A 27-year-old Boone native has quit his job at the Pentagon to run for the Iowa congressional seat Republican Steve King now holds. Democrat Jim Mowrer is formally kicking off his campaign this morning (Tuesday). Mowrer served in the Iowa National Guard unit that spent 23 months in Iraq — the longest Iraq deployment for any unit in the military. In 2009 he returned to Iraq as a private contractor. In 2010 Mowrer went to work at the Penaton as a special assistant to the Under Secretary of the Army.

Mowrer says too many politicians in Washington from both parties are “pushing sound bytes to…score political points for partisan gain.” He accuses King of being part of the problem. “Steve King isn’t working for Iowans. He’s not working for the 4th district and I have a record of actually getting things done,” Mowrer says. “I think that a lot of politicians spend time talking about problems, but not actually working on finding a way to find solutions and getting them done.” 

Mowrer’s last day at the Pentagon was June 10th. He has moved back to Boone with his wife — who is a Boone native, too — and their two young children. If elected, Mowrer would be among the youngest members of congress. To be eligible to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, a candidate must be at least 25 years old and a resident of the state they wish to represent.

(Radio Iowa)

Three Council Bluffs residents accused in the kidnapping and abuse of a special needs man living in their home, will be allowed to post bond prior to their trial. The Daily NonPareil reports 4^th District Court Judge Mark Eveloff on Monday decided to allow 55-year old Rebecca S. Beyer, 51-year old James W. Beyer, Jr., the step-mother and father of the alleged 20-year old victim, to post 10 percent of the bond, but Eveloff did not reduce the amount of their $100,000 bonds, as had been requested by attorneys for the accused. If they do post bond, the suspects will be placed on a pre-trial, supervised release. The judge also issued a No Contact order.

Rebecca Beyer was arrested June 19th on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping and willful injury causing serious injury. James Beyer, Jr. and his stepson, 22-year old Ryan M. Smith, were both arrested on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping. Attorneys for the Beyer’s said a family member would be able to post 10-percent of their $100,000 bonds. Smith’s attorney said he would likely receive the same option.

The charges against the trio were filed following an investigation into allegations the 20-year-old made in March, while speaking with workers at a Council Bluffs men’s shelter. The unidentified man told authorities that Rebecca Beyer allegedly heated spoons and forks on the stove and burned him with them. He also said he had been physically assaulted by his father, James Beyer, and that both his parents had threatened to kill him. The abuse had allegedly been going on for years.

Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney Amy Zacharias said none of the facts in the case have changed since the arrests were made on June 19th, except that DNA evidence was found on a leash the 20-year-old said was used to chain him up in the garage. Conversely, an attorney for the accused said testing on three other items – an iron said to have been used to burn the victim, a spoon and an extension cord – did not show any evidence of the victim’s DNA being on those items.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County say a Council Bluffs man was arrested Sunday evening on an assault charge. 76-year old Randers Benedict Strand, Jr., was arrested at around 6:45-p.m. His bond was set at $300. And, 21-year old Joshua Scott Roop, of Lincoln, NE, was arrested Friday morning at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for OWI/1st Offense. His bond was set at $1,000.

An educational event scheduled to take place Thursday, July 18th, will teach parents, community volunteers, teachers and anyone who works with children, how to protect them, and those persons who care or educate children. The “Safe Community” program will be held from 5:30-until 7-p.m. at Iowa Western Community College (705 Walnut St.), in Atlantic.

The program is being provided by the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council. To pre-register, or for more information, call 712-243-8006, extension 3375.

An educational workshop taking place over the course of six-weeks beginning next Monday, July 8^th in Red Oak, is being offered to provide caregivers with tools necessary to take care of yourself, so you are better prepared to take good care of your loved one. Participants in the Powerful Tools for Caregivers program will learn how to: reduce stress, improve self-confidence, better communicate your feelings, balance your life, increase ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources. The six-week course was offered in Atlantic this past winter. Participants who missed their chance to attend at that time may be interested in attending an upcoming training being held in this area. 

Iowa State University Extension & Outreach is sponsoring Powerful Tools for Caregivers in Red Oak this July-August. Classes consist of six, 2-½ hour sessions held once a week. Two trained leaders, Charlotte (Kay) Myers, and Sandra McKinnon, extension family life specialist, conduct each class. Interactive lessons, discussions and brainstorming help you take the “tools” you choose and put them into action for your life. 

Sessions are scheduled every Monday for six weeks beginning on July 8. Classes will be held at the Montgomery County Extension Office in Red Oak from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  There is a $30.00 fee for the program. Participants receive a Caregiver Helpbook (a $30 value). To register, contact the Montgomery County Extension Office at 712-623-2592. More information is available at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/montgomery. 

The Cass County Extension office is also looking for local individuals interested in being trained to deliver this program regularly in the CassCounty and surrounding areas. A trainer stipend and expense reimbursement is available. For more information, please call 712-243-1132 or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was treated for unknown injuries following an accident Friday afternoon on the south side of Corning. The accident involving vehicles driven by 52-year old Brian Hanson and 19-year old Cody Morris, took place at around 2:10-p.m. Friday, at the intersection of Highway 34 and Loomis Avenue.

Officials say Hanson was traveling west on Highway 34 when his 2000 Lexus hit the driver’s side door of Morris’ 2000 Pontiac Sunfire, as Morris was turning to travel east onto Highway 34 from Loomis Avenue. Morris was treated for his injuries, while Hanson was uninjured.

After many months of drought followed by Iowa’s wettest spring on record, the month of June wrapped up as one of the more “normal” months we’ve had in some time. State climatologist Harry Hillaker says the past month saw both temperatures and precipitation that were nearly dead on. Rainfall averaged about 5″ for the month and 5.02″ is normal for June, while temperatures were only about a half-degree cooler than normal. While the precipitation may have balanced out statewide as being near-average, Hillaker says the amount of rainfall some areas of Iowa received during the month was anything but common.

Northeastern parts of Iowa saw a lot of rain and flooding while one community in Allamakee County had almost 14″ of rain during June. That’s a far cry from many parts of southeast Iowa and far western Iowa, some areas of which only got 2″ of rain during the month, less than half the norm. Likewise, while temperatures averaged out to being essentially normal for June, the mercury was up and down all during the month.

June started off very cool with the first 10 days of the month all below-normal while much of the rest of the month was abnormally warm. Temperature extremes during the month ranged from 94-degrees in Sioux City on June 21st down to only 37-degrees on June 3rd in Elkader, one of the coldest June readings in Iowa in many years. As for the month ahead, Hillaker says Iowa could be in for near-normal temperatures and precipitation during July. High temperatures this week will be in the 70s and 80s. Last year at this time, highs soared in the 90s across the state in what was the beginning of one of the hottest Julys in Iowa history.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A man hospitalized after an alleged knife-wielding attack toward Waterloo police officers in May has been arrested in the case. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says 39-year-old Richard Anderson was taken into custody yesterday. He’s been charged with one felony count of interference with official acts while displaying a dangerous weapon.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa City police wants to upgrade its fingerprinting system from an ink and card method to electronic scanning. The department is applying for federal grant money that would be used to buy a fingerprinting scanner. Police Chief Sam Hargadine says it will improve efficiency and accuracy.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Wisconsin man has pleaded guilty to creating fake bar codes to dupe retail stores in eastern Iowa and southwestern Wisconsin into charging him discount prices for hardware equipment. Jeremy Fishnick of Lancaster, Wis., pleaded guilty yesterday to wire fraud in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police are investigating a vehicle found sheared in half with no driver inside. Police say the wreck on a long stretch of roadway surrounded by trees was reported early Sunday morning. KCCI-TV reports that part of the car was found against a split power pole. Pieces of the car were scattered on the road.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a Red Oak teen was injured during a rollover accident early Sunday morning, near Essex. 18-year old Brenna Nicole Oakleaf, who was wearing her seat belt, suffered non-incapacitating injuries and was transported by Essex Rescue to the hospital in Red Oak. Officials say Oakleaf was traveling east on Page County Road J-20 at around 12:50-a.m., Sunday, when she fell asleep at the wheel of the Pontiac Grand Am she was driving. The car drifted onto the shoulder and entered the south ditch before Oakleaf woke up and over-corrected, sending the car into a sideways skid before it rolled nearly twice and came to rest on the passenger side.

In other news, the Page County Sheriff’s Office says two people were arrested on OWI charges over the weekend. Deputies, with the assistance of Clarinda Police, took 18-year old Christian Latham, of Clarinda into custody at around 11:50-p.m.  Friday. Latham was charges with Disorderly Conduct and OWI/1st offense charges. Latham was held over the weekend in the Page County Jail on $1,300 bond. And, at around 9-p.m. Saturday, 33-year old Jade Hagey, of Clarinda, was arrested after the motorcycle he was driving was pulled over for speeding on the Highway 2 bypass. Hagey was charged with OWI/1st offense and brought to the Page County Jail. He later posted a $1,000 bond and was released.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska man has been sentenced to 50 to 70 years in prison for sexually assaulting two boys between 2004 and 2012. The Lincoln Journal Star reports Robert Schuster, who turns 33 on Tuesday, pleaded no contest to first-degree sexual assault. He was sentenced Monday. Authorities found seven other potential victims in addition to the boys Schuster is convicted of abusing.

And Schuster has been sentenced to 10-to-30 years in prison in Iowa for assaulting two boys during overnight trips to his apartment in Council Bluffs. He’ll serve that sentence at the same time as the Nebraska one. Lancaster County District Judge John Colborn says the long sentences reflect the seriousness of Schuster’s crimes and the need to protect the public.