(Radio Iowa) — Republican Senator Joni Ernst says it’s too early to say whether it was improper for President Trump to ask Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.  “We can’t determine that yet,” Ernst says. “We have information that will be presented to the Senate Intelligence Committee.”

President Trump’s decision to put a hold on military aide to Ukraine and Trump’s conversation with Ukraine’s president are now the subject of an impeachment inquiry in the U.S. House. During a town hall forum in Templeton yesterday (Thursday), Ernst joined Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa in calling for the whistleblower involved to be protected — and Ernst said the Senate’s investigation of the whistleblower’s complaint will be handled by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

“They will call in the witnesses as necessary and it’ll be done in a bipartisan manner and a fair process,” Ernst said, “and they will evaluate that.” Amy Haskins of Manning asked Ernst when congress would decide “enough is enough” when it comes to Trump. “You still stand there silent and your silence is supporting him and not standing up,” Haskins said to Ernst and some in the crowd applauded. Ernst told the audience congress does not yet have “the full story” and it’s too early to reach any conclusions.

“I have traveled to Ukraine,” Ernst said. “…Many years ago, I had the opportunity to meet President Poroshenko and one of the issues that I spoke to him about is the fact that in Ukraine there is still a large amount of corruption and they have tried to deal with that corruption. They need to continue dealing with corruption. I don’t care where it is. I don’t care who it is, when it is. Corruption is corruption and it should be combated.” Earlier this week, Ernst posted a video on Twitter, saying Iowans want Congress to focus on moving the country forward rather than focusing on the “impeachment circus.”

Gene Langel, a Republican from Templeton, says he’s not surprised to see an impeachment inquiry in the House.”The Democrats are trying to drive him out and between that and the press, I don’t know, most presidents wouldn’t be able to stand all the pressure,” he said after the forum. Langul says trade is a more pressing issue.

(Radio Iowa) — State officials have frozen tax incentives for a Sioux City pork processing plant due to an investigation of alleged mistreatment of foreigners recruited to work at the plant. Governor Kim Reynolds says Seaboard Truiump Foods was awarded 16-and-a-half MILLION dollars in tax credits and sales tax breaks for the Sioux City facility which opened in 2017. “We’ve put a hold on any of the state incentive payments that have been awarded to the company,” Reynolds says.

Micronesia’s government asked the U.S. government to investigate after dozens of people who moved from Micronesia to take jobs in Sioux City accused recruiters of misleading them about the work. The workers also have complained they’ve been verbally and physically harassed inside the plant. “We are going to hold and not allocate any of the incentives until the investigation is finalized and we understand if that took place and how they are reacting to the allegations that they are accused of,” Reynolds said.

Seaboard Triumph released a written statement to The Sioux City Journal, saying “many of the allegations are untrue.” Company officials indicated they are working with local, state and federal authorities as well as the union that represents workers to address any labor violations at the plant. A document posted online by Micronesia’s government indicates workers are accusing Seaboard Triumph of issuing false Social Security numbers and seizing their passports.

Seaboard Triumph is conducting its own investigation of the recruiting firm it has used in Micronesia.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee has filed yet another lawsuit against a major media organization, claiming he was defamed in a magazine story about his family’s Iowa dairy farm. Rep. Devin Nunes of California is seeking $77.5 million in the lawsuit filed Monday against Esquire publisher Hearst Magazines and former reporter Ryan Lizza, now a correspondent for Politico. Nunes filed similar lawsuits against Twitter and newspaper publisher The McClatchy Co. earlier this year.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa is investigating after racist graffiti was found scrawled on a library wall at the school. The graffiti included a crude outline of the state of Iowa inside a rough outline of Africa. The word “Nigeria” _ misspelled to include a racial slur _ was written above the drawing. Someone posted a photo of it Wednesday on Twitter, and the university responded with its own tweet. The university called it a “hateful message” that “does not reflect the values of our institution.”

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a central Iowa pastor was robbed and beaten to death outside his church. Police say officers sent to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge on Wednesday evening found the Rev. Allen Henderson lying unresponsive outside of the building. He was pronounced dead at a hospital of injuries indicating he had been assaulted. Police later arrested a 36-year-old man and say he acknowledged that he had fought a man at the church and taken his phone.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — After an unusually rainy September, the amount of water flowing down the lower Missouri River this year is likely to match the 2011 record. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it now expects 61 million acre feet of water to flow down the Missouri River this year.

(Radio Iowa) — Residents in the unincorporated areas of Mills County have another week to submit their names for buyouts of their flooded properties. County Public Information Officer Sheri Bowen says the County Board of Supervisors set October 11th at 4:30 p-m as the final deadline to meet state requirements for submitting its application for funding.

“For us to move forward on actually sending our application int to the state of Iowa — we have to firmly know what properties are included,” Bowen says. “So, we have determined that we have to set a deadline so that we know who’s interested, and exactly which properties will include, so that we can submit that application as timely as possible.”

There are 73 residents who have signed up for the program so far and they’ve had some people who have changed their minds. She encourages anyone thinking about it to sign up. “Now is the time if people are interested in considering it as a possibility. We need to get your name on that sign-up list. We need to have your signature on some authorization forms in order to be included on the application,” she says.

Bowen says putting your name on the sign-up list doesn’t obligate you to go ahead with the program… “This is a voluntary process on both the part of the homeowner, and on the county’s part,” said Bowen. “At any point along here, that homeowner can say, ‘no, I don’t want to be included’,” according to Bowen. “So, just putting your name on the list basically just lets your property be considered.”

Residents can place their name on the list by calling the Mills County Auditor’s Office at 712-527-3146.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approved fines for two casinos today (Thursday) at their meeting in Waterloo. Racing and Gaming Administrator, Brian Ohorilko says the Harrah’s Casino in Council Bluffs was fined for allowing an underage person into the casino. “Once on the floor gambled, and when she was on the floor, was on for more than 30 minutes,” Ohorilko says. He says that met the criteria for a fine.

He says the past precedent called for a 20-thousand dollar penalty and the commission and the casino agreed to that. It was their first violation in the last 365 days. The Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs was also fined for allowing a minor on the gambling floor. “That minor entered the gaming floor unchallenged on two different occasions…that minor once on the floor, gambled, consumed alcohol,” Ohorilko says. He says the circumstances led to a larger fine.

“Due to the fact that there were more than one times when that minor entered the floor — the commission set a penalty in the amount of 30-thousand dollars,” Ohorilko says. He says the multiple visits without an I-D check was a concern.”The casino had indicated that the security officers involved had witnessed the minor come off the floor. So that may’ve been a reason they did not ask for identification when coming back on,” Ohorilko says. “I think the commission was also concerned with the fact that the minor had been served alcoholic beverages — and during those employee contacts — no identification was requested.”

He says it was the first violation for the Horseshoe in the last 365 days.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — After an unusually rainy September in the region, the amount of water flowing down the lower Missouri River this year is likely to match the 2011 record. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it now expects 61 million acre feet of water to flow down the Missouri River this year. That would equal the record set during the prolonged 2011 flooding. So the Corps will continue releasing massive amounts of water from the dams along the river.

The amount of water currently being released from the Gavins Point dam on the South Dakota-Nebraska border _ 80,000 cubic feet per second _ is more than twice what is typical for this time of year.

The City of Atlantic announced on Thursday afternoon that South Olive Street will remain closed tonight through sometime tomorrow for roadwork going on in that area. The closure is in place from 22nd Street to Jasper Road. We’ll provide an update on the opening when it becomes available.

Audubon County Sheriff Todd Johnson, Thursday (today), said 49-year old Scott Allen Jensen, of Adair, was charged Sept. 23rd with Reckless Use of a Firearm, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Marijuana 1st Offense. 50-year old Nikki Jolene Larson, also of Adair, was charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Marijuana 1st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on September 23rd. They both appeared before the Magistrate and were released. All of the charges stem from an investigation into an incident that occurred on August 21st at their residence in Audubon County.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says there are dangers associated with “vaping” and she’s discussing policy options with key advisers. “I think it’s alarming what we’re continuing to see and the increase in the number of cases and so we continue to work with the Iowa Department of Public Health to collect the data,” she says. State officials announced last Friday that nearly two dozen Iowans had been diagnosed with a respiratory illness linked to so-called “vaping” with an electronic cigarette.

Reynolds says a majority of the illnesses involved vaping products containing T-H-C, a chemical from marijuana. “That’s a significant concern,” Reynolds says. “That’s, you know, illegal.” According to federal officials, nine people have died in the U.S. from the mysterious illness connected to vaping and hundreds have been hospitalized.

“The increases that we’re seeing in people using, especially young people, is concerning,” Reynolds says, “to see the growth really in a short time frame.” This week the Republican governor of Massachusetts declared vaping a public health emergency and approved a four-month ban on ALL vaping products. Also this week, Minnesota’s governor called on his state’s legislature to ban the sale of the flavored pods inserted in “e-cigarettes.”

Similar bans are already in effect in New York and Michigan. A federal study found the number of high school seniors who were “vaping” doubled from 2017 to 2018. Preliminary data from this year’s survey indicates one in nine teenagers “vapes” DAILY.

(Radio Iowa) — Nearly 400 farmers and ranchers gathered in Omaha Wednesday for a rally to protest low cattle prices and high profits for beef processors. Organizers say meat packers are manipulating the cattle markets and the Trump Administration must take action. Chris Petersen, a hog farmer from Clear Lake, was among those who spoke.

“Fight like hell! It’s our culture. It’s our future. Do the consumers of this country want corporate controlled agriculture feeding them or family-farm agriculture?” Petersen says there are few independent pork producers like him left after packers started owning the hog barns and the pigs inside — and hiring farmers to do the work.

“Don’t let that happen to your cattle guys. Don’t,” Peterson said. “They done it the chickens. They done it to the pigs. Now they’re after the cattle.” Another speaker compared the cattle market to “fantasy football” — saying cattle prices aren’t real. Rally-goers also are pressing the Trump Administration to reinstate “country-of-origin” labeling so consumers know if they’re buying beef from U-S producers or beef that’s been shipped in from another country.

According to the latest federal data, there were roughly 25-thousand cattle operations in Iowa in 2017. And on January 1st of THIS YEAR, there were nearly four million head of cattle on feed or in the pasture.

(Reporting by Ken Anderson of Brownfield Ag News)