Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says she believes the resignation of Michael Flynn as national security advisor was the right thing to do. Flynn resigned amid a controversy surrounding his discussions with Russia. “I am concerned about the impacts that any conversations that General Flynn had with folks in Russia really show maybe not quite as aggressive as I would like to see on Russia,” Ernst says. Ernst joined six fellow Republican senators last week in sending a letter to President Donald Trump urging his administration to pursue a “principled and tough-minded Russia policy.” She says we can’t forget that “Russia is not our friend.”

“We need to take a step back, we need to evaluate what has been done. We need to be sure that we are showing a position of strength when it comes to Russia,” according to Ernst. ” So again, I think that his resignation is absolutely appropriate and we’ll see what shakes out in the coming weeks.” Ernst says it is up to the intelligence committee to determine what type of review there needs to be into Flynn’s actions.

“I do believe that we need to know the full details of what has transpired, so whether that is a Senate committee looking at it or otherwise, I do defer to the intel committee. I do want to know exactly what happened and what kind of position that puts us in as the United States,” Ernst says. Ernst says the senators who sent the letter to the president would like to follow up on it.

“We need to sit down, we actually have to have a dialogue and present our information and our point of view and understand where the White House is coming from with any of their potential communications with Russia. Or what their stance is on Russia,” Ernst says. Ernst says she is concerned that the Russians positioned a war ship off the east coast of the United States and appear to be probing. She says the Russians have used this type of aggression elsewhere with Russian planes flying near U-S ships. Ernst says the U-S needs to shows its strength in the face of these types of actions by Russia. She made her comments during a conference call with reporters.

(Radio Iowa)

(In an update to our reports earlier in the day on Thursday)…

Three of the six former employees of state facility in Glenwood that treats people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, have been arrested and charged with mistreating facility residents at house 253 Indian Hills Drive (part of the Glenwood Resource Center). Authorities said Thursday that 28-year old Tyler Palmer, of Glenwood, 23-year old Kayla Stevenson, of Council Bluffs and 42-year old Dana Case, of Tabor, were arrested on  Mills County warrants for wanton neglect of a health care facility resident. Palmer, Dana Case and Stevenson’s bonds at the Mills County Jail were set at $2,000 each.

Additional warrants have been issued for Darrel Case and Ryan Belt, of Tabor, and Ayla Yates, of Glenwood. The Iowa Department of Human Services has said its investigation found seven clients were physically abused and 13 were subjected to verbal abuse or neglect. The center provides services for 230 clients.

The latest charges come six weeks after the DHS disclosed that 12 workers at the Glenwood State Resource Center had quit or were fired over the allegations. The department has said a 13th worker has been dismissed since then.

The Iowa Senate has approved a bill that would greatly reduce negotiating power for public sector unions in the state. The GOP-led chamber voted 29-21 Thursday, with all Democrats and an independent opposed. The vote followed lengthy debate in the chamber that started Wednesday morning and entered the next day.

The Republican-majority House approved the measure 53-47 about an hour earlier. The bill now heads to Gov. Terry Branstad, who supports the measure. Legislative leaders used a rare procedural move to end debate early on the bill.

Officials with Elite Octane, LLC (“Elite Octane”) said Thursday afternoon, that the company has found a path forward with the proposed ethanol project near Atlantic. Nick Bowdish, with Elite Octane said while progress of the project had stalled over matters related to the electricity supply, he was “Pleased that [their] investor group found a way to make this project viable.” Bowdish says “Elite Octane intends to close on its financing quickly and commence construction.”

The Company is in final stages of due diligence and anticipates it could begin construction in February 2017 on an ethanol plant near Atlantic, that will consume over 40 million bushels of locally grown corn and produce approximately 120 million gallons of ethanol and 300,000 tons of distiller’s grains per year.

The plant will occupy 102 acres northwest of Atlantic, about two miles outside the city limits, and is expected to bring at least 49 jobs to the area. Elite Octane will spend about $196 million on the project. The site will be one of 21 plants that produces at least 100 million gallons per year in the state, while 20 produce below that amount, according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association.

The Glenwood Police Department said today (Thursday), one person was arrested on a warrant for Wanton Neglect of a Health Care Facility Resident, and warrants have been issued for five other individuals, following an investigation into the alleged assault by staff, of several clients at house 253 Indian Hills Drive, at the Glenwood Resource Center.

The investigation that began Nov. 23rd, 2016 is complete, according to officials. It determined several clients at the facility were allegedly assaulted over a period of months. As a result, warrants have been issued for the arrest of Darrel Case, Dana Case and Ryan Belt, all of Tabor, along with Kayla Stevenson and Ayla Yates, both of Glenwood. Tyler Palmer, of Glenwood, was arrested today (Thursday), in connection with the alleged abuse. Palmer was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond or surety.

(12-p.m. News)

Members of the Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton Board of Education will meet in a Special Session at Noon, on Friday. The meeting, in the Middle School Principal’s Office at the Exira building, will involve discussion and action on Approving the Master Contract/Salary Schedule changes, as negotiated.

The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest today (Thursday), of a man on a Mills County warrant for Wanton Neglect of a Health Care Facility Resident. 28-year old Tyler Palmer, of Glenwood was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond or surety. No other details were provided.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest this (Thursday) morning, of a man wanted on a warrant for Probation Violation. 27-year old Nicholas Aaron Formaro, of Clarinda, was taken into custody and was unable to post the $5000 cash only bond.  He remained in the Page County Jail pending future court appearances. 

The Iowa House has set a time to end debate on a bill that would drastically reduce how public sector employees bargain over working conditions. House Majority Leader Chris Hagenow made a motion Thursday morning to end floor debate at noon, and it was approved by Republicans, who hold a majority. It means that after debate that has stretched over three days, the House will vote on the bill Thursday after some procedural moves.

Democrats have introduced dozens of amendments in an attempt to delay a vote on the bill, which was made public a little over a week ago. In the Senate, lawmakers continue discussing an identical version of the legislation. They’ve debated all night, and it’s unclear when they will vote on the bill.

WAUKON, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Natural Resources Department has reported a rare, confirmed sighting of a predatory mammal known as a fisher. The department says on its Facebook page that a trail camera captured an image of one in November on a wooded hillside in Allamakee County. The department says the photo is the first documented sighting of a fisher in Iowa in about 150 years.

The department says the fisher likely came from southeast Minnesota, where Minnesota officials have said fishers are expanding. Mammalogists say fishers can weight up to 12 pounds and are primarily carnivores – cousins to weasels, otter and mink – and are known for their fierceness.