Police in Council Bluffs are searching for a suspect who was involved in a struggle with an officer, resulting in the officer firing his service weapon. The incident began at around 7-p.m., Friday. Authorities say while two Council Bluffs police officers were on the Wal‐Mart parking lot, working a shoplifting call, they located a white Mazda CX‐9 parked nearby that had stolen plates on it. As the officers were finishing their shoplifting incident, a white male walked up the Mazda and got into the driver’s seat. As the officers
approached the Mazda, the male subject locked the vehicle’s doors and started the motor.

A preliminary investigation indicates that one of the officers fired his service handgun at the driver as a struggle was taking place to get the driver out of the car. The driver’s window was broken out and as the officer was reaching inside the car, the male subject put the car into gear and sped off, hitting a parked vehicle. The officer who fired his duty handgun received minor injuries to his arm, but was treated at a local hospital and released. The driver of the white Mazda fled the scene, but the car was located a short time later, abandoned, near the I‐29/I‐80 interchange.

After an extensive search, the driver was not located. It is unknown if he has any injuries. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was called in to review the actions of the officer involved in the shooting; that officer’s name will not be released until later next week. The Council Bluffs Police Department will continue to investigate the assault that took place on the officer and will file appropriate charges once the subject is positively identified and located.

If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact detectives at 712‐328‐4728 or you can remain anonymous by calling 712‐328‐STOP (7867).

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The federal government says it will give farmers an additional $14 billion to compensate them for the difficulties they’ve experienced selling their crops, milk and meat because of the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released details of its plan Friday, saying it will provide “financial assistance that gives producers the ability to absorb increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.” President Donald Trump first mentioned the aid in a speech Thursday night in Wisconsin, a state that is considered vital for his chances to win a second term. The additional payments also illustrate the importance of farmers as a voting block to Trump’s reelection.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa coronavirus infections grew by 1,259 confirmed cases on Friday with 10 additional deaths. The state now has more than 78,000 confirmed cases, and the total number of death since March has risen to 1,258. Gov. Kim Reynolds earlier in the month ordered that bars be closed in Story and Johnson counties, which are home to Iowa State Universities and the University of Iowa. With infections rates remaining high in those areas, Reynolds on Friday signed a new proclamation that keeps those bars closed at least through Sept. 27.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A high school teacher in Iowa has been placed on leave for assigning students to “pretend you are a black slave.” The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the assignment asked students to write four sentences about what they would do if they were a slave who was freed. The assignment was for an Iowa City school district online learning program for students assigned to different schools. The district says the teacher was placed on administrative leave and the assignment was removed. The district called the assignment “inappropriate.” The teacher’s name hasn’t been released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s unemployment rate for August dropped to 6%, continuing a decline from an April high hit amid an economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Iowa Workforce Development reported Friday that the August rate was down from 6.8% in July and 11% in April. There were 96,500 people listed as unemployed in August, a decline from 110,300 in July. Iowa’s unemployment ranked 12th nationally. The U.S. unemployment rate for August was 8.4%

DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Reynolds, Friday, signed a new proclamation continuing the Public Health Disaster Emergency for another 30 days. Bars, taverns, wineries, breweries, distilleries, night clubs continue to be closed in Johnson and Story counties until 11:59 p.m. on September 27, 2020. They may continue to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off premises. Restaurants in these two counties are still permitted to remain open, but must stop selling and serving alcoholic beverages after 10:00 p.m.

The proclamation also extends the other public health mitigation measures currently in place for businesses and other establishments until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, 2020. This includes the requirements for open bars and restaurants to ensure six feet of physical distance between each group or individual dining or drinking; to ensure all patrons have a seat at a table or bar and consume alcohol or food while seated; and to limit congregating together closer than six feet.

Requirements for social distancing, hygiene, and other public health measures to reduce the risk of transmission also remain in place for gyms, casinos, salons, theaters, and other establishments. The proclamation also provides additional regulatory relief to school districts and extends many of the previously issued regulatory relief measures necessary to respond to this public health disaster, including those related to healthcare, professional licensure, educational workforce, and expirations of driver’s licenses.

The proclamation now remains in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, 2020.

The full proclamation available online in its entirety.

Authorities have identified the person found dead on September 16th in rural Jasper County, as 44-year-old Michael Williams of Grinnell. His body was found in a burning ditch.

Michael Williams

The investigation into the homicide continues, with law enforcement resources from Jasper, Poweshiek, and Marshall Counties, as well as Division of Criminal Investigation agents and Iowa State Patrol Troopers with the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

Authorities say additional information will be released as warranted. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Grinnell Police Department at 641.623.5679 or the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office at 641.792.5912

(Atlantic) – Incumbent Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, spoke to a crowd inside the Atlantic Community Center, Friday evening. During the event, she said with regard to the current election cycle, the mood is different than in the past, the nation is facing “some significant challenges, some significant changes.” Ernst, who likes to ride her motorcycle, compared the race between her and her opponent, as  “A choice between two different roads.” Her opponent is Democrat Theresa Greenfield.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) speaks at the Cass County Community Center 9-18-20 (Ric Hanson/photo)

Ernst said “On the road to the right [the road she chooses] we have freedom, prosperity, and opportunity. But on the left, there is a very, very different path. It is a path that my opponent is choosing to take. And that path is paved with government takeover of health care, it’s paved with radical environmental ideas that would fundamentally change the way we do agriculture in the State of Iowa, and wipe out thousands of manufacturing jobs.”

Ernst said also, the road to her opponent is taking, is filled with people who want to roll back our Second Amendment Rights, and those who are promoting extreme abortionist ideas. “These are the ideas that are supported by my opponent.” She said Greenfield has not been seen anywhere in Iowa, whereas Ernst has visited all 99 counties on one and a half tours. Ernst likened Greenfield to the popular character in the “Where is Waldo?” puzzle books, by saying “Where is Theresa Greenfield? She’s in the basement, hidin’ with Biden folks, and she’s going to stay in her basement, because she does not want people to know where she stands on the issues.”

She said Greenfield has not visited almost half of Iowa’s counties in the 15 months she’s been campaigning. Ernst said she’s willing to meet with constituents and represent them in Washington. Toward the end of her speech, Ernst learned about the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She “I am so sorry. I may not have agreed with her politically, but God Rest Her. She was an incredible woman.”

Ernst said President Trump has a list of persons who have may pick from for nomination. She doesn’t know who he may choose, but that person will have to be confirmed by the U-S Senate.