CENTERVILLE, Iowa (AP) —   An atheist leader says his organization will fight to add displays of its own if a nativity scene is returned to a courthouse lawn in southern Iowa. The Daily Iowegian reports that the nativity scene was moved Monday from the Appanoose County Courthouse lawn in Centerville. Some residents had complained about a religious display on government property. Justin Scott is state director for the American Atheists organization, and he says it will demand equal access if officials reverse course and return the scene to the courthouse. The issue of religious displays on public property has arisen in several states, including neighboring Nebraska.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Red Oak Police have taken a pledge to keep tobacco out of the hands of Montgomery County youth.   Iowa Pledge (“I-Pledge” for short) is a partnership with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverage Division (ABD) to educate local retailers, and to enforce Iowa’s tobacco laws. Officials say the program has helped increase statewide tobacco compliance to a rate of 93-percent since it began in the year 2000. By partnering with the ABD, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says it will do its part to continue the upward trend.

Clerks who successfully complete an online training program and pass an exam, will be I-pledge certified, and the retail establishment will receive an affirmative defense against a civil penalty, of the certified clerk makes an illegal sale. Sheriff Joe Sampson and Red Oak Police Chief Justin Rhamy say “The training [also] assists retailers to ensure they maintain a compliant and responsible establishment.” To take the training, or search I-Pledge certification records, go to http://ipocp.iowaabd.com:8080/portal.

Officials say the I-Pledge retailer program is a great way for clerks to prepare themselves to refuse illegal tobacco sales. As part of the I-Pledge program, deputies will be conducting compliance checks on local establishments. Criminal penalties resulting from the sale of tobacco to a minor during the unannounced checks using underage customers, include fines from $100 for the first offense, $250 for a second offense, and a $500 fine for third and subsequent offenses.

Sheriff Joe Sampson says handing out citations is not the intent of the I-Pledge program. He says the hope is to educate clerks and maintain a compliant retail environment in communities within Montgomery County. More importantly, according to Sampson, is the “Pledge to help keep tobacco out of the hands of Iowa youth.”

(Radio Iowa) — Medical researchers at the University of Iowa have landed a substantial grant to continue their work in unlocking a potential cure for Huntington’s disease. U-I neuroscientist Dr. Peg Nopoulos says they’re making significant progress in halting the deadly H-D from developing and are now in the third phase of a gene therapy clinical trial. “We know the gene that causes the disease, we have a drug that we think will prevent progression of the disease — that’s what the clinical trials are right now,” Nopoulos says. “The ultimate goal will be to deliver a gene before the disease starts.”

Symptoms of H-D usually begin appearing when a person is around 40 years old and they’ll typically die within 15 years of diagnosis. It diminishes thinking skills, affects emotions, and disrupts motor function. There is no known cure for Huntington’s and the grant will allow for the expansion of the U-I’s decade-long study on brain development in children at risk for contracting H-D. “This Huntington’s gene is actually really important for brain development, it guides brain development,” Nopoulos says. “The human brain develops very long. It takes at least 30 years for complete maturation of the brain.”

While the research shows promise in halting the progress of H-D, it’s still not clear at what stage in a person’s life it would be most effective to administer the drug. “The ultimate goal is to prevent the disease but our study will determine when do we give it,” Nopoulos says. “Do we give it at age 12? Do we give it at age 25? It all depends on how bad their gene mutation is and that’s what we’re studying.”

Huntington’s disease is rare and afflicts about one in every 7,000 people. If a parent has H-D, each child has a 50% chance of developing the disease. The U-I research team has won a five-year, 18-million dollar grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Nopoulos is a professor of psychiatry, neurology and pediatrics in the U-I Carver College of Medicine.

(A-P) A judge has refused to move the trial of a man accused of fatally shooting two 18-year-olds in a vehicle at a Cedar Rapids parking lot. Andre Richardson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the May 18 slayings of Matrell Johnson and Royal Abram. Richardson’s lawyer said at an Oct. 25 hearing that extensive media reports of the slayings and subsequent investigation made it impossible for Richardson to get a fair trial in Linn County. Judge Ian Thornhill acknowledged in a ruling filed Tuesday that the media reports were pervasive, but he said Richardson’s defense hadn’t proved any impact on potential jurors.

(Radio Iowa) — The president of the Iowa Soybeans Association says he was a little surprised when the announcement was made this week that a deal had been reached on the U-S-Mexico-Canada-Agreement. Tim Bardole farms near Rippey and says it is good news — but past history dictates the celebration shouldn’t start just yet. “It’s one of those deals that until it’s done. I won’t believe it,”Bardole says.”We’ve heard a lot of promises over the last year and a half, on trade issues; it’s almost there, it’s almost there and then it’s not. But I really hope that everything goes kind of as planned at this point and get it done. It will be one of the stresses off agriculture’s back.”

Bardole says all farmers really want with trade agreements is open and free trade. “So without any artificial barriers, whether I be quotas or tariffs, taxes, if we don’t have that, the U-S. farmer is really the best in the world. That’s really the main thing, that we’re looking at with the U-S-M-C-A,” Bardole says.

Bardole is hopeful that the basics of the U-S-M-C-A will lead to an eventual resolution of the trade dispute with China. There were some reports Thursday that a deal with China is close to getting done.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says there could be a push for the leader of the Senate to bring up a vote on the U-S-Mexico-Canada Agreement before the end of the year — but she says the timing doesn’t look good. “The likelihood of that happening is very, very, slim. It is hard to get unanimous consent on a piece of legislation like the U-S-M-C-A,” Ernst says. Ernst is a Republican from Red Oak and says Democratic leaders in the House are to blame for delaying action on the trade deal until now. “Democrats have really backed us into this corner, they’ve orchestrated this,” Ernst says. “…(House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi is offering political cover by moving on the U-S-M-C-A. But we’ve got a lot of changes that we have not been advised on yet. We’ll have scrutinize those here in the Senate.”

Ernst says the impeachment trial will take up time along with budget issues. She says she hasn’t seen anything that has swayed her opinion on impeachment. “I’ll be honest — what they have offered up as their articles of impeachment — I don’t see any evidence that supports impeachment at this point,” Ernst says. “Now maybe there’s some rabbit in a hat that Democrats are going to pull out in a trial that might sway members.” Ernst says the witnesses called by House Democrats all talked about things they heard secondhand or third hand and wasn’t really based on factual evidence. “I think the trial could be relatively short. I don’t know that additional witnesses are necessary,”

She says. Ernst says the people she hears from in Iowa only have one concern about the impeachment trial. “Get this over with and get your job done. And that is to be working for the people of Iowa. And it is really hard to get things like U-S-M-C-A done, to get appropriations bills done, to get VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) done when we have the Democrats who are pulling these slick maneuvers,” according to Ernst. “So I am very focused on getting through the trial and moving on ahead with what Iowans want us to be focusing on — which isn’t the trial.”

Ernst made her comments during her weekly conference call with reporters.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:25 a.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — State officials are confirming that 15 cases in just one small Iowa county were mistakenly recorded as felony convictions on the list they use to identify ineligible voters. The Associated Press reviewed all 359 Carroll County entries as part of an investigation into the error-riddled list, which has been blamed for causing confusion and wrongly disenfranchising eligible voters. Fifteen of the cases _ or more than 4 percent _ were misdemeanor convictions that did not result in the loss of voting rights. A spokesman for the Iowa Secretary of State’s office says the errors were corrected Thursday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State budget experts say revenue projections for the current fiscal year and next year are running ahead of their October predictions. The three-member Revenue Estimating Conference says Thursday that state income is up about 2 percent from the previous year. The group projects a 2.9 percent increase for next year, or about $234 million higher than the current year. That would bring tax collections to nearly $8.25 billion. The estimate for next year is important because Gov. Kim Reynolds must base her 2021 budget on the figures released Thursday. The higher estimate could give the governor some additional money as she prepares her budget for next year.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Opponents of a power line in southwestern Wisconsin are taking their fight to federal court. The plaintiffs say state regulators have conflicts of interest that should have kept them from approving the power line project. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by the Environmental Law & Policy Center on behalf of the Driftless Area Land Conservancy and the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. The groups say the Public Service Commission chairwoman and a commissioner have outside interests that should disqualified them from voting on the 100-miles high voltage line, known as Cardinal-Hickory Creek. The $492 million project was approved in September.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats will hold four debates in each of the early primary states as voting gets underway next year. The Democratic National Committee announced Thursday that some of the debates are scheduled to be held just days before voters head to the polls. The first primary debate of the new year will be on Jan. 14 in Des Moines, Iowa. The second is scheduled for Feb. 7 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Democrats will debate in Las Vegas on Feb. 19, three days before the caucuses there. And in South Carolina, they’ll hold a debate on Feb. 25, four days before that state’s Democratic primary.

Sheriff’s officials in Fremont, County, Thursday, received a report of a burglary that occurred at the Riverside Inn in Riverton, Iowa. Deputies observed structural damage to the building as well as damage to objects inside the business. Surveillance video, showing, a male, whom deputies had prior contact with, 42-year old Christopher Dos Santos, of Riverton, in the bar during the early morning hours of Dec. 12th. allegedly stealing items.

Christopher Dos Santos (Fremont Co. S/O photo

While on scene, deputies observed Dos Santos walking past the exterior of the bar and placed him under arrest at that time. Dos Santos admitted to the burglary and stolen items from the bar were later located inside Dos Santos’ residence.

Dos Santos was charged with Burglary 3rd Degree and Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree, both Class D Felonies and 2 counts of Theft 5th a Simple Misdemeanor. More charges are pending in the case.

The Cass County Community Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted from organizations providing charitable services in Cass County. As part of this spring grant cycle, approximately $115,000 is available to support Cass County nonprofit organizations and community projects. The deadline to apply for funds through the online application process is February 1.
Beginning December 15, application details, a fact sheet, and a link to the application form can be found online by selecting Cass County under County Listing at www.swiowafoundations.org. Applications will only be accepted through the online system.

Made possible through the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program, this cycle of grants is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license. Only organizations providing services in Cass County are eligible to apply. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) Public Charity, a local municipality, or a fiscally sponsored project. Requests for general operating support will not be considered.

The Cass County Community Foundation aims to improve the quality of life in Cass County by supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. The objective of the grant program is to fund projects that will have a permanent impact on, and in, Cass County.

Please contact Stacey Goodman (stacey@omahafoundation.org) or Tess Houser (tess@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458 with application-related questions. All completed grant applications will be considered at the March board meeting, with applicants being notified of funding decisions by the end of March.

Board members of the Cass County Community Foundation are Chair, Nicholas Hunt of rural Atlantic; Vice Chair, Gary Maas of Anita; Secretary/Treasurer, Roland K. Landsness, Esq. of Atlantic; Royal Bierbaum of rural Griswold; Kristi Burg of Massena; and Mark D. Kyhnn, CPA of Atlantic.

The Audubon County Community Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted from organizations providing charitable services in Audubon County. As part of this spring grant cycle, approximately $115,000 is available to support Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects. The deadline to apply for funds through the online application process is February 1.
Beginning December 15, application details, a fact sheet, and a link to the application form can be found online by selecting Audubon County under County Listing at www.swiowafoundations.org. Applications will only be accepted through the online system.

Made possible through the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program, this cycle of grants is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County are eligible to apply. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) Public Charity, a local municipality, or a fiscally sponsored project. Requests for general operating support will not be considered.

The Audubon County Community Foundation aims to improve the quality of life in Audubon County by supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. The objective of the grant program is to fund projects that will have a permanent impact on, and in, Audubon County.

Please contact Stacey Goodman (stacey@omahafoundation.org) or Tess Houser (tess@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458 with application-related questions. All completed grant applications will be considered at the March board meeting, with applicants being notified of funding decisions by the end of March.

Board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are Chair, Genelle Deist of Audubon; Vice Chair, Joel Hoegh of rural Brayton; Secretary/Treasurer, Barbara Johnson of Audubon; Gina Benton of Exira, Bob Blomme of Audubon; Steven B. Hansen of Audubon; and Megan Wagner of Audubon