The Office of Iowa Republican. Senator Joni Ernst’s says representatives from the Senator’s office will be available to meet with the public this week during several stops in area counties. Her staffers will serve as a resource in dealing with the federal government. Senator Ernst herself will not be available during the traveling office visits. Her office staff can help you with problems or questions about eligibility involving issues like Social Security, Medicare, veterans benefits or military affairs, passports, immigration issues, and other federal programs.

Today (Tuesday, September 1st), Ernst’s Office Stops include:

Union County, 9:00 am – 10:00 am; LEC Conference Room – Union County Courthouse in Creston.

Audubon County, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm; Audubon Public Library in Audubon.

Ringgold County, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm at the  City Hall Council Chambers in Mt. Ayr.

Shelby County, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm; at the Harlan Public Library in Harlan.

Harrison County, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm; Missouri Valley Public Library in Mo. Valley.

Wednesday, September 2nd:

Adams County, 9:30 am – 10:30 am at the Corning Public Library, in Corning.

Montgomery County, 11:15 am – 12:15 pm at the ISU Extension Office in Red Oak.

Cass County, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm at the Atlantic Public Library in Atlantic.

Pottawattamie County, 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm at the Avoca Public Library in Avoca.

Thursday, September 3rd:

Taylor County, 9:00 am – 10:00 am at the Bedford Public Library in Bedford.

Page County, 10:45 am – 11:45 am in the Large Meeting Room at the Clarinda Public Library, in Clarinda.

Fremont County, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at the Hamburg City Hall in Hamburg.

Mills County, 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm at the Glenwood Senior Center in Glenwood.

Riverdale, IL – A three-month manhunt for a shooting suspect from Des Moines has ended with the fugitive’s arrest in Riverdale, IL. A team of law enforcement officers led by U.S. Marshals arrested 29-year old James Matthew Butler, Jr., around 2:40 p.m. Thursday. Butler was wanted by the Des Moines Police Department on three counts of attempted murder in connection with the May 27th shooting of a 33-year old woman and a 36-year old man.

Butler is also accused of shooting at a third individual who was not injured. At the time of the alleged shooting, Butler was on federal pre-trial release. He was awaiting trial in the Southern District of Iowa on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Butler on May 28th.

James Butler, Jr.

On Thursday, acting on information from Polk County Crime Stoppers and the U.S. Marshals Southern Iowa Fugitive Task Force in Des Moines, U.S. Marshals in the Northern District of Illinois – assisted by their task force – observed a man matching Butler’s description in a vehicle with several other individuals in Riverdale.

As the vehicle neared the area of 140th and School St., Deputies conducted a felony traffic stop of the vehicle. The man believed to be Butler attempted to give Deputies a false identity. Deputies were able to confirm Butler’s identity and arrested him without incident. Butler is being held at the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago where he is awaiting extradition back to the Southern District of Iowa.

BOSTON (AP) — Two Iowa men accused of making online threats against competitors at a Pokemon event are due in a Boston courtroom this (Tuesday) morning, for a dangerousness hearing. Eighteen-year-old Kevin Norton, of Ames, and 27-year-old James Stumbo, of Boone, are scheduled to appear in Boston Municipal Court.

The men were arrested Aug. 22 after they allegedly made threatening statements in an online Pokemon forum and on other social media before driving to Boston for the World Pokemon Championships. Police said they found a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR-15 rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in their car. They were stopped as they tried to register for the championships at the Hynes Convention Center.

Players from more than 30 countries competed at the three-day, invitation-only event for a share of more than $500,000 in scholarship awards.

A Cass County woman pled guilty Monday in Cass County District Court, to an amended charge of Theft in the 3rd Degree, in connection with incidents of theft that began in Sept. of 2014, from the Atlantic Hy-Vee store. 23-year old Tiffany Lillard, of Cumberland, was originally charged in Mid-July, with the more serious felony crime of 2nd Degree Theft, for taking in excess of $9,800 by diverting Hy-Vee store funds to gift cards for her own use.

Tiffany Lillard (Booking photo)

Lillard waived her rights Monday (8/31) and agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge, which is an aggravated misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment not to exceed two years, as well as a fine ranging between $625 and $6,250. Her sentencing date has not yet been set.