(Radio Iowa)  – U-S Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says next month’s DEMOCRATIC National Convention will be a spectacle. “Get the popcorn ready,” she said, “because this is going to be the most hilarious exercise that we have ever seen.” Ernst spoke to the Iowa delegation at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee yesterday (Wednesday).

“For well over a year now when I am meeting with national political figure, when I a meeting with Iowans, I’ve been saying: ‘I’m a conspiracy theorist. I don’t think President Biden is going to be the nominee,'” Ernst said. “Well, now that’s kind of coming to fruition.” Ernst points to an Associated Press poll that found two-thirds of Democrats do not want Biden as their 2024 nominee.

“While I don’t want to say we’re going to waltz into the White House with Donald J. Trump this fall — we can’t take it for granted, I don’t want you to take it for granted — but I can tell you with the enthusiasm and the excitement that we have felt during this convention and what we will feel leading up to the election, we are going to sweep this election,” Ernst said.

Ernst says the tide is turning in key U-S Senate races and there are tremendous odds Republicans will win a majority of seats in the Senate this fall. Ernst won election to a second term in the senate in 2020 and plans to seek a third term in 2026.

(Radio Iowa) – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is urging Iowa Republicans to be wary because he doubts Joe Biden will be the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. DeSantis spoke yesterday (Wednesday) at a luncheon for Iowa delegates at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He said the knives are out for Biden.

“The entire media that’s trying to push Biden out, they’re doing that for a reason,” DeSantis said. “They’re not doing it to help Trump. They’re doing it to beat Trump because they think they need a different candidate to do it.” DeSantis says it would be rare for someone in Biden’s position to set aside — and a Biden versus Trump rematch would turn out well for Republicans. “But I think we need to prepare that something can happen,” DeSantis said, “and something probably will.”

DeSantis was the second place finisher in the Iowa G-O-P’s Caucuses in January. There’s speculation he’ll run again for president in 2028.

(Radio Iowa) – City crews in Davenport and Bettendorf have been working non-stop to clear fallen trees, power lines, and debris after Monday night’s tornado. Scott County Emergency Management Deputy Director Jim Hawkes says the E-F-1 tornado which tore through eight miles of the cities left a tangle in its wake.

“There’s a lot of tree damage, a lot of powerline damage. The cities are dealing a lot with trees that are tangled up in powerlines and they’ve been unable to clean them up,” he says. As of this (Wednesday) morning, power has been restored to most of the area.

Many trees were damaged in the Davenport tornado. (NWS photo)

The total damage to homes and businesses is still being tallied, but the governor did issue a disaster proclamation for Scott and four other counties for the storms. At least two families were forced to find shelter through the Red Cross due to the damage.

(Tiffin, Iowa) – A 20-year-old woman was injured during a single-vehicle accident this (Wednesday) morning in eastern Iowa’s Johnson County. The Iowa State Patrol reports Tessa Mae Galloway, of Iowa City, was clocked traveling on a motorcycle at a high rate of speed near Tiffin on southbound Interstate 380 near mile-marker 2, at around 8:35-a.m.

A State Trooper attempted a traffic stop on the 2005 Honda CBR motorcycle Galloway was operating, but she failed to comply. During a resulting pursuit, Galloway failed to negotiate a curve on the I-380 southbound to I-80 eastbound flyover. The motorcycle went out of control and crashed.

Galloway was transported by ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. A report on her condition was not released. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Tiffin Fire, the Iowa DOT and another agency.

The crash remains under investigation.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – A man from Athens, Georgia, was arrested Tuesday evening, following a pursuit that took place in two western Iowa Counties. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports a 2020 Toyota Camry driven by 58-year-old Paul William Bolin, was traveling westbound on Highway 141 at a high rate of speed. When he approached and passed a Guthrie County Deputy’s squad car, his speed was clocked at 83 mph.

When Deputy Kirkpatrick sped up to pace the car, the Toyota increased its speed. The Deputy activated his emergency lights and sirens and engaged in a pursuit at around 4:57-p.m., but Bolin refused to yield. His vehicle sped-up to 97 mph and passed several cars at a high rate of speed. The Sheriff’s report says after Bolin ran a stop sign at the intersection of Highways 141 and 71 north, Bolin pulled over, and finally stopped near Falcon Avenue after other law enforcement officers assisted in the bringing the incident to its conclusion at around 5:07-p.m.

Bolin had a .22-caliber pistol in the center console of the Camry. A check of his criminal history indicated Bolin (who identified himself as “God”), had no warrants, and was not a felon. He is, however, disqualified from possessing a firearm. Bolin was arrested on Guthrie County charges that include Speeding in road work zones (11-to 20 mph over the posted limit), and Dominion of firearm/offensive weapon by a felon.

His charges in Carroll County include Failure to Obey a traffic control device, and Eluding (Speed 25 mph+ over the limit). Bond, at the Guthrie County Jail, was set at $5,000.