Florida Senator Marco Rubio is campaigning with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst today (Tuesday). Rubio, a possible 2016 presidential candidate, spoke to a crowd of about 100 in Pella. “We desperately need people not just in the Senate, but in our party who understand how a strong America makes the world a better place,” Rubio said. According to Rubio, America is poised to dominate another century, but Rubio says Democrat Harry Reid, the majority leader in the U.S. Senate, is an impediment.

“We can’t start that new American century as long as people like Barack Obama occupy the highest office in the land and that’s why these election’s matter,” Rubio says. “Not only is the person running for the U.S. Senate here, Joni Ernst, a spectacular and special candidate, but the vote here for the senate isn’t just a vote for senator, it’s a vote on who is going to be the next majority leader of the United States Senate.”

Rubio is the keynote speaker this evening (Tuesday) for the Scott County Republican Party’s fall fundraising banquet in Bettendorf.

(Radio Iowa)

Jack Hatch and Monica Vernon, candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Iowa respectively, will be in Atlantic on Monday, Nov. 3rd, at 1:45-p.m. The pair will stop at the Cass County Democratic Headquarters at 511 Chestnut as they travel the state on the “Fresh Start Tour,” a six-day statewide tour across Iowa before the election.

Hatch served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1985 to 1993. In 1993, he accepted the position of State Director with US Senator Tom Harkin. He returned to the Iowa House after winning election in November, 2000, and then won his first term to the Iowa Senate in 2002 where he still serves. Presently, he is Chair of the Senate Health & Human Services Budget Subcommittee.

Vernon was named by Hatch as his running mate on June 17th. She has served on the Cedar Rapids City Council since 2007, and earlier this year was a candidate for Congress in Iowa’s First District. Cass County Democratic Chair Sherry Toelle says Vernon spearheaded local efforts to raise $1.7 million to build a local shelter for homeless women and children. She has also been an advocate for jobs and economic development, civil and human rights, affordable housing, diversity and inclusion, education, neighborhood safety, and other quality of life issues affecting the region.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend Monday’s event. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

SALIX, Iowa (AP) — The driver of a semitrailer was sent to a hospital after his vehicle struck an Interstate 29 overpass in Iowa. The crash happened Tuesday morning at the Port Neal Interchange near Salix. A sand silo being carried by the semitrailer struck the bottom of the overpass.

The silo went into the median and struck two parked cars. The semitrailer continued on for about 100 feet and hit a construction crane. The driver was taken to a local hospital, but additional information was not released. The crash affected traffic for the southbound lanes for several hours.

A Red Oak man was arrested this (Tuesday) afternoon after he turned himself in to authorities. 28 year old Aaron Lucas Allen was taken into custody on a Red Oak Police Department warrant for first degree burglary. Allen was being held on 25-thousand dollar cash only bond at the Montgomery County Jail.

Police in Council Bluffs arrested a man on two charges following an incident that occurred at around 8:25-a.m. today (Tuesday). 53-year old Jose’ Gusman, of Council Bluffs, faces charges that include Robbery in the 1st Degree and 2nd Degree Attempted Kidnapping. He was arrested after allegedly robbing 19-year old Jessica Donnelly, of Council Bluffs at knife point in the parking of the Wal-Mart Store, at 3201 Manawa Center Drive.

Officials say Gusman, who was dressed in female clothing, was followed on foot by witnesses to the incident. Two of the witnesses had detained the man. After speaking with Donnelly and the witnesses, police was learned that Gusman had approached the woman as she was opening the door to her car. He then wrapped one arm around her and placed a knife to her thigh, demanding that she get into her car. Donnelly was able to push away from Gusman and run from the area, yelling for help. Witnesses in the area heard the victim and began following Gusman, who was walking south through the parking lot. Two of the witnesses physically detained Gusman near the entrance to Sams Club, which is located at 3221 Manawa Center Drive.

Gusman was then taken into Police custody. Donnelly was not injured during the incident.

From October 5th through October 10th, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office’s K9 Unit participated in the Heart of America Police Dog Association’s certification process in Manhattan, Kansas. Certification was attended by approximately twenty five K9 teams from Kansas, Missouri and Iowa.

Guthrie County Sheriff’s Deputy Kent Gries and his K9 partner “Rage.”

During the week, the K9 team consisting of K9 Rage and Deputy Kent Gries were certified in numerous areas of police work including: tracking, narcotics detection, article search, suspect search, obedience and handler protection. Rage and Deputy Gries passed all of the certification scenarios without issue.

On the last day of certification, two certified K9 judges created a difficult scenario involving a barricaded subject inside of a commercial building structure.

The K9 teams were tasked with safely apprehending the barricaded subject while navigating obstacles presented to them throughout the scenario. Upon completion of the scenario, the judges graded each team’s performance and awarded first, second and third place trophies. K9 Rage and Deputy Kent Gries were awarded 2nd place for their efforts.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office wishes to thank all of the donors to the K9 unit and appreciate all of the well wishes that have been offered after Rage’s recent emergency surgery. Rage is doing well and is back to full duty.

An non-jury accident was reported to authorities in Montgomery County, Monday. Sheriff’s officials say Michael Allen Williams told them he was traveling west on 148th Street Monday in a 2002 Ford Ranger pickup, when he met an eastbound white Jeep Cherokee with a U-S Postal Service logo on it, that failed to yield half of the road. Williams said when he took evasive action, he ended-up driving into the north ditch. The right side of his pickup scraped the ditch embankment, causing an unknown dollar amount of damage.

Williams said the Jeep continued eastbound. Deputies in Montgomery County contacted officials with the Post Office, who looked into their records. The USPS said there were no mail carriers on that particular road, and had spoken to all their local carriers with vehicles close to that described by Williams.

The investigation into the alleged incident is complete, unless new information is uncovered.

Childcare professionals working in daycare/preschool centers and home child care providers are invited to attend a workshop in Onawa offered by ISU Extension and Outreach-Monona County. Color Me Healthy is a two hour training that guides child care providers in fun ways to keep preschoolers moving and eating healthy. The training is on Monday, November 17th, from 6:30 to 8:30-pm, at Monona County ISU Extension, 119 Iowa Avenue in Onawa.

Renee Sweers, ISU Extension and Outreach Nutrition and Health Program Specialist and program presenter, says “Color Me Healthy is a hand-on training that is a lot of fun. Participants learn activities to do with preschoolers that promote eating healthy and being active. Additionally, each child care center or home will receive a Color Me Healthy curriculum kit, so they will have all the tools they need to do the activities in their own child care setting.”

Color Me Healthy was developed by North Carolina Cooperative Extension. It provides fun, innovative, interactive learning opportunities on physical activity and healthy eating. The program is designed to stimulate all of the senses of young children: touch, smell, sight, sound, and, of course, taste. Color Me

Healthy uses color, music, and exploration of the senses to teach children that healthy food and physical activity are fun! Register online at the Iowa Childcare Provider Training Registry https://ccmis.dhs.state.ia.us/TrainingRegistry/ or call Monona County ISU Extension and Outreach at 712-423-2175.

Costs for the program are covered in-part by Early Childhood Iowa – Monona, Shelby, Harrison counties.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports an investigation into an assault in Menlo last Friday, has resulted in the arrest of 50-year old Jeffery J. Godron, of Adair. Godron was arrested on a charge of  Assault Causing Injury, a serious misdemeanor.  Godron is alleged to have assaulted his 84 year old mother at her residence in Menlo.

Godron was booked into the Guthrie County Jail. After an appearance before the Guthrie County Magistrate, Godron was held on $1,000 cash or surety bond.  Godron was also found to have warrants out of Adair County for Willful Injury and Domestic Abuse Assault. A hold has been placed on Godron by Adair County.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies engaged in a pursuit Saturday that entered the County from Page County. The S/O was notified about the pursuit at around 6:30-p.m. Page County authorities pursued the vehicle north of New Market. The vehicle being pursued was silver 2003 BMW. For a short time location of the BMW was unknown before deputies with Taylor County located the vehicle north of New Market on Badger Avenue at the intersection with 205th.