More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Corrects restaurant name to “A&G“, not “A&W” as previously posted)

Officials with the Creston Police Department say personnel with the A & G Restaurant reported Sunday morning, that sometime between 10:30-p.m Saturday and 10-a.m. Sunday, a window on a glass door was broken out. The damage was estimated at $400.

Creston Police said also,  Trey Mills, of Kent, was arrested Saturday afternoon on a
charge of Trespass. Mills was subsequently released from the Union County Jail on a Promise to Appear later, in court. Early Saturday morning, 27-year old Lindsey Veitz, of Creston, was arrested on the 900 block of N Cherry on the charge of OWI 2nd. She was later released from the Union County Jail on a $2000 bond.

And on Friday, 28-year old Kyle Hoadley, of Creston,  was arrested at his residence on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault. Hoadley was also later released from the Union County Jail on a Promise to Appear in court.

The area’s top news at 7:05-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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BLAIR, Neb. (AP) – Authorities say an Iowa pilot has died after his aircraft crashed near Blair Airport in eastern Nebraska. The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Blair police say the aircraft went down as it was taking off.

Authorities say the 59-year-old pilot lived in Glenwood, Iowa. His name hasn’t been released. He was alone on the aircraft. Federal investigators have been called in.

U-S Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s visit to Iowa last week spurred questions about the possibility of Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey joining the U-S-D-A. No announcement happened during Perdue’s visit to Nevada, but he did point out that a Le Mars, Iowa woman serves as his executive assistant. Rachel Pick started working in Washington, D-C as part of Senator Chuck Grassley’s staff before becoming an employee of the U-S Senate in the Sergeant-At-Arms office. She says meeting Perdue was happenstance.

She says Perdue needed help getting to the Senate office building for one of the hearings, and Pick says a friend asked her if she would meet Perdue and his family and help them get to the hearing.

Pick is a 2003 graduate of Le Mars Gehlen High School and grew up on a farm with her parents Wayne and Kelley Pick. She says her friend told Perdue of her farm background and that led him to ask her about a position in his office. “Had a phone interview and then a couple of personal interviews over the weekend, and then on Monday they extended an offer to me,” Pick explains. “So, it was a fast and furious interview process to get over here — but I’m glad it happened.”

Pick works with Perdue’s scheduler to be sure he gets to meetings and other appointments on time. Former Morningside College professor, and rural Hinton resident Sam Clovis joined the U-S-D-A shortly after Donald Trump took office. Pick says she sees him quite often. “His office is currently just down the hall from me, so they commonly refer to us as the ‘Midwest Maffia,” Pick says. “I think we were both kind of surprised to realize that we grew up just about 25 miles away from each other. So, when we talk about home it brings up lots of good memories, and its nice to have someone in the office that knows almost to the county intersection of where you are talking about.”

Pick says Secretary Perdue often talks to her about her opinions on ag issue. She says she keeps an aerial picture of her family farm on her desk and whenever Perdue meets with cabinet members or others, he points out. “And I think that’s really cool that he does appreciate the fact that I did grow up on farm and that my dad still farms,” Pick says.

Pick says she thought she would end up being a teacher in elementary education and special education when she was in high school, and had no idea that she would end up in Washington D-C.

(Radio Iowa)

Senator Joni Ernst is applauding the Trump Administration’s decision to arm Kurdish fighters in Syria. “This is an immense milestone,” Ernst says. Ernst, a veteran of the Iraq war, has long argued the U.S. should arm Kurdish fighters known as the Peshmerga in Iraq. Last week’s decision, however, arms Kurdish units in SYRIA known as the Y-P-G.

“They are heavily involved in the fighting against ISIS. And why would we not engage them? They have worked quite well with American forces and it’s the right thing to do,” Ernst says. “And I’m glad to see the president stands behind that.”

The decision is linked to the effort to retake the city of Raqqa. ISIS has considered Raqqa as its capital for the past four years. Syrian Defense Forces, led by Kurds, are poised to liberate the city, but it has created tensions with Turkey. Turkey labels the KURDS as terrorists. Ernst says she doesn’t think Raqqa could be liberated without these Kurdish forces fighting inside Syria. “If we engage the forces in the Middle East, that means there’s less American boots on the ground there and that’s exactly what we want,” Ernst says. “Those that have a particular stake in an issue need to put the skin in the game.”

Reports from Kurdish media indicated the Kurdish-led forces captured a cotton mill and ISIS prison a few miles north of Raqqa and were advancing on the outskirts of the city this weekend. The military campaign to retake the city ISIS has held since 2013, though, is expected to last for weeks.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:25 a.m. CDT

TITONKA, Iowa (AP) — The remains of an Iowa sailor killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor have been reburied in Kossuth County. Authorities say William Kennedy, of Titonka, was one of 429 sailors and Marines who were killed aboard a U.S. battleship, the USS Oklahoma. Service members honored Kennedy at the funeral Friday at a Titonka cemetery.

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Authorities have released the names of an Iowa couple killed when a plane heading to Alabama crashed in southern Kentucky. Christian County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Chris Miller says the 69-year-old pilot, Dominic Giametta, and his 55-year-old wife, Dr. Dianne Giametta, were killed in Friday’s crash near Hopkinsville. Media outlets report the couple was from Bettendorf, Iowa. The plane was flying to Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released few details about the death of a 16-year-old Iowa girl they are investigating. KCCI reports police in Perry, Iowa, say the girl was unresponsive when she was found Friday. Paramedics were sent to the home where the girl was at around 6:30 p.m. Friday. Police have not released the identity of the girl or the cause of her death.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad prepares to step down from office to become a U.S. diplomat, he’s highlighted what he sees as his administration’s successes in recent years. That includes a low unemployment rate, multi-billion dollar investments in the private sector and a slate of workforce initiatives. The results are more mixed when considering four goals he promised when returning to office in 2011. Data shows many remain unfinished as he heads out.

TITONKA, Iowa (AP) — The remains of an Iowa sailor killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor are now buried next to his mother’s remains in Kossuth County. The Globe Gazette reports William Kennedy, of Titonka, was buried on Friday. He was one of 429 sailors and Marines killed aboard the USS Oklahoma battleship.

Kennedy’s remains were recently identified as part of a Defense Department effort that started in 2015. He had been buried in an area for the unidentified at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

Kennedy’s niece Sharon Miller says Kennedy’s mother never gave up hope that her son’s remains would one day return home. Kennedy’s funeral was attended by family members, several busloads of students and representatives of the Navy and the Iowa Patriot Guard Riders.

At least three area school district Boards of Education will hold their regular monthly meeting, Monday evening. Here’s a brief rundown of the agenda items for the CAM, Exira-EHK and Audubon School Districts:

The CAM School Board will hold an exempt session from 6:15-to 6:30-p.m. at the High School Media Center for negotiations, followed by their regular meeting at 6:30, during which they will discuss and/or act on several matters, including: An update on the Elementary School Building addition; the four-year old preschool for the 2017-18 school year; Approval of a contract agreement with the CAM Education Association (CAMEA); Approval of salaries for classified staff, Schedule B contracts, and Movement on the pay scale. They’re also expected to consider bus bids, adopting a board policy for Meal charges, and approve the list of graduating seniors.

The Exira-EHK School Board meets 7-p.m. Monday in the Conference Room at the Elk Horn Building. Some items on their agenda include: Discussion and or action on: Approving: 2017-18 fees; Approving 2017 graduating class members; A bid to update lights in the Elk Horn Building; Approval of Personnel hires, transfers and/or Resignations; Action on Contract recommendations; Approve an architectural firm to move the next steps on a Facility Assessment; and Approving a Sharing Agreement.

And, the Audubon School Board will meet 7-p.m. Monday in their Board room at the High School. During their session, the Board will: Act on the 1st reading of a policy pertaining to Meal Charges; Discuss and/or act on approving a Budget Amendment for FY2017; Act on approving a Sanitation bid, and other matters.

The Audubon School Board will also take a brief break from their regular agenda to hold a closed session with regard to Strategy pertaining to negotiations with employees not covered by Collective Bargaining. That will be followed by a return to Open Session, and possible action on salary increases for employees who are not covered by Collective Bargaining.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad prepares to step down from office, he’s highlighted his administration’s successes in recent years. That includes a low unemployment rate, multi-billion dollar private-sector investments and a slate of workforce initiatives. The results are more mixed when considering four goals he promised when returning to office in 2011. Data shows many remain unfinished as he heads out.

The objectives by 2016 were 200,000 new jobs, a 15 percent reduction in the cost of government, 25 percent increase in family incomes and having the nation’s best schools. Ben Hammes, a spokesman for Branstad, says the governor would argue “substantial” progress has been made in all areas.

Branstad is expected to resign soon to become ambassador to China. A Senate vote could happen as early as this week.