(Radio Iowa) – Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn is planning to run for the U.S. Senate as a Libertarian.

Laehn said Iowans are ready for someone outside the current two-party system who will push back against executive overreach. “The president was never supposed to have the power to unilaterally make criminal law and just put people in prison for violating…his executive orders,” Laehn said, “and we should all be very alarmed in our constitutional history.”

Some Libertarian Party candidates have won non-partisan elections in Iowa for seats on city councils as township trustees, but Laehn is the first listed on the ballot as a Libertarian to win a partisan election in Iowa. “Part of this is an experiment in liberty, an experiment in popular sovereignty,” Laehn said. “I mean, has the two-party system become so entrenched in our system of government that we can’t have elections or people can’t hold office without it? And if so, then things are even worse than I fear.”

Greene County Attorney Thomas Laene plans to run for the US Senate in 2026. (campaign photo)

Laehn will formally kick off his campaign for one of Iowa’s U.S. Senate seats on Saturday. Laehn was raised in the small northeast Iowa town of Allison, where is father was a Lutheran minister and his mother was the school librarian. Laehn’s online biography lists degrees from Drake University and Louisiana State University and a stint as a professor at McNeese State before enrolling and graduating from the University of Iowa law school in 2017. He was elected Greene County Attorney the following year and reelected in 2022.

(By James Kelley, Iowa Public Radio; Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson also contributed to this story.)

(Radio Iowa) – Immigration experts anticipate more federal immigration officers will show up on American farms in the coming months, and legal experts say there are steps employers can take ahead of time. Kristiana Coutu is senior counsel for the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State University. Coutu recommends farmers work with an attorney to develop a plan for potential immigration actions, including designating a point person to engage with federal officers.

“…to understand why they’re there, know that they can ask for identification and their reason for being there,” she says. Coutu says it’s also helpful to understand the difference between a judicial warrant and an administrative warrant. “That administrative warrant is not going to allow that broader search of the non-public areas,” she says, unless someone gives consent. An agricultural employer can work with an attorney to figure out what areas on a farm are non-public and clearly mark them with signs.

Coutu says the point person should know what’s allowed under those different types of warrants. “And then be able to understand how to then communicate that to either the owner or the attorney, or whoever else,” she says. “I think it’s just really good practice for all employers.”

Employers cannot impede an investigation or tell employees what they can or can’t say, but Coutu says they can document the officers’ activities and ask where employees are being detained to share with their emergency contacts.

(Radio Iowa) – The search committee for the new Iowa State University president is meeting in closed session today (Monday) to narrow down the list of candidates. Regents lawyer Aimee Claeys gave the committee instructions before they went into closed session.”We are hear to enter into closed session to conduct a confidential evaluation of the professional qualifications of the applicants for the I–S-U president. Each of these individuals has explicitly requested that their applications be considered in closed session,” she says.

Clayes told the committee they must focus on this task. She says under the law the only thing they can discuss in closed session is the qualifications of the candidates. The committee is expected to work on evaluations into the early afternoon. They will notify the candidates who have been chosen to move on in the search, but will not identify them at this time.

The search committee is looking to replace president Wendy Wintersteen who is retiring.

(Radio Iowa) – A woman is facing multiple charges after allegedly setting a fire at a Davenport convenience store. The Davenport Fire Department reports they were called out to a fire burning near the storage cage for propane tanks outside a Kwik Star. A witness had used a fire extinguisher to put out most of the fire by the time firefighters arrived. Davenport police say it looked as though the fire was intentionally set, and a woman who fit the description of a suspect had returned to the scene.

Police say 57-year-old Deanne Chanee threatened officers with a knife and tried to set gas pumps on fire before they arrested her. Chanee is charged with first-degree arson, assault on a police officer, criminal mischief, interference with a weapon, and interference with official acts.

(Radio Iowa) – A group led by a retired employee of the State Historical Society’s library and archives in Iowa City is suing to try to stop a plan to close the facility in mid-2026. The lawsuit says many of the artifacts that are being moved to the State Historical Museum in Des Moines were donated with the condition that they be accessible in Iowa City. Adam Steen, a Republican candidate for governor, is the former director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, the agency that oversees Historical Society operations. “Just a couple of days ago a group out of Iowa City got up and filed a lawsuit against me for shutting down a wasteful building that was wasting millions of your tax dollars.”

State officials say the building needs 750-thousand dollars in repairs and they announced the closure of the Centennial Building in downtown Iowa City in mid-June as a budget-cutting move. Steen says nobody knew about the building before its closure was announced.”Dig into the details. I’m preserving the history of our state by moving artifacts to Des Moines and I’m deaccessioning artifacts to local historical societies and the left is suing me because they’re saying I’m overstepping my bounds,” Steen says. “That is not true, but they’re coming after me because I’m speaking the truth.”

The lawsuit filed against Steen and other state officials cites a state law that says the state must maintain historical research centers in both Des Moines and Iowa City. Mary Bennett, who worked at the Iowa City center for nearly five decades, leads the Save Iowa History Coalition. Bennett says the center has been a regional hub used by historians, University of Iowa students and kids doing history projects — and moving records, books and letters that date back to the Civil War out of the building will limit direct access to the material. The lawsuit says the State Historical Building in Des Moines doesn’t have enough climate-controlled space to properly house documents in the Iowa City collection.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Police in Glenwood say a Nebraska man was arrested Saturday, on an OWI charge. 28-year-old Brody Kates, of Omaha, was charged with OWI/1st offense, and Possession of a Dangerous Weapon. His total bond was set at $2,000 (cash or surety). Kates posted bond and was released.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Rotary Club Charity Dinner and Auction scheduled for Saturday, November 1, 2025 at the Cass County Community Center has auction items coming in daily. Rotary officials says there are some unique items, including autographed memorabilia from Zach Johnson (pro golfer from Iowa), Jan Jensen (Iowa Women’s Basketball Coach). Another special item is a private basketball coaching session with Atlantic native Ryan Hawkins.

If you are curious about those large cranes, you will have an opportunity to learn from Shawn Sarsfield with Cheqed It. Looking to update the décor in your home? How about a great patriotic picture, that features a combine and the bean field from Atlantic Ag and Auto?

Auction item from Atlantic Ag & Auto

There are many more great items available in both the live and silent auction.

The Rotary Charity Dinner and Auction raises funds that are then reinvested back into the community. These funds have benefited organizations such as the Nishna Valley YMCA, local schools and preschools, the Hospital Foundation, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as scholarships for high school seniors and Iowa Western students, among many others. The event will include a dinner, cash bar, silent and live auction, beginning at 5:30 PM. Tickets are $50 each and can be purchased by contacting any Rotarian or Ted Robinson at First Whitney Bank. All are welcome to attend.

As in the past, a raffle is held in conjunction with the auction. This year, proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the Atlantic Food Bank for the purchase of a commercial refrigerator/freezer. Tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100.

First Prize: 2025 Hustler Raptor XD 54” Mower
Second Prize: $500 cash
Third Prize: $250 cash
See any Rotarian or Food Pantry volunteer to purchase your tickets.

If you have any questions regarding the Rotary Charity Dinner and Auction please feel free to contact Dolly Bergmann, 712-249-9275 or Tori Gibson, 712-254-1070.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports a man from Kent (IA) was arrested a little before 2-a.m., Saturday, on drug and alcohol charges. 26-year-old Bradford Guy Boyer was arrested east of Creston, for Operating While under the Influence (OWI) – 2nd Offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd Offense – Marijuana. Boyer was transported to the Union County Jail. Boyer was later released on a $3,000 cash or surety bond.

And, at around 12:18-a.m., Saturday, Creston Police detained 40-year-old Jose Raul Flores, of Creston, following a traffic violation at the Intersection of Lucas & Vine, and subsequent investigation. Flores was cited and released on a promise to appear for Driving While Suspended.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors recently visited Atlantic Specialty Care to welcome new staff members and take a tour of the facility. In their news release, the Chamber says Atlantic Specialty Care offers both short-term rehabilitation and long-term skilled nursing services. The facility provides 24-hour care tailored to individual needs, whether a patient is recovering from surgery, illness, or injury, or requires ongoing support for chronic health conditions. Services include physical, occupational, and speech therapy, restorative nursing programs, and specialized memory care, all designed to help residents achieve their highest level of independence and quality of life.

Pictured Left to Right: Tori Gibson, Jennifer McEntaffer, Sue Liston, Bill Saluk, Kathie Hockenberry, Rob Clausen, Dolly Bergmann, Jeremy Butler, Talya Kamies, Brehana Pries, Elaine Otte, Alexander Plummer, Anne Quist, Jacquelyn Jasek, Lana Westphalen, Lacy Sebring, Colt Doherty, Julie Waters, Keyla Wyman, Madeline Schmidt, Kennedy Freund, Connie Wailes, Chris Parks

During the visit, the Ambassadors met with leadership, including Alexander Plummer, the new Administrator at Atlantic Specialty Care. Plummer shared that it is the dedication of the staff and the quality of care they provide that truly make Atlantic Specialty Care the special place it is. He emphasized the team’s mission of offering compassionate, professional care while creating an environment that feels supportive and welcoming to residents and their families.

Atlantic Specialty Care is part of Care Initiatives, Iowa’s largest non-profit senior care provider. Care Initiatives serves communities across the state, with a focus on improving the lives of Iowans through skilled nursing, rehabilitation, assisted living, hospice, and palliative care services. Staff at Atlantic Specialty Care noted that being part of Care Initiatives allows them to access additional resources, training, and support, ensuring that residents receive the highest standard of care.

Atlantic Specialty Care is located at 1300 East 19th Street, Atlantic. For more information, call 712-243-3952 or visit https://www.careinitiatives.org/location/atlantic-specialty-care/

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests between Sept. 23rd and Oct. 3rd (From most recent to earliest):

On Oct. 3rd, 75-year-old Jeffrey Lynn Cunningham, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on Interstate 29 near Council Bluffs, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or greater offense. Bond was set at $2,000. And, 40-year-old Denny Gene Reeves, of Hastings (IA) was arrested in Glenwood, for Contempt of Court/Violation of a No Contact Order. (Bond $300)

On Oct. 2nd, Mills County deputies arrested 41-year-old Chandra Christine Baggett, of Red Oak, was arrested in Emerson for OWI/1st offense (Bond $1,000).

On Oct. 1st, 20-year-old Maiya Elizabeth Horne, of Omaha, was arrested in Glenwood for Possession of Marijuana/1st offense (Bond $1,000).

Mills County Deputies arrested 49-year-old Simon Christopher Elias, of Glenwood, on Sept. 29th, in Glenwood. Elias was charged with Violation of Probation (Bond $1,000).

One person was arrested Sept. 26th in Glenwood. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says 40-year-old Andrew Joseph Carrera, of Omaha, was arrested for Violation of Probation (Bond $1,000).

40-year-old Denny Gene Reeves was arrested Sept. 25th in Glenwood, for Violation of a No Contact Order-Domestic; (Bond $1,000).

And, on Sept. 23rd, 27-year-old Mariano Marin Urbano, of Waterloo (IA) was arrested on I-29 near Pacific Junction, for OWI/1st offense (Bond $1,000).