JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa said Wednesday that the congressional supercommittee’s failure to reach a deficit reduction compromise this week is only the latest sign that Congress is hopelessly deadlocked. King said he doubted significant proposals would emerge from Congress until after the next election. “We want to hear from the American people,” King said.

The Republican congressman, who spoke during a taping of Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program airing over the weekend, said he believed all the deficit reduction proposals discussed by the supercommittee called for too much spending, something he said he would oppose. “I never believed it would produce a proposal that would pass the House and the Senate,” King said of the committee. “In my opinion, they didn’t address the problem. I have yet to see a proposal that takes us to a balanced budget in a reasonable time. ”

King noted the last election swept 87 new Republicans into office and shifted the debate in Washington. Republicans gained control of the House, while Democrats retained the Senate. “This is a split government, so it does bring about inaction,” King said. King currently represents northwest Iowa’s 5th Congressional District. But this year’s reapportionment cost the state a seat in Congress and he’ll be seeking another term in office from the 4th Congressional District, where he’s being challenged by Democratic former Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack. The district is the most heavily Republican in the state and King starts out the race as the favorite.

King has taken a sharply tough position on immigration issues and said he was disappointed to hear former House Speaker Newt Gingrich outline a position this week that would allow a path to citizenship for those who come to the country illegally. He called it a form of amnesty and would make it tougher for him to support Gingrich. King has not endorsed a Republican presidential candidate and said he hasn’t decided if he will take that step.

In Congress, King has often been allied with Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, but has not endorsed her bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Cass County Weed Commissioner Larry Randel provided the Board of Supervisors with an update on his department’s activities. Randel said he’s had several “problem issues” with the growth of noxious and nuisance weeds in the County he’s had to send out notices on, to property owners. Randel says he got a “decent response” from those he sent out notices to, but not a 100-percent response. Randal will follow-up with those property owners next year to remind them of their responsibilities. He said also he wants to work with the County to make sure they take care of their respective rights-of-way, especially after property owners complained that the county doesn’t take care of its fair-share of the weed problem. The weeds he says tend to proliferate, especially in the Massena area, because of work installing the wind turbines and culverts, which causes the seeds to be spread and appear unsightly when the grow into full-fledged weeds. Supervisor Chuck Rieken suggested Randel write an official letter to the County Roads Department, the Iowa DOT Engineer and Iowa Interstate Railroad, to remind them they need to take care of their right-of-ways.

In other business, the Board of Supervisors met for about an hour with area funeral home directors to discuss revisions to the County’s indigent burial policy, which currently pays up to $1,500 for burial or cremation services. Some suggestions which will likely be included in a draft of the policy – which hasn’t been changed since 1997 – include removing a nearly identical and redundant fee funeral homes and the County pays to the Medical Examiner’s Office, removing the funeral homes’ responsibility for finding a burial plot, and setting an equal rate for which the county pays cemeteries for grave openings and closing. How much the County pays for indigent burials needs to be determined soon, because budget deadlines are looming.

In an update to a story we first brought to you Tuesday evening during the news on KJAN, the Cass County Sheriff’s Department says three people were injured, one of them seriously, during a crash Tuesday afternoon, southeast of Anita. Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Ayers told KJAN News the accident happened about 3-miles southeast of Anita on Glendale Road, at about 3:45-p.m.

Ayers says a 1999 Chevy Blazer driven by 33-year old Cynthia Simon, of Anita, was traveling west on Glendale Road and turning left into a farm driveway, when she failed to see an eastbound 2000 Buick LeSabre, driven by 92-year old Virgil Martin, of Fontanelle.  The vehicle s collided head-on.

Both drivers were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, along with Evelyn Martin, of Fontanelle, who was a passenger in the Buick. She was later flown to a hospital in Des Moines for treatment of serious injuries. Her husband was being treated at the hospital. Simon was treated at the hospital and released. Charges are pending completion of an investigation into the accident. Damage from the crash amounted to $18,000.

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A former youth minister from Council Bluffs faces up to 17-years in prison for his role in the sexual exploitation of teens. 32-year old Brent Girouex plead guilty Tuesday to one-count of sexual abuse in the 3^rd degree, one-count of felony sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist, and one count of misdemeanor sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist. His sentencing was set for March 7, 2012.

Girouex had been charged with 61 counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist and 28 counts of 3^rd degree sexual abuse, in connection with acts he allegedly performed while serving as a youth pastor with the Victory Fellowship Church in Council Bluffs. His Alford Plea to the 3^rd degree sexual abuse charge means Girouex did not admit to any specific elements of the offense, but acknowledges a jury would most likely find him guilty if a trial where held.

The charges were filed after Girouex told authorities about the incidents on February 16^th, 2011. He admitted the offenses to police only after church leaders confronted him upon hearing from four young men who came forward with the allegations earlier that month. According to court records, Girouex told investigators he felt it was his duty to — quote — Help (the teen) with homosexual urges by praying, while he had sexual contact with him.”

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A Utah couple were arrested Monday afternoon on drug charges, following a traffic stop in Pottawattamie County. According to Sheriff Jeff Danker, the driver of the vehicle, 26-year-old Somphavanh Childs and her male passenger, 23-year-old Samson Phommabout, were charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, prohibited acts, and a drug tax stamp violation. Childs and Phommabout are being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on $5,000 bond, each.

Danker says Deputy Brian Miller stopped a Chevy Malibu for speeding on Interstate 80 at around 12:30-p.m. just north of the Highway 6 exit near Council Bluffs.  After issuing a speeding citation and speaking with the pair, the deputy suspected they may be involved in criminal activity. He asked for and received, permission to search their vehicle. During the search, he discovered 55 pounds of hydroponic marijuana in vacuum sealed bags.

The Sheriff says also, a Council Bluffs man was arrested on Monday for allegedly breaking into a house on River Road and taking metal from the home. 23-year old Joshua Thompson was taken into custody after the owner of the home noticed suspicious activity and stopped to investigate. Thompson reportedly took off and hid in the creek, but was located a short time later by deputies and an Iowa State Patrol Trooper.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa man has been arrested after officials say he led authorities on a chase that ended when he crashed his car into the WinnaVegas casino in Salix. The Iowa State Patrol says 54-year-old Robert Bechtel, of Cherokee, is charged with drunken driving and numerous traffic violations. His case isn’t on the online court system and it’s not known if he has an attorney.

The patrol says the chase began Monday night when a trooper tried to help a motorist parked on the shoulder of Interstate 29 near Salix. When the trooper stopped, the driver took off. Authorities say the chase ended when Bechtel pulled into the casino’s parking lot, lost control of his car and hit the building.

Three people suffered what were described by Cass County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Westring, as non-life threatening injuries during a two-vehicle crash this afternoon, southeast of Anita. The accident was reported just after 3:45-p.m., near 76091 Glendale Road. No other details are currently available.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says a Page County man was sentenced today (Tuesday) to 19 and a-half years in prison for his role in a robbery, and car jacking.  43-year old Tiran Rodez Casteel, of Coin, was also convicted on charges which included obstruction of justice and witness tampering. In addition, Casteel was sentenced to a consecutive term of 84 months in prison for brandishing a firearm during the car jacking, for a total prison term of 26 1/2 years.

United States District Court Judge Robert W. Pratt also ordered Casteel to serve a five year term of supervised release following release from prison, and pay $400 to the Crime Victim Fund. Restitution was ordered to remain open until the value of the stolen coins can be determined.

The case against him revolved around the September 11, 2008, robbery of Darlene Eitzen at her rural Page Countyfarm home. The woman was held at gun point while Casteel and his son, Devan Casteel, robbed Mrs. Eitzen of her rare and valuable coin collection, which she had acquired after her husband’s death.

Federal jurisdiction for the prosecution existed because Casteel had taken Mrs. Eitzen’s car during the robbery, in violation of the federal carjacking statute. While awaiting trial on the federal charges Casteel attempted to have Mrs Eitzen killed so she could not testify at his trial. That resulted in addition charges being filed in federal court for obstruction of justice and witness tampering.

The case was investigated by the Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Division of the United States Department of Justice (ATF), the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Page County Sheriffs Office. It was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office for the Southern District of Iowa.