FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha man has been imprisoned for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl who’d run away from her Iowa home. Dodge County District Court records say 38-year-old Joe Lockett was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years and a day. Lockett had pleaded guilty in January after taking a plea deal.

The Fremont Tribune reports that Lockett was arrested in October 2018 after a traffic stop in Fremont. Lockett told officers that the girl with him was a friend of his daughter. But a court document says the girl actually was a runaway from Iowa.

The document says she told officers that Lockett was attempting to prostitute her out.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man who punched a casino slot machine in Sioux City has been told to pay a $625 fine and to cover the damage he caused. The Sioux City Journal reports that 52-year-old Tommy Goldberg pleaded guilty Wednesday to criminal mischief. A judge sentenced Goldberg to six days in jail but credited him with six days already served. The judge also ordered him to pay $1,050 to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Authorities say a security supervisor reviewing surveillance video saw Goldberg playing the machine on Jan. 7 and pressing a button on the touchscreen several times. The video showed Goldberg becoming frustrated and punching the screen.

(Radio Iowa) — There’s a growing chorus of people urging Congress to pass a disaster aid package to help flooded Midwestern farmers, as well as those impacted by hurricanes and the California wildfires. Iowa Corn Growers Association president Curt Mether, of Logan, says growers here and across much of the Northern Plains need federal assistance after widespread, prolonged flooding. “They’re really hurting. A lot of them aren’t even going to get their crops in,” Mether says. “It’s one thing not to be able to do it and it’s a whole other issue mentally. You can’t do what you want to do! They’re going to need all the help that they can get.”

Mether is calling on Congress to get past the Puerto Rico issue and anything else that keeps them from sending aid to those who desperately need it. “It’s pretty sad, to me, when they turn things like that into a political battle, which that’s what’s happening with Puerto Rico,” Mether says. “I don’t know. Surely, they can come together on some kind of agreement.”

An aid bill that failed in the Senate would have capped support for Puerto Rico’s food stamp program, as it’s run out of money, following two hurricanes in 2017. Back in Iowa, some farmers had many tons of grain that was in storage bins ruined by floodwaters. That grain isn’t covered by crop insurance, which only covers grain that’s still in the field, creating a predicament. “The stored grains, that’s almost a whole other issue,” he says. “There’s no way to help them with that, really, unless there’s a special declaration. It’s not insured. There’s nothing for them. That would be a top priority.”

Livestock producers have some disaster aid advantage over grain growers, he says, as they have the Livestock Indemnity program for help.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports that Wednesday evening, Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office arrested two people for the Delivery of Methamphetamine. Taken into custody after a report of drug activity in Farragut, was 33-year old Amanda Lynn Ingram, and 37-year old Alfred Vernon Mutchler, both of Farragut.

Amanda Ingram (Photos courtesy Fremont Co. S/O)

Alfred Mutchler

They were arrested in the 400 block of Washington Street, in Farragut. Mutchler and Ingram were transported to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center held on a $50,000 bond. Both will face additional, pending charges, at the conclusion of the investigation.

Mutchler is currently out on release from previous Delivery of methamphetamine charges.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CDT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A day after floodwaters broke through a temporary barrier in downtown Davenport, Iowa, cities downstream along the Mississippi river that have remained largely dry are preparing for a flood threat that could stretch into the summer. The river is expected to reach rare heights in Missouri, including at the cities of St. Louis, Louisiana and Clarksville, and officials are scrambling to get ahead of the worst of it.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill that creates a system for children needing help with mental health issues. Speaking at a ceremony Wednesday, Reynolds said the new law requires core services for children, regional crisis stabilization, mobile response teams, 24-hour hotline access to services, and $1.2 million for home and community-based children’s mental health services. The goal is to eliminate the waiting list that currently exists.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley says Congress won’t consider a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada until President Donald Trump lifts tariffs that have prompted other countries to take actions that have hurt U.S. farmers. Speaking Wednesday on a call with reporters, Grassley said Trump must end steel and aluminum tariffs before Congress will ratify a United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Grassley says tariffs also could hinder efforts at a trade deal with China..

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa jury has acquitted a black political campaign worker who was arrested after refusing to identify himself to police in a Des Moines suburb. Keilon Hill was canvassing in West Des Moines last October when two officers tried to stop and talk to him after a resident called 911 to report a suspicious person. Hill says he believes his skin color played a role. He was found not guilty Tuesday of misdemeanor harassment of a public official or employee.

Atlantic City Administrator John Lund, Wednesday evening, told the City Council he recently received a renewal notice for the City Employee’ Health Insurance. He said the rate of 8.74% was quoted. Lund said City Administration has been working their broker at Cottingham & Butler and received alternative quotes, including one from Iowa Community Trust, which would lower that rate 4%.  Lund said also, if they join the trust, they would become the 13^th employer to join the City/County pool in the non-binding agreement. He said the City’s renewal date is July 1^st. In the interim, they’ll explore the matter further and issue a report at a later date.

In other business, the Council voted 6-to 1, with Councilperson Kathy Somers the lone nay vote, to sell City-owned property at 602 Spruce Street to Thomas Gaines, for the assessed value of $5,350. They also set May 15^th as the date for a Public Hearing on amending the FY 2019 Budget. John Lund said they will be calculating that over the next couple of weeks, and that there are some “significant changes.”

In the Council Committee reports, Councilperson Somers said the Personnel and Finance Committee met Tuesday. One of the topics they discussed was options for the Atlantic Senior Center. She said there was a split decision on making a recommendation to the Council. Two members were in favor of selling the building, putting it up for bids and taking the highest offer, with a minimum bid of $40,000. One of the members was opposed to the idea. The matter is now up to the Council to decide at their next regular meeting on May 15th.

DES MOINES, Iowa —The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is warning of a scam targeting citizens by misrepresenting the staff of the Department.

The DCI has received reports from citizens that scammers are posing as employees of the “Iowa State Police”.  The callers are claiming there is a warrant issued out of state for the citizen.  They have further advised to clear the warrant they need to send money, via an online account such as Google Play account.

Citizens are reporting that they are receiving multiple calls from the same 712 area code phone number.  If the citizen does not answer or hangs up on the initial call, a secondary call is being reported as coming from “911” whereas the callers are verbally aggressive, claiming they are with the “Police” and that they have a warrant for the citizen’s arrest.

If you receive a phone call similar to the one mentioned above, you are asked to contact your local law enforcement and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office Hotline at (515) 281-5926 or (888) 777-4590.

Listed below are some helpful tips to prevent being targeted by fraudulent calls:

• If you get a call from someone who claims they are collecting money on behalf of the DPS—even if a caller ID device shows the DPS—hang up.
• The DPS does not demand immediate payment via prepaid debit cards or online accounts.
• Do not provide or confirm personal information or financial information to anyone who calls.

Atlantic’s newest Police Officer was sworn-in during Wednesday evening’s City Council meeting.

Officer Gelner (Left) is sworn-in by Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones.

Mayor Dave Jones administered the Oath of Office to Officer Dustin Gelner, who began working with the Atlantic Police Department on April 24th. Gelner said he looks forward to being a police officer.

Originally from Vinton, Louisiana, Gelner met his wife Michelle, an Atlantic native, while serving in the Army for five-years. Prior to becoming a Police Officer, Gelner worked as a Supervisor for a construction and welding company out of Walnut. Michelle Gelner is a nurse at CCMH. The family has lived in town for about three-years.

The Gelner family

The couple has a two-and one-half year old son, and recently welcomed a daughter, who is now three months old.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley says Congress won’t consider a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada until President Donald Trump lifts tariffs that have prompted other countries to take actions that have hurt U.S. farmers.

Speaking Wednesday on a call with reporters, Grassley said Trump must end steel and aluminum tariffs before Congress will ratify a United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Farmers in Iowa and across the country have been hurt by reciprocal tariffs placed on agricultural products, including pork and soybeans. Grassley says tariffs also could hinder efforts at a trade deal with China.

Grassley, who expects to meet Thursday with Trump to discuss trade, says tariffs are “keeping the president from being on the cusp of a big win” with Canada and Mexico and just weeks away from a victory in trade negotiations with China.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill that creates a system for children needing help with mental health issues. Speaking at a ceremony Wednesday, Reynolds said the new law requires core services for children, regional crisis stabilization, mobile response teams, 24-hour hotline access to services, and $1.2 million for home and community-based children’s mental health services. The goal is to eliminate the waiting list that currently exists.

The bill was one of Reynolds’ top priorities and while it passed with bipartisan votes, lawmakers did not provide the full funding she requested. Reynolds says her commitment is to develop long-term funding for mental health services to propose next year.

Standing in front of supporters and a family who lost a child to suicide, Reynolds said the new system is life-changing and replaces a stigma associated with mental illness with hope.