(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, soon may have to seek permission from Republican officeholders to join lawsuits outside the state of Iowa. Republicans in the Iowa House like Representative Gary Worthan of Storm Lake are upset with Miller’s participation in lawsuits challenging Trump Administration policies. “The attorney general’s client is the people of the state of Iowa, but does that election give him carte blanche to do whatever he cares to do?” Worthan said. “We don’t believe so.” Democrats like Representative Marti Anderson of Des Moines called the G-O-P move a power grab. “Don’t rearrange our good government for no good reason,” Anderson said.

Miller sat in the House balcony and watched the House debate. Miller said filing lawsuits is a fundamental function of the office he’s held for 37 years.”I’m an independently elected official, given these fundamental powers,” Miller told reporters. “…No other state does this. I think that tells us something as well.”

Miller is the longest-serving attorney general in the country and in 2018 no Republican candidate challenged his bid for a 10th term. The Republican-led House has now voted to force Miller to get permission from Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, the Republican-led state executive council or the Republican-led legislature to join any lawsuit outside the state of Iowa. The plan now goes to the Republican-led Iowa Senate for a vote. Governor Reynolds told reporters she hasn’t seen the proposal.

(Radio Iowa) — The assistant chief of the Oxford Fire Department in eastern Iowa’s Johnson County is facing arson charges. The Johnson County Sheriff’s office says 30-year-old Timothy Hora was found trying to stomp out the flames of a grass fire just after 11 o’clock on April 13th. Court records show a torch that was still warm was found in the back of Hora’s truck. Hora was charged with O-W-I and later released. The investigation into several other grass and vegetation fires led them back to Hora, as information from the G-P-S showed his truck in the area of those fires. He has been charged with five counts of arson.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports early this (Wednesday) morning, Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office arrested 26 year old Cory Daniel Archer of Shenandoah. Archer taken into custody at Priest Park in Shenandoah, for the Delivery of Methamphetamine. The charge was the result of a previous incident in Fremont County.

Cory Archer (Fremont County S/O photo)

During his arrest, Archer was found to be in Possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center and held on a $10,000 bond.

Additional charges are expected to be filed with the Page County Attorneys Office.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a robbing a bank. Federal prosecutors say in a news release that 53-year-old Christopher Leon Weckman was sentenced Tuesday for the robbery of the Tradesmen Community Credit Union in Des Moines. Prosecutors say Weckman entered the bank the afternoon of Sept. 25, 2017, with his face concealed and placed an object he claimed was a bomb on the counter before demanding money.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The longest serving Republican in the Iowa Legislature says he’s becoming a Democrat. Rep. Andy McKean announced his decision Tuesday, saying one important factor was the presidency of Republican Donald Trump. McKean says he can’t support Trump, and if his behavior and leadership is the new normal, “I want no part of it.” McKean says he’ll register as a Democrat this week and plans to seek re-election as a Democrat in 2020.

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Lawmakers in Montana and Iowa have approved legal sports betting, and the Indiana Legislature is expected to do so this week. Barring vetoes from their governors, they would be the first states to expand gambling to sports this year. They would join a handful of other states that acted last year after a U.S. Supreme Court decision. Critics say expanding gambling to sports will increase addiction and give a pathway for minors to pace bets illegally.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds isn’t saying whether she’ll sign a sports betting bill that has passed its final legislative hurdle. Reynolds has declined throughout the legislative session to say whether she supports the expansion of gambling in a state with 19 state-regulated casinos, horse and dog racing and a lottery. Asked about the issue Tuesday, a day after lawmakers gave final approval to the bill, Reynolds responded that she’ll read the bill before deciding whether to sign it.

During the school year, the summer back-pack program assists the children and families of Cass County who may need food assistance on weekends and over the holidays. There are some programs during the summer, but it is known that, with students home for summer vacation, there will be an increased need among families to provide nutritious foods for the children.

The Cass County Democratic Party is sponsoring a Summer Food Drive meant to supplement the summer programs. Chair Sherry Toelle says “We need individually-prepared, non-perishable food items such as puddings, Jello-type products, cereals, pasta meals, canned/packaged tuna and chicken, Ramen noodles, and other foods that, if the parents are gone during the day, children can prepare for themselves.”

Toelle said also, “We will have drop-off sites in most communities throughout the county. The food drive will run for a month, from April 24th to May 24th. Volunteers from the Democratic Party will handle pick-up and delivery of all food donations, which will remain in Cass County.”

Drop–off sites include:

• Anita: City Clerk’s Office; Library
• Atlantic: Fareway; private home @ 10 E. 13th St.; YMCA
• Cumberland: Telephone Company; Library; City Hall; Houghton State Bank
• Griswold: Rolling Hills Bank; Library; City Hall; Telephone Company
• Lewis: Library
• Massena: Library; FNBank; Economy Food Mart

Toelle said “It is our mission as Democrats to offer a hand up, not a hand-out, to our fellow citizens. I want to thank the offices and businesses who are so generously providing the public with drop-off sites in every community. We would not be able to offer this program and other public service programs that we do throughout the year without their help.”

Officials with the Harlan Police Department report two separate arrests each on April 20th and 17th. On April 20th, 41-year old Jeremy Lloyd Smith, of Defiance, was arrested following a traffic stop.  Smith was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating while intoxicated 1st offense and parking against the flow of traffic. 24-year old Anthony Michael McCoy, of Avoca, was also arrested following a traffic stop.  McCoy was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while barred, failure to prove security against liability, and insufficient number of headlamps.

On April 17th, 52-year old Melissa Ann Henscheid, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant.  Henscheid was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was also charged with driving while suspended. And, 18-year old Preston Max Russell, of, Kirkman, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant.  Russell was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The longest serving Republican in the Iowa Legislature says he’ll become a Democrat. Rep. Andy McKean announced his decision Tuesday, saying one important factor was the presidency of Republican Donald Trump. McKean says he can’t support Trump, and if his behavior and leadership is the new normal, “I want no part of it.”

McKean, a 69-year-old retired attorney from the eastern Iowa city of Anamosa, first entered the House in 1979 and served seven terms. He left the legislature but returned to the Senate in 1993 and served three terms. He then won election to the House in 2016 and was re-elected in 2018. He’s now served nearly 29 years in the Legislature.

When he returned, McKean found he disagreed with Republicans on many high profile issues. McKean says he’ll register as a Democrat this week and plans to seek re-election as a Democrat in 2020.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man who fell from a downtown Cedar Rapids construction site has died from his injuries, officials announced Tuesday.

Television station KCRG reports that fall happened Monday afternoon, when someone called 911 to report a person lying in an alley between United Fire Group’s buildings downtown.

First responders found 47-year-old Michael Dean Patterson, of Norwalk, with critical injuries. He was taken to a Cedar Rapids hospital, where he died several hours later.
Investigators believe Patterson fell from a beam while working on building renovations.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A man has been given 50 years in prison for beating to death the 16-month-old daughter of his girlfriend in western Iowa. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Javon Jennings was sentenced Monday. A jury found him guilty Feb. 15 of manslaughter and child endangerment in the death last April of Jazlynn Harshbarger. An autopsy showed the toddler had suffered numerous injuries and died of blunt force trauma. Prosecutors say Jennings was supposed to be baby-sitting the girl in Council Bluffs.

Jennings repeated earlier statements that he didn’t kill Jazlynn. His attorney says Jennings will continue appealing the verdict and sentence.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports that as a result of a traffic stop Sunday, Deputies arrested two men on drug charges. 34-year old Benjamin Michael Johnson, of Harlan and 31-year old James Dwight Mills, of Avoca, were taken into custody on felony charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Meth, and a simple misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. Johnson faces additional charges on two counts of felony Drug Tax Stamp Violation, as well as an aggravated misdemeanor charge of Possession with the Intent to Deliver/Alprazolam. Mills was additionally charged with a Drug Tax Stamp Violation (aggravated) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both men were taken to the Cass County Jail and are being held on $50,000 bond each.

On April 18th, Cass County Deputies arrested 40-year old Joshua James Mullen, of Corning, on three District Court warrants for Failure to Appear. Mullen was taken to the Cass County Jail and later released on $25,000 bond. And, on April 15th, 52-year old Donald Whiting Filkins, of Elliott, was arrested in Cass County on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Filkins was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $5,000 bond.

There were also two recent accidents: At around 2:30-p.m. Monday, Deputies in Cass County responded to a report of a two-vehicle accident at White Pole Road and 700th Street. Authorities say a 2008 Ford Taurus driven by 22-year old Joshua Walton Parker, of Anita, was eastbound on White Pole Road when it was struck in the front left corner by a 2018 Subaru Impreza owned and driven by 65-year old Sherrill Marie Cundy, of Springdale, AZ. The collision happened when Cundy attempted to turn around at the intersection. Both drivers were transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance, for evaluation. Damage to the Taurus is estimated at $5,000; damage to the Subaru is also estimated at $5,000. Cundy was cited for Failure to Yield upon Left Turn.

And, at around 3:51-a.m. today (Tuesday), deputies responded to a report of a single-vehicle accident on Jackson Street in Cumberland. A 1999 Chevy Silverado pickup owned and driven by 19-year old Korey Linn Cassady, of Earlham, was southbound on Jackson Road when the vehicle entered the east ditch. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $2,000. Upon investigation, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Cassady on felony charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana, and a Drug Tax Stamp Violation. He was also charged with OWI 1st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. In addition, he was cited for Driving Under Suspension, Failure to Maintain Control, and Operating a Non-Registered Vehicle. Cassady was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.