Iowa Congressman David Young is joining critics of the Iranian nuclear talks in a call for the U.S. the step away from the table. “I would like (for the U.S.) to walk away from it, personally, and reimpose new sanctions and start over from a position of strength and not weakness,” Young said. “I think Iran probably has the upper hand right now.” Like Young, many other Republican lawmakers are voicing concern that Iran is gaining too much leverage after negotiators abandoned a March 31 deadline and agreed to extend talks.

“Being at the table is fine and talking to one another, but I don’t trust Iran,” Young said. “I know a lot of countries in the world don’t because they don’t have a great track record.” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has been taking part in the talks in Switzerland to end Iran’s nuclear program. Kerry has postponed his return to the U.S. twice as the negotiations have dragged on for a week.

Congressman Young spoke with Radio Iowa on Wednesday after he addressed student assembly at Grandview Christian School in Des Moines.

(Radio Iowa)

An overflow crowd of more than 300 gathered at Morningside College in Sioux City Wednesday afternoon to hear Texas Senator Ted Cruz, the first Republican candidate to formally enter the 2016 presidential race. Cruz told the crowd many Republicans and conservative Democrats have been “awakened” by the furor over Indiana’s new law that would protect businesses that refuse to serve some customers, for religious reasons.

“We need to stand up as courageous conservatives,” Cruz said in Sioux City. “You know, religious liberty is not some fringe view. It is the basis of this country. America was founded by people fleeing religious persecution.” Some in the crowd nodded their heads while others said things like, “That’s right” and “Amen” as Cruz discussed the subject. According to Cruz, many “Republican politicians” are “terrified” to address the issue. And Cruz blasted some of the nation’s top corporations for “persecuting” those “dare” to oppose same-sex marriage.

“The Fortune 500 is running shamelessly to endorse the radical gay marriage agenda over religious liberty,” Cruz said. Cruz got applause from the crowd when he said marriage is a “holy sacrament” that is “the union of one man and one woman.” Every one of the 160 seats in the Morningside College Auditorium was filled and organizers set up three other rooms to accommodate the overflow crowd of students and G-O-P activists who showed up to see Cruz.

Cruz attended a Dubuque County Republican event last night (Wednesday). He’ll be in Cedar Falls for a town hall meeting later this morning (Thursday) and in Cedar Rapids this afternoon (Thursday) for another public event. He’ll wrap up his latest Iowa visit with a stop in Des Moines tonight (Thursday).

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A member of the Wiccan faith will give the opening prayer in the Iowa House of Representatives next week— a break from tradition that has raised some eyebrows in the state Capitol. Representative Liz Bennett, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, said yesterday she had invited Deborah Maynard, a Wiccan from her district, to address lawmakers on April 9th.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Legislation that would make sweeping changes to Iowa’s gun laws has been resurrected in the House, with lawmakers using a separate bill to revive several key provisions. The House Judiciary Committee voted 19-2 yesterday for the bill, which would allow suppressors to silence weapons.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a motorcyclist who lost control of his bike and slid into oncoming traffic has died. The Des Moines Police Department received reports of the collision a little before 9 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of East 27th Street and Hubbell Avenue in Des Moines. Officers arrived at the scene to find 46-year-old Rodney McCloney unresponsive.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa-based organization that leads adventure trips for cancer survivors has revealed its next excursion — a journey to Tibet to hike around Mount Kailash, which many religions have deemed a sacred site. Dr. Richard Deming, a Des Moines oncologist who founded Above and Beyond Cancer in 2011, announced Wednesday that a group of roughly 24 people will travel to the remote western Tibet in September.

Despite questions over federal regulations on establishing a permanent structure on the site, the Atlantic City Council Wednesday evening approved a contract with Murphy Contracting for lease of a former tractor-trailer parking lot owned by the City, for the purpose of establishing a concrete recycling operation, as well as future, landscape stone product sales.

Duane Murphy, President of Murphy Contracting had proposed leasing the site, which is expected to produce $7,200 (paid in two installments of $3,600 per year) in annual revenue for the City on land that is currently unprofitable. David Wright, owner of Recycling Services, LLC., (101 State St.) asked at Wednesday evening’s City Council meeting, why he wasn’t given the chance to lease the land for his business, which is adjacent to the vacant lot.

Wright said his company, which has been in business since 2004, does roughly 4 million dollars in business each year, with many of those receiving payments for their scrap metal, spending the money they receive, here in town. The company he says began inquiring about leasing the lot in 2012, and proposed leasing the lot for a 20-year term paid yearly, in advance, in the amount of $8,000. At that time, he says he was told by former City Councilman Steve Livengood, the lot could only be used for truck parking, which is what Wright wanted to space used for.

He said it was his understanding that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) rules prohibit the erection of a permanent building on the site, which apparently is in a flood plain or flood way. He asked “If FEMA was such a big issue when we wanted to do it, is that all straightened out?”  Mayor Dave Jones said it was his understanding a permanent structure such as house, could not be placed on the lot.

Jones said the lease agreement with Murphy would benefit the City in that it’s rock piles from road and sidewalk removal projects, would be recycled and not continue to pile up. There would also be a fence on the north side of the lot to make the operation less visible from the Schildberg Recreation Area campground sites.Wright said they had done a lot of maintenance to the lot over the years, including plowing and applying gravel. He acknowledged at one time truck parking was a problem, but that’s because some truckers were “unreasonable” in their use of the property.

Despite concerns from Councilpersons Bob Cord, Chris Jimerson and Kathy Somers about FEMA regulations, how the City got to the point of leasing the land, along with their desire to investigate further, Mayor Jones called for a vote on the contract, with the matter being approved 4-3. Cord, Jimerson and Somers were the “Nay” votes.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Legislation that would make sweeping changes to Iowa’s gun laws has been resurrected in the House, with lawmakers using a separate bill to revive several key provisions. The House Judiciary Committee voted 19-2 Wednesday for the bill, which would allow suppressors to silence weapons. An amendment added changes that mirrored a comprehensive gun bill that appeared dead in the Senate, though a provision to remove a de factor three-day waiting period on a permit to acquire a handgun was removed.

The proposed changes would still include a provision that would allow children under age 14 to use a handgun with a parent’s supervision. Senate leadership had indicated it would not support legislation similar to the comprehensive bill, and it’s unclear if the compromise Wednesday is different enough.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic lawmakers are seeking a compromise deal on education funding, but Republicans say their proposal is still too expensive. Democrats on Wednesday proposed that schools get about $150 million in new funding for the upcoming school year. That number — which includes dollars dedicated to teacher leadership training — is a middle point between the original proposals from House Republicans and Senate Democrats.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, called the offer an effort to split the difference. But House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, of Hiawatha, said he was not interested in going beyond the original House plan, saying the state could not afford to spend more.