(Radio Iowa) – Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who ran against President Biden in the 2020 Democratic Primary, was in Cedar Rapids Sunday, defending Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. “The good news is that after 20 years of war, after the loss of 2400 members of the U.S. armed forces and after a trillion dollars of spending, our troops are finally coming home and that war, for us, is coming to an end,” Sanders said, to applause.

Sanders then asked the crowd to applaud the bravery of U.S. troops at Kabul’s airport who worked to evacuate 114-thousand Americans and Afghan allies. “The bad news, of course — and it is bad news, is that the corrupt government of Afghanistan collapsed faster than we thought, the Taliban is now in power and we are seeing death and chaos at the airport,” Sanders said.

Sanders expressed sympathy to the families of the 13 American troops who died last Thursday at the airport. Sanders was in Iowa Sunday to tout passage of a three-and-a-half trillion dollar federal spending package.

(Radio Iowa) – The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors decided against naming the county a Second Amendment sanctuary during its meeting this (Monday) morning. A proposed resolution was brought to the board asking the county to reaffirm its commitment to constitutional rights, especially the second amendment. Board member Mark Reiser made a motion to support the measure but it died for lack of a second. Board chair Larry Schellhammer said while he supports the second amendment, he felt the resolution would take the board into a political arena they don’t want to go. Supervisor Dan Byrnes said all elected officials swear to uphold the state and federal constitution when they take the oath of office and that alone is affirming support for individuals’ constitutional rights.

Leaders in Adams, Carroll, Cedar, Hardin, Jasper and Madison Counties — have approved the Second Amendment sanctuary status.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports four accidents occurred over the past few days. Sunday evening, 16-year-old Kaidyn Stacy Dencklau, of Panora, suffered possible/unknown injuries, after her vehicle met an SUV that was left of center, at the crest of a hill. When she took evasive action by swerving to the right, the 2006 Ford Fusion she was driving went out of control southbound and began to fishtail on Rose Avenue before the car entered the ditch on the west side of Rose Avenue. The vehicle rolled over and came to rest on its wheels. Kaidyn was transported to the Guthrie County Hospital by her mother, to be checked out after she complained of pain. The car was totaled in the accident.

Later that same evening, no injuries were reported, after a tractor-trailer collided with an SUV, causing a total of $6,000 damage. Authorities say a 2016 Jeep Patriot driven by 46-year-old Kelli Ann Smith, of Guthrie Center, was traveling east on Highway 44 and beginning to turn north onto Willow Avenue. A 2017 Peterbilt semi driven by 35-year-old Benjamin K. Campbell, of Jefferson, was traveling east on Highway 44. Campbell failed to notice Smith was about to urn left onto Willow. As he was passing on the left, the back of his trailer struck the SUV.

Friday morning, a 1995 Ford van driven by 81-year-old Nickolas Nolan, of Redfield, was struck from behind by a 2014 Chevy Cruze, when the driver of the Chevy, 26-year-old Kashley Sneller, of Panora, failed to notice the Ford was stopped and waiting to turn from Highway 4 into a driveway at 2027 Highway 4. Sneller complained of pain but was not transported to the hospital. She was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. The accident caused a total of $10,000 damage.

And, Thursday night, vehicles driven by 16-year-old Kiersten Knobbe, and 15-year-old Hayden Coffman, both of Guthrie Center, collided on northbound Justice Road, just north of Highway 44 in Guthrie County. The accident happened when Knobbe slowed to turn right. The 2012 Ford Escape she was driving was struck from behind by the 2003 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Coffman. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,000.

(Carroll, Iowa) – If you’ve ever wanted to fly in a genuine, vintage, Vietnam-era helicopter, you will have your chance to do so this weekend and next. Jeff Dentlinger with Carroll County Farm Bureau Financial Services is organizing opportunities for you to purchase a flight on a Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey,” as a salute to our nation’s veterans, especially those who served in Vietnam. Dentilinger says says he is excited to see the plans coming together.

Everyone is invited to book a ride on the military helicopter in early September. Spots are limited for the three local events, in Arcadia on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, in Carroll on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7 and then Ames on Sept. 9 through Sept. 12. Dentlinger says on the weekend, there will be a flyover during the Iowa and Iowa State game.

Dentlinger adds that those who want to get an up-close look at a one of the few Huey helicopters still in service can do so before it takes off for Ames.

Photo via Friends of Army Aviation Facebook page

The cost for a ride is $80 per person. Dentlinger says there are a couple of ways to get on the list. Spots can be reserved by following the link with this story on our website, or if you know a Vietnam era veteran who maybe doesn’t have access to the internet, they can be set up by contacting the Carroll County Farm Bureau Office.

Seeing and riding on these helicopters is generally a very emotional experience for the veterans.

Dentlinger thanks all of the many sponsors who have supported this effort through the Patriot Peak Foundation, but more sponsorships are still open and details are available from Dentlinger through the phone number included with this story on our website or on the Patriot Peak Foundation Facebook or Venmo pages, also included online.

(Special Thanks to Chantelle Groves, KCIM for the story & audio)

___________________________

To book a Huey Helicopter ride: http://friendsofarmyaviation.org/foaa-event

Jeff Dentlinger: 712-792-9296

Additional info. on the Patriot Peak Foundation: Facebook:

• https://www.facebook.com/PatriotPeakFoundation
• Email: PatriotPeakFoundation@gmail.com
• Venmo: @PatriotPeakFoundation

(Radio Iowa) – There’s a push to make our neighbors to the south the 20th state to legalize recreational marijuana. A group in Missouri has filed a citizens’ ballot initiative with the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, that would allow residents age 21 and older to possess, grow and use marijuana. The proposed constitutional amendment includes a six-percent retail tax that is expected to generate millions of dollars in state revenue annually.

Local governments would also be able to collect a three percent tax on cannabis. Organizers say there’s a focus on criminal justice reform and Missourians with low-level marijuana offenses would have their records expunged. They plan to begin collecting the 175-thousand signatures needed to quality for the November 2022 ballot.

(Radio Iowa) – Texas Senator Ted Cruz, the winner of the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, says Iowa’s congressional races will help determine if Republican regain the majority in the U.S. House in 2022 and he headlined a fundraiser for Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion this weekend. Cruz said pandemic-related closures of businesses and schools were madness and he railed against the tax and spending plans Democrats have developed. “The Democrats — Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi — have gone bat crap crazy,” Cruz said, to laughter and applause.

But his fiercest criticism was of President Biden’s decisions on Afghanistan. “The past two weeks have been incredibly painful for every American as we watch the catastrophe unfolding in Afghanistan….as we see Joe Biden afraid to stand up to terrorists,” Cruz said.

About half the crowd listening to Cruz in Central City on Saturday stood for his entire speech. Cruz told them they were part of a tidal wave ticked off Americans. “The road to revival comes through Iowa and the road to bringing America comes through the great state of Iowa,” Cruz said, to cheers. Cruz has said he enjoyed running for president in 2016 and he said during an interview with Newsmax he’s looking at running in 2024. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says he has a strong feeling Cruz is “all in” on keeping Iowa’s Caucuses first in 2024, but Cruz didn’t bring the subject up or make a direct reference to his 2016 win here.

FLORIDA Senator Marco Rubio, the third place finisher in Iowa’s 2016 Caucuses, will headline an Iowa G-O-P fundraiser tonight (Monday) in Clear Lake.