MURRAY, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man from northern Iowa died in an accident involving a tractor in eastern Nebraska. The accident occurred Tuesday evening, about 3 miles southeast of Murray. The Cass County (NE) Sheriff’s Office says the man became pinned between a tractor tire and a machine he was trying to attach to the tractor. The sheriff’s office says the man already was dead when deputies and medics arrived. He’s been identified as 61-year-old Richard Kruse. He lived in McIntire, Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) — A delegation of Iowa farmers is in Washington D-C for the National Farmers Union Fly-In, underway through tomorrow (Friday). Iowa Farmers Union president Aaron Lehman (LAY-mun) says getting a new Farm Bill through Congress is their first major goal. “We want to see a Farm Bill taken care of here in the dwindling days of the session,” Lehman says. “We need a strong safety net in place. We need some certainty for our farmers. Negotiations are ongoing but we need to see that work pushed through to a good conclusion.”

He says trade disputes on multiple fronts are costing agricultural producers billions. “Our folks are extremely concerned about the trade situation,” Lehman says. “They want to talk to both administration officials and to members of Congress and let them know how dire the situation is an how we need a long-term solution that’s going to bring some real results to the marketplace.” Lehman says they’ll also be talking to our elected leaders about issues like market concentration in the agribusiness industry. “And we’ll also be talking with folks about our concerns as a lot of farmers in Iowa are impacted by pesticide drift,” Lehman says. “We want to be sure that’s going to be handled in the right way as well.”

Lehman says the best lobbyists for rural America are farmers themselves and that’s why this Fly-In is so important.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new survey report says the Iowa farmland average values have dropped 1.7 percent in the past six months. The report from the Iowa Chapter of the Realtors Land Institute says the decline over the past six months left the values at a little over $6,800 an acre. But the report issued Tuesday also says the values climbed 1.2 percent higher over the past 12 months.
Values went up in the past six months only in northeast Iowa, rising 0.7 percent. The report blamed the state decline in part on tariffs that affected crop prices and on rising interest rates.

Police in Creston say a teenager driving a 2007 Dodge Caliber suffered from a possible medical condition that caused her car to hit a parked vehicle Wednesday morning. 16-year old Heylee Marie Shields, of Creston, complained of pain after the collision, and was transported by her parents to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston. The accident that happened as Shields was traveling east on W. Spencer Street at around 8-a.m., Wednesday. Her vehicle hit a legally parked and unoccupied 2004 Ford F-150 pickup.

The vehicles sustained a total of $7,000 damage, with the Dodge totaled in the collision. No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) — The senior legal counsel in Republican Governor Kim Reynolds’ office is telling voters the future roster of the Iowa Supreme Court is at stake in the governor’s race. Sam Langholz cites recent Iowa Supreme Court decisions that legalized same-sex marriage and overturned a mandatory waiting period for abortions — and he suggests the justices Reynolds would pick in the future could steer the court in a more conservative direction.

“Someone who is going to follow the law and not make up the law,” Langholz says. “Someone who is going to apply statues as they’re written.” Langholz made his comments during an appearance before the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale. Langholz predicted the next governor could appoint as many as four new justices to the state’s highest court. If Roe v Wade were to be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, the legal battle over laws that restrict or forbid abortions would be waged in state courts.

Langholz says that’s why he “cannot over-state enough” how important this election is in determining which governor gets to fill openings in the state court system. “The Iowa courts, although they don’t get as much attention as the federal courts, are just as important to our life and to the issues that we all care about,” Langholz said.

Iowa governors make appointments to the court from a slate of candidates they get from the state’s judicial nominating commission. Earlier this year, Reynolds appointed her father to the commission.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a former church treasurer in northwestern Iowa has pleaded guilty to defrauding the church of nearly $500,000 over 13 years. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Northern District of Iowa says 65-year-old Andrew Matheason pleaded guilty Wednesday in Sioux City’s federal court to one count of wire fraud. Matheason faces up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced at a later date.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Donald Trump has declared a major disaster exists in Iowa following severe storms and tornadoes in July. Trump issued the declaration Wednesday, making federal funding available to state and eligible local governments as well as certain private nonprofit groups on a cost-sharing basis. The declaration applies to damage from storms and tornadoes on July 19 in the counties of Lee, Marion, Marshall, and Van Buren.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has heard arguments in a lawsuit filed by a group of landowners who claim construction of the Dakota Access oil pipeline on their property violated the Iowa Constitution. Their land was taken through eminent domain approved by the Iowa Utilities Board, which concluded the pipeline carrying crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois provides a public convenience and necessity, something required under Iowa law to justify taking private land.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Associated Press review has found that Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds received approval from a state regulator to fly for free to Iowa State’s bowl game on a jet owned by a company that is a longtime state vendor. That’s despite a law barring public officials and their relatives from accepting gifts. Reynolds’ office received approval from the state ethics board director to accept the flight for herself and her family as a campaign donation from Sedgwick’s CEO.

The Atlantic Board of Education elected new officers during their meeting Wednesday night, at the High School. During their regular Board session, Josh McLaren was selected as Board President for the 2018-19 School Year. He succeeds Allison Bruckner on the top Board seat. Kristy Pellett was re-elected as Vice President. Sarah Sheeder was re-appointed and sworn-In as Board Secretary/Treasurer.

Atlantic Superintendent Steve Barber went over the 2017-18 Annual Report for the Board. He said the graduation rate was 94.23-percent, versus the State average of 90.98.  The dropout rate was a little bit higher, increasing from seven-to 12-percent, and the post-secondary enrollment went down a little, but 99-percent of the students completed a core program. The ACT results are not yet in. On the Iowa Assessment, with regard to Proficiency in grades three-to 11, the percentages were exceeded in 24 out of 27 date points (nine data points per subject in reading, math and science), when compared to the AEA, and 23 out of 27 when compared to the State. The Iowa Assessments will not be taken next year. The District will instead be taking Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress.

Barber said also, although the official school count is not taken until Oct. 1st, some preliminary numbers show that the Atlantic School District will be serving fewer students. He said “As of [Wednesday], it appears our Certified Count will be down about 12 ½ kids.” The count was 1,352 last year, and as of Wednesday, the number was 1,339. “The difference between our Open Enrollment Out’s to In’s also decreased by 12.” There was a three-student increase in the home school assistance program and dual enrollment, six tuitioned-out, mainly due to foster care placement.

Barber said also, “Since we were unable to secure a [qualified] Industrial Technology teacher, we did have an opportunity to get Mr. [Roger] Warne for a short-term. He is instructing our Drafting and Woods 1 classes.” There is a shortage state-wide in Industrial Tech Teachers, and Barber said they are making a concerted effort to get the District’s information out to college and other interested individuals.

The School Board, Wednesday, approved the first reading of 14 new or revised Policies, including one dealing with service animals, assistance animals, therapy animals and emotional support animals on District Property, by students, staff and community members. That would include service dogs and even miniature horses, so long as the animals are house broken, current on their vaccinations, and under control at all times. It also means those animals will not be allowed if they are deemed to pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others, if they are uncontrollable, and not house broken. Washington Elementary Principal Stacey Hornung said they learned at during a program this summer, that “Under Federal Law, miniature horses and dogs are the only two animals that are truly allowed to be service animals.” But miniature horses are rarely ever seen.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved an Athletic Training Services Agreement with the Cass County Memorial Hospital providing an Athletic Trainer. The cost to the District is $5,000 for the 2018-19 School Year. And, they approved the Oct. 2018 FFA Leadership Conference in Indianapolis, IN., as well as a Summer 2020 Costa Rica Trip for certain Spanish students to enrich their learning opportunities.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a former church treasurer in northwestern Iowa has pleaded guilty to defrauding the church of nearly $500,000 over 13 years. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Northern District of Iowa says 65-year-old Andrew Matheason pleaded guilty Wednesday in Sioux City’s federal court to one count of wire fraud.

As part of the plea, Matheason admitted that from 2003 through 2017, he stole at least $479,298 from the Bethel Lutheran Church in Graettinger. Prosecutors say he wrote checks to himself, paid his credit card balances from church funds and established a fake company to which he wrote checks from the church’s account.

To avoid detection, he created false financial reports that he presented to church leaders. Matheason faces up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced at a later date.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State agricultural officials say an insect that’s killed millions of ash trees has been found in central Iowa’s Grundy County. Officials said in a news release Wednesday that emerald ash borer samples were found in a city-owned tree in Dike. The confirmation brings the state infestation total to 65 counties.

Adult Emerald Ash Borer

People are urged to report any suspected infestation. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says tracking the whereabouts of emerald ash borers across the state helps in formulating treatment recommendations.

Infected trees usually lose leaves at the top of the canopy and the die-off spreads downward. The trees usually die within four years. The bugs are native to Asia and were first reported in the U.S. in Michigan in 2002 and in Iowa in 2010.

EAB larva stage

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds received approval from an ethics regulator to fly with her family to Iowa State’s bowl game free of charge on the jet of a state vendor, despite a law barring public officials and their relatives from accepting gifts, a review by The Associated Press shows.

Reynolds flew to Tennessee to watch the Cyclones play in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 30 on a plane owned by Sedgwick, a Memphis-based company that administers workers’ compensation claims filed by injured state employees. Reynolds’ office received approval from the state ethics board director to accept the flight for herself and three family members as a campaign donation from Sedgwick’s CEO, who says he reimbursed his company for the plane’s use. Her office said “bona fide campaign events” would take place during the brief, half-day trip, records show.

The previously unreported flight and others that the Republican governor has taken on corporate-owned airplanes are coming under scrutiny before the Nov. 6 election, in which Reynolds is seeking a four-year term against Democrat Fred Hubbell. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board will consider complaints next week alleging that board staff has allowed Reynolds and prior governors to improperly disclose the flights in a way that masks the role of the corporation lending the plane.

Board director Megan Tooker advised on Dec. 9 that Reynolds and her family could accept the flight, although Tooker now says she was unaware the airplane was owned by Sedgwick. Tooker also says she doesn’t know what campaign activity Reynolds engaged in during the trip, which would be required for the flight to be considered an allowable campaign contribution instead of an illegal gift to a public official.

Reynolds campaign spokesman Pat Garrett said the trip included “campaign donor meetings” and that the governor paid for game tickets personally. He said the campaign reported the flight as a personal in-kind contribution as required.

Longtime Sedgwick CEO Dave North said he and his wife reimbursed Sedgwick for the fair market value of the flight as determined by the company’s general counsel — costs Reynolds’ campaign reported as $2,880. The Norths live in Bellevue and are among Reynolds’ biggest campaign donors, having given $110,000 since December 2016. He’s also a trustee for the University of Memphis, whose team lost 21-20 to the Cyclones in the bowl game.

Iowa resident Nancy Dugan argues in complaints to the ethics board that there is no proof that all donors have actually repaid their corporations for campaign flights. If they don’t, the flights would be illegal corporate campaign contributions under Iowa law. If they do, Dugan argues that campaigns should have to disclose the corporation as a lender who is repaid.

Sedgwick has administered workers’ compensation claims filed by injured Iowa executive branch employees since 2001. The company received $1.4 million from the state last year for its work, data show, and is among the largest third-party administrators of workers’ compensation benefits nationwide. The company routinely faces allegations from lawyers for injured workers that it is unreasonably delaying or denying benefits.

“Somebody who has that much business in front of the state should not be that close to the governor. I think it’s a conflict of interest,” said personal injury attorney Sara Riley, who called Sedgwick the most despised claims administrator in the industry.
Riley and other workers’ compensation lawyers said Sedgwick also stands to benefit from a 2017 law change backed by Reynolds that reduced benefits for some injured workers.

Sedgwick has also been awarded more than $1 million in funding and tax breaks since 2006 for office projects that added jobs in Coralville, Dubuque and Bellevue, Iowa Economic Development Authority records show. The most recent assistance was approved in 2012 when Reynolds was lieutenant governor.

Colin Smith, a lawyer in the governor’s office, sought guidance from Tooker in a Dec. 8 email on whether Reynolds could accept a flight to the bowl game paid for by an unnamed donor. Tooker responded that Reynolds and her husband could accept the flight in order “to campaign” and agreed that the other family members weren’t covered by ethics laws.

In an invitation to the game, Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen had warned Reynolds: “The Iowa Gift Law stipulates that you must be responsible for all costs associated with the game and bowl events.” That law says officials and their immediate family members cannot accept anything of value from people who have state business, but it doesn’t apply to political donations.

The flight marks the second that Reynolds has taken that raised questions about her relationship with someone involved in state business. After becoming governor in May 2017, she traveled the state on a plane owned by casino magnate Gary Kirke, who was seeking the license to open a Cedar Rapids casino.