Iowa’s governor and two of his state agencies are launching a more public “if you see something, say something” campaign. Governor Terry Branstad says Iowa is a safe place, but there are threats in every state, including Iowa. “We know that Islamic terrorists have said they’re looking for soft targets and when you have events like on the 4th of July where you have large gatherings of people, there’s a chance to have massive killings,” Branstad says. “….That’s why it’s important for people to, indeed, be very alert to the threats.”

Branstad is among the Republicans who’re critical of President Obama for failing to say “radical Islamic terrorism.” Branstad also supports a ban that would prevent Muslims from terrorism hot-spots like Syria from entering the country. “I am concerned that the federal government is not sharing information with us about people that are coming from those terrorist nations that may be placed in our states,” Branstad says. “I don’t want to put Iowans at risk, so I want to protect the safety and well-being of Iowans. That’s why we’re doing this.”

The Iowa Departments of Public Safety and Homeland Security will start airing public service announcements on Iowa radio stations later this month, urging Iowans to call local law enforcement if they see something suspicious, like someone who seems to be “doing surveillance” of a building. Branstad says there “are a lot of threats out there,” but threats from “radical Islamic terrorists” are “the biggest threat” right now.

“We have people in this country that have been radicalized by this ideology who are committed to killing us and they’ve acted again and again and they will (again) if we’re not careful,” Branstad says. Branstad is also blasting the Obama Administration for not releasing all of what the killer in Orlando said over the phone to authorities during the stand-off.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Crops across Iowa and Nebraska are off to a good start this year but stress is beginning to show in some parts of the region from very hot and mostly dry conditions over the past week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Monday the leaves are beginning to curl on corn plants across the lower two-thirds of Iowa. The state saw half of the normal rain for the week during its seventh consecutive week of below normal precipitation and the fourth consecutive week with warmer than normal temperatures.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating a residential burglary that took place Monday morning. Officers were called to a home in the 700 block of Parkwild Drive at around 10:11-a.m., for a burglary in progress. A 20 year female resident told officers that she had been in an upstairs room, with her infant child, when the doorbell rang.

The female was not able to get to the door quickly and the bell rang a second time. When she was finally able to respond to the front door, she could not see anyone outside. She then heard someone kicking at the home’s locked back door.

The female ran back upstairs, locking a bedroom door behind her and hiding with her child inside a closet. After hearing the suspect going room to room, the female stepped out of the bedroom and confronted the suspect, telling him to get out of her home. The suspect ran back down the stairs and out of the same door he had forced open.

Responding officers searched the area, but were unable to locate the suspect. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 40-50 years old, 5’8” with brown hair. No one was injured during the incident. The suspect left the home with a diaper bag containing personal paperwork and credit cards.

The Council Bluffs Police Department continues to investigate this incident and requests that anyone who saw any suspicious subjects in the area call the Criminal Investigations Division at 712-328-4728 or Crime Stoppers at 712-328-STOP (7867) with that information.

IRETON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a northwest Iowa teacher has died after being struck by a tree limb while helping a neighbor. The accident occurred Saturday afternoon about five miles southeast of Ireton. The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office says 49-year-old Christopher Soppe was helping clean up storm debris when he was struck by a branch he was cutting down.

The Sheriff’s Office says Sopped died later at a hospital in Le Mars. The Boyden-Hull School District says Soppe was a special-education teacher who also coached baseball.

Four area school districts will hold their regular, separate monthly school board meetings, Monday. The Griswold School Board will gather in the Central Office at the Middle School/High School Building for their session, beginning at 5:30-p.m.

On their agenda, is action on: Fuel and Tech Support bids; The naming of a Level 1 & 2 Child Abuse Investigator; Hours for the Transportation In-District Director; a Non-Certified staff Bargaining Agreement for 2016-17; An Operational Sharing Agreement with the Lenox School District; and, Registration Fees for 2016-17.

In Audubon, the Audubon School Board will meet at 7-p.m. in their boardroom at the high school. Action items on their agenda include: Approving a retaining wall bid; Establishing a notice for the proposed sale of surplus property; the final reading of Board Policies pertaining to online fundraising campaigns (specifically, “Crowfunding”), and Unmanned Aircraft (Drones). They’ll also discuss and possibly act on a proposed policy change pertaining to Substitute Teachers, followed by the setting of Substitute Teacher pay for 2017.

In Elk Horn, the Exira-EHK School Board will meet in the Conference Room at the Elk Horn Building, beginning at 7-p.m., Monday. The Board will act on approving a contract with Frederick Griffen, High School Science teacher. They’ll also discuss and/or act on: the Exira Elementary School Land; Approval of a new Press Box for the Exira Football Field; Approval of concrete and drainage around the Weight Room and Press Box; and, the possible sharing of a Technology Director.

The CAM School Board is set to meet at 6:00pm in Massena to start with a tour of the facilities there. Their meeting will then begin at 6:30pm at the CAM Middle School Commons.  On their agenda is a public hearing on the Massena Elementary roofing improvements and then taking action on approving plans and awarding a contract for the work. They will also review open enrollment applications, consider resignations and contracts, name a migrant liaison, discuss the wireless access point improvement project, IACA out of state travel, consider an agreement with Woodriver Energy for Natural Gas purchasing, discuss board policies, and present Iowa Assessment results from the 2015-16 school year.

The Red Oak Police Department reports a two vehicle accident occurred at 8:25 am this (Monday) morning in Red Oak.  A 2015 Ford F-150 owned by Healthy Turf Mow and Snow LLC and being operated by 27-year-old Clayton Lynn Adams of Red Oak was traveling southbound on North 3rd Street approaching the intersection with Elm Street when the truck struck a 2011 Ford Econoline Passenger Van driven by 21-year-old Ashlynn Marie Larson of Randolph.  Larson had failed to yield the right of way at the intersection and pulled out in front of the Adams vehicle.

The van was owned by Nishna Productions Inc.  No injuries were reported at the time of the accident and Larson was issued a citation for Failure to Obey Yield Sign or Yield Right of Way.

The Ford truck received an estimated $4,000 damage and the Van sustained an estimated $3,000 damage.

The Atlantic Police Department released details Monday on one recent arrest. On Friday, June 17th officers arrested 26-year-old Alan Beattie of Anita on a Cass County Warrant for Failure to Appear for Debtors Exam.  He was taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

An accident on Interstate 80 in Cass County is under investigation. The Sheriff’s Office reports at around 12:24-a.m. on June 12th, Cass County deputies responded to a report of an accident near the 77 mile marker on I-80 westbound. 25-year old Brandon E. Greser, of Fremont, NE., was westbound on I-80 in a 2011 Buick when he reported being sideswiped by a white Chevy pickup. No injuries were reported. Damage to Greser’s vehicle was estimated at $2,500. The incident remains under investigation.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Monday (Today), released a report on arrests dating back to June 10th. Most recently, on Sunday (June 19), 43-year old Todd Edward Kimpson, of Corning, was arrested on a warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. Kimpson was also charged with another charge of Violation of a No Contact Order, and Harassment 3rd Degree. He was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $600 bond.

On June 16th, Cass County deputies arrested 43-year old Tracy Frances Kiser, of Omaha, NE, on a Polk County warrant. Kiser was taken to the Cass County Jail and transferred to Polk County later that day. That same day, 25-year old Keelan Dale Woods, of Bridgewater, was arrested on a charge of OWI 2nd Offense. Woods was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance.

On June 15th, Cass County deputies arrested 20-year old Selena Marie Hansen, of Atlantic, on two warrants for Failure to Appear and one warrant for Probation Violation. Hansen was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $1,300 bond. On June 14th, 30-year old Joseph Duane Tye, of Griswold, was arrested on charges of OWI 2nd Offense, and Driving While Revoked. Tye was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $2,000 bond.

On June 13th, 56-year old Barry Dean Schmidt, of Massena, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Schmidt was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond. On June 12, 2016, 35-year old Timothy George Myers, of Elliott, was arrested on a charge of OWI 2nd Offense. Myers was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance.

On June 11th, Cass County deputies charged 26-year old Alexander Paul Dvorak, of Atlantic, with Serious Assault. Dvorak was being held at the Cass County Jail at the time; an additional bond of $1,000 has been added to his existing bond. And on June 10th, 27-year old Marshall Brandon Fischer, of Atlantic, was arrested on two district court warrants for Probation Violation. Fischer was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

In an update to our earlier report, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Monday (Today), said an Atlantic man suffered minor injuries when the ATV he was riding was hit by an SUV, near Cumberland. 59-year old Joseph Dale Herbert, of Atlantic, was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, after the 2010 Honda ATV he was on was struck by a 1997 Jeep Cherokee, driven by 37-year old Kerri Corrine Wood, of Anita.

The accident happened at around 9:20-a.m. Sunday, on Quincy Road, near the intersection with 650th Street. Officials say Wood was eastbound on Quincy Road her SUV hit the oncoming ATV. Damage to Wood’s vehicle is estimated at $1,000; damage to the ATV is estimated at $500. No citations were issued.