The Creston Police Department reports the arrest on Thursday morning, of 22-year old Keegan Wayne Williams, from Creston. Williams was arrested on a Union County warrant for Operating a vehicle without the owners consent. He was later released on a $2,000 bond. And, two vehicle owners in Creston reported to Police that their vehicles had been vandalized sometime overnight Wednesday into early Thursday morning.

A man who resides in the 500 block of Levy St. said the back left side window on his vehicle was struck. And, a woman residing in the 900 block of W. Jefferson St. had a driver’s side front window on her vehicle broken. Both incidents happened while the vehicles were parked outside their owners’ residences. The damage amounted to around $600.

(7-a.m. Newscast)

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) — The 2019 Iowa legislative session will likely end this weekend — and many lawmakers are farmers, itching to get out of Des Moines and into their fields. Senator Tom Costello of Imogene says the soil is warm enough for planting in southwest Iowa. “I’ve got about 250 acres of soybeans I need to get planted sometime here,” Costello says.

Representative Ross Paustian of Walcott farms 15-hundred acres of cropland with his son. “Hasn’t been dry enough to plant and…it was too windy to spray, so we’re not getting anything done,” Paustian says, “so I hope to be home — Saturday?” Senator Annette Sweeney says it’s calving season on her farm near Alden.  “It’s always exciting every time you see a new baby calf,” Sweeney says. “During the really bad and cold weather, we started calving then, so it’ll be great to go home and see those calves on green pastures and I can’t wait.”

The 2020 legislative session will begin 262 days from now, on Monday, January 13th.

(Radio Iowa) — The scorecard for the 2019 Iowa legislature is nearly complete, as lawmakers head into the weekend intending to conclude this year’s work. Republican House Speaker Linda Upmeyer of Clear Lake says a major accomplishment is the bill designed to give voters more information about their local property taxes. It also requires a two-thirds vote among local
elected officials to raise property taxes more than two percent. “I’m really satisfied with this year. I think we’ve gotten a lot of good work done. You know, we came in wanting to make sure we did something with mental health. Well, children’s mental health was a big deal and setting up the infrastructure is step one,” Upmeyer says. “We all get that’s not the end of the story, but it’s a really good beginning.”

Republicans hold a majority of seats in the Iowa House AND Senate, so Republicans like Upmeyer and Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver of Ankeny set the debate agenda. “Workforce is a huge issue here in the state of Iowa. Our unemployment’s the lowest in the country, so that creates problems in our workforce. Future Ready Iowa and the funding that we allocated for that will be extremely important,” Whitver said. “In the Senate, unfortunately it didn’t pass the House, but we started on welfare reforms to get people out of our welfare programs and into the workforce. I think that’s a conversation that we need to continue to have over the next year.”

House Republican Leader Chris Hagenow of Clive says after 16 weeks of work, the legislature has taken steps to improve broadband access, expand housing in rural areas and use future sales tax revenue for direct property tax relief. “There’s a lot of very practical things we’ve done…a lot of landmark legislation that may not grab as many headlines sometimes, either, but are really significant to the future of the state of Iowa,” Hagenow says. House Democratic Leader Todd Prichard of Charles City says Republians failed to address ongoing problems in the state’s privatized Medicaid program for both patients and health care providers. “We have missed an opportunity to even start the discussion,” Prichard said, “…so that’s going to fester.”

And Prichard says the spending increases Republicans approved for public schools aren’t keeping up with inflation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A June 24 trial start has been scheduled for a man who a judge says has been restored to competency for trial. Polk County District Court records say 30-year-old Joshua Adams has submitted written pleas of not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. Police say Adams killed 49-year-old Tracy Adams and 54-year-old Gaylord George Jolly Jr. Police found their bodies Dec. 28 at the Des Moines home Joshua and Tracy Adams shared.

In February a judge ruled that Joshua Adams was not competent for trial and ordered psychiatric treatment for him. The records say the judge ruled April 18 that Adams’ competency had been restored and that he could stand trial.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a Nebraska man was arrested Thursday evening, after his vehicle nearly hit an Adams County Sheriff’s vehicle. Deputies were on patrol at around 6:45-p.m. when the patrol vehicle was nearly struck from the rear as it was traveling westbound on Highway 34, near the intersection with Highway 148. Following a traffic stop, the driver of the other vehicle was identified as Allen Michael Lee Smith, of Omaha. Smith admitted to recently smoking marijuana and was found to have a suspended license.

Allen Michael Lee Smith

The K9 “Baxo” was deployed and gave a positive indication to the odor of narcotics. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted, and upon further investigation, Smith was placed under arrest for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Alprazolam), Possession of a Controlled Substance (Clonazepam), Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Child Endangerment, and Driving under Suspension. Smith was additionally cited for Following too Closely. A female passenger, Alex Samborski, was cited and released for Child Endangerment and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Alprazolam).

And, at around 6:30-p.m. Wednesday, Adams County Deputies observed a vehicle being operated by Fred William Ehrman. Deputies were aware that Ehrman’s driving status was revoked from a previous OWI. He was subsequently placed under arrest for Driving While Revoked, Fail to File SR-22 Insurance, Interlock Device Required and Interference with Official Acts. Ehrman was additionally cited for not having insurance.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:55 a.m. CDT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in eastern Iowa say a Davenport police officer has been injured in a shooting, and a suspect has been arrested. The Quad-City Times reports that the shooting happened shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday in the Five Points area of the city. Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane confirmed that an officer had been shot and another man arrested, but did not give details of what led to the shooting. Neither the name of the officer nor the suspect was released.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A former western Iowa high school teacher has been arrested and charged on suspicion of having sex with one of his students. Council Bluffs police say 56-year-old Mark Mendell. of Crescent, was arrested Thursday at his home on two charges of sexual exploitation by a school employee. Police say an investigation that began last month revealed a sexual relationship between Mendell while he was Abraham Lincoln High School’s band teacher and a 17-year-old student.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign travel itinerary leaves little doubt about his strategy for early voting states. Biden’s one-two Iowa-South Carolina punch next week underscores the Democrat’s need to finish near the top in the leadoff Iowa caucuses to build momentum for South Carolina, home to the first Southern primary. He has a combination of strengths and enduring relationships in South Carolina that could seal him as the front-runner heading into later contests.

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — MidAmerican Energy proudly notes its status as a national leader in wind power, but the Des Moines-based company is pushing for rules that could put a screeching halt to solar power in Iowa. Like private utilities in other states, MidAmerican said the fees it’s backing are a matter of fairness to avoid charging other customers for costs incurred by solar generators when they resell excess power. Those in the solar industry say the utility actually wants to control an emerging energy source.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa legislature has voted to keep charging the one-percent sales tax that’s been used for school infrastructure until 2051. The bill directs 30 percent of the sales tax money that’s raised to property tax relief. Republican Senator Amy Sinclair of Allerton says the other 70 percent of the sales taxes raised will helps pay for school improvements that would otherwise be paid for with a hike in local property taxes.

“This is important,” Sinclair said. “This is important particularly for rural schools that don’t have growing student populations to help off-set the costs of the facilities.” The statewide sales tax for schools was set to expire in 2029. Republican Senator Chris Cournoyer, a former school board member from LeClaire, says she has “a stack” of reasons her district needs this extra sales tax money long into the future.

“Our public school buildings are paid for with taxpayer money and we have an obligation to maintain them,” Cournoyer said, “…so we can prepare our students to compete in the global workforce and continue to grow our Iowa economy.” Senator Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs, says this means schools will be able to use the sales tax money as collateral to finance long-term construction projects.

“Our school board officials out there, who do not get paid for these jobs, who do the best that they can to try to plan forward for what the needs are for not tomorrow, but 10 years, 20 years when they’re looking at having to replace buildings, upgrade buildings,” Dawson said.

The bill also clarifies that the sales taxes raised for school infrastructure can be used to enhance school safety and security. It cleared the Iowa Senate Wednesday on a 48-to-two vote. The House vote today (Thursday) was 94-to-four. Representative Jacob Bossman, a Republican from Sioux City, says the bill simultaneously addresses school infrastructure needs AND provides an estimated 325 million in property tax relief each year.

“Both are priorities for my constituents,” Bossman says. “It’s a win-win.” Critics say the plan siphons off too much revenue for property tax relief, money that’s needed for school construction and renovation projects.  “Like others, I am going to hold my nose and vote yes on this bill.” That’s Representative Mary Erin Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, who is a teacher. The bill, which now goes to the governor, has been a priority for education groups.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in eastern Iowa say a Davenport police officer has been injured in a shooting, and a suspect has been arrested. The Quad-City Times reports that the shooting happened shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday in the Five Points area of the city.

Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane confirmed that an officer had been shot and another man arrested, but did not give details of what led to the shooting. Neither the name of the officer nor the suspect was released.

The medical condition of the officer had not been revealed by Thursday evening.
Witnesses told the Times that officers could be seen in the area with guns drawn.