(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s unemployment rate increased slightly in August, the first uptick in several months. Iowa Workforce Development executive director, Beth Townsend, says conditions on the national level factor in.

Iowa’s unemployment rate rose from two-point-seven percent (2.7%) in July to two-point-nine percent (2.9%) in August, while that national rate increased from three-point-five percent (3.5%) to three-point-eight percent (3.8). She says those national economic factors can impact the decisions of Iowa businesses.

Townsend says there were gains in some areas.

Townsend says Iowa’s job market remains very strong.

Some critics says the jobs people are getting are not paying enough for them to live on. Townsend says there are good wages being paid in a lot of areas.

Townsend says for example, health care and social assistance jobs are starting at 20 to 25 dollars an hour. And manufacturing saw an increase of 600 jobs with pay in those jobs starting well above 15 dollars an hour.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests from Sept. 6th through the 15th.

Most recently, Deputies today (Friday, 9/15), arrested Najaee Harrell, 23, of Indianapolis, IN and Christian Long, 21, of Pearland TX, on warrants for Theft 1st Degree and Burglary 3rd Degree.  Harrell and Long were picked up and transported to the Cass County Jail where they were booked and held.

On Thursday (9/14), Kyle Confere Sr., 23, of Harlan, was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation.  Confere Sr. was picked up and transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.

Monday, Sept. 11th, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Diedra Nelson, 30, of Griswold, on the charges of Domestic Abuse Assault and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Nelson was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release on her own recognizance.

On September 7th, Zachary Jones, 32, of Des Moines, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear.  Jones was picked up and transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later transfer.

On September 6th, Zane Brownsberger, 18, of Lewis, was arrested on a narcotics violation charge.  Brownsberger was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance; And, Tate Conyers, 18, of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation.  Conyers was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.

(Radio Iowa) – Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s seen political bias in the U-S justice system over the past eight years, but Grassley is rejecting proposals from fellow Republicans who’ve called for shutting down the F-B-I.

G-O-P candidate Vivek Ramaswamy (vih-VAKE rahm-uh-SWAHM-ee) this week said as president he’d fire two-thirds of F-B-I employees and shift the rest to other federal agencies, like the U-S Marshals Service and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Last year, Republicans in the House Freedom Caucus began calling for defunding the F-B-I. Earlier this year, former President Trump said it was time to bring the justice department to its senses and he called on congress to withhold funding from the agency, which includes the F-B-I.

Grassley HAS clashed with the F-B-I over documents related to an investigation into Hunter Biden and Grassley accuses the agency of a consistent disregard for congressional oversight.

And Grassley suggests the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden will show why F-B-I reform is necessary.

Grassley made his comments during taping of the “Iowa Press” program that airs tonight (Friday night), on Iowa P-B-S. President Biden has called attacks on the F-B-I sickening and Biden’s chief staff has said defunding the F-B-I is a reckless idea.

(Radio Iowa – A Davenport man has been found guilty of kidnapping and murdering a ten year old Breasia Terrell in July of 2020. Judge Henry Latham heard the evidence against Henry Dinkins in a two-week trial and addressed the murder charge first.

Terrell’s mother had a son with Dinkins and the girl was staying with the son at Dinkins’s apartment when she disappeared. Dinkins’s defense argued there was no physical evidence to tie him to the crime. But judge Latham said there was enough evidence presented.

Terrell’s body was found by two fishermen several months after she disappeared in a pond in Clinton County. The prosecution argued Dinkins had kidnapped and killed the girl to hide the fact he had sexually abused her.

Breasia Terrell

Judge Latham said there was enough evidence to prove Dinkins kidnapped Terrell.

The judge says that evidence led to the kidnapping conviction.

Terrell’s family members and supporters in the courtroom clapped after hearing the last verdict. A sentencing date has been set for October 11th.

(Sidney, Iowa) – Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports numerous arrests occurred between Sept. 9th and the 14th.

There were two arrests on the 9th: Deputies arrested CLIFFORD THOMAS GOOD, age 54 of Council Bluffs, Iowa on a Montgomery County, Iowa warrant. He was released on bond; And JEFFREY WADE MASSEY, age 52 of Hamburg on a Mills County, Iowa warrant. He was transferred to Mills County.

Good

Massey

On Sept. 12th: CHRISTOPHER RYAN WILLARD, age 38 of Hamburg, was arrested for Contempt of Court, Violation of a No Contact Order. He is being held on $2,000 surety bond at the Fremont County Jail; And, TERRY LEE PRINE, age 58, of Sidney, was arrested in Fremont County for Harassment 1^st Degree and 11 counts of Contempt of Court, Violation of a No Contact Order.

Authorities allege that on Sept. 11th, PRINE sent approximately 58 text messages and made multiple phone calls to the protected party. Deputies also witnessed PRINE making threats to commit a burglary and kill a friend of the protected party. PRINE was later observed hiding in a

Prine

Willard

field in Sidney and fled from witnesses on foot. PRINE turned himself into law enforcement on 09/12. PRINE was released on 09/14 after posting $6,000 surety bond. PRINE was previously released from jail on 08/08/23 after serving 29 days for a previous no contact order violation.

On the 13th, deputies in Fremont County arrested JUSTIN WILLIAM WAKE, age 42 and JENNIFER RAE WAKE, age 43 of Glenwood, Iowa for Theft 2^nd. It’s alleged that the couple stole approximately $9,600 worth of property from a residence in Riverton. They were released after posting a $5,000 surety bond a piece. JENNIFER was then rearrested by Mills County Deputies on 09/14/2023 for Violation of Probation. She was released after posting a $10,000 surety bond. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation; JASPER ALAN FLOWERS, age 24, was arrested on the 13th, for Violation of a No Contact Order. He was released after posting a $300 bond.

Flowers

Jennifer Wake

Justin Wake

On Thursday, Sept. 14th, BRANDON JAMES STEVENS, age 41, of Shenandoah, was arrested on a Fremont County Warrant for Disorderly Conduct. Deputies were called to a hotel in Fremont County for a disturbance. STEVENS fled the scene prior to law enforcement arrival and a warrant was issued. STEVENS is being held on $300 bond; And,COURTNEY PAIGE BARTLES, age 31, of Hamburg, was arrested Thursday in Fremont County, on a Violation of Parole warrant out of Fremont County. BARTLES was arrested on the Fremont County warrant by authorities in Pottawattamie County and transported to Fremont County. BARTLES is being held without bond pending her appearance in District Court.

Bartles

Stevens