Cass County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle says a Flag Day Celebration and fundraiser for Iowa candidates in Districts 19 and 20 will be held 12:30-p.m. Sunday, June 14th, at the Lake Panorama Conference Center (5071 Clover Ridge Road), in Panora. The event marks an opportunity for voters in parts of Cass, Adair, Dallas and Guthrie Counties to meet the candidates and learn about their campaigns.

The event is being hosted by “Senate 10 Progressives,”who have united to elect Democrats. Guests are urged to bring their old flags to be “retired”. Invited Presidential candidates include Senator Bernie Sanders, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Senator Jim Webb, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.

Other invited guests include: former US Congressman Leonard Boswell; candidate for U.S. Senate Tom Fiegen; candidate for U.S. Senate Bob Krause; candidate for U.S. Congress Desmund Adams; candidate for Iowa House District 20 Scott Heldt; and candidate for Iowa House District 19 Bryce Smith. Iowa Democratic Party Vice-Chair Jim Mowrer will make the introductions for the guest speakers.

Music will be furnished by singer Ruth LaPointe. U.S. flags will be handed out at the end of the event. To purchase $25 tickets by credit card go to the Iowa Senate 10 Progressives Facebook page and click on ActBlue. Or you may send a check to Senate 10 Progressives, PO Box 241, Adel, IA 50003. Inquiries may be emailed tosenate10progressives@gmail.com

Five people were arrested on separate charges over the weekend, in Red Oak. According to the Red Oak Police Department, 47-year old Deborah Sue Reynolds, of Red Oak, was arrested just before 9-p.m. Sunday, on a charge of Public Intoxication. She was later released on $300 bond.

25-year old Kiley Brian Caron, of Red Oak, was arrested Sunday afternoon. Caron was taken into custody just after 2-p.m.  in the 2400 block of N. 8th Street, and charged with Driving While Barred. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.

40-year old Troy Alan Myers was taken into custody at around 11:40-p.m. Saturday, in the area of Broadway and Linden Avenues, in Red Oak. His bond was set at $300. 32 year old Joseph Aaron Nelson, of Red Oak, was taken into custody Saturday, for domestic abuse assault, and was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center.

And, 33-year old Ryan Michael McDougall, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 12:25-a.m. Saturday, in the 700 block of East Washington Avenue. McDougall was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) – The second of two escapees from Warren County Jail in south-central Iowa has been arrested.The Des Moines Register reports 29-year-old Darian Crayton was arrested Sunday morning.

According to a news release, Crayton was arrested while at a gas station in Urbandale. He faces several charges, including possession of a stolen vehicle and driving while barred. Crayton will be taken back to Warrant County Jail following his charges in Dallas County. He is being held on $5,000 bail.

Authorities say he and 26-year-old Frank Manders escaped from jail last week by manipulating a cell door lock and descending from the third floor. Manders was found earlier. Crayton had been jailed on charges of driving while barred and failing to appear in court.

The site of Joni Ernst’s inaugural “Roast and Ride” this past weekend is where Republicans intend to hold their Iowa Straw Poll two months from now. Critics call the contest meaningless, as campaigns often buy straw poll tickets for supporters and past winners like Michele Bachmann have fizzled ultimately as candidates. So far no 2016 candidate has committed to participating in this year’s Straw Poll, to be held on the grassy fields near Boone where the Farm Progress Show is often staged.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker isn’t an official candidate yet — and he was non-committal Saturday. “Should we be a candidate, we’ll be in Iowa quite a bit,” Walker told reporters. “Whether or not the Straw Poll is a part of that remains to be seen.” Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee and Lindsey Graham have all said they will NOT participate. Ben Berringer of Lake Mills made the trip to Boone this past Saturday and he’s hoping to make the return trip two months from now to see candidates like Ted Cruz, who wasn’t there Saturday.

“We’re going to try to get back, if at all possible,” Berringer said. Republican Congressman Steve King gave a full-throated pitch for the Straw Poll on Saturday, arguing its value is in winnowing the field, especially this year when so many candidates are in the race. “The field does need to be narrowed,” King said. “We don’t want to say, ‘No,’ to anybody, but it does need to be narrowed.”

A recent Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll found only half of Iowa Republicans think it’s important for candidates to attend the Straw Poll. The event is a fundraiser for the Republican Party of Iowa and tickets to the 2015 Straw Poll are 30 dollars each. The first Iowa Straw Poll was held in Ames in August of 1979. Ever since, it has been held the summer before a presidential campaign year in which Republicans have a competitive race for the White House.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Central Iowa residents are picking up fallen tree limbs and dealing with other minor damage from overnight storms. The storms that moved across the state early Sunday knocked down some trees and traffic lights with 55 mile per hour winds. In Ames, two light poles were sheared off and several sheds in the parking lot of a Lowes store were damaged.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials are optimistic after the growth of bird flu cases in the state slowed last week. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey tells the Des Moines Register he’s hopeful the disease has been contained in the state. But officials are still working to dispose of millions of chickens and turkeys that were killed to limit the spread of the disease.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Data shows the number of abortions performed annually in Iowa is declining. Between 2010 and 2013, the number of abortions decreased from nearly 5,400 to just over 4,420. That represents an 18.1 percent drop. The Associated Press compiled the data based on information from the Iowa Department of Public Health.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — At least 10 Iowa businesses are now authorized to use drones, so the unmanned aircraft may become more common in the state. The Des Moines Register reports several of the businesses plan to use drones to monitor crops, some will use them to help market real estate while others obtained Federal Aviation Administration approval primarily to experiment with the aircraft.