(Radio Iowa) – A Hollywood actor who is a native of Uvalde, Texas — and a gun owner — made a passionate pitch for gun safety legislation in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday and one of his stops was in Senator Chuck Grassley’s office. “You won’t believe it but the movie star Matthew McConaughey was in my office and he had his wife with us, and she’s as famous as he is,” Grassley says, “and we discussed a lot of things dealing with guns.”

McConaughey’s hometown was the site of the murders of 19 elementary school children and two teachers last month. The actor’s wife, Camila Alves McConaughey, is a Brazilian model and clothing designer. She held the shoes of one of the students who was killed in the Texas school as her husband delivered a speech at the White House. McConaughey says responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked — and support measures like enhanced background checks and raising the age to buy an A-R-15-style rifle from 18 to 21. Grassley says the actor is also familiar with a bill that Grassley’s been promoting.

“He brought up about my Eagles Act and wanted to know how it would work,” Grassley says. “He took a real interest in my saying that Senator Booker was the one senator holding it up. He was going to have a conversation with Senator Booker about it, so maybe that will help get my legislation passed.”

Grassley’s bill would have the Secret Service Threat Assessment Center advise schools on how to recognize the warning signs of student behavior that might turn deadly. Grassley has opposed universal background checks for all gun purchases. And Grassley suggested during a recent town hall meeting that a ban on A-R-15 style rifles would be ineffective since Americans already own 15 million of them.

(Radio Iowa) – The U-S Department of Education has canceled the student loan balances for students who attended the now-closed Corinthian College. Information from Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says more than 500 Iowa students were eligible for debt cancellation when the for profit school closed in 2015. Miller says a multi-state investigation into Corinthian found that the school lied to students about future job prospects, falsified data on graduate success, and wrongly claimed students could transfer credits to other colleges.

Those students may be for a program known as Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment — which can erase of some or all of their federal student loan debt.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday morning, voted to accept the resignation of County Auditor Stephanie Burke. Burke stood before the board and, reading from her formal letter of resignation, said she has accepted a Business Official and Board Secretary’s position with the Stanton Community School District. In her letter she said she is delighted to have an opportunity in the Education field.

Her last day with the County will be June 30, 2022. Burke, who has served as Auditor and Commissioner of Elections for the past 10-years, said she is honored have served the constituents of Montgomery County, and she’ll miss those she’s worked with, along with the 98 other County Auditors in Iowa.

The Board then approved a motion to make an appointment for the next Montgomery County Auditor at 8:45-a.m. on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.  The individual selected will conduct the duties of the position until the seat appears on the November 8, 2022, General Election ballot. Persons interested in the appointment must submit a letter of interest and resume’ by no later than 4:30-p.m. June 30, 2022.

Requirements must be sent to the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office, Attn: Chairman Mark Peterson, 105 E. Coolbaugh, P.O. Box 469, Red Oak, Iowa, 51566. The letter of interest, resume’ and other requested information may be mailed, hand-delivered, or put in the drop box located at the Montgomery County Courthouse.

DES MOINES, IA – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa said Wednesday (June 8th), that 59-year-old Kevin Jeffrey Stiller, of Ankeny, was sentenced Tuesday, June 7, 2022, to 18 months in prison for failing to file income tax returns. Stiller pleaded guilty on February 3, 2022, to two counts of failure to file income tax returns, one for each of the calendar years 2015 and 2017. Senior Judge James E. Gritzner imposed a 9-month prison sentence on each count, to be served consecutively, that is one after the other. Following completion of his prison term, Stiller will be on supervised release for one additional year. Stiller is responsible for paying his tax liability in full.

Stiller is the owner and operator of Spruce Hill Tree Service and he received taxable income from this business. Stiller knew he was required to file federal income tax returns for the years 2015 and 2017 and he willfully failed to do so. Stiller additionally failed to file federal income tax returns for the years 2008 – 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2019. “The foundation of our tax system is the voluntary filing of tax returns by each citizen required to do so. Mr. Stiller flagrantly disregarded this basic duty for nearly 15 years”, stated Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge for IRS Criminal Investigation. “This sentence highlights the seriousness of filing income tax returns timely and accurately as prescribed by law otherwise you will be held accountable for not doing so.”

The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Kerndt.

A KJAN listener in the area of Norway Center in Cass County, sent KJAN these photos following a Tuesday night storm event. They speculated an EF-1 tornado may have caused the damage, due to “the way the wind was surging with the hail the cops out here or shredded beans were uprooted.  Crops are a total loss.” The property owner is working to remove the tree and clean-up from the storm.

Photos submitted

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday) passed on a voice-vote, a Resolution to fund the County’s seven Fire Departments/Associations, with the exception of Anita (Which has already been granted funds). The money is coming from the first half of the County’s share of the ARPA (COVID-relief) payment from the State of Iowa via the Federal Government. When a formal Resolution is adopted during the Board’s meeting next week, it will provide a total of $75,000 to each department. Supervisors Steve Green made a motion on the distribution of funds…

The plan allows the funds to be paid out of the current Fiscal Year, as well as FY 2023 and 2024. The Board heard an ARPA request from Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies Ben Bartholomew and Kyle Quist, who spoke on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic P-D and County Fire Departments. Bartholomew said their Drone has been used countless times under a multiple circumstances, to aid law enforcement and fire department personnel.

He said they would like to acquire a larger, more well equipped drone to supplement their smaller, easier to carry and launch drones that are kept in an on-duty vehicle. Deputy Quist said Montgomery and Mills Counties are looking to acquire the same or a similar drone. Cass County’s drone, he said would feature several new tools not currently available to the Drone Team.

The men requested funds for the Cass County Drone Program to purchase a new drone with features the current unit doesn’t have. The Board approved the Drone Team request for $29,500. The Cass County Supervisors tabled until next week, an ARPA funds request from the Cass County EMA until more information is obtained with regard to ambulance radios. In other business, the Board acted on passing a Resolution with regard to Courthouse Office Hours. Board Chair Steve Baier reads from a portion of the Resolution…

In the event of a unforeseen circumstances, such as one person getting sick or on vacation in a two-person department, Baier said that single employee is entitled to a lunch break, and a note on the door explaining the temporary closure is acceptable.

The Resolution falls on the heals of last week’s decision by Cass County Treasurer to reschedule the hours of her office due to a shortage of staff due to resignations and a forthcoming retirement.

(Radio Iowa) – Davenport police say an officer fatally shot a man early this (Wednesday) morning during a scuffle. Police were called to a Casey’s on Davenport’s west side shortly before 1 A-M where the clerk said a suspicious man appeared to be tampering with the convenience store’s air conditioner. The officer talked with the man, got his name and learned he had outstanding warrants.

The confrontation became physical, shots were exchanged — and the unidentified man was killed. The officer had non-life-threatening injuries and is now on administrative leave. The Scott County Sheriff’s office and D-C-I will investigate.

(Sioux City, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections report 27-year-old Richard Allan Martinez, who was convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree and other charges in Crawford County, failed to report back to the Sioux City Residential Treatment Facility as required, Tuesday.

Martinez is a white male, 5-feet 7-inches tall. He weighs about 172 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on 12/17/21.  Persons with information on Martinez’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Richard Martinez (IA-DOC photo)

(Glenwood, Iowa) — A citation report filed by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals shows a 30-year-old resident at the Glenwood Resource Center died of dehydration. According to KETV, the report alleges that a “lack of training and communication” led to the man being given lower fluids than were ordered for him several times over a one-month period. The report said the agency fined the Glenwood Resource Center $10,000 in the man’s death.

The report says the man “experienced a hospitalization in November 2021 due to dehydration and acute kidney injury.” The citation reads “Based on interviews and record review, the facility failed to ensure nursing staff provided appropriate training to staff and care to clients to ensure implementation of client health care plans.”

Read the public report here.

In January, the facility was fined for not ensuring adequate staffing and failing to report potential abuse, per the DIA. The facility is scheduled to close in 2024.