Republican Senator Joni Ernst will host her second annual “Roast and Ride” fundraiser Saturday (Today) and the featured speaker will be G-O-P presidential nominee Donald Trump. Ernst says the event is a “build-up” to November “It is about exciting our base and energizing them and this is perfect opportunity,” Ernst said. “We’re right coming up against that Labor Day weekend which traditionally kicks off the campaign season.” Ernst will be the lead motorcyclist on a late morning ride that will start at the Harley Davidson dealership on the north side of Des Moines.

Sen. Joni Ernst on last year’s “Roast and Ride.” (pic from Radio Iowa)

Last year’s ride raised about $15,000 for a veterans charity known as the America’s Fund. This year’s beneficiary of ticket sales for the motorcycle ride will be Soldier Strong. It’s a non-profit that partners with high tech companies that help wounded veterans. The ride will cover about 42 miles and end at the state fairgrounds early Saturday afternoon. That’s where crews have set up a stage — complete with bales of straw — inside the fair’s huge livestock show ring.

“We did choose to do it inside the pavilion,” Ernst says. “We were a little concerned aboutg the rain, so in order to get it set up on time we just made that call.” Ernst gave about a dozen members of the media a tour of the set-up late Friday afternoon. During a news conference, Ernst was asked about the current campaign charges of racism and bigotry being thrown about between Trump and Hillary Clinton.

“I’m not going to get into that,” Ernst said. “What I would say with both of them, because there have been a lot of barbs thrown at each other, is that they need to take this into a civil discourse and we’re not seeing that right now. I don’t like it when campaigns go that direction and I would say of both of them, you know, ‘Back down and let’s really talk about the policies and the issues.'” Ernst says the bleachers that ring the livestock pavilion can seat about two-thousand people and there will be more seating inside the show ring, in front of the stage. Senator Chuck Grassley, Iowa’s three Republican congressmen and Republican congressional candidate Chris Peters will speak to the crowd, along with Trump, Governor Terry Branstad and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa agency overseeing the state’s transition to a privately managed Medicaid program says it recorded over 225 grievances in the first three months of the new system. The Iowa Department of Human Services says three insurance companies that now run the program received the notices of dissatisfaction in April, May and June from Medicaid patients. The department says the grievances were resolved within 30 calendar days.

The department provided the information Friday as part of a roughly 60-page quarterly report, which was required by the Legislature. Some lawmakers are expected to review the report Monday. DHS estimates in the report that the switch to the privatized system saved the state more than $22 million in the program’s first three months.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following an accident Friday morning, on the south side of Shenandoah. Deputies were notified of the crash at around 9:42-a.m. The accident happened at the intersection of A Avenue and Highway2.  An investigation showed 86-year old Claude Randall Apperson, of Shenandoah, was driving a 2004 Buick LaSabre.  21-year old Caleb William Chupp, of Cumberland, was driving a 2009 Dodge 3500 pickup with a 1998 Take 3 trailer hauling H & H trailers for sale that are all owned by H & H Trailer of Clarinda.

Chupp was westbound on Highway 2, east of A Avenue.  Apperson had stopped at the stop sign at A and Highway 2, and had started southbound across the Highway. He didn’t see Chupp’s approaching pickup.  Chupp saw the car enter the intersection and swerved to the south, but his truck struck the front driver’s side fender of the Apperson vehicle.

Chupp continued west / south into the south ditch where the pickup / trailer jackknifed causing totaling damage to the pickup.  The action also caused damage to the Take 3 trailer and one of the cargo trailers that was being hauled. Apperson spun west prior to coming to rest in the westbound lane of traffic.  His car was considered a total loss as well. The total dollar amount of damage was estimated at $17,000.  Both driver’s refused medical medical treatment.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Shenandoah Fire Department, Shenandoah Ambulance Service, and the Shenandoah Police Department.