Sheriff’s Deputies in Montgomery County, late Thursday night arrested 40-year old Jennifer Sue Graham, of Villisca, on a valid Taylor County Felony warrant for Fraudulent Practices/2nd Degree. Graham was taken into custody at around 11:24-p.m. in the 100 block of E. 6th Street, in Villisca, and transported to the Taylor County Jail, where she was being held without bond.

Red Oak Police arrested three people in the same area, Thursday night. At around 9:30-p.m., Officers arrested 19-year old Dawson Allen Squires, of Red Oak, along with 20-year old Alexis Cheyenne Straw. Both were charged with Violating a No Contact Order. At about that same time, 19-year old Michael Wade Hamilton was arrested for Harassment. Those individuals were transported to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, where Dawson and Straw were being held without bond, and Hamilton was held on $300 bond.

A traffic stop Thursday night in Adams County resulted in the arrest of a woman on a drug-related charge. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a vehicle driven by Heather Newkirk, of Nodaway, was pulled over at around 7:37-p.m. Upon further investigation, Newkirk was placed under arrest for Possession of Drug paraphernalia, after deputies located a blue methamphetamine pipe in her purse. Newkirk was also cited for Driving Under Suspension. The Adams County K9 “Tracer” assisted deputies at the scene.

Authorities say no injuries were reported Thursday, after a bus struck a train trestle in Council Bluffs. Officers responded to 1300 Big Lake Road at around 3-p.m., after receiving word about the accident.

Upon arrival, officers noted the bus was too tall to make it under the trestle and the top of the bus was severely damaged. The bus was owned by CountryHouse Residence, an assisted-living facility in Council Bluffs. There were six people on the bus and the driver, and all were uninjured in the accident.

Authorities remind drivers that the clearance for this bridge is only eight feet eight inches, so please plan routes accordingly.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:54 a.m. CST

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The Keystone pipeline has leaked 210,000 gallons in rural South Dakota but officials don’t believe it has polluted water. Pipeline operator TransCanada Corp. says it has shut down the system that delivers oil from Canada to refineries in Illinois and Oklahoma. There have been 17 leaks of oil and products in the U.S. larger than this one since 2010. The leak was discovered four days before Nebraska regulators are to announce whether they approve an expansion of the Keystone system.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Senate Minority Leader Janet Petersen said Thursday she wants information released from an internal investigation into alleged sexual harassment within the Senate Republican caucus. Petersen sent letters to the GOP-controlled chamber’s two ranking Republican lawmakers requesting that findings from the investigation be shared publicly. Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix has said that can’t be done because of privacy concerns. GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds also wants general findings released.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — An elementary school in eastern Iowa is using a therapy pig to help special education students manage emotions and focus on learning. The Muscatine Journal reports that Frankie the pig serves as a calming mechanism. Students showing signs of emotional distress are asked to sit and read to the therapy pig. The practice has proven to help students recover and return to learning more quickly. Students are also in charge of feeding and caring for Frankie, which has created a sense of responsibility.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The director of the Homeland Security Department’s office of faith-based partnerships has resigned after a CNN report on racially inflammatory remarks he made before joining the federal government. CNN reported that before Rev. Jamie Johnson’s appointment, he often appeared on conservative talk radio. In one clip posted by CNN, Johnson said, “America’s black community … has turned America’s major cities into slums because of laziness, drug use and sexual promiscuity.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The top Democrat in the Iowa Senate wants information released from an internal investigation into alleged sexual harassment within the Senate Republican caucus.

Senate Minority Leader Janet Petersen, a Des Moines Democrat, sent letters Thursday to the GOP-controlled chamber’s two ranking Republican lawmakers requesting that findings from the investigation be shared publicly.

The investigation was launched after a trial this year involving a former Senate GOP staffer who alleged sexual harassment within the office. A jury sided with the staffer and the state agreed to pay $1.75 million as part of a settlement.

One of the letters addressed Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix of Shell Rock, who has said information from the investigation can’t be shared because of privacy concerns. Gov. Kim Reynolds and House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, both Republicans, also want general findings released.

All three Republicans in Iowa’s congressional delegation have voted FOR the House G-O-P’s tax plan. Iowa Republican Congressmen Rod Blum of Dubuque, David Young of Van Meter and Steve King of Kiron voted yes. King told Radio Iowa in late October that he was ready to support the package. “I’m willing to compromise more than I’ve been for probably 10 years because I see the urgency,” King said. “We need to get these things done and I’m supporting this tax policy even though I think that we ought to go with the ‘Fair Tax’ and abolish the IRS.”

King issued a written statement shortly after the bill passed, calling it “historic,” but adding that “it would have been much improved” if the plan had included repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s penalty for those who do not have health insurance. That proposal is part the tax package pending in the U.S. Senate. In early October, when just a “framework” of the tax plan emerged, Congressman YOUNG indicated he’d support getting rid of the estate tax, reducing the corporate tax rate and cutting income taxes on the “middle class.”

“I tell you this, everywhere I go in the third district, people are talking about (this): Their taxes are too high,” Young said. The lone Democrat in Iowa’s congressional delegation is Dave Loebsack of Iowa City. He voted against the House G-O-P’s tax plan. Loebsack said in a written statement that the plan “slashes taxes for millionaires, billionaires and corporations” and “will hurt everyday Iowans.” Loebsack pointed to the bill’s cuts to “Medicare, Medicaid, education and job training initiatives” in order to finance the tax cuts.

(Radio Iowa)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., today (Thursday) announced the Committee voted to favorably report nominee Glen R. Smith, from Atlantic, Iowa, to be a Member of the Farm Credit Administration Board. Mr. Smith may now be considered by the full U.S. Senate for confirmation.

Glen R. Smith

“The Senate Agriculture Committee has acted in a bipartisan fashion on each nomination we have received,” Roberts and Stabenow said. “We are pleased to send Glen Smith, a qualified nominee for the Farm Credit Administration Board, to the full Senate for confirmation.”

The Committee held a hearing on the nominee on Nov. 9th.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County report two people were arrested, Wednesday. 44-year old Dwayne Darrell Rollins, of Atlantic, was arrested Wednesday afternoon at the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, on a Mills County warrant for Contempt of Court. Rollins was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond. And, 44-year old Lynette Kae Linkenhoker, of Tabor, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. She was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office also investigated two separate, vehicle-versus-deer accidents, both of which took place on Monday. The drivers were identified as 49-year old Kristi Barrett, of Sidney, and 61-year old Gregory Gregston, of Scottsdale, AZ. No injuries were reported.

One person was injured during an accident Tuesday, in Page County. Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports 69-year old Donald Lee Ridnour, of Clarinda, was transported from the scene to the Shenandoah Medical Center by Shenandoah Ambulance. The collision happened at around 10:19-a.m., Tuesday. The Sheriff says 45-year old Teresa Deann Madison, of Clarinda, was stopped at the intersection of Highways 2 and 59, and waiting for traffic to clear to continue westbound on Highway 2. Madison was the driver and only occupant of a 2010 Kia Sedona van. Donald Ridnour was traveling westbound on Highway 2 approaching the intersection in a 1994 Plymouth van, when he failed to stop.

Both vehicles are considered totaled. Charges are pending. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Shenandoah Police Department, Shenandoah Fire Department, and Shenandoah Ambulance.

And, no injuries were reported following an accident at 5:03-a.m. Monday, in Page County. Sheriff Palmer says 22-year old Haley Lynne Fundermann, of rural Red Oak, was traveling north on O Avenue near the intersection with 180th Street, when the 2006 Mercury Montego she was driving struck five cows on the road. The cows were the property of Norman Buch, of Clarinda. Palmer says there was dense fog in the area at the time, obscuring visibility of the stray animals. All five cows died in the accident. The vehicle was totaled.