The five Republican candidates who’ve filed the federal paperwork to run for the U.S. Senate gathered in Greenfield last night (Sunday), with barbs aimed at Bruce Braley and other Democrats as well as “bystanders” within the G-O-P.  Sam  Clovis, a former talk show host in Sioux City, was first to speak to the crowd of Adair County Republicans and he had a message for those who’ve been critical of this crop of candidates. “I am sick and tired of people standing on the sidelines and barking and chirping and chipping about this race. Get in or shut up, one or the other. Get in this race and become part of this mix, become part of this community or stay out of it. Lead — or get out of the way.”

Joni Ernst, a state senator who revealed last week that she carries a concealed weapon about 90 percent of the time, was second to speak in Greenfield. She blasted Democrats for suggesting she was pushing the boundaries of safety. “If a 22-year military veteran who has served in a combat zone and carried a 9 milimeter and an M16 with her everyday is unsafe, I don’t know what they consider safe,” Ernst said. Scott Schaben of Ames, the newest candidate in the race, presented himself as a more moderate candidate who could appeal to independent voters.

“We are the Republican Party and the Republican Party is the party of fun. The younger generation doesn’t get that,” Schaben said. “When you talk about personal freedom — you want to go out, you want to hit the buffet, you want to eat too much — that’s a Republican value. That’s less government. The Democrats are the ones that want to tell you how much you can eat and where you can eat it. The Democrats are the ones that want to take your guns away. The Democrats are the ones that want to take away your fun.” Matt Whitaker, a former U.S. Attorney, told the crowd it’s important for the G-O-P to pick a conservative as its nominee.

“We need a fiscal conservative,” Whitaker said. “We also need a social conservative…that will not just go to Washington, D.C. and not just vote with the leadership, but be part of the new movement to stand up what’s for the best interest of America.” Whitaker has signed a pledge of support for rookie Republican Senators who trying to stop “ObamaCare” by threatening a government shut-down. Clovis has signed the pledge, too. David Young, the final candidate to speak, repeatedly mentioned his work as Senator Grassley’s chief of staff.

I’ve seen Washington, D.C. and the beast of Washington up close and you know what? It’s as ugly there as it is here. You’ve got the right perspective,” Young said. “Sometimes it looks like one awful reality show when you watch the news.” The five candidates had a private huddle after the event to talk about this Saturday’s Republican State Central Committee decision to push the date of the 2014 state convention back a month, from June 14th to July 12th.

If none of the senate candidates wins at least 35 percent in the June Primary, delegates to the state convention will choose the party’s nominee. Critics say the delay will give Bruce Braley, the only Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, another month to campaign without a direct G-O-P challenger. Iowa G-O-P chairman A.J. Spiker says it is his hope the “timing doesn’t matter” and a senate nominee is chosen in the primary. But Spiker says by state law, the “window” to conduct the official canvas of primary votes is 27 days and if none of the candidates crosses that 35 percent threshold, a June 14th state convention might be too early.

Spiker says it’d cost tens of thousands of dollars more to hold a second state convention to nominate a senate candidate, plus some of the four-thousand eligible delegates and alternate delegates might skip one of the two conventions. The party’s state central committee voted unanimously on Saturday to move the date of the state convention to July 12th, and the group voted to hold the convention in the central location of Polk County.

(Radio Iowa)

A state senator says a fellow Republican senator who’s under an ethics investigation should resign now. Senator Kent Sorenson of Milo has been accused of violating ethics rules which forbid senators from being paid directly or indirectly for work on presidential campaigns. Sorenson denies the charges and says he’s the victim of “a witch hunt.” Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale has been interviewed about accusations that Sorenson stole a contact list of Iowa homeschoolers for Michele Bachmann’s campaign.

“I know the answers to many of the allegations. I am a part of the police investigation in Urbandale as well as the (senate) ethics investigation,” Zaun said. “…I think it has been a big distraction for Republicans…He needs to resign.” Congresswoman Bachmann herself recently reached an out-of-court settlement with the woman who accused others in the Bachmann campaign of stealing the list of contacts. According to Zaun, the accusations surrounding Sorenson are “bad” for all senators.

“I know answers. I think that Senator Sorenson should resign,” Zaun said Sunday. “…Let’s let the investigation go forward, but I think it’s been a major distraction to the senate Republicans and I think he should resign,” Zaun said. Zaun made his comments Sunday on “The Insiders” on WHO-TV. Long-time State Representative Clel Baudler, from Greenfield, watched the program and Baudler says Zaun showed “a lot of leadership” by saying Sorenson should resign.

“(Sorenson’s) a cancer within our party and you cut it out if you have a cancer in there,” Baudler said. Baudler made his comments at a gathering of Adair County Republicans in Greenfield. Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix issued a written statement Sunday, noting the Senate Ethics Committee “has appointed a special investigator to examine all the allegations involving Senator Sorenson.” Dix said that process is in place “for a reason. Senate Republican leadership believes in the importance of allowing the process to work to maintain the integrity of the Iowa Senate.”

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police are investigating the death of a 40-year-old Iowa man who was severely beaten near Wells Fargo arena in Des Moines. A woman called police shortly before 1 a.m. yesterday to report the assault in a parking lot near the arena in downtown Des Moines. Police found Richard Daughenbaugh with significant injuries, and paramedics took him to Methodist Hospital where he died.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A 21-year-old Iowa man has been charged with causing serious injuries to a toddler earlier this summer. Dubuque authorities say Troy Laufenberg was arrested there Saturday evening. He is accused of causing 18-month-old Myah Larson’s brain damage on July 15th. He was being held yesterday in the Dubuque County Jail.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Council Bluffs is looking for a new fire chief for the first time in nearly two decades. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Alan Byers is retiring after 19 years as chief and 35 years as a firefighter.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The city of Cedar Rapids is celebrating the new library it built to replace one lost to the devastating 2008 flood. KWWL reports eastern Iowa’s largest city opened its new downtown library on Saturday. The new library has a children’s section that’s bigger than the temporary library that had served the city since the 2008 floods.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new state board charged with enforcing Iowa’s public records and meetings laws will also have to settle disputes over records requests. The Des Moines Register reports the new board that was created July 1 has already received about 50 complaints. The complaints come both from public records advocates and from government agencies who say they are facing unreasonable requests.

For instance, a county hospital administrator in Denison says he has received more than 300 information requests from Richard Knowles in the past 16 months. And Ottumwa city officials say staff members sometimes spend more than 75 percent of their day fulfilling records requests.

Officials with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have chosen a route for a proposed passenger rail system that would link the Omaha/Council Bluffs metro area with Chicago, and include stops at several cities in between. Among the cities, is Atlantic. The Daily NonPareil reports the option would utilize existing tracks owned by Burlington Northern-Santa Fe, Iowa Interstate Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak, according to an FRA Tier 1 Record of Decision released in July. The route, which would take trains through Moline, Ill., Iowa City, Des Moines and Atlantic, was referred to as the “preferred” option during a public meeting in Council Bluffs last December, according to Brian Goss of HDR Engineering, who served as a panelist.

The FRA decision was based on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement of October 2012 and the Final Environmental Impact Statement of May 2013 conducted by the Iowa Department of Transportation in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation as part of Tier 1 of the Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study, the document stated. The FRA also considered comments from agencies, tribes and Native American groups and the public received during the public comment periods.

Goss says there could still be modifications, depending on what is uncovered during the Tier 2 study.  Amanda Martin, freight and passenger policy coordinator for the Iowa DOT and manager of the project, says the selected route would have the smallest impact on the environment of any options studied. The environmental portion of the Tier 1 study was completed well ahead of the usual two-year time frame, and now, the DOT is waiting for comments from the FRA needed for a Tier 1 Service Development Plan (SDP) and hopes to have the full study finished by October.

The Tier 2 study will proceed as funding becomes available. Specific aspects of the project likely to receive attention include track improvements, drainage, railroad crossings and train-control system improvements along the entire route. In addition, construction of stations in Iowa City, Grinnell, Des Moines, Atlantic, Council Bluffs and Omaha would be studied, along with possibilities for rail yards, layover and maintenance facilities, bridge construction or improvements and other factors. Once the Tier 2 study is finalized and approved, the next step would be design and engineering.

The proposed schedule developed for the SDP for these phases includes the following estimated time frames:
• Chicago to Moline (two round-trips) – construction 2014-2015; service begins Dec. 31, 2015
• Chicago to Iowa City (two round-trips) – construction 2015-2016; service begins 2017
• Chicago to Des Moines (two round-trips) – construction 2020-2021; service begins 2022
• Chicago to Des Moines (four round-trips) – equipment procurement 2024; service begins 2025
• Chicago to Council Bluffs (four round-trips) – construction 2028-2029; service begins 2030.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Council Bluffs is looking for a new fire chief for the first time in nearly two decades. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Alan Byers is retiring after 19 years as chief and 35 years as a firefighter. Byers says it’s time for someone else to have a chance to lead the department.

Longtime Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan praised Byers work as chief. Hanafan says Byers oversaw numerous improvements and growth in the department during his tenure.

The Council Bluffs Police Department issued a missing persons report on Saturday (8/24) for a mentally challenged Council Bluffs man.

Nikko Ruiz

Nikko Ruiz was last seen leaving his house on 4th street in Council Bluffs at 9:30 Saturday morning.  He is an 18-year-old white male whom is 5’11” and 120lbs.  He was last seen wearing a purple polo shirt with pink and blue stripes and has short hair and a goatee.

Ruiz’ family had just moved into the area from out of state on Friday and have no other family in the area aside from immediate family.

The Council Bluffs Police department is asking for the public’s help in trying to locate Ruiz.  If contact is made with him please call your local authorities immediately.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Creston man Saturday night. An off duty Deputy observed 32-year-old Raymond Scott Davis allegedly stealing firewood from the Hy-Vee store in Corning.  Deputies with the Adams County Sheriff’s Department stopped Davis at around 9:40-p.m., and arrested him for theft in the 5th degree, driving under the influence 2nd offense, open container and for driving while suspended.  He was being held in the Adams County Jail on just over $3,000 bond.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest early Sunday morning of a Red Oak resident, for driving while intoxicated. Officials say Kim Jording was taken into custody at around 1:20-a.m, following a traffic stop in the 1300 block of 210th Street, just west of Red Oak.  Jording was charged with OWI/1st offense, transported to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, and held on $1,000 bond.

CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-
TAYLOR-RINGGOLD

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 10 PM CDT TUESDAY...

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT TUESDAY...


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A HEAT
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7PM or 10 PM CDT
TUESDAY.

* TEMPERATURE...HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE MID TO
  UPPER 90S EACH DAY...WITH HEAT INDEX VALUES EXCEEDING 100
  DEGREES DURING THE AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS.

* IMPACTS...THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF SEVERAL DAYS OF HEAT WILL
  TAKE ITS TOLL...PARTICULARLY ON THOSE WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING
  AND THOSE ENGAGING IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. SUCH ACTIVITIES SHOULD
  BE DELAYED TO A LATER DATE IF POSSIBLE...OR HELD IN THE MORNING
  TO MINIMIZE HEAT STRESS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS
EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY
WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE
POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED
ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN...AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND
NEIGHBORS.

   TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS...IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE.
WHEN POSSIBLE...RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING
OR EVENING.  KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND
HEAT STROKE.  WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN
POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

   TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK...THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST
BREAKS IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS.  ANYONE
OVERCOME BY HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION.
HEAT STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY...CALL 9 1 1.