderly woman who went to WalMart and attempted to wire someone she didn’t know, thousands of dollars to help out a person she thought was a younger relative. The clerk realized what was going on, and intervened by explaining the fraud, and asking the woman to call her relative to confirm the need for help. It turned out to be a scam. In some cases, victims are asked to purchase a large amount of green-dot or other types of gift cards.

Some of the scams start with a phone call, text message or e-mail, but more and more often they focus on cyber-scams and investment schemes. The scam are possible because just about everything you do on the web becomes an electronic trail, the information from which is sold as “Data mining.”

The Fraudfighters forum in Atlantic will take place at the Cass County Community Center, located at 805 W. 10th St. in Atlantic, on June 14th.

According to AARP, in 2021, Americans 50 and older lost nearly $3 billion in cybercrimes – a 62% increase from 2020. For people 60 and older, tech support scams, investment fraud, grandparent scams and romance scams were the major drivers of these losses. Ommen says “Seniors have long been the targets of scammers, and the isolation and separation of the past two years just put them at more risk,” said Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen. “Scammers are incredibly sophisticated and bold in their attempts. Anyone can become a victim. We want to help protect Iowa’s seniors from these scams.”

Iowans are encouraged to visit www.IowaFraudFighters.gov to learn about common scams and discover tips and tools to prevent fraud.