(Radio Iowa) – Former Vice President Mike Pence says he has a plan to unleash America’s resources and make the United States the world’s top energy producer by 2040. China has led the world in energy production since 2006.  “For the long term security and prosperity of the United States of America, we have to have a vision and a long term strategy,” Pence said. “In a little more than 15 years America can be the number one energy producer in the world and in one more way we’ll be the leader of the free world again.”

Pence, who’ll be campaigning in eastern Iowa this (Thursday) morning, describes his plan as an “all of the above” strategy. Corn-based ethanol is part of the mix. “Coming from the state of Indiana, I have been an enthusiastic supporter of ethanol. In my plan we actually call for year round E15,” Pence says. Pence says if elected president, he would remove limitations on natural gas extraction and grant new drilling permits on federal lands.  “The Biden Administration slowed down and in many ways shut down oil and natural gas exploration in the United States,” Pence says.

Pence says it’s not realistic to abandon fossil fuels and the Biden Administration’s extreme focus on a carbon-free future is folly, according to Pence. Pence, though, says a comprehensive energy strategy should include renewable sources like wind, solar and hydro-power — as well as nuclear energy. Pence says the safety of nuclear power is light years ahead of what it was decades ago when incidents like the Three Mile Island accident made headlines. “We also have to remind people that as we all desire to reduce CO2 emissions — in my case not through mandates and not through a climate change agenda, but through American innovation — nuclear power generates zero CO2,” Pence says, “so it’s clean for the environment, it’s safe.”

Iowa’s only nuclear power plant was shut down three years ago and MidAmerican Energy abandoned its proposal for a small scale nuclear power plant in Iowa a decade ago. Pence made his comments during an interview with Radio Iowa. He plans to visit the Iowa State Fair this (Thursday) afternoon.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn visited a Boys and Girls Club in Des Moines today (Wednesday) to announce bipartisan legislation he says will help improve the reporting in child pornography cases. Nunn says the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Cyber Tipline received more than 32 million reports of online child pornography last year.”Sadly in Iowa last year, in 2021, we became one of the top five states in the nation. for child sexual abuse associated with this type of exploitation,” Nunn says. He says it’s up to everyone to help change the situation.

“Too often, child sexual assault happens within a known family member or community. Equally, the good news is our communities are the first safeguard to be able to provide awareness and protection for those children when these types of assaults occur,” he says. Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, says it is long past time for Congress to take a leadership role in making sure the victims of abuse can seek justice for their exploitation trauma, and this legislation will do that.

“It will strengthen the cyber tip line to prevent and respond to online Child Sexual Abuse material,” Nunn says. “It is imperative that we use the full extent of the law to hold accountable those who would exploit and sexually assault a child in violation of the laws and moving it from pornography to what it truly is — a sexual crime against the minor.” Nunn says the Child Online Safety Modernization Act will help law enforcement prosecute the crimes.

Congressman Nunn. (photo from Nunn video)

“It will modernize our cyber tip line and require online platforms to have a role in preventing the exploitation holding and distribution of child sexual assault,” Nunn says. “It will also preserve our cyber tip line reports for a year allowing our law enforcement the ability to not only build a case, but to hold those accountable. Unfortunately, in today’s world, these are only held for days at a time.”

Representatives of the Union County Sheriff’s Department and the Altoona and Des Moines police departments were on hand for Nunn’s announcement. Nunn represents the Third District and hopes the bill will get passed this year.

DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Elvaston, Illinois man was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday) to 25 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, Randy Glenn Price, 63, was identified by law enforcement through a confidential informant, who purchased pound quantities of methamphetamine from Price. In 2022, Price received multiple pounds of methamphetamine from out-of-state sources and distributed it in and around Johnson County, Iowa. In total, Price was attributed with distributing 33,046 grams (33.05 kilograms) of ice/actual methamphetamine.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Price will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The Court also levied a $4,000 fine against Price.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Johnson County Drug Task Force.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Council Bluffs Police Department today (Wednesday), reports a suspect charged following the death of a Council Bluffs woman, now faces additional charges. Officials say 61-year-old Ivan Samuel Brammer, of Council Bluffs, was served at the Pottawattamie County Jail, with a warrant for Murder in the Second Degree. Brammer was being held in the jail on previous charges of Abuse of a Corpse and Theft in the 2nd Degree. The charges follow an investigation into the discovery of a woman’s body earlier this year. The case has been forwarded to the County Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

On February 15, 2023, 60-year-old Ilene Gowan was reported as being missing to the Council Bluffs Police Department. According to Gowan’s daughter, her mother had not been seen or heard from since February 13, 2023. Gowan’s deceased body was located on February 26, 2023, in a roadside ditch in the area of 152nd Street and Old Mormon Bridge Road, near Crescent, Iowa.

Ivan Samuel Brammer (CB PD photo)

On May 23, 2023, an arrest warrant application was submitted and approved charging Ivan Brammer with the aforementioned charges  (Abuse of a Corpse and Theft 2nd Degree), which are alleged to be related to Gowan’s disappearance. The investigation into the circumstances of Gowan’s death remains active. The State of Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office, after Gowan’s autopsy, indicated an unknown cause and manner of death.