Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Thursday press briefing on COVID-19. We plan on providing live audio of the presser as well on KJAN. The briefing is set to begin at about 11:00 a.m.

Adams County Auditor Becky Bissell has joined Secretary of State Paul Pate and auditors across Iowa, in encouraging voters to cast absentee ballots by mail in the upcoming June 2 primary. During the COVID-19 pandemic, voting by mail is the safest option. Secretary Pate is sending absentee ballot request forms to every active registered voter in the state. The forms should arrive in your mailbox next week and will include pre-paid postage for returning them to the auditor’s office.

Bissell says “We encourage all of Adams County voters to take advantage of the opportunity to vote absentee by mail in the June primary election. We are making this push for the safety of our voters and polling location workers.” Once voters receive their absentee ballot request form in the mail, they should fill out and mail it promptly. Iowans can also download the request form directly from the Iowa Secretary of State website, VoterReady.Iowa.gov. Requests must be received by your county auditor’s office by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 22.

Secretary Pate says “We want all eligible citizens to participate in our elections and casting a ballot by mail is the best method during this pandemic. Absentee voting has security measures in place to ensure the integrity of the ballot.” Primary elections are intended for members of the Republican and Democratic parties only. No Party voters who choose to request a party’s ballot will have their voter registration officially changed to that political party.

For more information about the June 2 primary, visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov or the Adams County website at adamscountyia.com.

(Radio Iowa) — The wife of Calhoun County Sheriff Scott Anderson has posted an online video in which she says the allegations he attacked her were blown out of proportion. In the video, she says the allegations Anderson assaulted her and a police officer and the petition for his removal from office are a “witch hunt.” Anderson was arrested this past weekend on charges of domestic abuse assault and assault on persons in certain occupations. Anderson’s wife refuted the allegations that he choked her as stated in the criminal complaint. In the video, she says of the weekend incident, Anderson did become intoxicated and obnoxious.

She also said Anderson did not deliberately head butt a police officer but that he was in handcuffs and was trying to take a drink of water. On Tuesday, Anderson was suspended from his position after a judge granted a petition filed by the Calhoun County sheriff’s office. A hearing is scheduled for later this month regarding his removal. Anderson’s wife says in the video these allegations stem from people who do not want him re-elected. She went on to say she did not want Anderson arrested and that one of her children reported the incident.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department reports 45-year old Harry Richard Kanouff, Jr., of Pacific Junction, was arrested Wednesday evening in Underwood, after he allegedly assaulted his son and wife. Kanouff, Jr., was taken into custody for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense, causing bodily injury. Authorities say the man was allegedly intoxicated at the time of the incident.

Three men being held in the Pott. County Jail were served with warrants, Tuesday evening: 54-year old Jeffrey Alan Bauer, of Houston, MO., was presented with a warrant for Assault with a dangerous weapon, on persons in certain occupations; 31-year old Christopher Lamont Warrior, of El Reno, OK., and 22-year old Angok Bol Wal, of Dallas, TX., were both served with separate warrants for Violation of Probation.  Wal was also wanted on a warrant for misdemeanor, Escape from Custody.

And, 39-year old Nicholas W. Chambers, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail, after he turned himself-in Tuesday morning, on a warrant for Failure to appear on a citation.

The Council Bluffs Police Department reports an eight-year old male from Council Bluffs who was struck by an SUV Wednesday evening, died from his injuries at a hospital. The boy’s name was not released. The accident happened at around 6:25-p.m. at the intersection of Franklin and Carson Avenues. Authorities say the child was struck by a blue Honda Pilot. The driver of the vehicle, who was later identified as 36-year old Troy Allen Pokorny, of Council Bluffs, initially fled the scene but was located a short distance away.