Two of the five Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate say given the problems in the Veterans Administration, it’s now time for a health care voucher system for U.S. military veterans. Candidate Sam Clovis, a retired Air Force pilot, supports giving vets a voucher or a swipe card, so they can get care anywhere, not just at a V-A hospital or clinic. “This tragedy with the VA is very personal to me,” Clovis says. “My brother, a veteran, waited a year to get disability dispensation from the VA and I really think it’s what led to him imminent demise. I lost him a long time ago and I think it was because of the ineptness of the Veterans Administration hospital system and what we had to deal with to get him his care.”

Candidate Matt Whitaker, a former federal prosecutor, supports vouchers for vets to buy private insurance. “A voucher system where you are offered an amount of money that you can then go nn the free market and either buy more than the voucher or buy less and the savings could then stay in your pocket and address your personal health insurance needs and health care needs,” Whitaker said.
The other three candidates for the Iowa Republican Party’s U.S. Senate nomination say they’re open to the idea, but need to see the financial impact on the federal budget before they’ll endorse health care vouchers for vets.

Candidate Joni Ernst, a commander in the Iowa National Guard, says a “cost-benefit” analysis of the idea is the first step. “However, the VA as it’s standing now with the waiting lists whether it’s for mental health care, whether it’s for physicals of line of duty implications following a deployment — there’s a number of things that need to be looked at,” Ernst says.

Candidate Mark Jacobs, a retired business executive, says the V-A system “must be fixed” because many veterans have to drive long distances to get to a V-A center. “What we need to do is we need to open up to other private-market, out-of-network options so that our veterans can get the health care, the medical care that they deserve, that we have committed to provide them and I do think we have to look at this on a cost-benefit basis,” Jacobs says.

Candidate Scott Schaben, who is a Navy veteran, says it’s “an insult” that former soldiers have to wait a month or more for care, but he says a voucher system needs more analysis. “Before we would do any sort of transition, there’d have to be a cost-benefit analysis done to it,” Schaben says. “Part of the reason why the VA is there now and we’re not putting our veterans into it is because, in theory, it should be less expensive to the government.” The candidates made their comments Thursday afternoon during a forum focused on health care issues.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man has been arrested in connection to the April shooting death of his 4-year-old daughter. Police say 24-year-old Adam Mead turned himself in Thursday. The Des Moines Register reports Mead faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, neglect of a dependent person and two counts of making firearms available to minors.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is sending the White House a $12 billion-plus bill authorizing new flood control projects in Iowa, North Dakota and other states. The Senate passed the bill on a 91-7 vote yesterday after the House approved it Tuesday.

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) — Environmental groups have sued the Army Corps of Engineers over the agency’s use of man-made structures meant to keep the Mississippi River navigable. The federal lawsuit was filed Thursday in East St. Louis, Illinois. Plaintiffs including the National Wildlife Federation claim the techniques provoke flooding as seen during historic inundations four times in the past two decades.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A trombone serenade and the antics of a self-proclaimed “Certified Lunatic and Master of the Impossible” were the featured entertainment at an Iowa City construction site celebration this week. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports University of Iowa officials on Wednesday celebrated construction workers’ progress on the new Hancher Auditorium with a picnic lunch, complete with performances from artists Wycliffe Gordon and Tomas Kubinek.

The 2014 PRIMARY ELECTION will be Tuesday, June 3, 2014. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Those unable to go to the polls on the day of election, may vote early by mail or by going to and voting at the county auditor’s office. In addition to regular office hours, the office of Cass County Auditor will be open Saturday, May 31, 2014 from 8 a.m. thru 4 p.m. Last day to request an absentee ballot to be voted by mail is May 30. On May 30 the auditor’s office is open until 5 p.m.

The PRIMARY ELECTION is the electoral process used to choose who will run as EACH party’s (Republican or Democratic) candidate for a given office to be voted upon in the GENERAL ELECTION in November. A voter must choose and may vote only one party’s ballot (Republican or Democratic). In order to vote in Iowa a person must be registered in the person’s current county of residence,
under the person’s present name, and at the person’s current address.

ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION
A person may register to vote at the auditor’s office and vote an absentee ballot on the same visit. A similar process is available at the precinct voting center on election day. The voter must show ID (The ID must include a photo and an expiration date. Acceptable forms of ID are: Iowa driver’s license; Iowa non-operator’s ID; United States passport; United States military ID; ID card from an employer; Iowa student ID; Out-of-state driver’s license; or out-of-state non-operator’s ID. If the photo ID presented does not contain the voter’s current address in the precinct, one of the following documents that includes the voter’s name and current address in the precinct must be presented: residential lease; utility bill; paycheck; property tax statement; bank statement; government issued check; or other government issued document.

Voters with no ID may establish identity and residence in the precinct by written oath of a person who is registered to vote in the precinct. The process to register on election day (same day registration) is: 1- provide proof of IDENTITY (photo ID); 2- provide proof of RESIDENCY (current address in the precinct); and 3- SIGN AN OATH attesting that the info given is true.)

NOTES ON VOTING PROCEDURE and POLLS:
In Cass County voters will mark and cast paper ballots. The voter will feed the marked ballot through an optical scan unit which will immediately tabulate the information. In addition each precinct will have available an electronic unit of equipment which has the capability of marking the ballot for a disabled person. The ballot marked by the equipment’s ‘printer’ will be fed through the same optical scan unit as those ballots directly marked by a voter.

FOR THE 2014 PRIMARY ELECTION THERE WILL BE 13 VOTING CENTERS:
1 Atlantic 1st Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . Zion Lutheran Church (811 Oak St)
2 Atlantic 2nd Ward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . Atlantic Public Library (507 Poplar)
3 Atlantic 3rd Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th)
4 Atlantic 4th Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . United Church of Christ (1607 Hazel)
5 Atlantic 5th Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heritage House (1200 Brookridge Circle)
6 Bear Grove,Cass Twp/Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . Lewis Public Library (412 West Main St, Lewis)
7 Benton, Franklin Twp/Wiota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Wiota City Hall (311 Center St)
8 Brighton,Grove,Pymosa,Washington Twp/Marne . . . . Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th)
9 Edna, Victoria Twp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Massena Public Library (122 Main St, Massena)
10 Grant, Lincoln Twp /Anita. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .. . . . Anita Community Center (805 Main St)
11 Noble, Pleasant Twp/Griswold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Griswold Community Bldg. (601 2nd St)
12 Massena Twp/City of Massena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Massena Public Library (122 Main St, Massena)
13 Union Twp/City of Cumberland . . . . . . . . . . …………….Cumberland Community Bldg. (200 W 2nd)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the number of workers hired directly by farms in Iowa and Missouri during the reference week of April 6-12, was down 25 percent from a year ago. The USDA collects Farm Labor Survey data for January, April, July and October for 15 geographic regions. Iowa and Missouri make up the Cornbelt Two Region. In April this year 21,000 workers were hired in the two-state area compared with 28,000 a year ago.

The report says farm operators in the two-state area paid workers an average wage of $15.25 this year up $1.18 from a year ago. Nationally farm operators paid hired workers an average of $12 per hour during this year’s reference week, up 1 percent from the previous year.

A truck driver hauling an oversized load struck a disabled car legally parked on the shoulder of Interstate 80 in Pottawattamie County, Wednesday morning, totaling the disabled car and sending it into the ditch. The Iowa State Patrol reports the accident happened at around 8-a.m. on I-80 eastbound, about two-miles east of the Shelby exit.

Officials say driver of the semi, driven by 54-year old Clement J. Smith III,  of Marrero, Louisiana, was unable to move into the left lane because another vehicle was approaching in that lane. A corner of the large punch press the semi was hauling sideswiped the parked and unoccupied 2000 Toyota, sending spinning it around and sending it into the south ditch. The semi pulled off onto the shoulder of the road.

The punch press sustained $1,000 damage. No injuries were reported.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Tuesday of a man and woman from Atlantic on drug and numerous other charges. Officials say deputies arrested 56-year old Keith Allen Jespersen, and 53-year old Vickie Sue Jespersen, on charges that include: Possession with Intent to Deliver (Hashish); Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp; Child Endangerment, and, Sponsoring a Gathering Where Illegal Drugs are Used.

Keith Jespersen was also charged with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and two additional charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver and Sponsoring a Gathering. Both were taken to the Cass County Jail where they were released Wednesday on $5000 bond each.

Also arrested Tuesday, on unrelated charges, was 36-year old Rose Ann Peters, of Atlantic. She was taken into custody on a charge of OWI/1st Offense. Peters was booked into the Cass County Jail and later released on $1,000 bond.

And, taken into custody on Monday, was 28-year old Joshua Lawrence Batenhorst, of Atlantic. He was taken into custody on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Batenhorst was brought to the Cass County Jail and held on $5,000 bond.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the “DNR Derelict Building Grant Program” will award grants to 20 small, rural Iowa communities to help deconstruct or renovate abandoned structures and limit construction and demolition materials going to the landfill.
Among the Cities receiving a total of $630,900 as reimbursement grants for their projects, is:

• The City of Bridgewater — $16,200 to deconstruct the old school building and develop a new green/park space.

• The City of Imogene— $21,000 to inspect for and abate asbestos, complete a phase I and phase II site assessment, structural analysis and renovate the abandoned commercial bank building. Renovated building will be sold for commercial development.

• The City of Mapleton — $21,000 to renovate an abandoned commercial building. The site will then be marketed for commercial purposes.

• The City of Shelby — $49,075 to renovate an abandoned commercial building. The city plans on using the renovated structure to house the city council chambers and as a public meeting space.

The DNR Derelict Building Grant Program was instituted by statute to help rural communities with populations of 5,000 or less. DBGP funding is awarded annually on a competitive basis with cash matches required. Applications for the next funding round will be due in spring 2015.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved the hiring of a new Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent. City Administrator Doug Harris says Tim Snyder, of Malvern, will succeed Mark Farrier, effective June 30th. Harris said Snyder is originally from Atlantic. He attended high school here, and was the Treatment Plant Superintendent in the early ‘90’s before left to work for PeopleServe, Inc.,  where he is currently a Regional Manager.

Farrier, who has been in charge of the new plant since it opened, is leaving to become a Missionary in Guatemala. Mark had a Class 3 Operators License, whereas Snyder has a Class 4 license. Farrier’s last day is June 3rd.

(12-pm News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The family of a man who died at a southwest Iowa mental health institution has filed a claim against the state. Cleojean Olson, sister of Richard Meredith, says she recently filed the claim for $1.8 million through the State Appeal Board. If it is rejected, the family can file a lawsuit.

The Des Moines Register reports Meredith was 81 when he was a patient at Clarinda Mental Health Institute, last August. State records show staff gave him a peanut butter sandwich despite orders that specified he be given pureed food. Meredith was later found slumped over and unresponsive. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

Meredith’s family says state officials failed to disclose the circumstances of his death until the case gained media attention.

Historically low interest rates caused a local scholarship committee to cease awarding any new scholarships over the years, but officials with the Kruse Scholarship Trust Fund announced today (Thursday), that after working with the Audubon County/Omaha Community Foundation, the Kruse Scholarship Committee was once again able to award four $2,000 scholarships.

This year’s recipients of the Kruse Scholarships are:
Allison Blomme
Bailey Nelson
Emma Konkler
Madelyn Christensen

The Kruse Scholarship Trust Fund was first established in April 1995 by Albert & Wynona Kruse for the purpose of making scholarships available to Audubon High School students. The scholarships were to be funded through the interest earned on the starting principal of $200,000.