(Radio Iowa) – A Cedar Rapids man who admitted to threatening a federal prosecutor will spend more than six years in federal prison. Forty-two-year old John Edward Miller admitted to posting a threatening message to the prosecutor online in November of 2020. Miller also admitted on the same day he sent the message he shot a flare gun at the Northern District of Iowa U-S Courthouse in Cedar Rapids.

The flare caused a fire on the barriers in front of the building. Miller was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison where there is not parole.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department says a woman complained of pain and possible injury, following an accident this (Wednesday) morning, near the Creston High School. Authorities say 71-year-old Kathy L. Goodrich, of Creston, was checked by medics and released at the scene without transport to the hospital.

The accident happened at around 11:07-a.m., at the intersection of Spruce and Townline Streets, when an SUV driven by 16-year-old Katilynn M. Lemon, of Creston, was leaving the high school parking lot. Police she the teen waited for traffic to clear until she though it was safe to drive forward.

When she proceeded into the intersection to turn south, her vehicle struck an eastbound SUV driven by Goodrich, on the driver’s side, causing disabling damage. Lemon was checked by medics and released at the scene. Damage from the collision amounted to $4,000.

No citations were issued.

DAVENPORT, IA – On September 6, 2023, a Clinton man was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on the evening of November 24, 2021, Clinton Police stopped a truck for an equipment violation. David Jon Kinkaid, 41, was the driver. A drug-detecting police dog alerted to the odor of narcotics in the truck. A search of the truck revealed that Kinkaid had more than 2,000 grams of methamphetamine, as well as a loaded, .45 caliber pistol.

Kinkaid had the pistol to protect himself, his drugs, and his drug proceeds. Following his imprisonment, Kinkaid will serve five years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A man from Nebraska was sentenced last week in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, on drug and firearm charges. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports 59-year-old Russell Paul Sorbello, of Omaha, was sentenced to 132 months (11-years) in federal prison, for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.

According to public court documents, in March 2023, Sorbello was found in possession of methamphetamine and cocaine during a traffic stop. In a subsequent search of Sorbello’s hotel room, law enforcement located additional drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. Officers also located a firearm in Sorbello’s possession.

Upon release from prison, Sorbello will serve a 5-year total term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says the impeachment inquiry into President Biden is part of the oversight function congress has over the executive branch.

Ernst says the House does have to follow the facts and see where they lead.  In January of 2020, Ernst accused Biden of turning a blind eye to his son’s business dealings AND she accused House Democrats of lowering the bar for impeachment by trying to impeach President Trump. Ernst recently has suggested she and her fellow Republicans in the Senate are focused on getting a bipartisan deal on the annual defense spending bill rather than impeachment. She commented briefly Wednesday during a conference call with Iowa reporters.

The White House has said the president was not in business with his son and the impeachment inquiry is based on debunked conspiracy theories. Ernst is also criticizing the Biden Administration for allowing federal employees to work from home. Ernst says it’s time for Senate Democrats to bring up a bill House Republicans passed in February that would require federal agencies to return to pre-pandemic telework policies — when about two percent of all federal employees worked remotely.

A government report found that in January, February and March of this year, the employee occupancy rate at the headquarters for 17 federal agencies was 25 percent or less.

Ernst is calling for a report on how many federal employees are working remotely. Last month, the White House chief of staff sent an email to top agency officials, directing them to aggressively execute plans to get employees to work in their government offices.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst pressed an Air Force general during confirmation hearings on Tuesday about what Ernst called an unfulfilled promise the military made to Sioux City. Ernst questioned General David Allvin, who is nominated to be the 23rd Chief of Staff for the Air Force. She said the promise was made 20 years ago to expand the runway at Sioux City.

During the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Ernst said the lack of a runway upgrade puts the future of the National Guard in Sioux City in jeopardy.

Ernst called the potential loss of those guard members unacceptable, and Allvin responded that he’d get the runway project reviewed.

The general called the 185th a fantastic organization and promised to work with the secretary of the Air Force to pause any discussion to change the 185th’s mission until the assessment is complete.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Wednesday) announced her appointment of David Faith as a district judge in Judicial Election District 5A.

Faith, of Indianola, Iowa, is a deputy attorney general at the Iowa Office of the Attorney General.  He received an undergraduate degree from Concordia College and his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law.

Faith fills a vacancy created by the retirement of District Judge Randy Hefner.  Judicial Election District 5A includes Dallas, Guthrie, Jasper, Madison, Marion, and Warren counties.

Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn is co-sponsoring a bill that would require suicide awareness and prevention training for most school employees in every state, at least every other year.

All but two states have laws that encourage school personnel to take suicide prevention training, but Iowa is one of only 17 states where it’s mandatory for school staff each year. It’s a requirement Nunn supported when he was a member of the state legislature.

Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, is co-sponsoring the bill with a Democrat from Alaska. It would require suicide prevention training for all licensed staff in public and private schools that serve sixth through 12th grade students.

Nunn says the key to the training for educators is to identify resources to help students who express feelings of hopelessness or signs of depression.