GARNER, Iowa (AP) — An October sentencing has been scheduled for a northern Iowa man accused of using a belt to spank a 4-year-old child. Hancock County court records say 33-year-old Charles Pennington, of Mason City, pleaded guilty to child endangerment after making a deal with prosecutors. The agreement calls for a five-year prison sentence, but the deal isn’t binding on the judge. The sentencing is set for Oct. 26 in Garner.

A criminal complaint says an investigation began in March after officials were notified about severe bruising on the boy’s buttocks, lower back and upper legs. Other children in the household told Britt police the child was beaten with the belt for “getting in trouble.”

(Radio Iowa) — Iowans are being urged to look around and single out people in their lives who are heroes and nominate them for an award, according to Rachelle Lipker at the American Red Cross. “We are looking for everyday heroes that we know are out there in the community,” Lipker says. “We have different categories for some heroes that we’re looking for.” Those categories include good Samaritans and those who helped during a disaster, people who go above and beyond in their everyday lives. “We’re selecting one winner from Nebraska and one from Iowa,” she says. “They will be presented awards at the Iowa-Nebraska game.”

That football game is scheduled for November 23rd at Iowa City’s Kinnick Stadium. All of us likely know someone who would qualify for the honor. “The lifetime hero is for an individual, just by the way they live, who is inspiring to others,” Lipker says. “We have a public servant award for an individual who is in the line of duty, such as a policeman, fire, military, medical.” Nominations are being taken through September 30th. Winners will receive tickets to the game and be recognized on field. Learn more and nominate someone here: https://www.redcross.org/local/iowa/about-us/news-and-events/events/heroes.html

(Radio Iowa) — The founder of the liberal “Daily Kos”blog says Democrats around the country have been winning in “weird, crazy” conservative places like Alabama and western Pennsylvania, but Markos Moulitsas says the depth of the so-called “blue wave” is still developing. “Can it filter down to places in Iowa where the demographics have historically been trending toward the Republicans? That’s actually one of the big questions of Election Night, of November,” Moulitsas says. “I think that question’s going to be answered by the intensity and the amount of work that people in places like Iowa put towards making those victories happen.”

Moulitsas was the keynote speaker at the 4th annual “Corn Feed” hosted by Progress Iowa yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. During an interview beforehand, Moulitsas cited primary and special election results indicating Democrats are voting at a rate that’s 10 and 12 points higher than turn-out for Hillary Clinton in 2016. Moulitsas says Republican turn-out may be lagging for several reasons, like the trade war. “I’m not seeing a lot of minds changing yet, at least I’m not seeing it in the data — either in Iowa or anywhere else,” he says. “I’m seeing Republicans tuning out because they thought they voted for something that they’re not getting.”

Moulitsas founded Daily Kos as a group blog in 2002. He’s the co-author of “The Resistance Handbook: 45 Ways to Fight Trump”.

MARION, Iowa (AP) — A man has been found guilty of killing a woman whose body was found rolled in a blanket inside a trailer in the Cedar Rapids suburb of Marion. Court records say 28-year-old Gregory Davis was convicted Friday of first-degree murder. Prosecutors say he killed 29-year-old Carrie Davis in September 2017. Authorities say the two were not related but had lived together. His lawyers say Gregory Davis never denied killing Carrie Davis. He claimed insanity and/or diminished responsibility as his defense.

(Radio Iowa) — A 12-year-old boy died in a lawnmower accident this weekend in northeast Iowa. The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as Carson McGrane of Fairbank. Authorities say the boy was operating a riding lawnmower Saturday afternoon in Fairbank when the mower rolled on top of him. McGrane was taken to a hospital where he died. It’s believed McGrane had shut down the mower, but it began to roll backward on an incline – hitting McGrane and pinning him underneath.