(Radio Iowa) — U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue is in Iowa, holding events with Republican office-holders and assuring the state’s farm community that international trade disputes “will work out fine.” “I’m really proud of our agricultural community,” Perdue says. “They’ve stood with the president. It’s been painful. They’ve seen the prices drop on hogs and soybeans and other crops, but they understood he’s doing it for the right reason. China has cheated and farmers don’t like cheating.”

Perdue visited the Farm Progress Show in Boone yesterday (Wednesday), then headed to a farm near Melbourne for a town hall meeting with Republican Congressman Rod Blum and a few dozen Iowa farmers. “Secretary Perdue understands what you’re saying,” Blum said. “He knows that we’re nervous out here about trade and tariffs, right? And he understands ethanol. He understands that we need E15.” Perdue told the crowd the president is an ethanol backer and the ag secretary indicated there is “momentum” for trade deals with Mexico, Canada and Japan. “The president has gotten the leverage. He’s gotten their attention and, like a lot of people here in the United States, they’re not quite sure what he’s going to do next,” Perdue said, “so to some degree we’re using that leverage in negotiation to get that done and then I’m hoping we can move on with the EU and then I think China will finally recognize that they need to come along in that way.”

Perdue acknowledged farmers are uneasy, but likened the trade situation to a weight loss program that’s “kind of painful when you’re going through it, but at the end you’re healthier.” Representatives of pork producers and dairy farmers raised concerns about how the U-S-D-A has calculated the federal payments meant to off-set losses due to the trade war. Perdue says his agency calculated “tariff damage” in a way that could be defended if the payments are challenged to the World Trade Organization. “Everybody would want more. I understand that, but the program’s pretty well set,” Perdue said.

Perdue later told reporters he is optimistic the trade impasse with Canada can be resolved yet this week, so a re-negotiated trade deal with Mexico AND Canada can be presented to congress soon. This (Thursday) morning, the U-S ag secrerary will join Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and Republican Mike Naig — the STATE ag secretary — for an event with farmers at an Ames co-op, then Perdue will travel to rural Panora to tour conservation sites with Republican Congressman David Young. He’ll also be in Atlantic from 2:45-to 3:45-p.m. along with David Young.

Officials with the CAM School District announced Wednesday night, that CAM High School students do not have school today (Thursday, August 30), due to a water main break. Certified staff can report to any building (High School will have the wellness center facility available), and shared teachers need to report to their other buildings as scheduled. Coaches will contact their players for instructions on practice.

One person was injured during a pursuit and crash late Wednesday evening, in Harrison County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 1995 Ford Crown Victoria driven by 27-year old Demi Lynn Jahn, of Omaha, was traveling northbound just south of Missouri Valley at around 7:50-p.m., when she failed to stop for a State Trooper.

Her vehicle left the interstate and was pursued by the Trooper. Both vehicles went through Missouri Valley, where Jahn lost control, causing her car to roll on Loomis Avenue, north of 290th.

Jahn was taken into custody. Her passenger, 22-year old Kay Lou-Marie Dilley, of Pisgah, was not wearing a seat belt. She was flown by Life Net helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha, where she was listed in critical condition at last report. The accident and incident remain under investigation.

Police in Council Bluffs were dispatched at around 8:15-p.m. Wednesday, to 523 N. 36th Street, for a report of an armed subject who had made threats towards a female.
An investigation revealed that 39-year old Darryl Stickney had allegedly assaulted two female victims in the presence of a child. Stickney allegedly made threats to “shoot them” if the police arrived.

Police made contact with Stickney, who refused to come to the door and meet with officers. He was the lone occupant of the house. The Emergency Services Team along with Crisis Negotiator responded to the scene. After nearly three hours of negotiations, Stickney surrendered to the Emergency Services Team.

During the incident, less than lethal bean bag rounds and gas grenades were deployed. Stickney suuffered minor injuries, but refused treatment at the scene. No officers or bystanders were injured. Stickney was booked into Pottawattamie County Corrections on 2 counts of Domestic Abuse – Aggravated Assault, Child Endangerment, and Disobedience to a Peace Officer.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

LA PORTE CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northeastern Iowa have confirmed that human remains found in a creek earlier this month are those of an autistic teen who vanished from his small Iowa hometown in April. La Porte City Police Chief Chris Brecher said Wednesday afternoon in a news conference that the remains are those of Jake Wilson, who was last seen April 7 when he went for a walk blocks from his home along Wolf Creek.

LUVERNE, Iowa (AP) — A 60-year-old man has been accused of killing a man who died at a northern Iowa home. The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Wednesday that Jeffrey Winters, of Livermore, is charged with first-degree murder. Court records don’t list an attorney for him. He’s suspected of killing 54-year-old Randy Page, whose body was found by deputies Monday evening on the floor of his garage.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The new secretary of veterans affairs has pledged to the American Legion that he won’t privatize his agency’s health care services even as it increases options for veterans to seek care in the private sector. Robert Wilkie, who was sworn in last month, also pledged better customer service in response to long waits for appointments at VA medical centers across the country. He spoke at the American Legion’s 100th annual convention in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa banker has pleaded guilty to hampering a bank examination. Prosecutors say 38-year-old Martin Smith entered the plea Monday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. Prosecutors say Smith admitted backdating a refinancing loan to obstruct an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Smith was a vice president at Center Point Bank & Trust.

The Montgomery County Auditor’s Office, Wednesday, released the final list of candidates whose names will appear on the General Election ballot on November 6th.

(Rep.= Republican; If non-partisan race, no party affiliation is listed; TFV=To Fill Vacancy)   The office they are running for and the candidates names are as follows:

Supervisor/District 1 (elect 1) – Rep. Rudy Kinard

Supervisor/District 2 (elect 1) – Rep. Mike Olson

Supervisor/District 4 (elect 1) – Rep. Mark L. Peterson

Montgomery County: Treasurer (1) – Rep. Tera Hughes; Recorder (1) – Rep. Carleen Bruning; Attorney (1) – Rep. Drew B. Swanson.

Hospital Trustee (2) – Jill C. Bergstrom; Kevin Cabbage; Michelle Pruss.

County Ag. Extension Council (5) – Susan Bergren; Scott Bruce; Lori DeKay; Shelly Erickson-Graham; None-filed.

County Ag. Ext. Council (TFV for 2-year term) (1) – None filed.

Soil & Water Conservation Board (2) – Kirk Baird; Roger Cerven.

Soil & Water Conservation Board (TFV for two-year term) (1) – Kent Swanson

Township Clerks:

Lincoln Twnshp – Connie Mellott; Garfield Twnshp – Ron Gerlt; West Twnshp – Joseph M. Jardon; Sherman Twnshp – Jo A. Good; Red Oak Twnshp – Gordon Arnold; Grant Twnshp – None Filed; Pilot Grove Twnshp – Vivian K. Rasmussen; Frankfort Twnshp – Greta L. McCarthy; Washington Twnshp – None filed.

The Douglas, Scott and East Township Clerk positions will be filled by the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors.

The deadline for filing nomination papers for the Nov. 6th General Election in Cass County has passed. Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman provided the final list of candidates who submitted their papers for County Offices, Boards and Commissions. The following names will appear on the ballot:

(*= incumbent, Rep.= Republican candidate, NBP=Nominated by Petition, NP=Non-Partisan race)

Edna Township Clerk (elect 1) – Travis Erickson*

Edna Township Trustee (elect 2) – Kevin A. Stender* & Patrick Erickson*

Union Township Clerk (1) – Cheryl Christensen*

Union Township Trustee (2) – Daryl Schrier* & Richard Hoffman*

Ag Extension Council (elect 5) – Kristi Plagman*; Chad Becker*; Jeb Peck; Todd Weppler*; David York; & Bradley J. Pellett.

County Attorney (1) – Michael D. Hooper (Rep).; County Recorder (1) – Mary Ward (Rep); County Treasurer (1) – Tracey J. Marshall (Rep)

Hospital Board/NE District (1) – Julie Pollock* NP

Hospital Board/NW District (1) – Roger Herring* NP

Soil & Water Conservation Board (2) – Greg Zellmer* & John J. Hansen

Board of Supervisors/District 2 (1) – Mark T. O’Brien (Rep) & Pat McCurdy (NBP)

Board of Supervisors/District 3 (1) – John Hartkopf (Rep) & Dana Halder (NBP)

LA PORTE CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northeastern Iowa have confirmed the human remains found in a creek earlier this month are those of an autistic teen who vanished from his small hometown in April.

Jake Wilson

La Porte City Police Chief Chris Brecher said Wednesday afternoon that the remains are those of Jake Wilson, who was last seen April 7 when he went for a walk blocks from his home along Wolf Creek.

Brecher says Wilson’s cause of death has not been determined. The remains were discovered Aug. 14 in the creek by kayakers. Wilson’s disappearance led to a massive search involving the FBI, state and local police officers, and hundreds of volunteers in the town of about 2,300.

Wilson’s family said he didn’t have his glasses when he went for the walk. Wilson was 16, but his family has said that he had the mental capacity of a 9-year-old boy.

Authorities in Pottawattamie County (Wednesday) were investigating a crime scene associated with a stabbing incident that happened in Walnut, Wednesday afternoon. Pott. County Sheriff Jeff Danker told KJAN News a male subject walked into the Econolodge in Walnut at around 2-p.m., saying he had been stabbed at a nearby car wash. He gave authorities a description of the vehicle the alleged assailant was in, as a Honda Insight. That vehicle was stopped a short time later at the weigh station near mile marker 44 on Interstate 80.

Danker says two people were taken into custody, one is a suspect in the stabbing, the other for having possession of illegal items. It’s not clear what those items were. The victim suffered stab wounds to his back and chest. He was transported by Walnut Rescue along Highway 83, where they tiered with Medivac Ambulance from Atlantic.

The victim was brought to the Cass County Memorial Hospital and later transported by LifeNet to an undisclosed trauma center. Additional information is not available, in-part because there was a language barrier between the subjects and authorities. No names have been released.

Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division have charged a woman from northwest Iowa with felony Fraudulent Submission and felony Theft in the 2nd Degree.

Ashley Oakley

27-year old Ashley Ann Oakley, of Sioux City was charged following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.

The charges stem from an investigation that began in April of 2018.  It is alleged that Oakley provided false information to her insurance carrier in support of an insurance claim. On July 23rd, 2018, a State of Iowa warrant was issued for the arrest of Oakley. On August 27, 2018, Oakley was arrested by the Sioux City Police Department and booked into the Woodbury County Jail.

Officials say no additional information will be provided at this time.  Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-242-5304.