A text message distracted a driver Monday afternoon in Atlantic, resulting in a collision. Atlantic Police say Dylan Russell, of Atlantic, was cited for Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance, Driving While Suspended, and Following too Close following the collision on 7th Street just east of Pine. He was also given a warning for Use of an electronic communication device.

Russell was driving behind a vehicle driven by Tiffany Winford, of Atlantic when the accident happened on at around 3:25-p.m. Authorities say Russell told Officers he looked down at a text message and when he looked back to the road, saw Winford had slowed down, but was unable to stop in-time. No injuries were reported. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,100.

The Atlantic Police Department reports 21-year old Angel Knowles, of Atlantic, was arrested Monday on Cass County warrants for Delivery of a Controlled Substance/marijuana and methamphetamine. Knowles was also charged with Probation Violation. She was booked into the Cass County Jail.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report several warrants were served on inmates at the Pott. County Jail over the past week. 34-year old Daron Dean Blackman, of Elliott, was served with a warrant May 4th for OWI/1st offense.  29-year old Kirk Kincaid Kinser, of Oakland, was arrested May 2nd,  on a warrant for Driving While Barred.

31-year old Robert Earl Otis, of Council Bluffs, was arrested May 3rd on a warrant for Probation Violation. 23-year old Amber Marie Condie, of Council Bluffs, was served with a Pott. County Bench warrant May 4th for Violation of Probation. 23-year old Kyle Robert Smith, of Council Bluffs was arrested May 4th on a warrant for Probation Violation, also.

And, 23-year old Madison Cayte Peterson, of Papillion, NE., faces a charge of  OWI/1st offense pending the results of a drug test. Authorities say Peterson was involved in an accident that happened at around 5:30-p.m., May 4th, when her1997 Honda Civic went into the ditch near 19390 Grand Avenue. Peterson was found lying next to the vehicle. She was transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center by Crescent Rescue for treatment of unknown/possible injuries.

WASHINGTON (AP) – A Senate panel has approved Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad as U.S. ambassador to China. Tuesday’s decision all but assures full Senate confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pick for the key diplomatic post.

Members of the Foreign Relations Committee approved Branstad’s nomination by voice vote. Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the committee’s top Democrat, says Branstad is “fully qualified” for the job at a time when the Trump administration is pushing the Chinese to act more aggressively to defuse North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Branstad has pledged to confront Beijing on a range of thorny subjects, including human rights and trade. The 70-year-old Branstad has headed Iowa government for more than 22 years and is the country’s longest serving governor.

Audubon County Sheriff Todd Johnson reports a Crawford County man was arrested early this (Tuesday) morning on two outstanding, Audubon County warrants. 37-year old Spencer Reigh Lile, of Manilla, was taken into custody at around Midnight. Lile faces two-counts of Revocation of Probation, for allegedly violating the terms of his probation following a Nov. 2016 sentencing for two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense.

Lile was arrested at a residence in the 200 block of Church Street, in Audubon, and transported to the Audubon County Jail, where he was being held on $4,000 bond. Audubon Police assisted in conducting the arrest.

Lile is set to appear in District Court Monday afternoon, May 22nd.

“Russian Interference in the 2016 United States Election” was the title of the subcommittee hearing Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley chaired on Monday afternoon. While he says he’s no closer to drawing a conclusion on the topic, Grassley says testimony from former national intelligence director James Clapper was significant.

“There’s no doubt Russia tried to influence our elections, Clapper made that very clear,” Grassley says. “The point is, there’s no evidence that they did anything that changed the direction of the election as far as getting into computers and getting votes counter one way or the other.”

Grassley, a Republican, says another national security issue that concerns him — which is related to the alleged Russian actions — has yet to be addressed. “Who leaked it to the press, particularly The Washington Post?” Grassley says, “because when you leak classified information, it’s a felony and there needs to be prosecution.”

Clapper confirmed that British intelligence first contacted the U-S government to say there were suspicious interactions between then-candidate Donald Trump’s associates and Russian spies. The Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism also heard testimony from Sally Yates, the former acting attorney general. “Everybody’s worried about Russia interfering in our election,” Grassley says. “That is bad, but it also needs to have equal attention given to who did the leaking.”

Yates refused to answer several questions from Grassley and others on the panel, because the investigation is still underway. Grassley is calling for more “follow-up” that would produce more definitive answers.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – U.S. Rep. Rod Blum angrily walked out of a televised interview in front of a group of schoolchildren in Dubuque, Iowa, when pressed about screening attendees to his public meetings.  The second-term Republican got up two minutes into the KCRG Monday interview , saying, “I’m done … this is ridiculous,” after being asked whether he accepts donations from outside his district.

He said before leaving the room, “I mean, he’s going to sit here and just, and just badger me. Unbelievable.” The question about donations followed reporter Josh Scheinblum asking Blum why he requires audience members at his town hall meetings for identification.

Blum said audience members are vetted to ensure they are from his district. Blum was met by an angry crowd at his town hall meeting later Monday.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a man from Cromwell reported Monday afternoon, that someone had broken out two windows in his RV, while it was parked in his yard in the 1300 block of Broadway Avenue. The incident happened sometime overnight Sunday into Monday. The damage was estimated at $500.

The City Council in Audubon held a regular meeting Monday evening. City Clerk Joe Foran, said they passed four Resolutions during their meeting. The first two dealt with designating the low bidder for Miscellaneous improvements in group B and C, along with the contract. They also passed a Resolution approving a contract for CIP lining along with Miscellaneous group A. Group A consists of constructing a couple of buildings near the Sewer plant, and the CIP lining stands for “Cured In Place,” which means putting a rubber membrane in the existing sewer lines.

Last month the CIP and Group A bids were awarded to Principal Pipe and Tool Company ($184, 541) and Grundman Hicks Construction ($1.4-million). Those bids were approved Monday night. The low bid of $2.1-million for group B & C was received from McCarthy Trenching, of Avoca. Group B is with regard to the setting of new sewer lines, while Group C is for the replacement of a water line. Getting the Resolutions passed, he says, means the City is well on its way to getting the contractors in town and getting work started on the improvements.

The Audubon City Council also discussed, but took no action on an Ordinance with regard to chickens being raised within the City Limits. He says they have received an initial draft from City Attorney Mark Bosworth. The Council, he says, will likely discuss the matter during a Special Work session in a couple of weeks.

Foran says they’ll especially be focused on whether or not to allow roosters, and what to do with the waste chickens produce. He says some chickens currently in town were acquired through variances, so the Council will want to act on clarifying what is and isn’t allowed under a revised ordinance.

Joe Foran says also, the Audubon City Council passed a Resolution setting their next meeting for a Public Hearing on the sale of a vacant lot the City owns at 310 Broadway. The building next to the lot has been purchased, and the same person who purchased that structure wishes to purchase the adjacent lot.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department, say in partnership with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office and District 3 of the Iowa State Patrol, the Department is honored to host the National Law Enforcement Memorial Service on Thursday May 18, 2017 at 6:30 pm.

Lt. Dan Flores says “This year, the service will begin with the memorial flag ceremony on the east side of the Pottawattamie County Courthouse near the flagpole. We will honor the fallen Deputies of the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Troopers of the Iowa State Patrol, and the Officers of the Council Bluff Police Department.”

Flores added, “Immediately following the flag ceremony, the Law Enforcement Memorial Service will move to St. John Lutheran Church, 633 Willow Avenue. The Memorial Service will be held in the sanctuary, where we will also recognize those officers of the Council Bluffs Police Department who have passed in the last year. Immediately after the service refreshments will be served in the Fellowship Hall.”

According to Flores, “This is an important opportunity to honor those who have dedicated their lives to serving the citizens of Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County. It is also a wonderful opportunity to highlight their passion and dedication with our families, friends and all of the citizens who support law enforcement and all that they do.”

He says “We welcome everyone interested in sharing in this time of honor and to show their support by attending this service.”