(Radio Iowa) – Democrat Liz Mathis says her Republican opponent — Congresswoman Ashley Hinson — has voted against bills that will benefit Iowans, like the bipartisan infrastructure bill.  “She’s been voting the wrong way,” Mathis says.
“She’s been saying, ‘No,’ to a lot of things where she should be saying, ‘Yes.'” Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says she voted no on the infrastructure package because it was a leap toward socialism that went beyond spending on physical infrastructure.

Mathis, a Democrat from Hiawatha, says the bill means five BILLION dollars of infrastructure investments will be made in Iowa. “And invest in 4000 endangered bridges, fix roads, fix broadband — not only the quality, but the quantity. to expand that. That will expand a lot of economic development. She voted no, now remember that, but also took credit about two weeks later for a project that was funded by infrastructure money,” Mathis said. “That is not the Iowa way.”

Hinson says she advocated for Iowa projects because once Biden signed the bill last year there was money on the table. Mathis says Hinson should have voted for the bill Biden signed last week that included a series health care and energy-related proposals backed by Democrats in congress. “That has so many provisions to help all of us,” Mathis said. “It’s going to save us money and there are biofuels measures in this bill.”

Mathis made her comments on the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The driver of a pickup truck and passengers in a Dodge Charger were injured early this (Sunday) morning, during a collision on Interstate 29 in Pottawattamie County. According to Council Bluffs Police, officers responded at around 12:06-a.m. to the scene at the 45.5 mile marker of I-29 southbound, in reference to a personal injury accident. Upon arrival, officers determined that a Dodge Charger was traveling southbound on I-29 at a high rate of speed. The Charger then rear ended a Chevy S10, causing both vehicles to lose control and crash.

The driver of the Chevy S10 had to be transported by medical helicopter to an area hospital due to their injuries. The passengers of the Charger, were transported to area hospitals by ambulance to be treated for their non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the Charger is being investigated for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol and speed are believed to be factors in this crash. No names were immediately made available in the Police report.

The Council Bluffs P-D Traffic Unit is investigating the incident. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call the Traffic Unit at (712)328-4948 or, to remain anonymous, please call Crime stoppers at (712)328-7867.

(Buffalo Center, Iowa) – A collision between a car and a pickup truck in northeastern Iowa, Saturday afternoon, left one person dead and two others injured. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of a 2014 Ford Fusion, 78-year-old Richard Hensel, of Monticello, MN, died in the crash. A passenger in his vehicle, 77-year-old Gloria Hensel, also of Monticello, MN, and the driver of a 2002 Ford F-250 pickup, 61-year-old Dean Balvance, of Buffalo Center, were injured in the collision.

The accident happened at around 2:52-p.m., N. of Buffalo Center. The Patrol says the pickup driven by Balvance was traveling north on 20th Avenue, while the car was traveling south. The car turned in front of the pickup to made a left turn into a residence, when it was struck.

Richard Hensel died at the scene. Dean Balvance and Gloria Hensel were transported by ambulance to a hospital in Blue Earth, Minnesota. All of the crash victims were wearing their seat belts. The accident remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Dept., and the Buffalo Center and Forest City Ambulance services.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – An accident in Red Oak Saturday morning caused an estimated $30,000 damage to two vintage vehicles. Red Oak Police say the accident happened at around 8:25-a.m. in the 200 block of E. Coolbaugh Street, when the owner of a 1961 Ford Custom, 81-year-old Jerry L. Stanley, of Red Oak, exited the car near N. 4th Street and E. Coolbaugh. Stanley told Police the put the vehicle into park before he got out, and when he looked back, the car was going backwards.

The vehicle rolled and struck a parked 1955 Chevy Bel Air that was legally parked, and registered to Gary Sortino. There were no injuries. Authorities say it remains undetermined if the Ford was in park, or left in reverse by accident. Bystanders/witnesses said the car was moving backwards, very quickly. Officers noted there may have been a slight down grade on the road, but it was very small.

Jerry Stanley was issued a written warning for Parking without stopping or setting [the] brake.

(Shenandoah, Iowa) – A traffic stop at around 12:02-a.m. Saturday south of Shenandoah, resulted in the arrest on drug charges, of a woman and man from Missouri. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a 2005 Chrysler near the intersection of Highway 59 and 300th Street. Deputies detected odor of controlled substances coming from the vehicle and conducted a probable cause search. They located approximately 11.1 grams of Methamphetamine and approximately 16 grams of marijuana as well as drug paraphernalia. (photos provided by the Fremont County S/O)

Lindsay

Riley

The driver, 44-year-old Jacqueline Riley, and her passenger, 60-year-old Richard Lindsay, both of Tarkio, Missouri, were arrested for:

• Possession of Methamphetamine
• Possession of Marijuana
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp

Both were taken to the Fremont County Jail, and held on $7,000 bond. Riley was released after posting bond, while Lindsey is still in custody. The Page County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with the call.

(Lewis, Iowa) – [A GoFundMe account has been established for Richard and his son Sean Keller]. The cause of a house fire in Lewis this (Saturday) morning, remains under investigation. The blaze at 203 Court Street in Lewis, was reported at around 9-a.m. The home’s owner, Rich Keller, told KJAN he could smell something burning when he was in the kitchen.

Keller has lived in Lewis for about 30-years. He says his house was just repainted last year. He’s not sure how the fire started.

When firefighters arrived, the found flames coming from the roof on the east side, in the attic/wall areas. Firefighters from Lewis, Atlantic & Griswold were on the scene, along with the Cass County Sheriff’s Department and Cass EMS. No injuries were reported. Fire Chief Tim Pope says the home is likely a total loss. The fire was declared out, a little after 10:30-a.m.

Sean Keller (Photo)

(Photo’s by KJAN News Director Ric Hanson)

(Lewis, Iowa) – Atlantic, Lewis and Griswold Fire were called to the scene of a house fire this (Saturday) morning, in Lewis. The incident was reported at around 8:55-a.m. at 203 Court Street, in Lewis. Additional details are currently not available.

(Radio Iowa) – A Bettendorf chiropractor who pleaded guilty to insurance fraud has been sentenced to probation and ordered to pay 22-thousand dollars. According to the Iowa Insurance Division, Joshua David Blunt had submitted false insurance claims to Wellmark on two previous occasions and had repaid the company, but he continued to file factious bills for chiropractic care which was never provided.

Blunt has been ordered to repay Wellmark nearly 21-thousand dollars and pay a civil penalty. Investigators also discovered that in 2017 Blunt paid eight-thousand dollars for a recreational vehicle, but claimed he bought it for a dollar to avoid the registration fee. He’s been ordered to pay that 425-dollar fee on the R-V as well.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Hail ranging in size from dimes and ping-pong balls, to apples, fell across parts of central Iowa Friday afternoon, and heavy rain flooded the streets of Des Moines, catching motorists off-guard and resulting in stalled vehicles.  Iowa State Fair officials ordered visitors to the fair to take shelter as the storms passed over the venue at around 2:30-p.m.

Hail reportedly damaged the roof at Valley High School in West Des Moines, flooding the school’s gymnasium. Hail as large as 2 to 3 inches in diameter was reported.

Many vehicle owners reported their windshields and other windows were shattered, and their cars were dented or dimpled, in Clive and West Des Moines. Heavy rain caused flooding at 24th and Hickman, in Des Moines. One motorist who didn’t heed the “Turn around, don’t drown,” message, found themselves stranded in the middle of the intersection, and requiring help from rescue crews. Water surrounded the car up to its hood, according to social media reports.

Ping-pong ball size hail was reported near Grundy Center, with quarter-size hail falling near Steamboat Rock and Holland. There were no reports of injuries.

(Radio Iowa) – Former Vice President Mike Pence says the F-B-I search of Donald Trump’s Florida home is troubling, but he’s urging Republicans to tone down the anti-F-B-I rhetoric. Pence, who is at the Iowa State Fair this (Friday) afternoon with Senator Chuck Grassley, says the Republican Party stands for law and order.

Senator Grassley has said there’s evidence of political bias in the F-B-I. Grassley and Pence support release of more information to explain why it was necessary to conduct a court-ordered search of a former president’s home.