(Radio Iowa) – The only Democrat to win a statewide race this year says it’s time to give independent voters a voice in choosing General Election candidates. State Auditor Rob Sand supports open primaries. “I mean the bottom line is we have a system that disenfranchises a third of Iowans,” Sand says. “If you’re a registered independent, you’re told that you don’t get to participate in the primary.” State law requires Iowans to be registered as a Democrat or a Republican to vote in the June Primaries that determine the top two candidates listed on the General Election ballot.

“Here we are in a country that celebrates Independence Day every year, and yet we tell actual independents that they’re not allowed to participate equally,” Sand says. “I think that’s ridiculous.” In an open primary, voters choose the top two candidates for each race. Sand also supports ranked choice voting, with voters ranking the list of candidates for each office. Sand says Alaska’s system of open primaries AND ranked choice voting is promoting bipartisanship.

“Look at this, you had Mary Peltola, who’s the Democrat who holds the congressional seat, and Lisa Murkowski, the Republican who holds the Senate seat, endorse each other. A Democrat endorsed a Republican and a Republican endorsed a Democrat…That’s the sort of focus that we need,” Sand says. “We need to be focused on who the people and whether or not they’re actually interested in public service as opposed to just being interested partisanship and games.”

A candidate who wins a majority of the vote is automatically declared the winner in a ranked choice system. However, if no candidate reaches that threshold, the second and third choices of voters are tabulated to determine a winner.

(Creston, Iowa) – A tire blow out on one vehicle caused $2,000 damage to another vehicle, Friday morning, in Union County. The Sheriff’s Office says a 2002 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 55-year-old Chris Ray Pickering, of Phoenix, AZ, was traveling west on Highway 34 at around 7:30-a.m., when the left front tire blew out. The tire flew off the truck and struck the driver’s side of a westbound 2019 Dodge RAM pickup, driven by 60-year-old Thomas Aaron Day, of Creston.

No injuries were reported. The damage amounted to $2,500 altogether. Pickering was cited for failure to show proof of insurance, and a verbal warning for not registering his vehicle after having bought it on October 24th.

(Belle Plain, Iowa) – A head-on crash between a car and a semi left one person dead Sunday evening, in eastern Iowa’s Benton County. The Iowa State Patrol says the collision happened on Highway 30 near 14th Avenue, northeast of Belle Plain, at around 6:20-p.m.

Authorities say a 2004 Honda CRV was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of U-S Highway 30, when it struck an eastbound 2014 Freightliner, driven by 52-year-old John J. Schaufenbuel, of Fredericksburg. Both vehicles came to rest in the south ditch.

The driver of the Honda died at the scene. Their name was being withheld by authorities, pending notification of family.

(Anita, Iowa) – Members of the CAM Community School District’s Board of Education will meet 6:30-p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, in the CAM High School Superintendent’s Office. During their session, the Retiring Board will discuss and act on approving Open Enrollments, Resignations, Contracts and other, administrative matters. The Board will then adjourn, and the Organizational Board will be called to order.

During that portion of the meeting, they will Elect a Board President, Vice-President and Board Secretary/Treasurer. Each of those persons will take the Oath of [their respective] Office. The Reorganized Board will then establish the meeting date, time and location of future, regular meetings and other necessary matters.

During the discuss/action part of their agenda, the New Board will act on approving:

• An SBRC request for a Modified Supplement Amount of $101,900 – Open Enrollment Out.
• An SBRC request for a Modified Supplement Amount of $94,881 – At-Risk Dropout Prevention.
• A timeline to Consider Closing an Attendance Center, and
• the appointment of a Facilities Committee for an Attendance Center Study.
• The Board will also act on a Resolution authorizing the retention of boundaries for Director Districts,
• the approval of Board Polices,
• and a Review of the FY21 Auditor Report.

(Sidney, Iowa) – Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports the arrest on Friday, of a man wanted on a warrant. 37-year-old Nathaniel Fengel, of Riverton, Iowa, was taken into custody on an active Fremont County warrant. Fengel faces seven counts of Harassment in the 1st Degree, each of which is an Aggravated Misdemeanor. He was released after posting a $10,000 cash bond.

His arrest followed a report on Sept. 29, 2022, of suspected harassment. A search warrant was conducted in early October and as a result of the investigation. Authorities allege Fengel disseminated photographs or film of another person in a state of nudity without their consent.

Nathaniel Fengel

Separately, on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a stolen 2021 Dodge Ram Rebel that was taken from inside a farm building near Bartlett, Iowa. The vehicle was valued at over $58,000. The following day, Dec. 6th, the vehicle was located near Modale, Iowa, after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Authorities advised the driver fled the scene prior to law enforcement arrival. The vehicle was a total loss.

On Thursday, Dec. 8th, Officers with the Omaha Police Department arrested 45-year-old Sherry Young, of Shenandoah, Iowa, on an active Fremont County warrant on this case. Today (Saturday), Young was transported to the Fremont County Jail. She is charged with Burglary 2nd Degree and Theft 1st Degree, with additional charges pending. Young is being held on a $20,000 cash bond.

Sherry Young

Disclaimer: A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office, Saturday (Dec. 10) issued a report on arrests conducted from November 26, 2022 through December 9, 2022. Those arrested are as follows:

• 11/24/2022 David Duane James (37) arrested Highway #71 and 230th Street. Arrested on an active felony warrant out of Nodaway County Missouri for failure to appear on an order of support. There is no bond on this warrant.
• 11/30/2022 Ricky Dean Peterson (45) arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office. Arrested on an active Page County Warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Flow of air or blood. There is no bond on this warrant.
• 12/02/2022 Terry Lee Williams (51) arrested at 501 North 15th Street in Clarinda Iowa. Arrested on an active warrant for Parole Violations. There is no bond on this warrant.
• 12/05/2022 Monique Jasmine Miller (21) arrested at Highway #71 and 290th Street. Arrested for possession of a controlled substance. Bond is $1,000.00 cash or surety.
• 12/05/2022 Samuel Wade Walker (48) arrested at the Page County Courthouse. He was arrested on an active warrant for violation of a no contact order. Bond is $300.00 cash or surety.
• 12/05/2022 Dylan Joseph Hanson (26) arrested at the Montgomery County Jail. Arrested on an active Page County warrant for Theft in the 1st Degree. Bon is $10,000.00 cash or surety.
• 12/08/2022 Michael Leo Pickens (48) arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office. Arrested on an active Federal Warrant for narcotics. There is no bond on this warrant.

“A charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.”

There was also one accident noted in the Sheriff’s report:

12/02/2022 – Todd William Bashaw was traveling east on 190th Street in his John Deere combine. Ryan James Leporte was traveling west on 190th street. Bashaw and Leporte collided causing damage to Leporte’s vehicle.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Planning and Zoning Commission will meet 5:30-p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. During their session, the Commission will note the resignation and service of Chair Roger Herring, and welcome to the Commission, Kyle Steffens.

Nominations will then take place for the Chair’s position, followed by the appointment of a new P&Z Chairperson, nominations for Vice-Chair, and an Order to appoint a new P&Z Commission Vice-Chair. In other business, the Commission will review and act on a recommendation with regard to the Prairie Hills Development Final Plat. The site is located on the City’s southeast side. During their meeting last month, the Atlantic Planning and Zoning Commission approved and recommended to the City Council, adoption of the Prairie Hills Subdivision Preliminary Plat.

Prairie Hills Development Final Plat as prepared for the Atlantic P&Z Commission (12/2022)

Earlier this year, the Atlantic City Council approved the purchase of 41.54 acres of farmland for $830,000 from Jim Comes. The property became known as the Prairie Hill housing development project. The City is financing the project through a general obligation debt. The revenue sources toward the debt payments would be lot sales and farmland leases as the city sells lots for the construction of new homes and leases on the unused portions of the subdivision for farm use.

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate hosted a ceremony with members of the Legislature and the Iowa Firearms Coalition to commemorate the ratification of the 49th Amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa on Friday. The event was held in the Secretary of State’s Office in the Iowa Capitol building.

The ‘Right to Keep and Bear Arms’ Amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa was proposed by the 88th General Assembly in 2019 and was readopted by the 89th General Assembly in 2021. On November 8, 2022, the citizens of the State of Iowa voted 748,363 to 399,959 in favor of the amendment’s adoption.

The election was certified by the State Board of Canvassers on December 1, 2022. This marks the 49th amendment to the Iowa’s 1857 constitution. Complimentary copies of the Iowa Constitution were handed out to those in attendance.

(A digital copy of the updated 1857 Iowa Constitution can be found at this link)

(Radio Iowa) – A Spirit Lake been found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a woman. The trial for Christian Goyne-Yarns, the man accused of shooting Shelby Woizeschke outside GrapeTree Medical Staffing in February, began on Tuesday with the prosecution spending parts of three days providing witness testimony and evidence that included the 911 call made by the victim just minutes after being shot where she identified the defendant as the shooter.

The defense claimed Goyne-Yarns was not feeling well on the morning in question and was in the restroom at his workplace in Spirit Lake at the time of the incident, but co-workers testified he was not able to be located and his pick-up was missing, which was seen on surveillance video parking at the scene and waiting for the victim to arrive.

The case was moved to Buena Vista County after a change of venue was granted by the defense. Sentencing will take place in January.