Confirmation hearings are getting underway this (Monday) morning for President Biden’s nominee to the U-S Supreme Court. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley will be leading the Republicans in their questioning of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. “We will be fair and thorough, as people would expect us to be, but we won’t get down in the gutter like Democrats did during the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings,” Grassley says. “I’m sure you folks remember how bad that got.”

Grassley is referring to now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was nominated for the Supreme Court by President Trump in 2018. Shortly after being nominated, Kavanaugh was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the 1980s when they were in high school, and two other women accused him of sexual misconduct, all allegations he denied. After fiery hearings, Kavanaugh was confirmed by the Senate on a 50-to-48 vote. As for Jackson, Grassley says she’ll be facing, in his words, tough questions. “Those tough questions will be about her record,” Grassley says, “tough questions about her judicial philosophy, tough questions about her views on the role of justices of the Supreme Court.”

Grassley says he’s also concern about whether Jackson believes “in what liberals call a living constitution,” a viewpoint from which the U-S Constitution could be changed based on the perspectives of the justices on the high court. “There’s already been some concerns raised about her preferences and views on criminal sentencing,” Grassley says. “Whether her supporters like it or not, that’s part of her record and it will be the subject of legitimate questions.”

Jackson and Grassley met one-one-one earlier this month, shortly after President Biden announced she was his choice to replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who’s stepping down at the end of June. While Grassley is the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Iowa’s other U-S senator and fellow Republican Joni Ernst is also on the panel.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report the arrest at around 3:10-a.m., Sunday, of 46-year-old Kevin Joel Cavin, from Creston. He was taken into custody at a residence in the 300 block of N. Cherry Street, and charged with OWI 3^rd. Cavin was taken to the Union County Jail and being held on $5000 cash or surety bond.

On Friday, Creston Police arrested 58-year-old Jack E Snyder, of Diagonal. Snyder was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County Warrant for Failure to Appear, on an original Driving while Barred charge, an aggravated Misdemeanor. Snyder was released to Ringgold County Jail for an active warrant in their county after seeing Magistrate.

And, there were two arrests in Creston last Thursday: 59-year-old David Joseph Tindle, of Des Moines, was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County Warrant for a Violation of Parole. Tindle was being held in the Union Jail on $35,000 cash or surety bond.; and, 54-year-old James Leroy Jones, of Creston, was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center on two Union County warrants for Violation of Probation. Jones was being held in the Union County Jail on $4,300 cash only bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop at around 6-p.m. Sunday, in Red Oak, resulted in an arrest. Red Oak Police reports 48-year-old Richard Allen Straw, of Red Oak, was arrested in the 1700 block of N. 4th Street, for Driving While Suspended. His bond at the Montgomery County Jail, was set at slightly more than $491 ($491.25).

(Adel, IA) – Sheriff’s officials in Dallas County reports one person was shot after they allegedly tried to break into a residence in rural Perry, Sunday night. Perry Police transferred a 911 call to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office at around 10:48-p.m., with regard to a shooting that had just occurred at 19408 123rd Place in rural Perry. Dallas County Deputies and Perry Police Officers responded to the scene and located one male subject with multiple gun shot wounds. The male was later identified as 22-year-old Hunter Keasey, from Dallas Center.

Authorities quickly determined that Keasey was (allegedly) actively trying to break into the residence when the home’s owner defended his family and fired multiple rounds at the intruder. Keasey was airlifted to Methodist Hospital for his injuries. He was treated for non-life threatening injuries and he was later released to the custody of law enforcement. The residents at 19408 123rd Place are cooperating with the investigation and made the initial 911 phone call.

Hunter Keasey (Dallas County Sheriff’s Office photo)

Officials says there is no relationship between Keasey and the residents. There is no danger to the public at this time. Authorities say it appears to have been an isolated incident. Keasey is in the custody of the Dallas County Jail and has been arrested and charged with Burglary 3rd Degree, Criminal Mischief 4th Degree, and Simple Assault.

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Perry Police Department, Dallas County EMS, and the Dallas County Attorney’s Office.

(Radio Iowa) – An arrest is made in northeast Iowa after the case of a missing person turned into a murder investigation. Saturday, the Winneshiek county sheriff’s office asked the public’s help in searching for 74-year-old Larry Whittle, of Decorah, who was last heard from Friday morning. Early Monday morning, authorities say 43-year-old Aaron Whittle, of Decorah, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Larry Whittle.

The sheriff’s office says this is an ongoing investigation and they will not be releasing any additional information at this time.

(Radio Iowa) – Spring arrived Sunday, and the new season means the potential for new risks. Registered nurse Tammy Noble is spokeswoman for the Sioux City-based Iowa Poison Control Center, which has experts available around the clock for when accidents happen. “People think that poison centers are just helping families with young children,” Noble says, “and while half of our calls are about kids, especially kids under the age of six, the other half of our calls are about teens and adults.” Noble says the nature and urgency of the calls typically varies based on the age of the person involved.

“When teens and adults have exposures, oftentimes those tend to be more serious, more at risk for complications,” Noble says. “The children’s calls tend to be a lot lower in toxicity. They don’t take as much, so the majority of those we can just provide the information, you can get the help you need and treat the person right at home.” A toll-free call can sometimes save an expensive — and unnecessary — trip to the emergency room. There’s a wealth of helpful tips on the poison center website that can assist parents and others in making their homes safer for children.

“It’s important to know that 90% of poisonings happen in the home,” Noble says. “For preschoolers, that’s where they feel the safest and they don’t always understand that there’s things in my house that could be harmful, so, helping teach kids what poisons are and where they’re at.” The Iowa Poison Control Center is always open at 1-800-222-1222 or online at www.iowapoison.org.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill eligible for debate this week in the Iowa Senate would legalize wagering on E-sports. Betting on video game competitions among multiple players is legal today in Nevada and New Jersey. Susan Daeman, a lobbyist for the Ameristar Casino in Council Bluffs, says E-sports is hugely popular. “So it’s already happening out there and they’re already betting on it, so I view this kind of like sports wagering,” Daeman says. “This allows the state to regulate it, so we make sure that people who are of ages that shouldn’t be doing it are not going it.”

Critics like Daniel Summe of The Family Leader say it’s a dangerous expansion of gambling, particularly for younger Iowans. “I think is going to result in a lot of ads,” Summe says. “Even though minors still can’t gamble here, they’re going to be targeted with a lot of advertisements. Also, as an industry, video game gambling is just not in the same place as traditional sports.” And he cites a federal investigation over allegations of bribes and match fixing by some professional E-sports players.

Bill backers say state regulators would only allow betting on professional and sanctioned E-sports leagues and it’s illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to gamble in Iowa. Kathryn Kueter is the legislative liaison for Concerned Women for America of Iowa and she’s asking legislators to take a hard look at the bill. “This bill is bringing the world of gambling into the living rooms of Iowans and though, perhaps not the intent, it is giving children a front row seat to the enticement of gambling,” Kueter says.

Christopher Rants, a lobbyist for DraftKings and Fan Duel, says the industry originally thought betting on E-sports had been legalized in 2019 when Iowa lawmakers made it legal to wager on sporting events. “It’s a legitimate market and it can be a regulated market,” Rants says. “Again, it’s the kind of thing that we thought we were authorizing the first time through, so we would ask the legislature to finish the job and authorize it for those people who are of age.”

Another part of the bill would get rid of required criminal background checks for casino employees who are not directly engaged in conducting or overseeing the gambling operation. Iowa Gaming Association president and C-E-O Wes Ehrecke says casinos are competing with other businesses in the hospitality industry who don’t require background checks for new employees.

“We’re saying for those type of positions, especially in this tight labor market and trying to compete for like the dishwasher, the housekeeper, a variety of those positions that have nothing to do with the gaming, but to be able to not to be required to have a background check because the hotel right across the street or the restaurant or a variety of other entertainment (venues) do not require that same background check on them,” Ehrecke says.

Dave Joseph of the Iowa Department of Public Safety says doing away with background investigations for lower level staff in the casinos raises concerns. He says every year people with active warrants and multiple felonies lie about their criminal histories on job applications just to get inside the casino. “While those individuals are not directly related to gaming — they’re not dealers or working in the cage or anything like that, they do still have access to the facility,” he says. “They are able to observe the money routes when they’re doing their money drops, they’re able to look at the camera locations, evaluate security status.”

The bill passed the House three weeks ago on a 71 to 28 vote. A key senator is proposing tightening up a section of the bill that would let customers use their smart phones to access a bank account — for cashless wagering.

(Iowa City, Iowa) – A fatal collision between a semi and a car occurred at around Noon Sunday, near Iowa City. The State Patrol reports a 2006 Toyota Prius  was hit from behind by a 2022 International semi, as both vehicles were traveling east on I-80 in the right lane, near mile marker 248.5.

One person suffered minor injuries, one was seriously hurt and another died. No names were released, pending notification of family. Two of the crash victims were wearing seat belts, the person who died was not wearing their seat belt. The semi was registered to Schuster Enterprise, LTD., out of Le Mars.

The accident remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol. Troopers were assisted at the scene by Johnson County Fire and EMS, and DOT officials.

(Tabor, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says Deputies responded at around 7:27-p.m., Saturday, to a residence on Elm Street in Tabor for a report of a disturbance. They arrested 39-year-old Jeffrey Dale Hankins, of Tabor, for Simple Assault. Hankins bonded out of jail on $300 bond.

Jeffrey Dale Hankins

Later that same evening, Fremont County Deputies were called to a report of suspicious activity near the intersection of 185th Ave and 250th Street, near Percival, where they found a large underage drinking party at that location. Nine people were arrested.

Among those taken into custody, was:

• 18-year-old Taylor Bower, of Massena.
• 18-yearold Mark Wurtlele, and 19-year-old Samuel Draus, both of Nebraska City, Nebraska
• 19-year-old Braedan Chipman, of Union, Nebraska
• 19-year-old Wyatt Taylor, of Auburn, Nebraska
• 18-year-old Kyleigh Rossmanith, of Plattsmouth, Nebraska
• and two, unnamed juveniles.

All were arrested for possession of Alcohol by underaged persons, all were issued court dates and released from the scene.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Hastings was arrested Sunday night, following a stolen dog report in Mills County. Deputies were called to Dollar General in Sidney, where the dog had been tracked to by the owner. Deputies made contact with 26-year-old Jaymie Ilene Rowe, who was allegedly in possession of the stolen dog.

Rowe was placed under arrest for Theft 2nd Degree, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) 1st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The dog was returned to the owner, unharmed.

Jaymie Rowe

Rowe is being held at the Fremont County Jail on $6,300 bond. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the case. More charges are pending.