Cass County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle reports Democrat Presidential candidate John Delaney will be speaking to the monthly meeting of the Cass County Democrats on August 20th at 7-p.m. The meeting will be held in the Cass County Court House Basement Meeting Room. The public is invited to attend.

Delaney is an attorney and businessman who is from Maryland where he served from 2013 to 2019 in the US House of Representatives.

John Delaney

ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a northwest Iowa sheriff’s deputy has died following a crash in her patrol vehicle. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Department says Deputy Stephanie Schreurs died Tuesday afternoon.

Deputy Stephanie Schreurs

She was injured Friday morning when her sport utility vehicle ran off a road while entering a sharp curve. The SUV ran into a ditch, vaulted over a private driveway and rolled, coming to rest on the driver’s side. She was flown to a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, hospital.

The Iowa State Patrol is investigating the crash. Officials say Schreurs was a 24-year-old veteran of the department.

(Radio Iowa) — Legal sports betting in Iowa will begin for the first time Thursday at noon. One of the concerns is keeping people under the age of 21 from betting. Iowa Racing and Gaming Administrator, Brian Ohorilko, says that’s one of the things the casinos will be charged with handling. “Part of the controls in place requires the operator to have ‘know your customer’ controls,” Ohorilko says.

Most casinos are partnering with wagering companies that have experience in the sports gambling business. You have to come into a casino and sign up for an account, and Ohorilko says that’s where the various measures will be used to check your age. “They vary depending on the advanced deposit sports wagering operator,” Ohorilko says. “But most of the operators are using some sort of credit verification. They’ll use government data bases, private companies that have access to multiple information sites that they can identify someone’s age.”

He says it is possible they may have to take it a step further. “If those ages are not easily identified through online sources — then those customers may be asked to provide additional information — or send in copies of their identification or proof of residency. So, it’s really a tiered approach to identify individuals to ensure that they are 21,” according to Ohorilko.

The casinos will offer in house wagering — but the majority of the sports bets are expected to be placed through their online apps. Ohorilko says that’s one area where minors might try to sneak through. “What will be difficult will be if you have a willing adult that has an account and they give that account information to someone who is under 21. That is something that cannot be easily detected,” Ohorilko says.

Eighteen of the 19 state-licensed casinos have been approved for sports gambling licenses.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — The homeless man who pleaded guilty to killing a former Iowa State golfer has told a judge that he’s sorry for his crime. A handwritten letter from 22-year-old Collin Richards says he wanted to show remorse “for stripping a life from society … worse from a loving family.” The letter was filed Tuesday into court records.

Richards is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 23 to life in prison. Police say he killed 22-year-old Celia Barquín Arozamena, stabbing her last September while she was playing on a course near the campus in Ames, leaving her body in a pond. Richards had been staying at a homeless encampment in nearby woods.

Barquín Arozamena was a top golfer in Spain as a teenager and came to Iowa State to pursue her career.

(Radio Iowa) — The only restaurant in Hamburg affected by repeated flooding this past Spring, is preparing to reopen after several months of being closed. The Blue Moon Bar and Grill in Hamburg has been closed since mid-March because of high water. One of the owners, Vicki Sjulin, says she and her husband are dedicated to bringing the restaurant back. She says it’s the kind of place farmers love.

“They come in at noon. We pretty much know where they’re going to sit, what they’re going to drink and for the most part, what they’re going to order,” Sjulin says. “It’s just a staple. It’s a community social place. They all meet, talk about the crops.”

The Blue Moon’s two buildings were inundated with at least three feet of water last spring and it’s been closed five months. Sjulin says, “Not only have we lost everything, we’re reinvesting part of our retirement money that we still have back into the business to try to get it open again.”

Sjulin bought booths and chairs from a closed Perkins restaurant. She’s installed a new kitchen and is waiting for an electrician to wire it. She’s getting one of the two buildings ready for a couple of inspections and hopes to reopen it for business the day after Labor Day.

(Thanks to Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

COLLINS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in central Iowa say crews have stopped a leak that sent plumes of dangerous anhydrous ammonia into an area around Collins. Hazardous materials crews were called around 11 a.m. Tuesday to Landus Cooperative, where a 30,000-gallon tank of anhydrous ammonia leaked. A news release by the sheriff’s office says the leak was contained around 1:30 p.m., and the evacuation order lifted. No injuries were reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines lawyer working for Iowa Workforce Development as an administrative law judge has been named the new director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday she appointed Elizabeth Johnson of Altoona to head the commission responsible for enforcing state civil rights laws designed to prohibit discrimination in employment, public accommodations and education.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says rural Americans embrace immigration when they see it as the solution to their employment needs and a shrinking population. The South Bend, Indiana, mayor discussed his rural economic policy proposal with reporters Tuesday at the Iowa State Fair. Buttigieg says if residents are part of the decision to invite immigrants to their communities, it would change the way they look at things.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A legislative panel has delayed a portion of the new sports gambling rules that would allow the state to collect some the winnings of those who owe child support, back taxes or criminal debt. The Iowa Administrative Rules Review Committee on Monday approved a request by the state’s casinos to delay that portion of the rules to allow lawmakers next year to clarify how they want debts collected against sports gambling winnings.

Members of the City of Atlantic’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Tuesday evening, tabled action until next week on approving a site plan for Scooter’s Coffee, over concerns about traffic congestion in the area between Oinkers and McDonalds.

Aerial view

Site plan

Scooters Construction Manager Dan Forslund provided details about the company’s desire to erect a drive-thru coffee shop on green space currently located south of the Verizon building at 1500 E. 7th Street.

Commissioner Vicki Brown and others were worried about traffic congestion at the Y turn located just east of McDonalds. Forslund said he would talk with the Iowa Department of Transportation to try and make the turn onto 7th Street both east and westbound, instead of just westbound, as is currently the case, in hopes that, if approved, that would alleviate some of the traffic congestion.

If the DOT gives its blessing, Forslund will come back to the P&Z next week with revised plans for the property. If the business gets the go-ahead from all parties, Scooters would be open from 6-a.m. to 7-p.m., serving a variety of coffee products and breakfast. Forslund said they need to make $1,200 a day to be profitable, and he said their normal heaviest traffic flow is 8-a.m. to 9-a.m., except on Sunday’s.

Police in Red Oak, Tuesday afternoon, arrested 40-year old Tyler Geoffrey Jennings, of Red Oak. He was taken into custody on a Red Oak P-D warrant for Domestic Assault/2nd offense and was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa’s gasoline prices continue to be among the lowest in the country, according to Mark Peterson with Triple-A Iowa. “Today, the average price per gallon in Iowa is at $2.45 and the national average is $2.65,” Peterson says. “What’s interesting is if we compare that to last year at the same time, in Iowa, a gallon would cost you $2.73.”

While there’s still more than a month of summer left, the summertime driving season is coming to an end with the start of school. Still, Peterson says there’s an unusual trend starting to emerge in gasoline sales.

“Demand just started picking up in the last few days, over the weekend,” Peterson says. “Maybe some people are just trying to get that vacation in toward the end of the year, but we’re starting to see a bit of a change in demand but the prices are still staying down, which kind of surprises us.”

Based on the boost in demand, simple economics dictates we should soon see a corresponding boost in prices. “There’s still a lot of things out there that have an impact that we have no control over,” Peterson says. “Some unresolved tensions in the Middle East have contributed to some of the prices and that situation could change very quickly. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate that affecting gas prices across the state.”

The daily Triple-A survey finds the cheapest gas in Iowa is being sold in Sioux City at $2.35 a gallon while the most expensive gas is in Dubuque at $2.62.

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds says she wants to arrange a meeting with county officials who’re considering a local ordinance prohibiting wind turbines within a mile and a half of a residence. Madison County Public Health officials say soundwaves from the turbines and the sun reflecting off the huge blades cause headaches and nausea. Reynolds told reporters she wants to review the data.

“I’ve sat down with both sides of the equation, so I’ve met with people that have some concerns,” Reynolds said, “and we will continue to do that and make sure that we’re mindful as we move forward.”

Reynolds signed a proclamation recognizing the wind energy industry on Monday, declaring this “wind week” in Iowa. Today (Tuesday), Reynolds told reporters she’s unaware of research showing wind turbines cause health problems. “Listen, I support the industry. I’ve said that, you know, until I show some data to show us otherwise,” Reynolds said.

According to the Iowa Environmental Council, there have been no scientific studies linking wind turbines to public health concerns. Reynolds says she’s not an expert in this area, but plans to gather “stakeholders” to discuss this Madison County ordinance.

“I don’t have all the facts in front of me, so if they want to sit down with me and talk to me about some of the information they’ve been gathering, I’ll meet with them. I have before. We’ll continue to bring stakeholders together at the table and try to address any concerns that they may have, listen to what they are, listen to what they are, take a look at some of the data, I’m sure they do, to present to us, we’ll take a look at that.”

This spring, President Trump said “wind mills” cause cancer. Senator Chuck Grassley called the comment “idiotic.” At the time, Reynolds said it wasn’t her place to say whether wind turbines caused cancer. The governor emphasized her support for the industry and said this issue may be like scientific studies about coffee showing one year it’s good for you and the next it causes cancer.