(Radio Iowa) – A Polk County judge has reversed the decision of the Iowa D-N-R to issue a permit for a massive cattle feedlot near the headwaters of Bloody Run Creek. The creek is a prized location for trout in northeast Iowa and the Iowa chapters of the Sierra Club and Trout Unlimited filed suit saying a faulty manure management plan was used. Judge Scott Rosenberg’s ruling says the D-N-R used “illogical interpretations and applications to approve a nutrient management plan for the feedlot.” Sierra Club attorney, Wally Taylor applauded the ruling.  “They have to follow their own rules and they didn’t do it in this case,” he says.

Taylor says the judge made it clear that the D-N-R does not have unlimited discretion. “What they did was because Supreme Beef’s operation didn’t fit the rules, D-N-R tried to make the rules fit Supreme Beef. And the judge said that’s not going to work,” Taylor explains. Bloody Run Creek is in Clayton County – a part of the state known for its environmentally sensitive porous limestone. “I think the judge’s ruling shows clearly how inappropriate, and how mixed up the rules are for a livestock operation,” he says.

The D-N-R feedlot permit would have allowed an 11-thousand-600 head cattle feedlot operation. The ruling sends the case back to the D-N-R for reconsideration.

(By Clay Masters, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – It’s prom season for Iowa high school students, and law enforcement officers across the state are working to keep a closer eye out for young drivers who may be impaired. Iowa State Patrol public resource officer Paul Gardner, who’s based in Fort Dodge, has some advice for teens who are planning for the big night. “Stay sober. Don’t go out drinking. Don’t go to parties that are serving alcohol or that will have drugs present. These activities can certainly get a young person into a lot of trouble,” Gardner says. “If a teenage driver is caught behind the wheel with just about any amount of alcohol or narcotics in their system, they can get cited for an underage possession or processed for an OWI.”

Gardner says the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving has compiled some figures about the dangers. “In 2021, 31% of all fatal crashes in Iowa involved a younger person between the ages of 15 to 20 years old,” he says. “That’s an alarming statistic. That’s almost one-third of the traffic crashes that involved younger drivers.” Just one drink, or even part of a drink, may land a teen driver in deep legal trouble.

“Iowa has a zero tolerance law, which limits the blood-alcohol content in a teenage driver to .02, which can just take a small amount of alcohol to reach that point,” Gardner says. “Once that driver is tested for being over that .02 level, they can lose their driver’s license for 90 days or more, and that will certainly impact their getting an adult license.”

A recent national survey found the average high school student and their families will spend between 900 and a-thousand dollars on prom.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Shelby County have several matters to act on during their meeting at 9-a.m. Tuesday, in Harlan. According to Auditor Mark Maxwell, they will take action on approving a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the County and Office of the Chief Information Officer, Iowa Department of Management.

They are scheduled to receive a Shelby County Jail Department report from Jail Administrator Kyle Lindberg, a Secondary Roads Department report from Engineer Brandon Burmeister (Or one of his office staff), and, Mark Maxwell will present several reports for the Shelby County Supervisors, to be followed by Board action. They include:

• A Building & Grounds report (RE: an empty room at Annex- sump pump)
• Building & Grounds – Disposing of a County-owned lot in Earling.
• Building & Grounds – Rent for Juvenile Services at the Annex Building.
• Cost Advisory Services, Inc., contract renewal
• And, approval of Sheriff’s Deputies’ appointments.

The Shelby County Supervisors will also hold a Zoom meeting* with Ryan Pike from the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, with regard to “Make my Move.”

*Meeting ID: 293 282 6199      Passcode: 4563.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors have a light agenda for the meeting 9-a.m. Tuesday, in Atlantic. According to Cass County Auditor Kathy Somers, the Board will hear a regular, weekly report from County Engineer Trent Wolken. If a candidate is available, the Board will act on appointments for Brighton Township Clerk and Victoria Township Trustee positions.

They’ll go over Board members’ various committee reports, and other, filed reports as available.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – A woman from Glenwood was arrested Sunday, for Driving While Under Suspension. Authorities say 47-year-old Amy Hunter was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $300 bond.

Glenwood Police report one person suffered from possible/unknown injuries, following a collision Friday evening at the intersection of N. Locust and Sharp Streets. The accident happened at around 5:10-p.m., as a 2018 KIA driven by 39-year-old Amy Joanna Leonard, of Glenwood, was stopped at the controlled intersection, waiting for the stoplight to change. Leonard said she felt a car hit them from behind. In speaking with the driver of the other vehicle, a 2007 Lincoln MKZ, authorities say 66-year-old Deborah Rae Wilcoxsen, of Glenwood, told officers that her foot slipped-off the pedal, and that she couldn’t regain control in-time.

Amy Leonard complained of pain following the collision, but was not transported to the hospital. Both vehicles were able to drive away from the scene. The KIA sustained about $500 damage. No citations were issued, but Police noted Wilcoxsen was following too close.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports four arrests over the past few days, and a break-in. Sunday night, 45-year-old Brandon Eugene Rudolf, of Lorimor, was arrested in the 600 Block N Elm. Rudolf was charged with OWI 1st and 2 counts Child Endangerment Substantial Risk. He was taken to the Union County Jail where he was later released on $5,000 cash or surety bond.

Two people were arrested Saturday, in Creston:

• 31-year-old Antonio De Jesus Hernandez Hernandez, of Creston, was arrested for OWI 1st. Hernandez was taken to the Union County Jail where he was later released on $1,000 cash or surety bond
• 27-year-old Christopher Thomas White, of Creston, was arrested at the Creston Union County LEC. White was charged with Driving while Revoked, Theft 2nd Motor Vehicle, Attempted Burglary 3rd Degree, Public Intoxication, and OWI 3rd. White was taken to the Union County Jail where he is being held on $12,000 cash or surety bond.

And, late Friday morning, 40-year-old Wesley Allan Gregg, of Diagonal, was arrested at the Creston Union County LEC. Gregg was charged with a Failure To Appear/Violation of Probation on an original charge of Burglary in the 2nd Degree. Gregg was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on bond.

Saturday afternoon, a man from Madrid (IA) reported to Creston Police, that sometime over the past three weeks, someone forcefully entered his home in the 600 block of W. Adams Street, and stole his work tools. A dollar amount of the loss was not available.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man wanted on a Fremont County warrant for Failure to Appear at his Contempt Hearing, was arrested Sunday in the 1800 block of E. Summit Street, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, Justin James Smith (No address/city given), was transferred to the Fremont County Jail, and was being held on a $1,000 cash-only bond.

(Washington, D-C) – A statement issued Friday from the White House indicates five Iowans serving federal prison time for methamphetamine charges will be released, soon. President Joe Biden, Friday, commuted the sentences for 31 people convicted of non-violent drug-related crimes across seven states.

In Iowa, Jennifer Chastain of Delhi, Kevin Burdock of Keswick, Bart Hyde of Clinton, Gregory Peasley of Onawa and Ryan Vick of Cedar Rapids had their sentences commuted.

According to a release, they will all be released from federal prison by June 30, but will serve the remainder of their sentences in house arrest.

(Radio Iowa) – Senator Chuck Grassley says he’ll urge the U-S Senate to respond if the U-S Supreme Court sides with pharmacy operators rather than two whistleblowers. In 1986, Grassley led Senate passage of an update of the False Claims Act. It lets whistleblowers who allege a person or company is defrauding the government sue for damages for themselves and the government.

“At the time I didn’t know it was going to be the big fight against the fraudulent taking of taxpayers’ money like it has turned out to be,” but every year it brings in about $3-4 billion dollars and the Justice Department announces that.” At issue now are two whistleblowers who sued, alleging Safeway and SuperValu pharmacies overcharged Medicaid and Medicare for prescription drugs. The U-S Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the companies’ appeal last month. The companies argue they did not knowingly overcharge the government programs.

“And so I filed a brief saying to the Supreme Court exactly what we intended in 1986,” Grassley says, “and, in fact, Justice Sotomayor referred specifically to ‘Senator Grassley’ and ‘Senator Grassley ought to know what he’s talking about because he wrote the legislation.'” Grassley says he hopes the court rules in favor of his view, but if it doesn’t, he’ll prepare legislation. “More or less just say to the judges and the justices: ‘How come you can’t figure out what we meant to do? But we’re going to prove to you what we meant to d by passing legislation that overturns your court cases,'” Grassley says.

Grassley is the top ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa legislature is planning to spend an extra 750-thousand dollars to prepare for a possible outbreak of African Swine Fever. Representative Norlin Mommsen of DeWitt says the virus, which causes severe bleeding and death, has killed pigs in the Caribbean Islands.

“It would be devastating for Iowa agriculture and the Iowa economy if it ever came here, so we’re trying to be as prepared as we can,” Mommsen says. “All we have to do is look at Avian Influenza and how that’s upset the poultry market and how that affected egg prices and food prices.” The Senate has already approved a budget for the Iowa Department of Agriculture that includes 250-thousand dollars toward development of a vaccine and 250-thousand dollars to buy equipment to euthanize pigs. Mommsen says it ensures state officials could quickly respond at the first report of an Iowa herd getting African Swine Fever.

“There comes a point in time when the only response is to euthanize the animals and do it as humanely and quickly as possible to stop the spread, so we want to make sure we have the proper equipment here if that ever were to occur,” Mommsen says. “My hope is it rusts and never gets used.” The House is expected to approve the budget bill this week. It includes another 250-thousand dollar boost to the state’s program for responding to an outbreak of a foreign animal disease.

“We already had $750,000 in a Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness program,” Mommsen said. “There’s a veterinarian hired, running that program, so this is in addition to all of that trying to upgrade our facility and our preparedness.” According to the Iowa Pork Producers Association, on a typical day there are about 24 million hogs in Iowa. African Swine Fever is not a threat to humans, but once a pig is infected it is highly contagious to other pigs — and the mortality rate is 95 percent.