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

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Two people were arrested on drug charges, Monday, in Creston. Creston Police say 43-year old James Kisner, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County Warrant for 3 counts of Possession with Intent to Sell Methamphetamine (under 5 grams). His bond was set at $100,000. And, 37-year old Amanda Atkins, of Creston, was also arrested at the Law Enforcement Center on a Union County Warrant for Possession with Intent to Sell Methamphetamine (Under 5 grams). She was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

The Creston P-D reports also, 23-year old Brittony Miller, of Creston, was arrested Monday on a Union County Warrant for Probation Violation. She was being held in the Ringgold County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

The area’s top news at 7:07-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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A Montgomery County man was arrested this (Tuesday) morning on Theft and Criminal Mischief, charges. Red Oak Police say 29-year old Benjamin William Hrabik, of Red Oak, was arrested at the intersection of N. 2nd and E. Market Streets, at around 2:35-a.m.   He was charged with Theft in the 5th Degree and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree.  Hrabik was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – About 500 Vietnam veterans from Nebraska and western Iowa have returned to their home state with a warm welcome from a large crowd after they spent the day in Washington, D.C. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the veterans returned late Monday to a crowd of at least 4,500 people greeting them at Eppley Airfield in Omaha.

Airport Police Chief Tim Monahan says it surpassed the largest welcome home for military groups by far, including the World War II honor flights. A nonprofit, Patriotic Productions, raised $450,000 through 550 individual and corporate donors to cover the cost of trip.

When the group arrived in the nation’s capital, airport firetrucks saluted the planes with water cannon and the West Point Alumni Glee Club sang. The veterans spent the day touring military memorials.

A man with numerous withdrawals in effect on a suspended driver’s license, was arrested again Monday evening, in Red Oak. Authorities say 47-year old Robby Dale Lukehart, of Red Oak, was arrested for Driving While Suspended. Lukehart was taken into custody at around 5-p.m., in the 100 block of S. Broadway Street and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where his cash bond was set at $300.

Election officials like Kevin Hall in the Iowa Secretary of State’s office are unsure how many Iowans will participate in today’s (Tuesday’s) Democratic and Republican Primary Elections. “Turn-out is really hard to gauge at this point,” Hall says. “Of course, people are very interested in the political races this year, but it’s not the Caucuses this time. It’s primaries.”

Voters in five OTHER states will be holding PRESIDENTIAL primaries today (Tuesday). The only STATEWIDE race here is among four Iowa Democrats seeking their party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate. There also are primaries in three of the state’s congressional districts. You must be registered as a Democrat or registered as a Republican to vote today (Tuesday).

“But you can change your registration there at the polling location,” Hall says. “We have same-day voter registration, so if you’re not registered to vote, you can do that at your polling location. You do need to have some sort of photo ID and a proof of residence, like a utility bill.” Independent voters can participate, but they must register to vote as a Democrat or as a Republican in order to cast a ballot in one of the party primaries here.

There has been controversy in other states where the number of polling locations have been reduced, but in Iowa today (Tuesday), there is a voting location open in each Iowa precinct. “There are approximately 1700 precincts in Iowa and the great thing about Iowa is we have one of the longest early-voting periods. We have one of the longest polling hours in the entire nation,” Hall says. “Only New York State has longer polling hours.” The polls open at 7 a.m. and don’t close until 9 p.m. tonight (Tuesday).

If you don’t know your polling location, you can find a link to the Secretary of State’s ‘precinct locator’ on the web at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterreg/pollingplace/search.aspx

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — It’s primary day in Iowa, and voters in the state that kicked off the presidential nominating season now are set to choose general election candidates for state offices. The top contest on the primary ballot Tuesday is the Democratic race to choose a challenger for longtime Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley. Candidates also are seeking primary victories in three of Iowa’s four congressional districts and legislative races.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Three days after Gov. Terry Branstad called a proposed higher education tuition increase too big, the board governing Iowa’s public universities released a plan Monday that would make it even bigger for some students. The revised Board of Regents proposal would generate $1.2 million in additional revenue by targeting University of Iowa engineering and business school students for larger hikes than their classmates in the coming school year.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City has approved a 6.65 percent water rate increase over the next three years, beginning July 1. The Sioux City Journal reports that the City Council voted 3-2 to approve the water hike Monday. Under the plan, the average residential water customer would pay an additional $2.27 per month in the first year, $2.39 in the second year and $2.57 in the third year.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man convicted of murder in the fatal shooting a woman in a Coralville mall has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. The Iowa City Press Citizen reports that a judge on Monday handed over the sentence for 23-year Alexander Kozak. A jury in April found Kozak guilty of killing 20-year-old Andrea Farrington at the Coral Ridge Mall on June 12, 2015.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Days after Gov. Terry Branstad called a proposed tuition increase too big, the board governing Iowa’s public universities released a change that would make it even bigger for some students. A revised Board of Regents plan would hit University of Iowa engineering and business school students with larger tuition hikes and generate $1.2 million more in revenue in the coming school year.

The plan maintains a $300 across-the-board hike for undergraduate students at the schools who are state residents. That’s on top of a $200 increase already approved in December for University of Iowa students. The new plan would further increase tuition by $200 for second-year students who are in the UI business and engineering schools. For upperclassmen in those colleges, tuition would rise by an extra $350 or more.

Sheriff’s deputies in Cass County arrested two people on drug charges, Monday (today). 30-year old Deborah Kaye Olson, a homeless person, and 42-year old Ty Matthew Thompson, of Gillman, IA, were arrested on felony charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine over 5 grams, and simple misdemeanor, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, charges.

(update 6/7) – Both subjects were transported to the Cass County Jail where they remain held on $100,000 bond each.