(Radio Iowa) — U-S Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the woman who accuses him of sexual assault will testify under oath before Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley’s panel next Monday. Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings earlier this month were punctuated by protests from the audience and from Democrats within the Judiciary Committee. Grassley, a Republican, was asked how he’ll maintain order during Monday’s meeting with volatile accusations now in the mix. “You can’t do anything about people demonstrating,” Grassley says. “They’re expressing their constitutional right of free speech. They don’t have a constitutional right to interfere with our hearing and that’s where the police come in.”

U-S Capitol police arrested 227 demonstrators during the four days of Kavanaugh’s hearings this month. Most were charged with obstruction or disorderly conduct and were fined. Grassley says he recognizes there will likely be outbursts during Monday’s hearing and he’ll be vigilant to stay on task. “I intend to do like I did those four days, keep the meeting going, let the police do their job,” Grassley says. “I intend to be respectful. These are very worthwhile things for us — they’re very necessary things for us to be looking into and I hope my colleagues will be as respectful, too.”

Christine Blasey Ford accuses Kavanaugh of physically and sexually assaulting her when they were both in high school in the early 1980s, claims Kavanaugh staunchly denies. Grassley says Ford “deserves to be heard.” He was asked whether he’s worried the accusations may torpedo Kavanaugh’s chances of being seated on the nation’s high court. “I can’t be worried about that at all at this point, because that’s why we’re having the hearing,” Grassley says. “It could have a bearing on it or not have a bearing. At this point, I’ve gotta’ keep an open mind.”

Grassley says to “provide ample transparency,” the public hearing will be held Monday to give the allegations “a full airing.”

The Atlantic City Council will hold a regularly scheduled session 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in their Chambers at City Hall. On the agenda is:

• Action on an order to close certain streets for the Oct. 13th 2018 Atlantic Fireman’s Parade, beginning at 4-p.m. Parade participants will line-up along W. 2nd Street and proceed south on Chestnut to 6th Street before turning east on 6th, and then north on Walnut Street.
• A request to close certain streets for a private auction Nov. 3rd, beginning at 10-a.m. The auction will be held at 310 Pine, and Patricia Swanson, who is making the request, suggests the City close Pine Street from the alley to the intersection west of Pine Street. The neighbors, according to Swanson, would still have access to their property. City Administrator John Lund will recommend the Council consult with Police Chief Dave Erickson with regard to a closure of a street for private events, which has typically not occurred in Atlantic.
• Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones is expected to announce Wednesday, that Halloween will take place Wed., Oct. 31st, from 5:30-until 7:30-p.m.
• The City Council will act on the third and final reading of an amended ordinance pertaining to traffic code enforcement, with regard to parking violations. The ordinance calls for a $30 fine for regular parking violations, $50 for snow emergency parking violations, and $100 for a handicapped parking violation.
• The Council will also act on the second reading of an amended ordinance pertaining to Zoning, and fencing regulations. The ordinance proposes allowing fences up to 12-feet tall with barbed wire, in Heavy Industrial Zones, and fences higher than the current 6-foot limit in Light Industrial and all Commercial zones.
• The Council will act on approving an agreement with Tallgrass Archeology, LLC. from Iowa City, for a Reconnaissance Survey and completion of Iowa Site Inventory forms for the City of Atlantic Downtown Revitalization Project. SWIPCO received four competitive proposals for the assessment project, with Tallgrass scoring highest on the search criteria. Tallgrass’ quote for the survey  and site inventory amounts to $22,500, but the City had budgeted $20,000 for the work, meaning 16 individual site inventory’s can be completed for that price, depending upon the number of building owners who agree to participate in the CDBG application.

In other business, the Council will consider, but is not expected to act on, a speed limit for the south side of Sunnyside Lane. Action on that is expected to take place during their meeting on Oct. 3rd. And, they’ll likely act on approving the contracts and bonds for the 2018 Bull Creek Tunnel Improvements Project.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a woman was arrested on drug and False Identification charges, Monday, following a traffic stop on a vehicle at 480th and Highway 6.The woman initially identified herself as Laura Beth Whaley. She was taken into custody for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (a socket marijuana pipe). After she was transported to the Pott. County Jail, the woman admitted her name was not Laura. She was instead identified as 30-year old Rachel Linn Nielsen, of Neola, who also listed a residence in Missouri Valley.  Nielsen had two valid warrants out of Council Bluffs for Violation of Probation and Contempt of Court. She was booked into the jail on both warrants as well as her local charges that include drug paraphernalia possession and two counts of providing false information. Bond was set at $6,300 altogether.

Officials with the Creston Police Department report 27-year old Kelly Belt, of Creston, was arrested on a charge of Theft in the 5th degree at around 1:45-a.m. today (Tuesday). Belt was cited for the offense and then released from custody on a Promise to Appear (later, in court). Two people were arrested at around 10:30-p.m. Saturday, in Creston. 38-year old Johnnie Lovell and 26-year old Amanda Steinbach, both of Creston, were arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on charges of Burglary in the 2nd Degree. Lovell and Steinbach were later released from the Union and Adams County Jails, respectively, on $10,000 bond each.

And, Creston Police say a resident reported Sunday afternoon, that sometime on Saturday, someone took a handgun from his residence in the 200 block of N. Division Street, in Creston. The loss was estimated at $150.

(Updated) – First-degree murder charges have been filed against two people from Decorah, in connection with an assault this summer. Authorities say 18-year-old Dalton Adam and 17-year-old Jacob Seelinger were charged in a July 12th attack on 46-year old David Hansen, of Decorah. Hansen died of injuries suffered during the attack, on August 30th. Before the charges were upgraded, Adam and Seelinger both entered not guilty pleas to willful injury and attempted murder.  Records show the teen and Adam had already pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and other crimes.

(Radio Iowa & the A-P contributed to this story)