(Radio Iowa) – Four instructors from Cornell College in Mount Vernon who’ve been teaching in China were attacked and stabbed at a public park in northeast China. The president of Cornell College says it was a serious incident, but offered few details about the attack, which happened in daylight hours on Sunday. The B-B-C reports all four victims are being treated in a Chinese hospital.

In a statement on social media, Governor Kim Reynolds called the attack horrifying and she asked Iowans to pray for their recovery and safe return. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Davenport says she’s been in contact with one of the victim’s families and is working to ensure all four victims get quality care and are safely evacuated from China.

The four Cornell instructors were part of a “long-standing” partnership with a state owned public university in northeast China. A member of the local faculty was in the park with the group from Cornell when the attack happened. Cornell students are not involved in the exchange program.

(Muscatine, Iowa) – A motorcycle crash Monday afternoon in eastern Iowa left one person dead and another injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash happened on Highway 38 near Brookview Road north of Muscatine, at around 3:30-p.m.

Officials say a 2022 Kawasaki motorcycle was traveling southbound on Highway 38 when it struck a 2016 Nissan Pathfinder that was attempting to turn westbound onto Brookview Road. The Kawasaki was then struck by a 2011 Jeep Liberty that was traveling northbound on Highway 38.

The motorcycle came to rest in the east ditch off the highway. The operator of the cycle was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where they were pronounced dead. The driver of the Nissan was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of their injuries. No names were immediately released.

The crash remains under investigation.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board’s regular monthly meeting takes place Wednesday in the High School Media Center. Their session begins at 5:30-p.m. and will be available for viewing on YouTube. Action items on their agenda include a request to advertise/hired a shared position with the City of Atlantic for a School Resource Officer (SRO), 24-25 Substitute wages and Supplemental Contracts.

Consent agenda items include approval of the following resignations:

• Cecily McCuen, Special Education
• Alexandra Statia, Kitchen
• Kerry Jepsen, Para (to take HS Secretary position)
• and Alyssa Boltz, Soccer coach.

Contract Recommendations and/or Letters of Assignment for the 2024-2025 School Year, include:

• 2024 Fall Sports Coaching Recommendations, Sponsor and Advisor positions
• New position: Jr. High Assistant Volleyball Coach (#2)
• Anna Pauley, 9th grade Volleyball
• and Lisa Sonntag, JV Volleyball.

View the full agenda here: PUBLIC AGENDA 06122024

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five recent arrests. Today (Monday), Deputies arrested 18-year-old Jasmine Ameliana-Cadena, of Glenwood, on two warrants: Violation of a No Contact Order; and Violation of Probation. She was taken into custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail and held on a $1,300 bond.

On Sunday, 63-year-old Jacob Benny Garcia, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail on a Mills County warrant for Insurance Fraud. His bond was set at $5,000. And, 22-year-old Tabitha Rae Brayman, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail on Mills County warrants for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and Violation of Probation. Her bond was set at $3,000.

At around 4:45-a.m. Saturday, 43-year-old Barbara Rose Riley, of Glenwood, was arrested on I-29, for Driving While Barred. (Bond: $2,000). And, at around 3:45-p.m. Thursday, 25-year-old Caleb Michael Solari, of Corning, was arrested at the Mills/Montgomery County Line, on a warrant for Failure to Appear on a Probation Violation charge. His bond was set at $2,500.

(Radio Iowa) – A federal judge plans to issue a ruling before July 1st on whether state officials may enforce an Iowa law to deport immigrants who’ve been deported before. The judge heard legal arguments in a Des Moines courtroom earlier today (Monday). Emma Winger, deputy legal director for the American Immigration Council, spoke during an online news conference this (Monday) afternoon.

“We’re here today because the state has tried to set up its own deportation system which, frankly, makes no sense,” she said, “and it’s clearly unconstitutional.” Winger and an attorney from the U-S Department of Justice told the judge immigrants who were previously deported could be arrested even if they now have legal permission to be in the country. “Ultimately these types of laws create absolute chaos and human suffering,” Winger said, “and have no place in our legal system.”

In a written statement, Iowa Attorney General said President Biden has refused to enforce immigration laws and Iowa is doing the job for him by passing this law. Patrick Valencia, the state’s deputy solicitor general, told the judge states have police power to enforce federal laws and Iowa’s law would not affect immigrants who’ve been granted legal status to stay in the United States. Winger says while federal law gives protection to those who’ve been deported and return with the permission of the federal government, the Iowa law does not have that exception.

“Even if it were true that this law were just enforcing federal standards, the state can’t do that,” Winger said. “The responsibility for enforcing federal immigration standards belongs solely to the federal government.” One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is an 18 year old high school student who was brought into the U-S as a child by her mother after her father was murdered and her sister kidnapped in another country. The young woman, who was deported as a child, is living in Iowa now after being granted asylum.

The federal government is suing to block similar illegal reentry laws in Texas and Oklahoma.