(Villisca, Iowa) – Three people in two separate residences were arrested in Villisca, Thursday and Friday (today), as the result of an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine. At around 8:15-a.m., Thursday, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies executed a search warrant at 115 N. 4th Avenue, in Villisca. As a result of the warrant, 44-year-old Justin James Smith and 31-year-old Jamie Elizabeth Gentry, both of Villisca, were arrested.

Justin Smith was taken into custody on charges that include two counts of Delivery of Methamphetamine. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $100,000 bond. Jamie Gentry charged with Child Endangerment. Her bond was set at $2,000.

At around 9:45-a.m. today (Friday), Sheriff’s Deputies executed a search warrant at 121 W. 3rd Street in Villisca. Authorities say Bruce Warren Fitzwater was arrested, and charged with four counts of Delivery of Methamphetamine, and one count of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver. Fitzwater was being held without bond.

A large amount of methamphetamine was seized during the execution of both warrants. The incidents remain under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – State regulators issued a 60-thousand dollar penalty to a sports book for illegally allowing the use of credit cards on its site. Racing and Gaming administrator, Brian Ohorilko, says the penalty involves American Wagering, which does businesses as Caesars Sportsbook. “There was a specific incident in July of 2021, where it was discovered that there were a number of transactions that took place using a credit card. And so it was discovered at that time, a full audit was completed,” Ohorilko says. He says the audit found multiple issues.

“Throughout certain periods in 2020, 2021, prepaid debit cards were purchased using a credit card and a number of those transactions were permitted and in went through,” he says. There were a total of 485 transactions worth 212-thousand dollars — which he says the Racing and Gaming Commission felt was fairly egregious. This follows a similar penalty levied at the last commission meeting against FanDuel for 75-thousand dollars for a two-count violation.

Ohorilko says this is something that has come up with the sports books and there will be some more penalties in the Commission’s future meetings. “And it’s important for the sports books to get a handle on,” he says. In Iowa credit cards cannot be used to wager on sports betting or any form of gambling.” Ohorilko says the companies are working to make corrections so these types of violations. “We’ve heard some positive things from the different operators that have had problems and that they are taking steps to not only correct the action — but to develop procedures to audit these types of things — so that they’re doing their own self checks,” Ohorilko says.

Ohorilko says there are some other penalties — such as license suspensions — the commissioners can levy if the problems don’t get correct. But he says the ultimate goal with any of these violations is to get them back into compliance with the law.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The owner of an ag chemical supply company near Atlantic is hosting the Cass County Republicans Trap Shoot and BBQ tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 27th.) Erich Wickman, owner of Wickman Chemical, says the trap shoot takes place on his property north of Atlantic across from his place of business, off Highway 71, to the east, and will feature Republican candidates for office.

Last year there were about 260 who stayed for the dinner. Wickman says they’re hoping for more this year. The politicians or their representatives who have said they will be in attendance, aren’t coming to make a campaign stop.

Aside from the trap shoot, Cass County Cattleman’s BBQ steak sandwich dinner and elbow rubbing with politicians, there are many other things that will draw your interest.

There will be a raffle for a gun and gun safe, following the dinner. The drawing will take place at the end of the trap shoot. You do not need to be present in order to win. The cost is $10/1 gun ticket; $25/3 gun tickets; $100/12 gun tickets; $100 worth of tickets = 1 chance at the Kodiak Gun Safe. There is a $25 entry fee and register when you arrive. That covers the shooting event and the cost of the dinner. Many people come just to watch and enjoy the food. Wichman says while the event is intended to benefit the Cass County Republican Party, there is another purpose.

The Top Shot finished-up Thursday night, with about $9,000 raised for the Atlantic Police Community Charitable Organization (APCO). To participate in the Trap Shoot, you must bring a 12 or 20-gauge shotgun (target loads only) and ammo. Protective ear/eye equipment is required. Wickman says if you want to participate in the shooting part of the day, please call ahead to reserve a specific time slot…which are filling fast. He says the afternoon is already full.

For more information contact Erich Wickman at (712) 243-7739.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports the Page County Sheriff’s Office’ front Office, is closed today, August 26, 2022, due to staff shortage in that Office. The Front Office will re-open on Monday, August 29, 2022.

(Radio Iowa) – Veterans from at least 15 northern Iowa counties will be spending tomorrow (Saturday) in the nation’s capital as part of the latest Honor Flight from Iowa. Russ Naden of Webster City is one of the coordinators of the flight, which will fly out of the Fort Dodge Regional Airport early in the morning. “We’ve probably got 130-some veterans on it,” Naden says. “I think last count was about eight or nine Korean vets, the rest are mainly Vietnam vets.”

This marks the group’s 22nd Honor Flight over the years and Naden says it’s always a privilege to carry each veteran to Washington D-C to see the monuments, as for many it’s their first time. “We are taking a few what we call in-betweeners, people that were in between Korea and Vietnam are now eligible,” Naden says, “and in between World War Two and Korea are also eligible, although there aren’t too many of them still around.”

Image from honorflight.org.

The plane is scheduled to arrive at Dulles International Airport at mid-morning. From there, the veterans will board buses for the one-day tour visiting the memorials and historical buildings. The day wraps with a tour of Arlington National Cemetery and the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The charter will return to Fort Dodge tomorrow night.

(Ames, Iowa) – It’s a busy time of year. School is starting, harvest is just around the corner and there seem to be more priorities than time for many of us. If you find yourself rushing to get from here to there, remember that cutting a few minutes from your drive by speeding or driving aggressively is not worth the risk. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2020, speeding killed 11,258 people in the United States.

In Iowa in 2021, law enforcement officers determined speed and aggressive driving played a part in the deaths of 176 people. If you are lucky enough to just get pulled over and not get into a crash, the average cost for a ticket for aggressive driving is $195. Just a speeding ticket will run you anywhere from $92 to $402.

What does a crash look like at different speeds? Check this out – https://youtu.be/71xuU9y-iwM…

(West Des Moines, Iowa) – A long-time County Employee in Pottawattamie County was honored recently. Officials with ISAC (Iowa State Association of Counties) report Melvyn Houser, Pottawattamie County Auditor, was presented with the prestigious “Golden Eagle” award on Wednesday, during ISAC’s 2022 Annual Conference in Des Moines. The Golden Eagle is given to commend extraordinary public service to ISAC and county government. The honor was created to recognize elected or appointed county officials, business or civic leaders, persons rendering assistance to counties as trainers, consultants or advisors, and former members of ISAC staff also are eligible.

The ISAC Board of Directors selected Houser as the Golden Eagle, an honor that has been given annually since 2010 on the basis of service rendered to county government generally, including leadership in ISAC, ISAC-affiliated boards, service on state or national boards or commissions, service to the National Association of Counties (NACo), service to counties in training, education and development of local leadership, advocating for counties and good local government, and providing exceptional professional assistance and support to counties.

Melvyn Houser was honored as the 2022 ISAC Golden Eagle during a ceremony in Des Moines. (L to R: ISAC President Richard Crouch: Pottawattamie County Auditor Melvyn Houser; Black Hawk County Auditor Grant Veeder; ISAC Executive Director Bill Peterson)

Melvyn Houser served as Pottawattamie County Supervisor from 2001-2017. Since that time, he has served as Pottawattamie County Auditor. He has been actively engaged in ISAC and NACo and has gone above and beyond for both organization for many years. He has been a mainstay on the Boards of both organizations. He has served on the ISAC Board since 2009, on the NACo Board since 2013, and served as ISAC President in 2015. He has served on countless statewide boards and committees related directly to ISAC, including, but not limited to:

• ICTS Advisory Committee
• Iowa State Association of County Auditors
• Iowa State Association of County Supervisors
• Case Management and Mental Health and Disability Services

At the federal level, Melvyn Houser has been a member of the Rural Action Caucus (RAC), the Membership Committee, the Arts & Culture Commission, the Finance Pensions and Intergovernmental Affairs Steering Committee, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Steering Committee, and much more. He has been an enthusiastic proponent and successful recruiter for NACo membership, participation, and event attendance. He currently lives in Carson with his wife LaRue. They have three grown sons.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports a man wanted on a Page County warrant for Failure to Appear (in court), was arrested Thursday evening. Authorities say 37-year-old Randon Daniel Phelps, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 6:32-p.m., in the 2400 block of N. 8th Street. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $3,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Democratic Party’s chairman says Republicans at the statehouse have put Iowa gun laws on a downward spiral — leading to the plan to have 10 Spirit Lake School staff carry guns on school grounds. Spirit Lake officials announced this week that staff with permits for concealed weapons would be trained to quickly respond to a shooting in Spirit Lake schools, however teachers will not have guns in classrooms. Iowa Democratic Party chairman Ross Wilburn is also a state representative from Ames and he has voted against allowing guns in Iowa schools.

“Eliminating the Iowa permit to carry requirements, allowing guns in schools and also making it easy for domestic abusers and felons to buy handguns — it’s a continued spiral downward,” Wilburn says. “It continues to stoke fear.” Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames is the top Democrat on the Senate Education Committee. “Turning our schools into armed camps is just the absolute wrong way,” Quirmbach says. “The psychological effect on our kids, I think, is devastating.” Deidre DeJear, the Democratic candidate for governor, was in Spirit Lake Wednesday and DeJear says she talked with people who were devastated by the district’s decision.

“There are some common sense measures that we can put into place at a statewide level so that folks aren’t scared that they’re sending their kids to schools with guns in them,” DeJear says. “We see a school trying to be preventative, but in essence it’s challenging for them to be preventative that this current governor is creating.” Last year, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law that lets Iowans buy and carry handguns without a permit.

DeJear, who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, says she’d reinstate the permit process. She says that way background checks would be required for private gun sales in Iowa. Spirit Lake school officials say the program to have armed staff on school grounds should serve as a deterrent to anyone contemplating a school shooting. The Iowa Firearms Coalition says Iowa children are worth protecting and the group is urging other Iowa districts to adopt Spirit Lake’s plan.

(Radio Iowa) -Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says the Republican Party must scale back a “bloated government” and recalibrate U.S. foreign policy, but she says the “most pressing” issue for the GOP is its stand against abortion. “Restoring the value of life and the family,” Ernst said this evening. “Maybe more than ever in our nation’s history, we must stand up for the rule of law, but I would contend that it begins with defending and valuing human life.”

Ernst spoke tonight in California, invited by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation to define “what it means to be a Republican” and what principles are paramount for the party in the future. Ernst credited Donald Trump for refocusing the party and, in particular, coming up with his “drain the swamp” mantra. “For far too long in Republican politics we failed to realize the strong undertones in our own electorate,” Ernst said. “…They truly believe that Washington has either left them behind or is out to get them.”

Ernst told the crowd “even the smallest change” in the federal bureaucracy is a challenge and she criticized the Democratic Party for establishing “new entitlement programs” and tax credits for electric vehicles. “You may remember that Iowans elected me…with the commitment to ‘make Washington squeal,’” Ernst said, “but after eight years in Washington, I often feel that I am the only one squealing.”

Ernst urged Republicans to push back on “academics and those in the political class” who she said are focusing on America’s “past sins.” As for the GOP’s approach to foreign policy, Ernst said “chaos reigns” in the world and the U.S. should pursue Reagan’s doctrine of peace through strength. “I believe in America first, always, but never America alone,” Ernst said. “Forging strong partnerships and allied networks are essential to America’s security and prosperity.”

Ernst is among current and former Republican office holders who’ve been invited to speak at the Reagan Presidential Library, in the “Time for Choosing” series. Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney delivered the keynote in July and and Arizona Senator Doug Ducey is scheduled to be the speaker in September.