(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she’s pressing Mexican authorities to secure the safe return of a 51-year-old Des Moines woman who was kidnapped in northern Mexico a month ago.  “Seriously, this is Mexico. This is a partner with the United States, whether it’s trade and other types of economic endeavors. This is our neighbor to the south,” Ernst said. “They need to step up.”

Chris Leguisano went missing over a month ago. She was in Mexico to deliver a truck full of belongings to a brother-in-law and was last seen in Reynosa, Mexico — less than a hour’s drive from the U-S southern border. Ernst says this is the second high-profile assault of American citizens in that part of Mexico in the past two years.

Chris Leguisano of Des Moines was reported missing in early August. (Iowa Clearinghouse of Missing Persons photo)

“This is a woman who was kidnapped,” Ernst said. “We can’t tolerate this.” State Department officials have briefed the staff in Senator Chuck Grassley’s office and Ernst’s staff on outreach to Mexican authorities and how U-S law enforcement are involved in the case. In July, the State Department issued a warning advising Americans not to travel to or through the state in northern Mexico that sits along the Gulf of Mexico. “It just underscores the fact that having an open border, having cartels that are running these dangerous schemes of drug running, weapons trafficking, human trafficking,” Ernst said.

Leguisano’s son told W-O-I T-V he’s gotten text messages demanding a ransom.

(Radio Iowa) – An attorney for a Fairfield teen who pleaded guilty to killing his Spanish teacher in 2021, is asking the Iowa Supreme Court to reconsider his current sentence. Willard Miller was sentenced last year to life with eligibility for parole after 35 years. His attorney Ella Newell claimed that sentencing a juvenile to a mandatory minimum amount of time in prison is cruel and unusual punishment if the judge does not consider testimony from an expert on child psychology.

“There is an inherent presumption both that juveniles are categorically immature but also that juveniles have a -even those that commit heinous crimes – are capable of rehabilitation, ” she says. Timothy Hau with the attorney general’s office represented the state. ““Experts aren’t perfect but they can be helpful and parties can choose to bring them. But certainly they’re not constitutionally required,” Hau says.

Miller was 16 at the time of the murder and 17 at the time of his sentencing. The Iowa Supreme Court will issue a ruling at a later date.

(Radio Iowa) – Thousands of Iowans in 19 communities statewide are taking part in Walks to End Alzheimer’s over the next few weeks.

Lauren Livingston, spokeswoman for the Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, says all of the walks are two miles in length and they’re part of an effort to raise awareness and money for families facing the disease, and for vital research to find more treatments and ultimately, a cure.

Promise Garden (Alzheimer’s Association photo)

“We’re expecting probably close to about 5,000 Iowans across the state in all 19 of our areas,” Livingston says. “The first one happened last week in Fort Dodge. Tonight is Ottumwa, so we’re looking forward to seeing all the walkers in that area, and of course, our biggest walk happens in Des Moines, and usually we see around 1,500 to 2,000 walkers just at that one alone.”

Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. In Iowa, more than 62,000 people have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, and there are nearly 100,000 family members and friends caring for their loved ones with the disease.

Livingston says one of the most meaningful events during the walks is the Promise Garden Ceremony, which signifies everyone’s solidarity in the fight against the disease.

“Purple flowers are if you’ve lost someone to the disease. Yellow flowers are if you are caring for someone right now with the disease. Orange flowers are if you are generally supporting the mission of the organization. And the blue flower is if you yourself are living with the disease,” Livingston says, “and everyone raises up their flowers during the Promise Garden Ceremony and then plants them in the garden.”

This year’s financial goal of the combined 19 walks statewide is $1-million, and Livingston says we’re at a pivotal moment in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

“Treatments that have been approved by the FDA in the last few years, the diagnostic tests that are right on the horizon. All the research happening just shows how much these events are having an impact. They’re making a difference in people’s lives right now who are living with the disease, and we couldn’t have said that even five years ago, definitely not 10 years ago.”

There is no fee to register for the walks, but all participants are encouraged to raise funds. While the Fort Dodge walk was last week, tonight’s walk is in Ottumwa, with 17 more upcoming in: Moline/Quad Cities, Decorah, Mason City, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Panora, Harlan, Muscatine, Council Bluffs, Clinton, Des Moines, Iowa City, Sioux City, Dubuque, Storm Lake, Ames, and Burlington.

Find a Walk near you in Iowa HERE.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced today (Thursday) to seven years (84 months) in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

According to public court documents, Reginald Juan Harris, Jr., 32, came to the attention of law enforcement in November 2023 for distributing cocaine and marijuana from his Council Bluffs residence. During a subsequent search warrant at his residence, law enforcement located approximately 12 grams of cocaine, approximately 950 grams of marijuana, and a loaded .45 caliber pistol.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Harris will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (SWINE) Task Force.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced today (Thursday) to 134 months (11-years) in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Lawrence Allen Peterson, II, also known as “Toro,” 48, conspired with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine within the Council Bluffs metropolitan area between March and October 2023. In 2005, Peterson was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Peterson will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

(Greenfield, Iowa)  – The Adair County Auditor’s Office has released the FINAL list of candidates and public measures to appear on the November 5th General Election ballot. ( See below)