(Radio Iowa) – Today (Tuesday) is the day Iowa’s Secretary of State certifies which candidates will have their names printed on Iowa ballots for the November election, but three Libertarian Party candidates have gone to court asking for a delay until their legal challenge is resolved. Last week, a state panel kicked Libertarians running in three Iowa congressional districts off the ballot after Republicans in those areas signed petitions saying the timing of Libertarian Party county conventions did not follow state law.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, a Republican, discussed the decision this weekend during an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.  “It’s never easy as a member of the Objections Panel to have to tell someone that they didn’t qualify for the ballot,” Bird said, “but the law applies equally to everybody, every candidate, regardless of their party.” Bird says Libertarians held their precinct caucuses AND county conventions on the same date, which is not allowed under state law.

“Just to be clear, everybody gets their day in court, so they can appeal the decision to the district court if they want to, but my position is I’m not going to pick and choose which parts of the Iowa Code are going to apply,” Bird said. “I’m going to uphold the law.” Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Republican, joined Bird in voting to remove the Libertarians from this fall’s ballot — while State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat who also serves on the panel, voted to keep the Libertarians on it.

Sand says the Objection Panel does not have the authority to rule on how a political party conducts its business. The Iowa Libertarian Party’s chair says the decision to remove her party’s candidates from the ballot is a direct attack on voter choice.

The Libertarian Party nominated Nicholas Gluba of Lone Tree to run in Iowa’s first congressional district, Marco Battaglia  of Des Moines to run in the third district, and Charles Aldrich of Clarion to run in the 4th district.

(Radio Iowa) – The Mid American Museum of Aviation and Transportation in Sioux City will host a special presentation this month. Museum director Kevin Blosch says it will honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. “Just think it’s an important event where we are going to be commemorating the Fallen Soldiers from here in Iowa that gave their lives for our freedom in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts,” he says. The memorial will feature pictures of each of those fallen soldiers.

“I think it’s a chance for people to reflect, but I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of family members, a lot of pictures being taken. We’ve already gotten quite a bit of response for people that are going to be visiting, and we expect it to be pretty busy,” he says. They will make some changes for the exhibit as admission will be free and they will only ask for a free will offering.

(MidAmerican Air Museum graphic)

“We’re also going to be open all week, from Monday through Saturday, with Sunday being the only exception’ Blosch says. “As right now we’re only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. But during the event and then hopefully from then on, we’ll be open all week.”

The memorial display opens on September 4th and will run through the 24th.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department reports a man experiencing what was described as a “mental health crisis,” walked into a church, armed with a long gun and a handgun this (Monday) afternoon. Officers responded to the scene at 300 S. 9th Street, a little after 12 Noon.   At the time of the incident there were no services going on and the few occupants who were in the church exited leaving the man in the building alone.

Arriving officers made contact with the subject and a negotiator established a line of communication with him.  A perimeter was established around the immediate area of the incident.  The roadways were shut down to all traffic and neighbors were advised to shelter in place.  After about one-hour of negotiation with the man, he surrendered to police.  The individual was detained and transported to the hospital for a mental evaluation.

There were no injuries.  At this time the name of the subject was being withheld by authorities due to this being a mental health issue.  He will be cited for discharge of a firearm in the city limits and disorderly conduct.

NO FURTHER INFORMATION IS BEING RELEASED AT THIS TIME