Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Falls legislator Walt Rogers says he’ll seek the Republican nomination for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District. Rogers was elected to the Iowa House in 2010 and served as an assistant majority leader. Cedar Rapids businessman Steve Rathje and Dubuque businessman Rod Blum also are seeking the GOP nomination, and former Cedar Rapids Mayor Paul Pate is expected to announce his candidacy soon.

ALLISON, Iowa (AP) — A woman says a northern Iowa man accused of sexually abusing her daughter tried to buy the girl for $50,000. The woman told a courtroom that Clarence Miller made the offer through his own daughter because the woman doesn’t speak English. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports the woman testified that she said no to the 80-year-old man’s offer. She also said she didn’t tell anyone about the conversation. Miller’s attorney says his client denies any sexual abuse occurred.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Mason City’s former Human Rights Director claims his job was eliminated earlier this year in part because he had investigated complaints against the mayor’s local business supporters. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports 75-year-old Lionel Foster filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission claiming race and age discrimination as well as retaliation. Mayor Eric Bookmeyer says he’s confident all parties will be vindicated.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 26-year-old Nebraska woman will spend six to nine years in prison for an incident last spring in which she hid a gun in a pot of chili. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Danielle Cherecwich was on parole out of Iowa when she was arrested in April after an officer stopped her car, which had reportedly been used in a failed attempt to pass a fake check earlier that month. When officers checked a container of chili at her feet, they found a loaded .25-caliber handgun.

CUSHING, Iowa (AP) — The Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office says a steer killed a western Iowa man who was trying to move the animal. The Sioux City Journal reports 52-year-old Larry Johnson, of Cushing, died Monday night after he was injured while trying to load a 900-pound steer onto a trailer. Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Tony Wingert says the animal injured Johnson while both were inside the trailer.

An ambulance crew rushed Johnson to a helicopter landing zone, but he died before the copter arrived. Wingert says Johnson’s daughter and another person were helping Johnson load the steer. The animal was being moved because it was aggressive and had damaged a pen.

The Atlantic City Council is expected to act on a couple of matters to come before them during their meeting Wednesday evening, at City Hall. The first is a Resolution of Objection, to the location of the POET Ethanol Trans-loading Station. The second, is a recommendation by the Mayor, to approve a contribution of just over $3,000 to the Cass County Agricultural & Educational Association, for the new “Cattle Barn,” at the Fairgrounds.

The Resolution to come before the Council during their 5:30-p.m. meeting, Wednesday, was prepared by City Attorney Dave Wiederstein at the request of Mayor Dave Jones. It cites safety concerns pertaining to the POET ethanol transfer station located within 100-feet of the Downtown Fire District, and encourages the company to reconsider the location of the facility to a site elsewhere in Atlantic. It says also that the City has questionable legal options to pursue in its opposition to the current site, which is under construction.

With regard to the Cattle Barn, the Mayor will ask the Council to consider making a donation to the Fair Board in the amount of $3,008.80, if they want to find a way to keep the Association’s net permit cost for the project in-line with the new building permit fee structure. Last August, the Cass County Ag & Educational Association (Fair Board) asked the Council to waive the $3,500 building permit fee for a new, open cattle barn.

The Council concluded the old fee schedule be adjusted for such structures, and later amended the building permit fee schedule to reduce the per square foot fee, and cap the total building fee to unattached, accessory structures at $500. Under the new fee, the Fair Board would have only had to pay the $500 fee, but it is not retroactive, and therefore does not apply to permits issued prior to Sept. 4th.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on approving the route for the Oct. 12th Fireman’s Parade. The parade begins at 6-p.m. at 2nd and Walnut Streets, and will travel on 6th and Chestnut Streets before returning to 2nd Street.

The National Weather Service says the threat is increasing for a severe weather event on Friday. Keep up-to-date for the latest forecast over the coming days.

Main threat area highlighted below.

The Harlan Police Department reports a local teen was charged with harassment and assault, Saturday. 17-year old Ashtun McLaren, of Harlan, was charged after officers were asked to investigate an alleged assault on Zain Harris, also of Harlan.  McLaren was cited for both offenses and released to the custody of her parents.  The complaints were then filed with Juvenile court. That same day, 44-year old James Dowling, of Wellsville, OH, was taken into custody following a traffic stop.  Dowling was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, failure to have a valid driver’s license and speed.

The Harlan P-D said also, complaints were filed last Thursday against an Avoca woman, following an alleged assault. Officers were called to the Stephen Weber residence, in the 800 block of Court Street, for a reported incident of assault. Following the investigation, complaints were filed by Weber charging 31-year old Katherine Hayes, of  Avoca, with assault.  The complaints were filed with the Shelby County Clerk of Court.

And, last Wednesday (Sept. 25th). 78-year old Marilyn Knauss, of Harlan, was taken into custody when officers received a report of a car driving slowly and all over the road.  Officers were able to locate the car and, after the traffic stop, Knauss was taken to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

The Creston Hy-Vee store and two vehicles were damaged by blasts from a shotgun early Sunday morning. According to the Creston News Advertiser, someone drove to the front of the grocery store at around 2:30-a.m. and fired at least one round from a 12-gauge shotgun. The slug damaged pumpkins and broke the glass on window near the store’s entrance.

Images of shooting suspect’s car. (Photo’s from Lenox P-D’s Facebook page)

The suspect drove-off and unloaded three more shotgun slugs near the 400 block of New York Avenue, where two unoccupied vehicles were damaged. No injuries were reported. The car, observed in surveillance video, is grayish blue in color. The driver was wearing a bright orange shirt.

Anyone with information with regard to the incidents should contact Creston Police at 641-782-8402.

The Stuart Police Department reports the arrest Saturday evening of a California man on drug charges. Officials say  at around 8-pm, Stacy Wright of San Leandro, CA, was arrested after Stuart Police officers pulled him over for speeding. Wright’s passenger admitted that there was a small amount of Marijuana inside the vehicle’s glove box. Officers searching the vehicle located pot in the glove box.

During a full search of the entire vehicle, a large amount of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and items used to grow marijuana were discovered. Wright was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance (Marijuana) with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving without a license and speeding. He was booked into the Adair County Jail.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The partial shutdown of the federal government has halted the checks for a supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children. The program known as WIC is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Based on need, it provides monthly checks for families to supplement their food budgets and offers nutrition education to pregnant women and families with children to encourage healthy eating choices.

The program’s administrator in Iowa, Jill Lange, says the state serves about 66,000 participants a month. If the shutdown lasts the entire month that many people would not get their monthly food checks. If it’s shorter in duration participants could get a check as soon as federal spending is again authorized.

The program received notice Tuesday that no checks can be issued until further notice.

Officials with the Cass County Health System Women’s Health Services report CCHS is hosting a Women’s Health Expo on Thursday, October 10^th. The event will be held in the CCHS atrium from 5 – 7 pm.

In addition to educational information on a wide variety of women’s health issues and services, there will be two speakers during the evening.

·    5:30 pm – Dr. Kerry Rodabaugh, gynecological oncologist, will speak about gynecological cancers and current treatment methods, including robotic surgical procedures. Dr. Rodabaugh is affiliated with the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, and cares for patients in the Cass County Memorial Hospital Outpatient Clinic the second Thursday of each month. 

·    6:30 pm – Mary Fuller, PA-C, certified tobacco specialist, will present a brief program on tobacco cessation.  Mary is a physician assistant at Atlantic Medical Center and provides tobacco cessation services for outpatients and inpatients.

  Jeri Orstad, Women’s Health Services co-chairman, says “Women are the gatekeepers to health for the entire family.“It is particularly important for women to be well informed about health in general, and to remember to take time to care for themselves.  We hope this evening will assist them in both areas, while having a good time with friends and neighbors.”

For more information about the Women’s Health Expo, call Cass County Memorial Hospital at 712-243-3250.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 4 Office in Atlantic is reporting a success on a unique bridge project on Iowa 92 near Massena. Monday evening, the contractor was able to slide the new bridge into place, one day ahead of schedule. The road closed Sept. 27 to demolish the existing bridge and prepare for placement of the new bridge. The road is expected to reopen to traffic on Sunday, Oct. 6th.

For more information on this project, go to www.iowadot.gov/MassenaBridge/index.html