(Radio Iowa) – The Speaker of the U-S House made a quick trip to Iowa to rally with two Iowa Republicans seeking re-election. Speaker Mike Johnson says he’s been to Iowa multiple times because the races in Iowa’s first and third congressional districts could decide whether Republicans retain majority control of the U-S House. “These races are very close,” Johnson says, “so when I tell you every vote counts — in Iowa, we mean every vote counts.”

Johnson campaigned in Indianola with Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks and noted she won her first race in 2020 by just six votes. Johnson spoke to a crowd in West Des Moines about Congressman Zach Nunn, who won his first race in 2022 by about two-thousand votes.  “This is my bird’s eye view having been in all these districts around the country and I go to swing districts and toss up districts in blue states and red states, of course — everywhere that there are candidates who are in tight races,” Johnson said. “This is one of the very tightest in the country, but I am very optimistic.”

Lanon Baccam, the Democrat running against Nunn, got campaign support from neighboring states this weekend. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar joined Baccam for an event in Des Moines on Friday. On Saturday, former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander — president of a non-profit that builds houses for veterans — spoke to a group of campaign volunteers in Johnston on Saturday morning.

“The reason that you’re here doing this is you’re trying to make it so that your kids and your grandkids are more likely to make their home in the place where you’ve made your home,” Kander said, “so I’m just here to say, ‘Thank you for doing that. I really appreciate it. Go get ’em.'”

Christina Bohannan, the Democrat running in Iowa’s first congressional district, met with campaign volunteers in Scott County on Saturday and joined teams going door-to-door to speak with voters.

(Iowa News Service) – State data show more Iowans with disabilities are employed. And advocates with the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council point out that – during this National Disability Employment Awareness Month – the increase is positive, but barriers remain. The latest numbers show almost 91-thousand Iowans with disabilities are employed – half of them at least part-time. Kristine Graves is one of them. She answers the phones at the Iowa Warm Line – a service for people who need someone to talk with but are not facing an immediate mental health crisis. Graves says while being employed gives her purpose, there is a downside.

Alex Watters works at Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. He says he’s had to turn down promotions and other opportunities to keep his income below the threshold that allows him to receive benefits as a quadriplegic. (Alex Watters/IDDC)

The newest state data show that six-percent of the Iowa labor force lives with some form of disability. Alex Watters, a quadriplegic and member of the city council in Sioux City, is also the alumni engagement director at Morningside University. Watters says the benefit eligibility issue keeps some qualified people out of the workforce. He has had to limit the amount of work he can accept, which he says affects his upward mobility.

The Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees equal opportunity for public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation and employment.

(Creston, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Union County today (Sunday) reported on an injury accident that took place Thursday afternoon (Oct. 17th). Authorities say 68-year-old James Robert Brown, of Corning, was transported to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, following an investigation into an alleged, possibly intoxicated driver. The vehicle, a 2000 Chevy S-10 pickup was located at the intersection of McKinley and Adams Streets, in Creston and stopped by a Union County Sheriff’s Deputy.

Authorities say the driver (James Robert Brown) immediately opened the driver’s side door of the pickup and became sick. The report said Brown was very disoriented and confused. The deputy noticed the pickup appeared to have been in a recent collision with an unknown object.

Medics were called to the scene and transported Brown to the hospital. Upon further investigation, the accident scene was located at the Cromwell Cemetery, near the intersection of Monroe Avenue and 180th Street in Union County. The investigation determined the pickup went through the stop sign at the intersection and collided with a guard rail,  ditch and plastic fence, before hitting several gravestones in the cemetery.

Authorities say parts of the vehicle and front license plate were found at the scene. Damage to the pickup was estimated at $2,500. Damage to the Union County Secondary Roads guardrail was estimated at $2,500, while the City of Cromwell fence & gravestones sustained an estimated $5,000 damage, altogether. The report left open the possibility Brown experienced a medical issue that resulted in the crash.

No citations were reported.

(Lewis, Iowa) –  The Cass County Conservation Board held their 8th Biennial Lighted Halloween Campground on Saturday, Oct. 9th. The event, at Cold Springs State Park near Lewis, featured several sites decorated in Halloween décor. The sites were viewed and voted on by 180 people.

When the votes were tallied, the first-place winner was Site 5, the Sandbothe/Smith families. Second-place winner was Site 3, Jim Casebeer. Third-place went to Site 4, Amber Jennings. And, the site by Beth Boeck, McKinnley Boeck, Josey Gipple placed fourth.

Winners, left-to-right: Sandbothe/Smith kids family representing their families (1st place);(1st place), Beth Boeck, McKinnley Boeck, Josey Gipple (4th place), and Amber Jennings (3rd place), Jim Casebeer (2nd place).

Winning 1st place décor

2nd place décor

3rd place décor

The CCCB thanks their business sponsors, Cappel’s Ace Hardware, who donated the prizes to for the Lighted Halloween Campground, and Cass Health, which donated towards the kid’s goodie bags. They also wish to thank everyone who signed up to decorate a site. Thank you for sharing your Halloween  with everyone! 

The Board looks forward to the next Lighted Halloween Campground!

(Rockwell City, Iowa) – Authorities in northwest Iowa said today (Sunday), a man wanted on a warrant out of Texas for Murder, was arrested Sunday morning (Oct. 20) just outside of Pomeroy, ending his more than two-years on the run. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office said 39-year-old Kyle Andrew Coolack was detained by a Calhoun County Sheriff’s Deputy at around 7:33-a.m., after he was found walking along Highway 4.

Coolack had initially given the deputy a name that did not return any information, and was suspected of being false. Less than an hour later, during questioning, he revealed his true identity, and was arrested on an outstanding murder warrant issued by the Houston, TX, Police Department on July 15, 2022.

The man’s arrest followed a call to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office from a Pomeroy resident who had just kicked a man out of his house, where he had recently been staying. The caller said the subject left the residence and was possibly walking south toward Fort Dodge. The Pomeroy resident told authorities also, that in a conversation among household members, the male subject (Coolack) admitted to be on the run for killing his own brother. That conversation led to Coolack being kicked-out of the residence.

Kyle Coolack was transported to the Carroll County Jail and held, pending extradition to Houston, TX.