WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley will hold constituent meetings in 11 Iowa communities during the first week of July when the Senate is scheduled to break for Independence Day. Grassley will hold town meetings in Bedford, Corning, Red Oak, Clarinda, Sidney, Glenwood, Logan, Harlan, and Audubon. He will speak at the Rotary Club meeting in Atlantic. Grassley also will tour and hold a Q&A session with employees at Griffin Pipe Products Co., Inc. in Council Bluffs.

Grassley has held at least one meeting with Iowans in every one of the state’s 99 counties since 1980, when he was first elected to serve in the U.S. Senate. With the upcoming meetings with constituents in Southwest Iowa, Grassley will have been to 84 Iowa counties so far this year. The nine town meetings on Grassley’s July 1-2 schedule are open to the public.

His schedule is as follows:

Monday, July 1

8-9 a.m. Taylor County Town Meeting: Taylor County Farm Bureau, Board Room 607 Pollock Boulevard in Bedford

9:45-10:45 a.m. Adams County Town Meeting: Corning Nursing and Rehab 1614 Northgate Drive in Corning

12 noon-1:00 p.m. Montgomery County Town Meeting: Montgomery County Family YMCA 101 East Cherry Street in Red Oak

2-3 p.m. Page County Town Meeting: Clarinda Regional Health Center, EMS Garage 220 Essie Davison Drive in Clarinda

4:15-5:15 p.m. Fremont County Town Meeting: The Gathering Place Intersection of Cass Street & Ohio Street in Sidney

6-7 p.m. Mills County Town Meeting: Glenwood Senior Center 20 North Vine in Glenwood

Tuesday, July 2

8-9 a.m. Harrison County Town Meeting: Logan Community Center 108 West 4th Street in Logan

9:45-10:45 a.m. Tour Facility and Q&A with Employees at Griffin Pipe Products Co., Inc. 2601 Ninth Avenue in Council Bluffs

12 noon-1 p.m. Speak with the Rotary Club of Atlantic: Heritage House 1200 Brookridge Circle in Atlantic

2:15-3:15 p.m. Shelby County Town Meeting: Harlan Community Library 718 Court Street in Harlan

4-5 p.m. Audubon County Town Meeting: Audubon County Economic Development Corporation 800 Market Street in Audubon

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests late this week. 18-year old Jeffri Madison West, of Council Bluffs, was arrested early this (Friday) morning on a charge of trespassing. His bond was set at $300. On Thursday, 47-year old Brian David Konfirst was arrested for Driving While Revoked and for having no high-risk (SR-22) insurance. His bond was set at $2,000. And, on Wednesday, 35-year old Matthew Samuel Demorest, of Pacific Junction, was arrested on a charge of Theft in the 2nd degree. Bond was set at  $5,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court says educators do not need to have a current teacher relationship with a student victim to be convicted of sexual exploitation by a school employee. The court in its Friday decision is ruling on an appeal filed by 37-year old Brent Romer, a former teacher in Cumberland and Massena. He was convicted in 2010 of sexual exploitation of minors and sexual exploitation by a school employee and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Court documents say he had sex with a 16-year old girl and photographed other minors partially nude. Romer says he could not be convicted of exploitation by a school employee because he was not their teacher. The court says since Romer was a teacher and the victims were students it’s enough to prosecute.

The Nishna Valley Family YMCA in Atlantic typically has many family fun events taking place during the summer. This year is no exception. Tamara Gibson, Kids Fun Fitness Coordinator at the Y, says one event that will be held June 14^th, makes sure kids stay cool and have a great time. “Water Fun in the Sun” takes place from 2-to 4-pm outside, on the north side of the Atlantic Middle School.

Gibson says the Atlantic Firefighters bring one of their trucks and make a giant “Slip-n-slide.” Last year, the firefighters built a giant sprinkler. This year there will be water fights and bounce houses, as well. Something new this year she says, is that the activities will be open to kids as young as those in the 2^nd grade, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. 

Last year, 99 kids participated in the event. Gibson says the number of kids currently signed-up is “pretty low,” but they typically get last minute registrations. Parents are asked to register early, if possible, because there is a waiver of liability involved. The waiver is specifically with regard to the Slip-n-Slide. 

Gibson says a snack will be served in the YMCA from 2:30-to 3:30-p.m., if the kids want to take a break from the wet-n-wild fun. Another activity third-graders and up can enjoy, is the National Guard rock climbing wall, which will be set-up June 19^th, from 2-until 4-pm just outside of the YMCA, at 1100 Maple Street. Gibson says the 30-foot rock wall was also in town last year, but there are some changes this year that will allow older students to participate.

She says high school and college-age students are welcome to partake in the activity. In addition, there will be a “Gladiator Obstacle Course,” “Boot Camp,” Flight Simulator and bounce house for the younger kids. Parents don’t have to worry about their kids falling from the rock wall, because as with real, military training, there are safety restraints to control their ascent and descent. Participants wear a weighted harness that slows them down when they come down. 

No special skills are needed to climb the wall, but all participants age18 and under, will be required to have a release signed by a parent or adult guardian prior to climbing and repelling. The event will be cancelled if there it is raining, or winds over 30-miles per hour, for safety reasons. Registrations are necessary by no later than June 18^th. For more information, call the Nishna Valley Family YMCA at 712-243-3934.

Police in Shenandoah report the arrested this (Friday) morning of a Nebraska man on a sex abuse charge. 24-year old Ramon Nelson, of Omaha, was charged with sexual abuse 3rd degree a class “C” felony.  Nelson was transported to the Page County Jail to await his initial appearance.

The grand opening of a new gambling facility is tomorrow (Saturday) in southwest Iowa. Harrah’s Council Bluffs Casino has been closed this week as it transitions from being aboard a riverboat to an exclusively land-based gaming hall. Harrah’s general manager Bo Guidry says there will be advantages to not having a riverboat.  “It’s a good feeling not having to worry about customers going onto three different levels and having a slow elevator or to go up the stairs,” Guidry says. The Kanesville Queen, docked along the Missouri River, was closed for good over the weekend. The new casino is located near the entrance to the hotel. 

“We’re about 30 steps away from valet,” Guidry says. “Before, you had to park your car, walk down these long corridors, then you had to get on the ramp of the boat, which was 200 feet long, and then you would get to the boat.” The riverboat officially closed at 4 A-M on Monday and Guidry says it was a good morning for one gambler in particular. “Our last customer who left won $500 right before she left so it was fantastic and she had a great time,” he says.

The casino will offer new options for gambling, dining and entertainment. It has about 25-thousand square feet of gaming space, which is a bit smaller than what was available on the boat. Efforts to sell the riverboat and keep it afloat have failed. The plan is now to tear it apart for scrap. The new gaming space replaces what was Harrah’s convention area. Last year, the company took over operations of the Mid America Center in Council Bluffs. All events that were held at the casino are now being held there, including weddings, receptions and conventions.

(Radio Iowa)