DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Democratic National Committee will recommend scrapping state plans to offer virtual, telephone-based caucuses in 2020 due to security concerns, sources tell The Associated Press. The recommendation from DNC leaders makes it highly unlikely that the party’s powerful Rules and Bylaws Committee would allow Iowa and Nevada to proceed with their current plans for virtual caucuses next February. DNC officials and some presidential campaigns have raised concerns about possible hacking.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne says the patience of Iowa farmers is wearing thin as President Donald Trump’s trade policies damage soybean markets and his administration’s ethanol policy reduces corn demand. Axne, a Democrat, convened a meeting with farmers and agriculture groups at the Iowa Capitol on Thursday with USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey, a Republican and former Iowa secretary of agriculture. Northey says Trump realizes farmers are stressed in part by administration policies.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — It took only seconds for a towering coal-fired electricity plant in Marshalltown to be reduced to rubble. The Sutherland Generating Station was imploded Thursday morning, with explosions causing the structure to crash to the ground and send up a plume of dust. The plant, owned by Alliant Energy, had operated since the 1950s but ceased operation in 2017 after a natural gas power plant came online.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa funeral home is calling on families to pick up the unclaimed cremated remains of nearly 100 people that it has been keeping in a locked closet for years, some since the mid-1990s. Lanae Strovers, of Hamilton’s Funeral Home in Des Moines, told TV station KCCI that she has already made arrangements for 200 sets of the unclaimed ashes but is still trying make arrangements for 91 others. Any that remain unclaimed will be buried in a cemetery during a Sept. 26 service.

(Radio Iowa) — Former Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey — now a top administrator in the U-S Department of Agriculture — says farmers “need more assurances” about ethanol, but Northey says he’s unaware of what’s in the “giant package” President Trump is promising farmers. “I know there have been meetings and I know some of the things they have talked about, but I don’t know what’s going to be part of it and certainly we’re all on the edge of seat to be able to look at what it is,” Northey says. “I don’t even know the timing necessarily.”

Trump Thursday, tweeted the ethanol waivers he okayed, saved small oil refineries “from certain closing,” and Trump told farmers to “get ready” for a pro-ethanol move that will make them happy. Northey spoke Thursday at a forum with Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from Des Moines. Axne says the waivers are “unacceptable.” “I think farmers’ patience is wearing thin,” Axne says.

Axne is pressing for the inspector general in the E-P-A to investigate the ethanol waivers. “The president can tweet out whatever he wants to tweet out about his next big thing,” Axne says. “…I am sick and tired of seeing hard-working farmers in Iowa being used as pawns in this administration whether it’s trade negotiation or whether it’s fulfilling the desires of rich shareholders of fossil fuel companies.” Northey says farmers were excited about the prospects of year-round E-15 sales, but that positive Trump Administration move “got lost” when the ethanol waivers were granted, plus farmers are facing weather and market challenges. “There’s as much nervousness around the economics of agriculture as I’ve seen in quite a while,” Northey told reporters.

On Wednesday, Northey attended a forum in La Porte City with Iowa Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer, a Democrat from Dubuque. Finkenauer also criticized Trump, saying this is a scary time for agriculture.

(Radio Iowa) — The speed of Missouri River levee repairs remains the key dilemma for southwest Iowans waiting for word on rebuilding after this spring’s flooding. The flood recovery task force Governor Kim Reynolds appointed earlier this year met again yesterday (Thursday). Task force member Larry Winum (WIN-umm), a banker from Glenwood, says the city council in Pacific Junction is determined to save their town — but face major obstacles. “Pacific Junction has never been flooded in their lifetime, ever, and now all of a sudden the rules that come down from the government say: ‘Well, you can’t rebuild there because now we know you’re in the flood zone,'” he says. “Well, they weren’t in a flood zone until the levees broke, so that’s frustrating for people, particularly if they’ve lived there all their lives.”

Governor Reynolds says state tax dollars have been spent on some projects, but there’s uncertainty about how much the State of Iowa may have to contribute to levee repair. “It’s extremely frustrating. I’m very frustrated. The bureacracy and the hoops that they expect you to jump through,” Reynolds said. “You make one small step forward and it’s four steps back.”

Reynolds says her idea of flexibility is very different from the Army Corp’s. The governor says homeowners and businesses in the flood zone are in a “catch-22” situation because rebuilding can’t start until the levees are fixed.

Atlantic Police, Fire, and Rescue were called to the scene of a vehicle on pedestrian accident around 3:18pm Thursday afternoon at 10th and Maple Streets in Atlantic. Atlantic Police Officer Devin Hogue told KJAN News the accident happened after students were released from school.

There were students walking westbound at 10th and Maple and had the right of way. A red Buick that was traveling west on 10th Street proceeded to make a left turn to head south on Maple Street, not yielding to the students that were crossing the street. One student, approximately 10-years-old, was struck by the vehicle and suffered a possibly serious leg injury. The injury at the scene did not appear to be life threatening.

No further details are being released at this time and the investigation into the accident is ongoing.

DES MOINES– Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Thursday) announced her appointment of Julie Schumacher as a judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals. Schumacher, of Schleswig, Iowa, currently serves as a district court judge in Judicial Election District 3B. She has previously served as a district associate judge, an assistant county attorney for Crawford County,  and an assistant city attorney for Denison.

She also engaged in the private practice of law in Denison for nearly twenty years. Schumacher received her undergraduate degree from the University of South Dakota and her law degree from Creighton University School of Law.

The Iowa Court of Appeals is Iowa’s intermediate appellate court. It is composed of nine judges and decides appeals from district courts across Iowa. Schumacher fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Iowa Court of Appeals Chief Judge Gayle Nelson Vogel of Spirit Lake.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A former western Iowa pastor already charged in Nebraska with sexually assaulting two children has, along with his wife, been charged with an additional count of witness tampering. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 44-year-old Emanuel Rodriguez and 42-year-old Veronica Rodriguez were arrested this week. Police say Emanuel Rodriguez called his wife from jail after his arrest earlier this month on the sexual assault counts and told her to contact the mothers of the two girls. Victoria Rodriguez later told her jailed husband that she said she had sent text messages to the girls’ mothers saying her husband “had lost his whole career in the ministry” because of the accusations.

Police say Emanuel Rodriguez fondled two prepubescent girls between 2017 and May 2019 at two Omaha homes previously owned by Rodriguez. Rodriguez was the pastor at Calvary Assembly of God Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa, at the time of his arrest.

(Press Release) — Marne Elk Horn is now a recognized member of the Smart Rural Communities SM program, which is offered by NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association.  “Across the United States, rural, community-based broadband providers are serving small  towns with robust broadband networks to support critical and innovative solutions for rural communities and Marne Elk Horn is one of them,” said NTCA Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield. “Marne Elk Horn is helping to build a nationwide network of Smart Rural Communities, where broadband connections are helping create a brighter future.”

“We have been a Gig Certified Community through NTCA since we completed our fiber project in Elk Horn, Kimballton, Marne, Brayton, and Walnut,” said Janell Hansen, CEO of Marne Elk Horn. “To us, that was step one, which was connected to our technological capabilities. The Smart Rural Community approach is about how the technology benefits the people, businesses, community and region. We have always been about serving our customers with the best products for a fair price. The Smart Rural Community initiative is an extension of that while connecting us to other companies and communities like us nationwide.”

According to Bloomfield, the Smart Rural Communities program promotes collaborative work among rural broadband providers and other local leaders to develop broadband-enabled solutions for education, economic development, healthcare and more. The Smart Rural Communities initiative celebrates the technological leadership of nearly 850 small, community
based rural broadband providers in NTCA’s membership. “I am so proud of Marne Elk Horn for rising to meet the challenge of providing exceptional service in rural America, where our member companies face low population density, geographic obstacles, regulatory hurdles and limited budgets,” stated Bloomfield.

“NTCA’s Smart Rural Community Providers are leading by example and charting a course toward an even more vibrant, productive and community-oriented rural America.” Hansen said more info can be found at www.metc.net/smart.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Kansas City District say there is a simple way for lake visitors to greatly reduce their risk of drowning this Labor Day weekend: Wear a life jacket. The Corps district manages 18 lakes in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. Public safety manager Kyle Ruona said Thursday that 89 percent of all water-related fatalities at Corps lakes involve people who fail to wear life jackets.

Swimming in a lake is harder than swimming in a pool, so Corps officials urge people to take precautions, be alert and to expect the unexpected when on the water. People using boats also are encouraged to avoid alcohol.

Officials with the Family Crisis Support Network in Atlantic say “Family Table Talk” cards will soon be distributed in Cass County. Director Wendy Richter says the cards have been a collaborative effort between the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council and the Atlantic Rotary Club. Richter says the Council began the project as a way for families to put down electronic devices at mealtime, and what better way to begin that than while waiting for food at a restaurant. Many of the ideas on the cards are activities that families can do in restaurants but are also ones that can be done while at home too.

Pictured are: Melanie Storural, Council member, Damon Clark, Rotarian, Dolly Bergmann, Rotary District 6000 Asst. Governor, Kaila Antisdel, Rotarian, Kate Olson, Rotarian & Council member, Lora Kanning, Council member. (Photo courtesy Wendy Richter)

The activities easily open communication between parents and their children and when talking to their parents is easy for kids, they are more likely to talk to parents when struggling with difficult issues as they get older. According to Prevent Child Abuse Iowa, “it’s important to give all parents resources that allow them to bond with their children, gain parenting skills and manage stress”. “Family Table Talk” cards will help in each of these areas.

Rotary Clubs in District 6000 were encouraged to participate with their local Child Abuse Prevention Councils to work on a project. The Atlantic Rotary Club, being a member of District 6000, contacted to Cass County Child Abuse Council to find a way to work jointly on a project. The cards project was presented to the Rotary Club and approval for participation was approved by the Board of Director.

For additional resources about the groups mentioned above, check out the following: pcaiowa.org, rotaryinternational.org, or see the cass county child abuse prevention council on FaceBook.

AMES, Iowa – August 29, 2019 – The Iowa Department of Transportation is conducting a planning study on the Missouri Valley bypass corridor.  The study area includes an area south of Missouri Valley and extends along U.S. 30 from I-29 east to 280th Street. An online public meeting is now available to view on the Iowa DOT’s Public Involvement webpage: www.iowadot.gov/pim. To view the meeting and related content, click on the Missouri Valley bypass corridor project from the list of public involvement events. The online meeting allows you to scroll through the information at your own pace and at any time. The Iowa DOT is asking interested parties to take a few minutes to view the information and offer any feedback.

For general information regarding the proposed improvements or public meeting, contact Scott Suhr, transportation planner, Iowa DOT District 4 Office, 2210 E. Seventh St., Atlantic, Iowa 50022, phone 712-243-3355 or 800-289-4368, email: scott.suhr@iowadot.us.