(Radio Iowa) — Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is on a “tailgate tour” of Iowa’s three state universities, speaking to supporters who backed his 2016 bid for president as well as students who’ve just become old enough to vote in 2020. Sanders spoke on the University of Iowa and Iowa State University campuses Sunday. He’ll be on U-N-I’s campus in Cedar Falls over the noon-hour today (Monday). During a speech in Ames, Sanders drew big cheers with his proposals to cancel college debt and make public colleges and universities tuition free. “Your job is to work with me to make it happen sooner rather than later,” Sanders said.

Edson Lopez, an Iowa State student from Arkansas who is paying out-of-state tuition, is a Sanders supporter. “If Bernie gets elected, I’m hoping he can make college cheaper, then I don’t have to pay like $30,000 to come here,” Lopez said. Sanders used a barnyard epithet as he told the students they must get involved in politics if they want problems solved. “We have a president who believes that climate change is a hoax,” Sanders said. “Well, in my view, Donald Trump is a hoax.”

Most of the crowd’s largest cheers were for this and other Sanders’ swipes at Trump. Richard Phelps of Mingo supported Sanders in 2016 and will again in 2020. “I like what he says,” Phelps said. “…and I don’t think he’s too old.” Phelps volunteered that opinion about Sanders’ age. Sanders turned 78 on Sunday.

(Radio Iowa) — Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford announced Sunday that he is challenging President Trump’s bid for reelection. Sanford says it’s time for a debate about what it means to be a Republican. “As a Republican Party, we’ve lost some of our ways,” Sanford said. Sanford says Trump has embraced protectionism when it comes to trade and is leading the party to disregard scientific evidence that the climate is changing. “As to my primary beef, I think it is, in fact, the degree to which he has called himself ‘The King of Debt’ and has led the party in the wrong direction on debt and spending,” Sanford said.

Sanford has been a long-time supporter of tougher immigration measures, including construction of a wall along the southern border and penalties against businesses who hire people who entered the country illegally. Sanford says Trump “is good at recognizing problems,” but tends to make situations worse. “And I think there are real questions of tone and humility and adherence to truth that I think cause people to doubt what he says next,” Sanford says, “which then undermines our standing in the world and domestically.”

Sanford made his comments during this weekend’s “Iowa Press” program on Iowa Public Television. Former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh and former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld have also said they intend to challenge Trump in G-O-P primaries and caucuses.

(Radio Iowa) — G-O-P leaders in South Carolina, Nevada and Kansas are cancelling presidential nominating contests in their states — but the Republican Party of Iowa WILL be holding Caucuses on February 3rd. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says party leaders here have never considered cancelling. “We want to show once again that Iowa is capable of doing this,” Kaufmann says. “We can do it in a transparent way. We can get the results back. Those results can be audited.”

Kaufmann says it’s about protecting the Caucuses as the first voting event in the presidential selection process. “I want to keep Iowa front and center and anytime anybody in the RNC or, as far as that goes, in the country thinks of Iowa, I want them to think of a Caucus,” Kaufmann says, “and we’re going to make ’em think about it again in 2020.” Kaufmann suggests cancelling might give ammunition to critics of the Iowa Caucuses. “We’re going to run this caucus as if our state livelihood depended on it,” Kaufmann says.

Kaufmann does not expect next year’s caucuses to be competitive — meaning there’s little chance Republicans challenging President Trump will gain traction here. Three Republicans have said they plan to run against Trump. Two of them — former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld and former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford — made trips to Iowa in August.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on recent arrests. A traffic stop at around 8-p.m. Sunday in Avoca, resulted in the arrest of 25-year old Jacob Dwayne Jens, for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender. At around 2:15-a.m. Sunday, 54-year old Marion James Constant was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop at I-29 and the Old Mormon Bridge, near Crescent.

Late Saturday night, 25-year old Mark Francis Wilsey was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, following a traffic stop in Council Bluffs. At around 2-a.m. Saturday, 31-year old Jordan M. Ely was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop at the Old Mormon Bridge and Pokamoke. Friday night, 55-year old Robert Herman Boeck was arrested in Avoca for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense – causing bodily injury. He was arrested following a call about an incident of alleged Harassment.

Friday evening, 25-year old Kyler Jay O’Brien was arrested for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender, following a traffic stop in Minden. And, early Friday afternoon, a traffic stop in Council Bluffs resulted in the arrest of 62-year old Pamela Lynn Varnell, for OWI/1st offense. None of the offenders mentioned were listed as being in the Pott. County Jail, this (Monday) morning.

A program at the American Legion Memorial building in Atlantic, that had been scheduled to take place last January and February, but was cancelled due to bad weather, it is set for 2-p.m. this Sunday, September 15, at the American Legion Memorial Building.

Enemy soldiers invaded Iowa, legally, during World War II. German, Italian and Japanese prisoners held in 2 major and 30 branch camps worked on farms and in agricultural related businesses. A program, “Working with the Enemy”, will be presented 2-p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15th, at the American Legion Memorial Building, in Atlantic. Chad Timm, Professor at Simpson College, heard stories from his grandmother who told him about Japanese men who worked at Earl May in 1945. Their conversation sparked an interest to find out more.

Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise (ARISE) sponsors the program. Funds have been received from Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit state affiliate of the National Endowment for Humanities. Humanities Iowa offers many cultural and historical programs and grants to Iowa’s communities, There is no fee to attend. Everyone is welcome. The meeting space is handicapped accessible. Refreshments will be offered.

The Military Museum, Military Library and Atlantic History Center will be open for viewing.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Minnesota company plans to break ground Wednesday on a northern Iowa facility for growing tomatoes. The North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation says the $35 million Bushel Boy Farms facility in Mason City will bring about 50 jobs to northern Iowa. The first harvest from the 50-acre operation is expected in December 2020.
Bushel Boy is based on Owatonna, Minnesota.

The Creston Police Department reports four arrests over the past few days. Sunday night, 48-year old Anita Michael, of Des Moines, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on Union County warrants for: Failure to Appear on the original charge of Driving While Suspended; Failure to Appear on the original charge of Simple Assault; and, Failure to Appear on the Original Charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd Offense, OWI 1st. Michael was being held in the Adams County Jail on $5,600 bond.

Also arrested Sunday in Creston, was 44-year old Robin Hoskins, of Afton. Hoskins was arrested for OWI 1st, and later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond. And, 21-year old Gregory Welcher, of Thayer, was arrested on an Adams County Warrant for Failure to Appear. He was released from the Union County Jail on a $2,000 bond. Last Friday, 32-year old Jessica Shadley, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Suspended. She was released from the Union County Jail on a $300 bond.

Creston Police said also, a woman residing in the 600 block of N. Cherry Street reported Friday, that sometime during the early morning hours of Sept. 6th,someone stole her Troy Built self propelled lawn mower from the yard of her residence. The loss was estimated at $500. And, on Sunday, a woman residing in the 600 block of S. Poplar Street in Creston, reported that sometime between 9-pm Saturday and 7-a.m. Sunday, the rear drivers side window of a vehicle parked at her residence was broken out. The damage was estimated at $300.

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

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COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (Sept. 9, 2019) — As the American Red Cross works around the clock supporting those impacted by Hurricane Dorian, providing food, shelter and comfort, individuals outside the affected areas are urged to help by giving blood or platelets to ensure patients in the storm’s path and around the country have access to lifesaving blood. People can also help by making a financial donation to support relief efforts. Hurricane Dorian has forced the closure of blood donation centers and the cancellation of blood drives in its path, causing blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. When blood donations are disrupted in a region of the country, the Red Cross is able to move blood donations where they are needed most.

How to help: Donors of all blood types are urgently needed to ensure a sufficient supply for patients. Type O and B blood donors are especially needed. Make an appointment to donate blood now by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Financial donations are also needed and allow the Red Cross to make a difference in the lives of people impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word DORIAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Financial donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to  and help people recover from this disaster.

Up-to-date information about how the Red Cross is responding to Hurricane Dorian is available at redcross.org.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Sept. 9-30

Adair County:  Orient, 9/17/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Orient-Macksburg High School, 201 School Street

Audubon County: Exira, 9/23/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Exira Recreational Center, 106 N Jefferson

Cass County:  Atlantic, 9/19/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Atlantic YMCA, 1100 Maple Street

Montgomery County:

Red Oak, 9/23/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1101 East Summit;

Villisca, 9/18/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Community Center, 201 S. 3rd Ave

Pottawattamie County:

Council Bluffs – 9/20/2019: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Council Bluffs Public Library, 400 Willow Avenue, 9/24/2019: 7 a.m. – 11 a.m., Rasmussen Mechanical Services, 3100 Nebraska Avenue, 9/29/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Broadway United Methodist, 11 South 1st Street

Neola – 9/25/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Neola Community Center, 110 4th St

Treynor – 9/19/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Community Center, 11 West Main

Shelby County:

Elk Horn, 9/24/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Elk Horn Lutheran Church, 4313 Main Street;

Westphalia – 9/18/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., St. Boniface Parish Center, 305 Duren St.

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.