DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A trial has begun on the sexual harassment lawsuit by a former Iowa Senate Republican Caucus aide. The trial opened Monday in Polk County District Court on the lawsuit filed in October 2014 by Kirsten Anderson. Anderson contends that she was fired from her job as caucus communications director because she complained that for years, she had been subjected to sexual harassment by male aides and lawmakers.

She says that after she complained, her supervisors began nitpicking her work and eventually fired her. Republican officials deny that she was harassed and say she was fired because of poor job performance.

The defendants include the state of Iowa, the Senate, the caucus and several officials. The lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts in back pay and damages but not reinstatement to her position.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a woman from Latimer was cited Saturday afternoon, following a non-injury accident in Lorimor. 25-year old Danielle Laura Piotrowski, was cited for Driving Under Suspension and Failure to Maintain Control, after the 2000 Pontiac van she was driving went out of control as she was turning from 5th Street onto Minnesota Street. The van took out a stop sign, resulting in a loss of $200 to the City of Lorimor. The van was not damaged during the mishap that happened at around 3:15-p.m., Saturday.

The Iowa Department of Transportation says with all the electronic gadgets that help you navigate the highways and byways, one of the DOT’s most popular publications is still the paper version of their transportation map. The DOT recently released the 2017-2018 version in the standard fold-out paper form. For those techies out there, electronic and mobile app versions of the map are also available on the internet. (https://iowadot.gov/maps/digital-maps/state-maps/iowa-transportation-map)

This was the second map printed on a two-year cycle. Mark Hansen, from the Iowa DOT’s Office of Systems Planning, oversees the map production and said, “While it’s true many people access the map online and via the mobile app, we still have thousands of requests every year for the printed version. Printing on a two-year cycle continues to serve the needs of those customers who rely on the paper copies, while saving tax dollars.”

Because the transportation system is always changing, the Iowa DOT makes several hundred changes to the map with each printing. While the map is printed every two years, the online and mobile app versions are updated annually.

The cover of the 2017-2018 Iowa Transportation maps shows the beauty of rural Iowa, one of the state’s breathtaking bridges, the future of our state and, our children. There is also a message from Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg.

The map shows all highways, airports, rail lines, lakes, rivers, and major county roads. Detail maps are shown for the state’s 16 largest cities that identify highways, major streets, and city boundaries. The map information also includes a chart to find mileage between select Iowa cities; and an index listing the cities shown on the map, along with their populations and map location.

Copies of the 2017-2018 map are available at Iowa DOT’s driver’s license service centers, county treasurer’s offices, all six Iowa DOT district offices, Iowa’s welcome centers, and the state’s rest areas. The Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Iowa Tourism Office also distributes maps to all travelers requesting tourism information online and by phone. To order a free Iowa travel packet that includes the new map and Iowa Travel Guide, visit traveliowa.com.

Creston Police say a hit-and-run driver caused $1,000 damage to an illegally parked car, Sunday morning. The 2008 Dodge Caliber was parked on Summit Street. It was struck sometime after 10:30-p.m. Saturday and 9:30-a.m. Sunday.