(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she plans to hold a field hearing for her Environment and Public Works Committee on how the U-S Corps of Engineers handles the management of water on the Missouri River. Ernst, who is a retired National Guard soldier, says she worked some flood duty in the guard, and what has happened in southwest Iowa is the worst she has seen. “I have spoken to the Corps about his. I understand that their job is very difficult in juggling all the different priorities up and down the river — but you know what — human lives and livelihood needs to come first,” according to Ernst.

Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says they need to review the way the water is released by the Corps. “These structures further upstream — most of them were built for flood control — they are not being used for flood control. They’re being used for hydropower, they are being used for recreation,” Ernst says. “We need to be sure that we are managing the river properly.” Ernst says the hearing will be sometime later this month. “There is information that we need to do a deep dive into. Find out how the Corps is managing from these various priorities from different jurisdictions, and how can we do better,” Ernst says.

Iowa’s governor and the governors of Nebraska and Missouri met with Army Corps officials Wednesday afternoon in Council Bluffs, and said they talked about the same things. The governors plan to meet with the Corps again in three weeks. Ernst made her comments in her weekly conference call with reporters.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa man has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for having child pornography. Federal prosecutors for Iowa say 68-year-old Salvatore Lawrence Bruno was sentenced Wednesday in Council Bluffs to 97 months in prison for a count of possession of child pornography.

Prosecutors say a child told officials in January 2018 that Bruno had shown him or her child pornography. Council Bluffs police conducted a search of Bruno’s home and found a computer hard drive and memory card that contained over 5,700 images of child pornography. Bruno pleaded guilty to this charge in November 2018.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on April 3, 2019, 23-year old Alexander Marcus Provencher, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. Provencher was sentenced to 60 months in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release for three years.

On August 7, 2018, a motorist contacted 911 and advised Provencher had brandished a gun when the motorist tried to stop a domestic disturbance. Council Bluffs Police Officers arrived and made contact with Provencher and his girlfriend. Provencher initially denied having a firearm, but eventually admitted it was in his girlfriend’s purse. Provencher was prohibited from possessing firearms as he had prior felony convictions for robbery and theft in Pottawattamie County District Court.

The matter was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on April 2, 2019, 43-year old David Dylan Wuerfele, II, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose for Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. Wuerfele was sentenced to 27 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release for three years.

In May and June 2018, Wuerfele sold marijuana, cocaine and a firearm to law enforcement, which caused the Council Bluffs Police Department to obtain a warrant to search Wuerfele’s residence. Officers located firearms, marijuana and assorted other drug paraphernalia in Wuerfele’s home.

The matter was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa man has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for having child pornography. Federal prosecutors for Iowa say 68-year-old Salvatore Lawrence Bruno was sentenced Wednesday in Council Bluffs to 97 months in prison for a count of possession of child pornography. Prosecutors say a search of Bruno’s home and found a computer hard drive and memory card that contained over 5,700 images of child pornography.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Several communities along the Missouri River continue to struggle to restore drinking water service weeks after massive flooding swept through the area. People who live in the affected Nebraska and Iowa towns have had to adjust to boiling water before drinking it or relying on bottled water while crews work to repair the damage. The challenges each town faces after last month’s flooding differs, but they share the goal of restoring safe drinking water service quickly.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke is comparing the rhetoric used by President Donald Trump to describe immigrants to the rhetoric used in Nazi Germany. At a town hall in Iowa on Thursday, O’Rourke called out “the rhetoric of a president who not only describes immigrants as rapists and criminals but as animals and an infestation.” O’Rourke says, “Now, I might expect someone to describe another human being as an infestation in the Third Reich.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Republican-led Iowa Senate committee has failed to advance a constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for felons, killing one of GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds’ top proposals ahead of a legislative deadline. The resolution passed with bipartisan support in the House 95-2 last week. It had to win approval of the Senate this year and pass again in the Legislature in 2021 or 2022 before going to voters.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Senate panel has failed to pass a constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for felons, killing one of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’s priorities for this year. In a statement, Reynolds expressed disappointment but said she remains committed to changing the law.

The House voted 95-2 last week to approve the resolution. It must be approved by the Senate and passed again by the Legislature in 2021 or 2022 before it would go to the voters.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Brad Zaun pulled the measure from the Thursday afternoon committee agenda, saying he didn’t have votes among his own Republican caucus. Some want to require total repayment of restitution and exclusion of those convicted of murder, rape, or child molestation.

Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen says it’s shameful that Zaun and other Republicans killed one of Reynolds’ priorities. People convicted of felonies now have voting rights revoked unless restored by the governor. Only Iowa and Kentucky have such strict requirements.

Glenwood Municipal Utilities announced on Thursday afternoon that they are lifting the Conserve Water Advisory for their customers in order to speed up the process of turning over the water in the system and returning to a normal treatment process. However the BOIL ORDER IS STILL IN PLACE until further notice.

Officials said users may now do household chores using water once again such as laundry, showers, car washing, and anything else not for consumption. Hydrants will also be flushed in order to help the process.

Further information will be released once more advancements have been completed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Diocese of Des Moines has released the names of nine priests it says are credibly accused of sexually abusing children. The Des Moines Register reports that a diocesan committee, which included local clergy, a police chief and a judge, investigated the allegations of abuse that spanned from 1940 to 1997.

All but two of the priests named are dead, and seven had already been tied to abuse allegations — including Albert Wilwerding, John Ryan, and Richard Wagner, who were all defrocked in 2003 after allegations against them were found credible.

Des Moines Bishop Richard Pates says he shares “the anger and frustration” over recent reports of abuse by clergy, and that he hopes the release of the list today (Thursday) will facilitate healing.

Red Oak Police were called to the Red Oak High School a little after 10-a.m. today (Thursday),  following a report of a juvenile female with possible drug paraphernalia. Upon further investigation, officers found the juvenile was in possession of drug paraphernalia, and an electronic vaping device. Another tobacco product and a container with residue of a controlled substance was also found.

The female was arrested and brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, where she was issued a citation for Possession of an Electronic Vaping Device, and she received a Juvenile Court citation for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The girl was then released to the custody of her parents. Her name was not released.