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

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Some of the Democrats considering running for president in 2020 say they plan to ignore personal needling from President Donald Trump. Sen. Corey Booker of New Jersey tells The Associated Press that he doesn’t want to waste his time on negativity when voters want to hear a positive message. Another potential Trump opponent, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, says it’s a tricky challenge to stand your ground but not allow Trump to define the agenda every day.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators say they have arrested a 32-year-old man who may be linked to several sexual assaults near the University of Iowa campus. Carlos Hivento of Cedar Rapids was arrested last week and charged in the November sexual assault of a 19-year-old girl he allegedly met at an Iowa City bar. Investigators are looking into whether he’s connected to several other assault reports.

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.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — A Marion man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a woman whose body was found last week on the side of an eastern Iowa highway. The Muscatine Journal reports 35-year-old Douglas Joseph Foster was charged Tuesday in the Jan. 8 death of 20-year-old Lea Ponce, of Fairfield. Investigators say Ponce was last seen alive just after midnight Jan. 7 getting into a pickup truck Foster was believed to have been driving.

The Atlantic City Council held a short session Wednesday evening at City Hall. During their meeting, the Council paid tribute to three City employees for their ongoing years of service.

Mayor Dave Jones (Left) and Atlantic Police Sgt. Spencer Walton

Atlantic Police Sergeant Spencer Walton was given a plaque for his 10-years of outstanding service, and in keeping the community safe. Youth Services Librarian Julie Tjepkes, who has served the Atlantic Public Library for 32-years, and Adult Services Librarian Diane McFadden, who has served for 30-years, were also honored with awards.

Mayor Jones, Diane McFadden and Julie Tjepkes.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed a Resolution “Approving the Transfer of Funds for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2018-2019.” City Administrator John Lund updated the Council on the budget, which he said should be ready to go out during the Council’s meeting on February 6th.

He said also, the Fire Chief Mark McNees has spoken with township elders about increasing their contribution to the City of Atlantic for fire protection.  He said also there is a buyer interesting in purchasing the Atlantic Senior Center, which is in need of approximately $36,000 in repairs that would eliminate the Senior Center Funds. Lund suggested the Personnel and Finance Committee meet sometime next week with a representative or two from the buyer’s group to discuss what should be done with the building located across the parking lot from City Hall, and then send their recommendation onto the Council. The roof he said is in serious need of repair.

Lund said also, negotiations with the Public Works Union are “In a good place,” as well as with the Police Union. On a related note, Lund mentioned his concern with regard to “The rhetoric coming out of Des Moines, about more ‘property tax reform.'” He said the last time leaders in Des Moines worked on that form of tax reform, it was “Damaging enough,” and he may slow down in the negotiations, especially if they have tentative agreements, to hold onto them until he knows which direction the city is going on. Right now though, both parties seem to be in agreement with a 5-year contract, but that’s dependent on what the legislature does, and Lund does not want to lock the Unions in until there’s a clearer picture on property tax reform.

In his report, Mayor Dave Jones reminded citizens the “See Click Fix” service is seeing a lot of use, but there are numerous complaints that cannot immediately be resolved due to the legal process, while others are being taken care of as soon as possible, but the person who investigates most complaints, Kris Erickson – the Code Enforcement Officer – is part-time, and she does the best she can with the time she has. The Mayor urges citizens to please be patient.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The last of three suspects in the January 2017 killing of a Des Moines man has pleaded guilty to reduced charges of willful injury causing serious injury and robbery. The Des Moines Register reports that 27-year-old Monica Fagan pleaded guilty Wednesday to the charges and faces up to 35 years in prison when she sentenced Feb. 27. She had faced life in prison on a first-degree murder charge in the beating death of 31-year-old Michael Huckleberry.

Fagan admitted Wednesday to helping 26-year-old Sarah Saltz and 51-year-old Ricky Hascall tie-up, rob and beat Huckleberry in his Des Moines apartment. Hascall died in jail last year awaiting trial. Saltz pleaded guilty to robbery and theft for her role and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — A Marion man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a woman whose body was found last week on the side of an eastern Iowa highway. 35-year-old Douglas Joseph Foster was charged Tuesday in the Jan. 8 death of 20-year-old Lea Ponce, of Fairfield. Foster was ordered held Wednesday on $3 million cash-only bond.

Investigators say Ponce was last seen alive just after midnight Jan. 7 getting into a pickup truck Foster was believed to have been driving. Her body was found along Highway 38 less than an hour later. An autopsy report says she died of blunt force trauma and that her injuries were consistent with having been hit and dragged by a vehicle.

Foster’s preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 25.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators say they have arrested a 32-year-old Iowa man who is believed to be linked to several sexual assaults near the University of Iowa campus. Carlos Hivento of Cedar Rapids was arrested last week and charged in the November sexual assault of a 19-year-old girl he allegedly met at an Iowa City bar. He’s being jailed pending trial.

Court records show that investigators have uncovered evidence that also links him to a 2017 sexual assault of another woman at a different Iowa City bar. And they are looking into whether he’s connected to at least three other reported assaults, including one days before his arrest.

Police say an examination of one of Hivento’s phones uncovered 1,475 videos of him having sex, using drugs or doing both since September. They’ve seized several other electronic devices.

The University of Iowa Police Department is asking anyone with information to come forward.

Clarinda Police have charged a local man in connection with an armed robbery that took  place Monday afternoon. Police Chief Keith Brothers reports 27-year old Aaron Gar Nelson, of Clarinda, is charged with robbery in the first degree, felony assault, false imprisonment and theft in the fourth degree.

The charges stem from an investigation into a complaint filed by the 25-year old victim, who alleges Nelson forced him at knife point  to withdraw cash from a drive-up ATM located at an area Clarinda Bank. The victim was not injured during the robbery.

Nelson was being held in the Page County Jail on a $32,000 bond. The Clarinda Police Department was assisted in its investigation by the Page County Sheriff’s Department.