Iowa veterans are being encouraged to take part in a national voluntary research program on veterans who get their care in the Veterans Administration Healthcare System. Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs executive director, Robert King, says it’s called the Million Veteran Program. “It was initiated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in 2012 to gain a database of genetics looking at military exposure, an individual’s lifestyle and various health information so that they can do studies,” King explains.

He says the studies are an important part of helping veterans. “They’d like to be able to use the study information to determine some of the health programs in the future. See how genes affect such things as the development of P-T-S-D in combat exposed veterans,” King says. “There’s another study that has to do with the influence on the development of Gulf War Illness for those Gulf War era people. There’s another one that has to due with examining the genetic risk factors for the chronic use of alcohol, tobacco and opiates.”

He says they are seeking Iowa veterans to take part to help them reach their sign up goal. “The program has been going since 2012 and they have enrolled about 500-thousand people as of two months ago. They’d like to get to one million,” King says. The V-A in Iowa City is one of the 60 centers where veterans can take part. He says Iowa City was chosen as one of the locations because it is one of the top ten research locations in the U-S in the V-A research program. King says you need to make an appointment to come in and take part in the research.

“It only takes about 20 minutes as I understand it, they fill out some surveys about health and health related behaviors, provide a blood sample,” according to King. If you are a user of the V-A health care system, you can enroll by calling toll-free 1-866-441-6075 to schedule your appointment.

(Radio Iowa)

Indiana Governor Mike Pence — the Republican Party’s vice presidential nominee — spoke to a crowd of about four-hundred in Sioux City late (Monday) afternoon. Pence touted the tax plan Donald Trump rolled out in Detroit Monday morning. “To streamline deductions, to lower taxes across the board, to lower marginal income tax rates, reduce income taxes dramatically, make child care fully deductible and end death taxes once and for all for every American,” Pence said, to cheers.

Trump’s economic plan calls for lowering the corporate tax rate to 15 percent, something Pence emphasized in his Sioux City appearance. “So that businesses large and small, start-up businesses can compete here in Iowa, compete here in America and compete with the world,” Pence said. Pence established a moratorium on new state regulations in Indiana when he became that state’s governor in 2013 and Pence says Trump will do the same at the federal level.

“When he becomes president on day one he will sign a moratorium on new federal red tape and work to roll back the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, the Waters of the United States rule and end the ‘war on coal’ once and for all,” Pence said, to applause. Pence promises that Trump will invite Trans Canada to reapply for permits to build the X-L Pipeline.

Pence also campaigned last (Monday) night in Council Bluffs. Pence served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He’s been governor of Indiana since early 2013. Pence withdrew his bid for reelection as governor when he became Trump’s running mate. Hillary Clinton is scheduled to be in Des Moines Wednesday, to discuss her economic plan.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:15 a.m. CDT

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Lottery officials say little time remains before a $10,000 Powerball prize bought in western Iowa will expire. The lottery issued a reminder Monday that the ticket bought at a Casey’s store in the small Pottawattamie County city of Crescent must be turned in by 4 p.m. Sept. 6 at a lottery office or the prize will go unclaimed. The ticket was purchased before a Sept. 5, 2015, drawing and matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The funeral for a West Des Moines police officer killed last week drew family, officers from across the state and residents. The Des Moines Register reports West Des Moines Chief Shaun LaDue choked back tears at the funeral Monday as he recalled officer Shawn Miller’s dedication to his family, the police department and the community. Miller died Aug. 3 when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car that turned in front of him as he was returning from a court hearing in Adel.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials have released a report that proposes to update how the state addresses cybersecurity threats, but it’s unclear how much the efforts could cost. The report distributed Monday lists a range of recommendations for how Iowa can reduce risks to state government operations. It includes having better guidelines for state employees receiving emails and storing data that are vulnerable to hacking.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will make her first visit to Iowa since narrowly winning the state’s lead-off presidential caucuses. Clinton’s campaign announced Monday that she will speak at a rally Wednesday afternoon at Lincoln High School in Des Moines. Her campaign says Clinton will discuss her plans to improve the economy. Clinton’s visit will come less than a week after Republican nominee Donald Trump held an event Friday in Des Moines.

Council Bluffs Police report a child suffered only minor injuries after being struck by a car Monday evening. Officers were called to the scene in the 600 block of Elliott Street a little after 6-p.m. Their investigation determined a three year old boy was riding his tricycle down the driveway at that address and was struck by a car when his tricycle entered the roadway.

A large bush at the end of the driveway obstructed the view of the driver, who was not able to stop in time. The driver of the vehicle was not cited.

Although the child’s injuries were minor and consisted of scrapes, he was transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, for observation and treatment of those injuries.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a burglary in the rural Bethesda area (west of Hepburn). On Saturday, Deputies learned a red Lincoln Weldpak 100 wire welder, a blue 14” chop saw, a 50’ piece of Central Pnumatic 3/8” retractable air hose reel and a Grey angle grinder, were stolen from a building.  The items are owned by Bryan Nelson, of Shenandoah, and are believed to have been stolen during the past week.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact the Page County Sheriff’s Office 712-542-5193 or their local Law Enforcement agency.

Governor Terry Branstad says he’s always felt safe visiting the Iowa State Fair, but Branstad isn’t COMPLETELY ruling out approving a new state law next year that would allow guns on the fairgrounds during the fair. “I understand that there may be issues coming before the state legislature on that,” Branstad says. “I’m just saying that I’ve gone to the State Fair for decades and decades and I just want to complement the Fair Board, the Department of Public Safety, our state troopers. They do a phenomenal job.”

Since 1980, fair-goers have not been allowed to carry guns on the grounds during the State Fair. On Friday, a legislative committee held a public hearing on the issue. Gun rights advocates want legislators to pass a law allowing Iowans with permits to carry their guns during the fair. Critics say they fear having hundreds of guns in the midst of large crowds, especially when some fairgoers are getting drunk.

The governor says there’s a heavy law enforcement presence on the grounds during the state fair’s 11-day run. “I support the right to carry, but I think the fairgrounds is a little different situation because we have such phenomenal coverage from the Highway Patrol at the fair…It’s not like other places where you have nobody with a firearm to protect somebody against a violent act,” Branstad says. “You really don’t need to have your own firearm for your protection at the fair.”

During the 1996 State Fair, a couple who sold funnel cakes at the fair were found bound, gagged and shot to death in their trailer on the state fair campgrounds. It was a murder-for-hire scheme that involved the couple’s daughter, her husband and an employee of the funnel cake stand who was hired to do the shooting.

(Radio Iowa)

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Lottery officials say little time remains before a $10,000 Powerball prize bought in western Iowa will expire. The lottery issued a reminder Monday that the ticket bought at a Casey’s store in Crescent must be turned in by 4 p.m. Sept. 6 at a lottery office or the prize will go unclaimed. The ticket was purchased before a Sept. 5, 2015, drawing and matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball.

The prize is among several large winnings, ranging from $9,000 to $2 million, that are unclaimed in Iowa. In Iowa, prizes that aren’t claimed go into the lottery’s prize pool for futures games and promotions.

John David Stone

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports four people were arrested on separate charges, Saturday. 46-year old John David Stone, of rural Braddyville, was arrested on a warrant for parole / probation violation from the state of Missouri.  Stone was arrested at his residence and transported to the Page County Jail where he was held without bond while awaiting extradition proceedings.

William Beasley

50-year old William Michael Beasley, of Oak Harbor, WA, was arrested Saturday after authorities were notified a rental truck was all over the road, traveling in the wrong lane headed into Clarinda.  A Deputy was in the area of the call and found the vehicle at the Clarinda Coop.  Upon speaking with the driver, identified as Beasley, the deputy discovered  the man was in possession of an Electronic cigarette with a suspected controlled substance.  Beasley was transported to the Page County Jail and later posted bond.  He was released and given a court date for future court appearances. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at Coop by the Clarinda Police Department.

Andrew Michael Denham

Theodore Sics

And, a complaint about persons shooting a gun from a car Saturday afternoon east of Shambaugh, resulted in the arrested of 20-year old Andrew Michael Denham, of Shambaugh, and 26-year old Theodore Allan Sics, of Clarinda.  Both men were charged with Criminal Mischief and Carrying Weapons.   They were transported to the Page County Jail and held on $2000 bond, each.  The incident remained under investigation, with additional pending.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The funeral for a West Des Moines police officer killed last week drew family, officers from across the state and residents. The Des Moines Register reports West Des Moines Chief Shaun LaDue choked back tears at the funeral Monday as he recalled officer Shawn Miller’s dedication to his family, the police department and the community.

Miller died Aug. 3 when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car that turned in front of him as he was returning from a court hearing in Adel. Gov. Terry Branstad ordered all flags in Iowa be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on today (Monday), in honor of Miller.

AtlanticFest, presented by First Whitney Bank, will be held this Saturday, August 13th rain or shine. This annual community festival serves as a fundraiser for the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. The funds from AtlanticFest are used to continue to grow the event and to help improve other upcoming events. It also helps support businesses based programs.

Downtown Atlantic will be filled with fun activities for the whole family to enjoy. Come early and enjoy a pancake breakfast or start the day off with a run through town in the Annual Road Race with chip timing coming back this year. The Annual Tractor Ride will also be taking place, kicking off at the Cass County Fair Grounds at 8 AM. There will be crafters from all over Southwest Iowa, as well as some of the best food vendors to help satisfy any appetite. Kids can enjoy the pony rides and bounce house while adults can relax in the beer garden or play in the 2nd Annual Bags Tournament. The 18th Annual Car Show and Motorcycle Show will be taking place once again this year. There will be free entertainment throughout the day, including local favorite Glass House Prophet beginning at 7 PM in the beer garden.

AtlanticFest needs more than 1,000 volunteer hours to make it successful. Everything from the Road Race at the beginning of the day to cleaning up the cans after the last band performs is done by volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering please contact the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Chamber@atlanticiowa.com or 712-243-3017.