(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is calling on the federal EPA to demand one of its former leaders pay back tens of thousands of dollars she “wasted” while in office. Grassley stopped short of saying criminal charges should be filed against Katherine Lemos, the former chair and CEO of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, or CSB. He says Lemos violated the public trust and squandered taxpayer resources. “I think that I want the money back,” Grassley says. “Beyond that, I’ll let the Justice Department take whatever action ought to be taken.”

Grassley quotes a recent EPA Inspector General report that says Lemos improperly spent almost $98,000 on travel, unnecessary training, and office decor. He says, “I think that we run into this waste of taxpayers money too much on things being spent that shouldn’t be spent.” Grassley says members of the CSB are paid to investigate and respond to chemical hazard situations, not to redecorate their offices. He says the misspent funds should be returned to reimburse taxpayers — and to deter future abuse.

“This isn’t Senator Grassley making this judgment, it’s the inspector general of the agency making that judgment,” he says, “and yes, she should pay back that 90-some-thousand dollars of taxpayers money that she wasted.” Lemos resigned in July of 2022. The inspector general report found Lemos illegally used government funds to pay for travel between Washington, D.C., and her home in San Diego. The report also says she spent more than $22,000 to redecorate her office, violating a federal law that caps such expenses at $5,000.

(Webster County, Iowa) – Police in Fort Dodge have issued Felony arrest warrants for two men suspected of being involved in shots-fired incident. Authorities say a warrant for Attempt to Commit Murder, was issued for 29-year-old Austin S. Ferguson. And, 47-year-old Jason H. Ferguson is wanted for Aiding and Abetting Attempt to Commit Murder. The charges are Class – B Felonies, and were issued Wednesday in association with an incident whereby shots were fired at a car near North 14th Street and 1st Avenue North in Fort Dodge, on July 30th. No injuries were reported.

Austin S. Ferguson is described as being 6-feet tall and weighing 256-pounds. Jason H. Ferguson is 5-feet 9-inches tall. He weighs 220-pounds. Both men should be considered armed and dangerous.

If you have any information on their location, do not attempt to approach the men. Instead, contact Fort Dodge police at 515-573-1424, or Webster County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 515-573-1444, wccrimestoppers.com or by texting “LEC” and the tip to 274637. You can also call 9-1-1 or your local law enforcement agency.

(Lamoni, Iowa) – A woman from Missouri died during a single-vehicle accident Wednesday evening, in southern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 72-year-old Brenda K. Jones, from Jameson,MO., was traveling on I-35 southbound at around 5:38-p.m., when the vehicle veered off of the road about a mile north of the Lamoni/Decatur City exit, and struck a tree.

Jones was found unresponsive when EMS personnel arrived on the scene. Crews attempted CPR but were unsuccessful. The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has appointed her former legal counsel to the Iowa Court of Appeals. Samuel Langholz has been Chief Deputy Attorney General for the State of Iowa since Republican Brenna Bird took over as Iowa Attorney General in January. Langholz is a 2008 graduate of the University of Iowa Law School who clerked for a federal judge, then worked in private practice before serving in several roles in state government over the past 12 and a half years. He was a top lawyer in the Department of Inspections and Appeals and the State Public Defender before he joined the governor’s staff. In late 2020, Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller named Langholz Assistant Solicitor General.

Clear Lake native Sam Langholz, a 2008 UI Law School graduate. (UI photo)

Langholz, who lives in Ankeny, is a Clear Lake native. In written statements, Governor Reynolds called Langholz a committed public servant and Attorney General Brenna Bird said Langholz has a keen legal mind. Langholz is a member of the Federalist Society, a conservative group that has advised Reynolds on judicial appointments. Langholz unsuccessfully applied a district court judgeship in 2018 and for an opening on the Iowa Supreme Court in 2019.