Dry weather continues to impact Iowa’s corn and soybean crop. The U-S-D-A weekly crop released Monday afternoon shows corn condition declined so three percent of the crop is in very poor condition compared to two percent last week. Nine percent is rated in poor condition, compared to eight percent rated that way last week. Eighty-one percent of the corn crop is rated in fair to good condition — but just nine percent is rated excellent.

The soybean crop also saw a drop with four percent rated in very poor condition — compared to three percent last week. The report shows 11 of the soybeans are no rated in poor condition — an increase of two percent compared to last week. Seventy-eight percent of the bean crop is rated in fair or good condition, with just seven percent rated in excellent shape.

(Radio Iowa)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says no serious injuries were reported following an accident late Monday morning on the east side of Creston, near Wellman Dynamics. Authorities say vehicles driven by 17-year old Jared Ryan Long, of Ankeny, and 42-year old Michell Dewayne Grossoehme, of Clarinda, collided at around 11:20-a.m. at the intersection of Highway 34 and Pole Road.

The accident happened when a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup driven by Long stopped at the stop sign as he was headed north on Pole Road, but then proceeded into the intersection. The pickup struck an eastbound 2006 Ford Expedition, driven by Grossoehme, in the middle of the intersection.

Neither driver was injured, but a passenger in Long’s pickup, 17-year old Sam Carstensen, of Elkhart, and a passenger in the Ford, 10-year old Bryson Grossoehme, of Clarinda, suffered suspected, minor injuries that did not require transport to the hospital. All the vehicles’ occupants were wearing their seat belts.

Damage from the collision amounted to $12,000. Authorities say Long was cited for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign and Yield the Right of Way.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst says “it’s very frustrating” that it took President Donald Trump two days to specifically denounce white supremacy in the wake of a deadly clash in Virginia. The Republican freshman senator spoke to reporters after a town hall meeting of about 100 people in Fort Dodge in northwest Iowa. Trump finally condemned hate groups by name on Monday, after first offering a less specific criticism of groups involved in Saturday’s protests in Charlottesville.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a Nebraska man. The Sioux City Journal reports 29-year-old Daniel Levering pleaded not guilty Monday in the July 23 stabbing death of 36-year-old Vincent Walker, of Winnebago, Nebraska. Levering’s trial was set for Oct. 17. Police say Walker was washing his car when he was confronted by three people. One stabbed him and another hit him repeatedly with a baseball bat. He died later at a hospital.

CLARE, Iowa (AP) — Two people face murder charges following the identification of a body found Saturday in central Iowa. Authorities Monday charged 25-year-old Phillip Anthony Williams, of Lafayette, Indiana, and 26-year-old Mackenzie Lee Knigge, of Clare, Iowa, with first-degree murder in the death of Jessica Gomez. Williams and Knigge were being held in Lafayette. Officials Monday confirmed a body found Saturday in a field near Clare was the 26-year-old Gomez, of Fort Dodge, Iowa.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa is proposing a 7 percent increase in tuition annually for five years. The Iowa City Press Citizen reports university President Bruce Harreld told a Board of Regents Tuition Task Force on Monday that the school was recommending the annual 7 percent increases. If approved, the increases would raise tuition from $7,486 for the upcoming year to $10,537 by the fall 2022 semester. Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa also have proposed tuition increases.

CLARE, Iowa (AP) — Two people have been charged with murder following the identification of a body found Saturday near the small central Iowa community of Clare. Authorities on Monday said they have charged 25-year-old Phillip Anthony Williams, of Lafayette, Indiana, and 26-year-old Mackenzie Lee Knigge, of Clare, with first-degree murder in the death of 26-year old Jessica Gomez, of Ft. Dodge. Williams and Knigge were being held at the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office in Lafayette.

The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday confirmed that a body found Saturday in a field near Clare was Gomez.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports a few recent arrests. At around 7-a.m. Saturday, 25-year old Phillip John Matzen, of Kirkman, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault with Injury ( Aggravated Misdemeanor), after deputies were called to the 100 block of Main Street in Earling, for a disturbance called into the 911 Center. Matzen was brought to the Shelby County Jail where he was held without bond until making an appearance before a magistrate. He was released later that morning.

At around 3-a.m. Friday, Shelby County Deputies arrested 35-year old Michael Allen Hager, of Persia, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense. The charges were the result of a traffic stop on Highway 44 near Shelby County Road M16. Hager was being held in the Shelby County Jail on a $1,000 cash/surety bond. Also arrested at the same time and place, was 47-year old Darrell Dean Sholley, of Des Moines. He was charged with felony Possession of Controlled Substance 3rd or Subsequent offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Sholley was being held in the Shelby County Jail on a $5,000 cash/surety bond.

(In an update to our earlier reports) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, late Monday afternoon, identified the man injured in a tractor accident Sunday evening. Officials say at around 7:37 p.m., the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an individual who had been run over by a tractor. 70-year old Gary Nick Bruneau, of rural Atlantic, was transported to a city hospital via Lifenet helicopter.

Fire and Rescue Crews from Cumberland and Massena, along with Medivac Ambulance, responded to the scene Sunday night, near 67595 650th, southwest of Cumberland. According to dispatch reports, the tractor’s rear wheels ran over Bruneau’s hips.

No other details on how the accident occurred, are currently available.

University of Iowa president Bruce Harreld is following the lead of his counterpart at Iowa state University and calling for an increase of around seven percent (7.08) in tuition in each of the next five years. The U-I was the last of the three state-supported schools to make their presentation to the Board of Regents Tuition Task Force.

“It is quite clear that our ability to compete is based on our ability to chase and complete our strategic plan,” Harreld says. “In order to implement that strategic plant — resources will be required — and tuition must be part of that equation.” Harreld says salaries at the school have fallen behind their peers due to a cut in state funding and that is going to hurt the quality of the education offered.

“It has resulted in significant talent loss. Over 90 per year over the last two years, 90 faculty members over the last two years have left us. It is a trend we must fix and we will,” Harreld says. He says the tuition paid by in-state students is at the bottom of their peer group and near the bottom for students from out-of-state. The proposed increases would add three-thousand-50 dollars onto the base tuition for an undergraduate student by the end of the five-year period. Harreld says the U-I cannot continue forward with its plan to improve student success without the proper funding.

“We are not at a point in which a choice will need to be made about what quality of an institution we want to be and how we will support the success of our students,” Harreld says. “Increasing tuition is never easy. It’s not something that anyone ever wants to do — particularly because of the impact and the burden it places on the students and their families.”

Harreld says the proposed increases are based on state funding staying the same and the student population staying around its current level. “We certainly understand the challenges related to increasing tuition. That’s why we are committed to maintaining our focus on first-generation students and increasing our need and merit-based student aid,” Harreld says. “A careful balance between an increase in tuition and appropriate scholarship will help mitigate the impact on those who might be struggling with the cost.”

Iowa State University interim president Ben Allen proposed a similar seven-percent increase in tuition last week. While the University of Northern Iowa president says, tuition would have to increase six-point-seven percent, followed by increases of five-point-two percent, three-point-seven percent and three-point-one percent if state support stayed the same.

(Radio Iowa)

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley will hold six town meetings in Iowa August 23, August 24, August 29, August 30 and August 31 as part of his annual 99 county meetings. The six open town meetings are in addition to question-and-answer sessions at local businesses, high schools and service clubs in two dozen counties.

Grassley will be in Ringgold County on August 23, Taylor County on August 24, O’Brien County on August 29, Osceola County on August 30 and Monona and Shelby counties on August 31.

Grassley is in his 37th year of holding meetings in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. Grassley has held at least one meeting in every county, every year since he was first elected to serve in the U.S. Senate. He takes and answers questions on any subject raised.

Details for the upcoming meetings follow:

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Ringgold County Town Meeting: 3:45 to 4:45 p.m., Ringgold County Courthouse (109 West Madison), Mount Ayr.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Taylor County Town Meeting: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., City Hall (625 Court Avenue), Bedford.

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Monona County Town Meeting: 10 to 11 a.m., Mapleton Community Center (511 Main Street), Mapleton.

Shelby County Town Meeting: 2:45 to 3:45 p.m., Harlan Community Library (718 Court Street), Harlan.

A traffic stop on Highway 71 near Hamlin at around 3-a.m. Sunday, resulted in the arrest of a Missouri woman on drug charges. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says  19-year old Courtney Cheyenne Loges, of Oak Grove, Missouri, faces charges that include Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Speeding. Loges was transported to the Audubon County Jail, posted bond and was released. She is scheduled to appear in court on August 31st.

And, an Audubon man faces a trio of charges following a traffic stop at around 3-a.m. Sunday, in Brayton. 38-year old Jason Malloy was charged with Driving While Revoked, having an Expired Registration and Open Container. Malloy also had an outstanding Audubon County warrant for Revocation of Probation. He was transported to the Audubon County Jail, posted bond and was released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A vigil “against hate” has been scheduled in Des Moines in response to a white supremacist rally in Virginia last weekend that resulted in deadly violence. The “Shine the Light Against Hate” vigil will be held Monday night at Cowles Commons in downtown Des Moines. At least 100 people plan to attend. Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, a self-described progressive group, is promoting the vigil, which will include speakers and music.

Similar events have been held around the country since Saturday, after a group of white nationalists protested in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the city’s decision to remove a Confederate monument. A man is suspected of ramming a car into a crowd of peaceful counter-protesters, killing a 32-year-old woman. A state police helicopter crashed into the woods, killing two troopers onboard.