Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A slew of issue-advocacy groups are taking a page from White House hopefuls, flooding airwaves and knocking on doors to try to educate voters ahead of the state’s first-in the-nation 2016 presidential caucus. Groups are running ad campaigns or grassroots efforts are raising issues like early childhood education, campaign finance reform, environmental policy and the national debt. Political strategists and experts view the early-voting state as a fertile ground to reach voters, candidates and influence the conversation. But one veteran operative says that it could be a challenge to cut through the noise because of the mass of groups and candidates jockeying for Iowa voters’ attention.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Residents in Iowa — and neighboring Nebraska across the Missouri River —took advantage of Iowa’s sales tax holiday this weekend. The annual sales tax holiday coincides with back-to-school shopping. It began Friday and wrapped up Saturday. The Iowa holiday allows shoppers to buy select clothing and footwear priced at less than $100 without paying sales tax or local option taxes.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa state auditor’s report says a University of Northern Iowa secretary deposited personal and business checks in lieu of cash donations in an effort to collect personal and business tax breaks. The Des Moines Register reports that auditors found more than $3,000 in cash was collected but never deposited by Lori Shannon, a secretary with the Literacy Education Office.

GARNER, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa State trooper has been charged with three counts in a child pornography case. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that 66-year-old David Hubbard of Garner has pleaded not guilty to three counts of misdemeanor sexual exploitation of a minor. Hubbard was arrested on June 30th in Britt.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — In two seasons as Iowa’s backup quarterback, C.J. Beathard was one of the most popular players on the roster. Beathard, a redshirt junior nicknamed “Sunshine” by his teammates, was promoted to the starting role following a brutal loss to Tennessee in January’s TaxSlayer Bowl. The Hawkeyes open against Illinois State on September 5th.

Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Dallas County authorities are conducting an investigation into a suspicious death along a bike trail. According to KCCI in Des Moines, a body was found on a bike path Saturday morning.

The body was found on the bike path between Waukee and Dallas Center. The DCI is checking with local law enforcement and the missing person’s database. An autopsy will be performed Monday. No other details have been released at this time.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested two Red Oak men Friday night on Burglary and Criminal Mischief charges.  At approximately 8:45pm Friday Sheriff’s Officials arrested 21-year-old Ryan Kier of Red Oak and at approximately 10:45pm Officers arrested 24-year-old Aaron Gar Nelson of Red Oak both for Burglary in the 3rd Degree and 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief.  Both arrests are in connection with an incident that took place on July 11, 2015 at 1655 Ironwood Avenue in which a vehicle was damaged and a residence burglarized.  An additional suspect sought in the case, 22-year-old Timothy John Jennings of Red Oak, turned himself in to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center at approximately 8:00am Saturday after hearing he was being sought by authorities.

Forensic evidence collected from the crime scene led to the arrests.  All three suspects are being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.  The Red Oak Police Department assisted in the investigation and arrests.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an armed robbery that took place early this (Saturday) morning. Officials say at around 3:40-a.m., three men entered the Casey’s General Store at 1030 Vets Memorial Hwy. The suspects were all dressed in dark clothing, wore gloves and had bandanas covering their faces. The first suspect was holding a firearm and jumped the counter before pointing the weapon at the clerk and demanding money and cigarettes. The second suspect was also armed. He pointed a gun at the kitchen worker, and told her not to move. The third suspect did not display a firearm and did not speak. The men stole the cash out of the drawer along with some cigarettes, and fled east out of the building. No injuries were reported.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak man for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia following a traffic stop Friday.  At 9:00pm Officers initiated a traffic stop at the corner of North 3rd Street and East Reed Street in Red Oak.  During the stop Officers arrested 25-year-old Keaton Kevin Ebrecht of Red Oak for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor, and also cited Ebrecht for Careless Driving and Failure to Provide Proper Insurance.  Ebrecht was transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he was cited and released with a future court date.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A 48-year-old Council Bluffs man has been charged with five counts of sexual abuse of a girl over an eight-year period. The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports that Steven Cain turned himself in on Wednesday. He is charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and three sexual abuse counts.

Police say the abuse started in 2006 and continued until last year. Cain’s alleged victim is now 18. Police say during a search of Cain’s home, investigators found naked pictures of the victim among Cain’s collection of pornography.

Cain remained in Pottawattamie County Jail on $75,000 bond Saturday. He is set to make his next court appearance on Aug. 17.

Iowa is the first stop for Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson after Thursday night’s FOX News debate. Carson says he’s gotten a “phenomenal” response to his performance. “I think we got our message out, looking at you know what’s happened with Facebook and Twitter and you look at the social media,” Carson says. “Obviously the message got out in a very, very substantial way.”

Carson says the debate has helped him connect with voters on social media. His campaign staff told reporters he’s gotten around 24-thousand new Twitter followers since the end of the debate when he delivered an “off-the-cuff” closing statement that mentioned his surgical career. “You know, a debate stage? You’re not going to really get to know the person that well. Six minutes? I don’t think so,” he says. “When I finally got some questions, it went well.”

Republican Presidential Candidate Ben Carson

Carson will be in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines today (Saturday), for what his campaign has called “Family Festivals” featuring food and entertainment from a Christian musician. “Well, we didn’t have the strawpoll, and that normally would attract a lot of families, so this is the substitute,” Carson says. The Iowa G-O-P’s Straw Poll would have been held this Saturday in Boone, but it was cancelled after none of the candidates agreed to participate. Carson has begun airing campaign ads in Iowa.

On Sunday morning he’ll speak at a church in Osceola, and on Sunday afternoon he’ll hold another “Family Festival” outdoors in Council Bluffs.

(Radio Iowa)

The Stuart Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a female theft suspect. A woman wearing a white “Hard Rock” shirt, is wanted for questioning with regard to repeated thefts from a local grocery store. The most recent theft occurred Friday afternoon in Stuart at Hometown Foods. The suspect left the store driving a white older model Chevrolet or GMC pickup truck with a black cover over the bed.

If anyone has information regarding the identity of this person please contact the
Stuart Police Department at 515-523-1896 or Guthrie County Dispatch at 641-747-2214.

Suspect in theft cases

Suspect’s vehicle

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press