WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is describing comments by Republican Rep. Steve King about white supremacy as “abhorrent.” Presidential press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is praising the move by House Republicans to strip the nine-term Iowa lawmaker of his committee assignments. King was quoted last week by The New York Times as saying: “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” Those comments were widely denounced as racist.

The House on Tuesday approved a Democratic measure rebuking King. In addition, a member of the Republican leadership suggested that King leave Congress. At the White House, Sanders says King’s comments were, in her words, “abhorrent.” When President Donald Trump was asked on Monday about King’s remarks, he said: “I haven’t been following it.”

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 26-year old Justyn Carlson, of Villisca, was arrested Tuesday, on a valid warrant for Disorderly Conduct. Carlson was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond.

The Atlantic Police Department reports three arrests. On Monday, 38-year old Sonya Mills, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear in court. Tuesday, 20-year old Ethan Erlacher, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Probation Violation, and, 41-year old Jason Albert, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI and Child Endangerment. All three subjects were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 26-year old Justin Lewis Marsden, of Red Oak, was arrested Tuesday afternoon at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office. Marsden was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation, the bond for which was set at $5,000. And, at around 1:15-a.m. today (Wednesday), 25-year old Erica Rene Bykerk, of Omaha, was arrested following a traffic stop at Oman Ave. & Highway 275. Bykerk was brought to the Mills County Jail on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County, for Failure to Appear in court. Her bond was set at $2,000.

An accident at around 8:15-p.m. Tuesday at 284th St. & Highway 34 in Mills County, resulted in an injury. 26-year old Alex Heard, of Malvern, was transported by Malvern Rescue to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, after the 2000 Plymouth he was driving was struck on the passenger side, by a 2014 Chevy. The accident happened when the Chevy, driven by 42-year old Eric Bach, of Council Bluffs, failed to stop at the posted intersection. Bach was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report two recent arrests. At around 7:50-p.m. Tuesday, 29-year old Marshall Brandon Fischer, of Avoca, was arrested for Driving While Barred. His arrest was the result of a traffic stop in Avoca, for failure to have a front license plate on his pickup truck. And, a traffic stop on a speeding car at around 8:30-a.m. Monday on I-80 in Council Bluffs, resulted in the arrest of real estate agent, 31-year old Lindsey R. Hagan, of Milwaukee, WI. During the traffic stop, a police service dog conducted a “free-air” sniff around the vehicle, and alerted to the odor of  narcotics. A Probable Cause search of the car was conducted, during which 13.5-pounds of marijuana was found. Hagan was subsequently arrested for Possession with the Intent to Deliver – Marijuana.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Officials in an eastern Iowa county have suspended the use of a waste material on gravel roads because of concerns it could be harmful, especially to children. The Muscatine Journal reports that Muscatine County supervisors voted Monday to suspend the use of slag while they wait for further testing on the material. The move comes after an Iowa Public Health Department toxicologist issued a report that said slag, which is a byproduct of steel manufacturing, contains metals at levels that can be harmful.

County Supervisor Nathan Mather says the material hasn’t been used on roads since June. Glenn Hundertmark is the North American environmental manager at Harsco, the industrial company that provides the county with slag. He says there aren’t health or environmental risks tied with the material. Hundertmark requested time to provide additional information.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) has been notified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, known in Iowa as Food Assistance, will be available for the month of February. Due to the federal shutdown, issuance of February Food Assistance benefits will be early. February benefits will be available on recipients’ electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards on January 17, 2019, instead of the regular February dates. These are normal February benefits, they are just being issued early.

The Department encourages recipients to budget their normal benefits to ensure they last through the month of February. The Department anticipates increased call volume, which may impact timeliness of returned calls. Contingency plans are being developed for the month of March, should they be needed and information will be shared as it available. The Department will continue to closely monitor the situation.

On January 11th, 2019 Governor Kim Reynolds appointed Cass County Attorney Michael Hooper as a district court judge in the Fourth Judicial District.  On February 15, 2019 the Cass County Board of Supervisors accepted Michael Hooper’s resignation as Cass County Attorney and further acted on process to fill the vacancy.   On Friday, February 1, 2019 the Cass County of Board of Supervisors will fill the vacancy of the Cass County Attorney by appointment pursuant to Code of Iowa §69.14A(2)(a).  This appointment shall be for the period of time until the next pending election.

The Board of Supervisors has chosen to take applications for the position.  Interested attorneys who are licensed to practice law in Iowa are encouraged to apply.  A person appointed to the office of county attorney shall be a resident of Cass County at the time of appointment. Applications/with resume will be accepted via email at auditor@casscoia.us or, in person at the County Auditor’s Office, Cass County Courthouse, 5 West 7th Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022.  Completed applications are due no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 25, 2019.  Application forms are available on the Cass County website: casscountyiowa.us

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

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(Radio Iowa) — Legalizing sports betting is one issue the Iowa Legislature is expected to take up in this new session, and the state-licensed casinos are preparing to get into the action when they do. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission recently approved an agreement requested by Prairie Meadows in Altoona to create an area for a sports book at the facility. “The plan if for William Hill to operate a sports book on that site if sports wagering is authorized this legislative year,” according to Racing and Gaming administrator Brian Ohorilko. The agreement provides an eight-year lease for 86-hundred square feet of space. He says it’s unknown if sports betting will be approved by lawmakers — but the timing is right for Prairie Meadows to create the sports book space during their remodeling.

“It made sense to put that into the plans while they are starting their remodel,” Ohorilko says. “So that was why — at least our understanding — why this agreement came to be at this time of year,” Ohorilko explained. Ohorilko says all the casinos have been paying close attention to the issue — but there’s been no work done to prepare sports betting areas. “Many of them seem to have an idea or a plan for where they may put a sports book or have their sports gambling operations, ” he says. “Each facility looks a little different in Iowa, and so I’m sure every plan will be a little bit different.”

He says Prairie Meadows appears to be the facility that has done the most to this point. “I think most of the facilities are just keeping an eye be allowed for them to do,” Ohorilko says. The Iowa Gaming Association has been pushing to get lawmakers to legalize sports betting after a U-S Supreme Court ruled it should not be limited to the state of Nevada.