(Creston, Iowa) –  A call about a disturbance at a bar early this (Friday) morning, in Creston, resulted in the arrest of an Adair County man. Creston Police say 63-year-old Timmie Lee Schultz, of Greenfield, was arrested at the Montgomery Street Pub at around 12:10-a.m.  Schultz was charged with Disorderly Conduct and Interference with Official Acts. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $600 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Halloween is next weekend and many Iowans are celebrating early this weekend at costume parties. Juanita Cameron, with the Theatrical Shop in West Des Moines, says these next eight days will be their busiest of the year as shoppers seek out an alter ego. Cameron says, “Since COVID kind of stifled some of the newer movies that were coming out, everybody’s falling back on their old-time favorite characters, especially superheroes.” The caped crime-fighters who were first made famous in comic books remain top costume sellers.  “A lot of people are asking for Superman and Batman,” she says. “There’s been a few Aquaman or some of those others, but basically Batman and Superman.”

Girls and women are also returning to more mainstream costumes.  “They have the princesses. They’re really coming in for those,” Cameron says. “Some people are even going down to be, since it’s sports season, ‘I want to be a cheerleader!” Theme parties are evidently gaining in popularity this season — whether it’s centered on the 1980s, the Munsters or even “come as your favorite space alien.”  “I had a call where a person is going to a ’20s theme party. He wanted a gangster suit because his date was going as a flapper,” she says. “There are a lot of families getting together because some of them are conscious of being around a lot of other people.”

Superhero costumes (Via Pinterest)

Cameron says business at the store is refreshingly busy, compared with last year when sales slumped due to COVID.

(Radio Iowa) – A federal agency that regulates banks has issued civil fines against the former C-E-O of a Fairfield bank and a senior vice president who was responsible for about half of the bank’s portfolio of loans. According to a news release from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Jared Schultz made unauthorized loans to a business partner when he was a senior vice president for the First National Bank of Fairfield and loaned money to bank customers who bought cattle Schultz owned.

Schultz was also accused of inflating collateral statements and making unauthorized loans. The agency concluded that over a roughly 33 month period, the bank suffered one-point-two million dollars in losses due to Schultz’s actions. Schultz has been ordered to pay a 144-thousand dollar fine. Pat Hurley, the bank’s former president and C-E-O, has been ordered to pay a 16-thousand dollar fine for failing to ensure Schultz was engaged in safe and sound banking practices and avoiding conflicts of interest.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Democrats are calling on Republicans in the legislature to approve the second plan to establish new boundaries for congressional districts as well as districts for Iowa House and Senate seats. The redistricting plan was produced by the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency and state law does not allow lawmakers to amend this second plan. Iowa Democratic Party chairman Ross Wilburn of Ames is also a member of the Iowa House.

“It’s vitally important that we keep our current process free of political interference, to ensure that all Iowans have a voice,” Wilburn says. “Iowans deserve fair redistricting…and, most importantly, without any added amendments.” If the Republican-led legislature rejects Plan two for redistricting in a special session next Thursday, lawmakers would be able to amend the third plan produced by the Legislative Services Agency. Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville says the agency addressed the concerns Republicans raised about the first plan and Plan two meets legal and constitutional requirements.

“Senate Democrats will vote for it and legislative Republicans should join us in voting for fair, non-partisan maps,” Wahls says. “…Approving this fair, non-partisan redistricting plan is in the best interest of both parties and, more importantly, it will be the best outcome for all Iowans.” House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights is calling on Republican lawmakers to ensure redistricting is the only subject legislators vote on next Thursday. Groups opposed to vaccine mandates are asking Republicans to pass a state law forbidding those kind of requirements and Konfrst says there are rumors a bill on the topic may be introduced next Thursday.

“That’s why we’re trying to make it as clear as possible that we believe Republican leadership should keep their word from the first session and ensure that all we do is focus on redistricting,” Konfrst says. “January’s not too far away. There’s plenty of time to talk about issues the legislature should or should not consider.” The 2022 Iowa legislative session is scheduled to start on January 10th. Democrats held an online news conference Thursday afternoon.

Republican legislative leaders issued written statements, thanking the Legislative Services Agency for the quick turn around on a second plan and saying they’re reviewing the maps to see if the districts are fair.