(Radio Iowa) – It’s been a week since Iowans were able to start voting early and many counties are reporting heavy turnout. Over 112-thousand Iowans had cast ballots through the first five days of early voting and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is among them. “I presume that Democrats are having heavy numbers because they traditionally do,” Grassley says, “and then the additional record-breaking numbers, I think, come from Republicans realizing that we’re losing the game on early voting, and Republicans better vote early.”

Top Republicans in the state, like Governor Kim Reynolds, cast their ballots last Wednesday, on the first day Iowans could vote at their county auditor’s office or other designated locations. The Grassley family did as well. “Barbara Grassley and I, and Wendy Speckerman — my daughter, and her husband, and a couple other people in my family have followed my advice and voted early,” Grassley says. “Barbara and I opened up the Butler County Courthouse at 7:30 last Wednesday to cast our first votes.”

Grassley predicts when the numbers are all tabulated next month, we’ll see that Iowa voters from -both- parties are embracing the convenience of early voting. “I think Republicans are finally waking up to the fact that sometimes we have lost an election before Election Day,” Grassley says. “So you’ve got to learn from your mistakes, and our mistakes are that we haven’t been encouraging early voting, and we’re doing that now.”

Democrats have been urging Iowans for months to have a plan to vote. Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart was a congressional candidate in 2020 — and lost by just six votes. “The worst thing that can happen, which happened to me, is to have people come to you the day after the election and say: ‘Oh, Rita. I totally forgot to vote. I’m really sorry. I thought you had this in the bag.’ That is really horrible to hear,” Hart said. “…That’s why I want every vote to understand that their vote really counts.”

Between July and October, there was a three-point-four percent increase in the number of registered Democrats in Iowa. Hart says it’s unclear if those are brand new voters or Iowans who’ve switched their party registration. “Not everybody changes their voter registration when they have changed their mind on who they’re going to vote for, right?” Hart asks. “So when this election is over, we’ll be able to go back and look at where the movement is and who we’re talking about.”

Hart made her comments during a recent appearance on Iowa P-B-S. October 16th was the first day Iowans could vote in-person at their county auditor’s office, the same day those offices started sending out absentee ballots. Iowans who are voting by mail can track their ballot online at www.voterready.iowa.gov.

(Radio Iowa) – All four Republicans who represent Iowa in the U-S House are seeking reelection, including fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra. Feenstra’s 2024 race is a General Election rematch with Ryan Melton, a Democrat from Webster City. Feenstra’s Republican opponent in the June Primary got 40 percent of the vote and that candidate — Kevin Virgil — endorsed Melton in August. The primary reason? Melton and Virgil both oppose the use of eminent domain to seize land for a carbon pipeline. Feenstra says he’s also opposed to eminent domain, but the pipeline is a state issue, not a federal issue and he calls Virgil anti-agriculture.

“He wants to side with the liberal progressives and Ryan Melton and the Democrat Party,” Feenstra says. Melton says he expects to get some protest votes from Republicans. There are 90-thousand more registered Republicans than Democrats in the district and Iowa State University political science professor Dave Peterson says that’s a big advantage for Feenstra. “Melton is running a valiant campaign,” Peterson says, “but he’s just outmatched in this district and Feenstra’s going to win this one pretty easy.”

Melton says his candidacy is partly a party-building exercise, as there are more Democrats in the fourth congressional district running for other offices. “I know this is going to be a mid-to-long term build,” Melton says, “but I’ve played a role in recruiting those candidates and hopefully building a new direction for the party in our district.” Feenstra, who is from Hull, says his top priorities for 2025 would be securing the southern border and extending the Trump-era tax cuts. “We’ve got to quit spending,” Feenstra says, “and get to a balanced budget.”

The fourth district covers 36 counties and includes the cities of Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Spencer, Algona, Fort Dodge and Marshalltown.

(Iowa News Service) – Leaders in Iowa’s small towns sometimes express frustration when trying to get help from the federal government. Local and federal officials met recently to discuss the challenges in rural Iowa and ways to overcome them. Small town Iowa officials met with federal agencies at the “Connecting the Corridor” session to learn how to bridge the gap between knowing what money is available and how to put it to work locally.

Michael Holton, city administrator of Treynor, population 1,100 talked about some of the challenges. “Most of these small, rural communities don’t have dedicated staff that are necessarily right on top of things when it comes to being able to get funds to get them through the rainy days,” Holton explained. “They have to look to other people to be able to help them through this jigsaw puzzle.”

Holton pointed to Iowa’s extremely active tornado season this year, and admitted knowing how to get funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency was challenging. He noted local officials came away from the “Connecting the Corridor” session with direct federal contacts to call when problems arise in the future.

The American Rescue Plan Act made federal COVID relief funds available to even the tiniest of towns for some pretty big projects. Holton pointed out in some cases, the money was awarded in the form of Destination Iowa grants. “Treynor was fortunate enough to get a Destination Iowa grant of $800,000,” Holton recounted. “The administrative details are what bog it down.”

Holton acknowledged the importance of some red tape to avoid fraud and said the “Connecting the Corridor” session helped close the gap between local and federal agencies by reducing the amount of bureaucracy.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – Citizens of Guthrie County will have another chance to learn more about an EMS (Emergency Medical Services) measure that will be on the November 5th General Election ballot. The informational meeting will take place at the Guthrie County Courthouse on October 29th beginning at 7-p.m. The meeting will be held in the public meeting room, but the Board plans to also have the courtroom ready should there be enough people that they need a larger space.

Public Measure IU asks voters to approve a 75-cent per $1,000 of taxable value on their property with the funding to be shared by the ambulances serving Guthrie County residents. A 60 percent approval is needed for the measure to pass. Recognizing the need for a more unified and efficient EMS system, Guthrie County is proposing the establishment of a county-wide EMS framework. The revenue generated from the levy would be used to contract with the existing EMS services and enhance their capabilities, ensuring that high-quality emergency medical care is accessible throughout the entire county.

Meetings have been held by the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors around the county to provide information about EMS and the impending vote. A final meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 29th, is to allow people who may have been unable to attend the previous meeting to learn more about the matter.

For more information, please view this letter authorized by Guthrie County officials, as published in the Bayard News Gazette: EMS.Essential

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County (IA) Sheriff’s Office has released a long report on arrests that occurred from Sept. 27th through Oct. 21st. Beginning with the most recent arrests:

On October 21st, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Gino Juliano, 55, of Manitou Springs, CO, for Possession of a Controlled Substance – Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Interference with Official Acts.  Juliano was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

On October 19th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Lynn Frohlich, 53, of Scranton, on a warrant for Violation of Probation.  Frohlich was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

On October 15th, 2024: the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Alaina Abild, 20, of Atlantic, on warrants for a Drug Distribution Violation, a Controlled Substance Violation and Use of a Minor in the Drug Trade.  Abild was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held.; Trenton Baier, 34, of Lewis, was arrested on two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine.  Baier was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond; Edward Parrott JR, 30, of Atlantic, was arrested Oct. 15th on a warrant for Assault.  Parrott was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release after serving time.

On October 14th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Morgan Leeder, 33, of Lewis, on a Violation of a No Contact Order charge.  Leeder was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release after her initial appearance.

On October 12th, 2024: the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Zachary Frank, 41, of Atlantic, on a warrant for Violation of Probation.  Frank was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held; Randi Pierce, 29, of Griswold, was arrested on the charge of Domestic Abuse Assault – 1st Offense.  Pierce was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release on her own recognizance.

On October 10th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Terrence Frazier, 48, of Atlantic, on two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Frazier was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

On October 8th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Nicholas Renner, 30, of Atlantic, on a warrant for Theft 4th Degree.  Renner was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

On October 3rd, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested John Wreford, 59, of Saline, MI, on the charge of OWI 1st Offense.  Wreford was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release after time served.

On October 1st, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Shelby Froh, 36, of Anamosa, on a warrant for Violation of Probation.  Froh was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

On September 28th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Matthew Steffens, 44, of Atlantic, for Driving while Revoked.  Steffens was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.

On September 29th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Justin Hardisty, 34, of Cumberland, on the charges of Eluding – 2nd or Subsequent Offense, Operating while Intoxicated – 3rd Offense and Driving while Revoked.  Hardisty was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.

On September 27th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Tyler Carter, 33, of Adair, on a warrant for Failure to Appear.  Carter was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

CORALVILLE, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a man sentenced to serve a 25-year sentence and a life special sentence for sexual abuse and lascivious acts convictions in Fremont County, has died. 76-year-old Roger Craig Kissel was pronounced dead at 6:35 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center.

Kissel – a former pastor at the nondenominational Sidney Cowboy Church -began his sentence on May 5, 2016. The crimes he was convicted of occurred in 2013.

Roger Craig Kissel (file photo from 2016)