More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Several national media organizations, including Bloomberg and C-B-S News, are reporting this (Wednesday) morning that President-elect Trump has asked Iowa’s governor to be his ambassador to China — but Branstad’s spokesman says those reports “are not accurate.” Branstad and his wife, Chris, met with Trump in New York City yesterday (Tuesday). Branstad emerged from the meeting saying he had “no announcement to make at this time” and “couldn’t comment” on whether Trump had offered him the ambassadorship.

Other media are citing sources inside the Trump campaign as confirming Trump did just that. Branstad spokesman Ben Hammes told Radio Iowa early this (Wednesday) morning that: “Those reports are premature and not accurate.” A Chinese government official was asked about the reports today. He called Branstad an “old friend” — a reference to Branstad’s long-standing relationship with China’s president. And China’s foreign ministry spokesman said the Chinese “welcome” Branstad “to play a greater role in advancing the development of China-US relations.”

On Monday, Branstad told Iowa reporters the relationship between the two countries was a lot like the Chinese symbol that represents both danger and opportunity.

(Radio Iowa)

A Creston man reported to Police Tuesday night an incident of vandalism. A person residing in the 500 block of S. Maple Street told authorities sometime between the morning hours Tuesday and 9:45-p.m., someone spray painted his back door, portions of his siding and his trash can. The damage was estimated at $200.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports the arrest Tuesday, of 25-year old Cassandra Preston Burcham, of Audubon, in connection with the theft of Iowa Lottery tickets. Burcham faces felony charges that include Theft in the 2nd Degree, Ongoing Criminal Conduct, and (91) counts of Lottery Ticket Theft. She was arrested and transported to the Audubon County Jail where she was being held on $25,000 bond. The Audubon Police Department was assisted in the investigation by the Iowa Lottery.

Starmer reports also, 51-year old Stephen Scott Thompson and 36-year old Angela Cerda, both of Audubon, were arrested Tuesday, for Trespassing. Both were transported to the Audubon County Jail to appear before a magistrate.

And, on Nov. 21st, 43-year old Linda Jean Kelly, of Audubon, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension. She was cited and released on promise to appear later, in court.

Voters in a vast majority of the counties served by Iowa Western Community College, narrowly approved a $14.5-million dollar bond issue, Tuesday. The funds will be used to improve security and safety at the main campus in Council Bluffs, and the satellite centers in Atlantic, Clarinda, Shenandoah and Harlan. A 60-percent super majority was needed for approved. In Cass County, nearly 59-percent of the voters (186) approved the bond measure, while just over 41-percent (131) opposed it, according to the Cass County Auditor’s Office. The voter turnout in Cass County was just over three-percent.

Numbers in late Tuesday night indicated just over 64-percent of the voters in seven out of the 13 counties served by the college had approved the bond measure, which college officials have said will pay for security features such as cameras, new locks and doors and/or door frames. It also includes electronic monitoring methods that will improve safety in the event of an intruder or lockdown situation.

College officials had promised that if the bond was approved, residents would see a reduction in one of the property tax levies the college uses, from 34-cents per thousand dollars to 13-cents per thousand. That’s because an early retirement levy is set to expire on June 30^th. It will be replaced by the less taxing 20-year bond referendum approved Tuesday night.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:00 a.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A grand jury has declined to charge a white police officer in a shooting that left an unarmed black motorist paralyzed and sparked weeks of protests in Iowa’s second largest city. Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden says the grand jury didn’t return an indictment against Cedar Rapids police officer Lucas Jones in the Nov. 1 shooting of 37-year-old Jerime Mitchell. Jones shot Mitchell in the neck after a traffic stop escalated into an altercation.

OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in southern Iowa say that three missing teens have been found dead in rural Clarke County. Osceola police tell Des Moines television station KCCI that the bodies of 16-year-old Elaina Critz, 16-year-old Lauren Barker and 19-year-old Jesse Robinson _ all of Osceola _ were found Tuesday at the wreckage of a car that had run off a rural road and into a creek. Authorities say the teens were found in a culvert by a road maintenance worker who happened to stop in the area.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Regents has announced the hiring of an Iowa native and a current chancellor of Montana State University Billings as the new president for the University of Northern Iowa. Mark Nook will lead Iowa’s third-largest university. Nook was selected over two other finalists, former Temple University president Neil Theobald and UNI Interim President Jim Wohlpart.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some downtown Des Moines buildings have been evacuated and emergency crews called after a partial wall collapse of an office building led to a gas leak. The collapse happened around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, when the upper part of the brick wall fell onto the sidewalk below. No injuries have been reported, and several streets have been blocked off by police in the area.

Gov. Terry Branstad has ordered all flags in Iowa be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Wednesday, Dec. 7th, 2016, in honor of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state.  Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Regents has announced the hiring of an Iowa native and a current chancellor of Montana State University Billings as the new president for the University of Northern Iowa. The Des Moines Register reported Tuesday that Mark Nook will lead Iowa’s third-largest university, known for its education programs and persistent budget challenges.

Nook was selected over two other finalists, former Temple University president Neil Theobald and UNI Interim President Jim Wohlpart. Nook, who grew up in Holstein, Iowa, replaces former President Bill Ruud, who left the university this summer after three years of heading UNI to become president at a small college in Marietta, Ohio. Ruud was credited upon his departure for increasing enrollment, cutting student debt, raising millions of dollars and hiring key administrators.

OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in southern Iowa say that three missing teens have been found dead in rural Clarke County. Osceola police tell Des Moines television station KCCI that the bodies of 16-year-old Elaina Critz, 16-year-old Lauren Barker and 19-year-old Jesse Robinson — all of Osceola — were found Tuesday at the wreckage of a car that had run off a rural road and into a creek.

Authorities say the teens were found in a culvert by a road maintenance worker who happened to stop in the area. Police say Critz, Barker and Robinson were reported missing from Osceola sometime after 7:30 p.m. Saturday.