Former Iowa Assistant Attorney General Rob Sand will hold a meet and greet event in Harlan on Tuesday, August 7th. His campaign says the visit is part of Sand’s commitment to making the Iowa Auditor work for all Iowans. The 35-year old Sand is visiting all 99 Iowa Counties before the General Election. The Harlan “Meet and Greet” takes place at Milk and Honey (1107 7^th St.), from 10:30-until 11:30-a.m., Tuesday.

Rob Sand

Campaign officials say “For the past decade, Rob has been the chief public corruption and financial crimes prosecutor in the Iowa Attorney General’s office. Most recently, Rob led the nationwide lottery-fixing investigation that uncovered seven fixed lottery tickets across five states with total face values of nearly $25 million. He also led the prosecution to a resolution between six states and two defendants. All told, three criminals entered guilty pleas to six different counts and agreed to repay every dollar they stole. The lead defendant is now in prison for up to 25 years; the others served time or have a permanent felony conviction.”

Rob Sand was born and raised in Decorah. He’s a graduate of Brown University and the University of Iowa Law School. Rob and his wife, also a small-town Iowa native, have two young sons.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Barack Obama is making good on his promise to use his political cache in the 2018 midterm elections. He’s endorsing 81 Democrats up and down the ballot in 13 states around the country, with an emphasis on younger, diverse candidates. In a statement, Obama says he’s publicly supporting candidates for governor and the U.S. Senate but also for state legislatures. They include better-known names as well as rising figures.

He’s endorsing Democratic nominee for California governor Gavin Newsom, as well as Deirdre DeJear, Iowa’s Democratic candidate for secretary of state and its first African-American nominee for statewide office. Obama’s moves follow former first lady Michelle Obama’s commitment to help lead When We All Vote, a non-partisan, not-for-profit group working to help register new voters.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A newly unsealed memo shows the Iowa Lottery kept marketing four popular games despite an August 2015 warning from its security chief that their integrity was compromised.
Steve Bogle, its vice president of security, recommended that the lottery immediately suspend sales of Hot Lotto, Pick 3, Pick 4 and All or Nothing. He told CEO Terry Rich, “we cannot allow the citizens of Iowa to continue playing these games.” Bogle’s recommendation followed an independent audit of the Multi-State Lottery Association, which ran the games using random number generators.

The audit remains secret. But Bogle’s memo says it identified a lack of security protocols and oversight that undermined their integrity. A lottery spokeswoman says Rich rejected Bogle’s recommendation after speaking with the audit’s author, who said there were potential vulnerabilities but no evidence of ongoing manipulation. The memo became public after a judge granted The Des Moines Register’s request for its release in an ongoing lawsuit.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman has released a list of non-partisan offices that will appear on the Nov. 6th General Election ballot. They include: District 2 Supervisor, District 3 Supervisor, Treasurer, Recorder and County Attorney.Non-partisan positions to appear on the ballot include:

• Cass County Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners (2 positions, 6-year terms) – 25 signatures required for nomination
• Cass County Agricultural Extension Council (5 positions, 4-year terms) – 25 signatures required for nomination
• Township Clerk and Trustees (1 full-term clerk and 2 full-term trustees in each of the Edna and Union Townships) – No nomination papers: Affidavit only needed
• Cass County Hospital Trustee (2 full-term positions, 1 for the Northwest District and 1 for the Northeast District) – No nomination papers: Affidavit only needed

To be eligible for the position in the Northwest District, a person must reside in the townships of Brighton, Pymosa, Washington or Grove (Including the cities of Marne and Atlantic). For the Northeast District, you must live in the Grant, Benton, Franklin or Lincoln Township, including the cities of Anita and Wiota. Only Edna and Union Townships fill positions by election. The other 14 township officers in Cass County are appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

Monday, August 6th is the first day for non-party organizations and candidates nominated by petition to file nomination papers for county or township offices. Those papers must be filed with the Cass County Auditor’s Office by Wednesday, August 29th. Nomination papers may be circulated now. Nomination petitions and other election forms are available at the office of the County Auditor and from the Iowa Secretary of State at sos.iowa.gov.

Incumbents are as follows:

• Cass County Hospital Trustee NW District: Roger Herring; NE District: Julie Pollock.
• Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioner: Frederick W. Kay, and Greg Zellmer.
• County Ag and Extension Council: Chad Becker; Brady Pellett; Krisit Plagman; Todd Weppler and Gage Zellmer.
• Edna Township: Clerk – Travis Erickson; Trustees – Patrick Erickson and Kevin Stender.
• Union Township: Clerk – Cheryl R. Christensen; Trustees – Richard Hoffman and Daryl Schrier.

Iowa District 11 Republican Senator Tom Shipley, of Nodaway, was in Atlantic earlier this week, attending the Cass County Fair. Shipley, who has served in the Iowa Senate since 2015 and is seeking re-election in November, said he’s been keeping busy while the legislature is in recess. That included two meetings Monday on some current issues. Shipley said with regard to the Trump administration’s imposed Trade Tariffs, people he’s spoken with, are not “cautiously optimistic,” nor are they “pessimistic.”

Sen. Tom Shipley

“They’re just cautious on how this is all going to play out. I don’t know if the tariffs are really going to do any of us much good, but maybe in the long term [things will improve]. I think that’s what the President’s thought is. Too often Americans think in terms of short-term benefits. I think there’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes that people don’t even know about, and you can’t negotiate out in public. I suspect – I’ve been told – that we’re very close to getting a new NAFTA accord done, which will be key.” Shipley acknowledged that grain prices weren’t very good to start with, and this (the tariffs) “Certainly haven’t helped them….it’s just a matter of ‘we shall see.” He said also his brother Bill, who is President of the Iowa Soybean Association, was in Europe this week, working on those markets across the pond.

When the legislature reconvenes in January, one of the issues he hopes they will address is the school SAVE (Secure an Advanced Vision for Education) fund. Otherwise, he said, they’re just waiting to see how the election turns out before they can take action on some previous matters that the legislature didn’t have time to address. Shipley says they still need to work on the Opiod crisis and water quality issues. He also hopes they’ll address one of his pet projects: Industrial Hemp.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A former Davenport school built in the early 1900s is being renovated and turned into 18 senior living apartments. The Quad-City Times reports that three new senior living apartments have already been leased, even though the apartments won’t be move-in ready until October at the earliest. The $7.6 million renovation project began in November with emergency stabilization measures and has continued at an aggressive pace. The building will offer amenities, such as a croquet lawn, horseshoes pit, greenhouse and fire pit.

Developer Chris Ales plans to brand the building as the Naval Station, a nod to the building’s use by the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1978. Alderwoman Marion Meginnis of the 3rd Ward says she hopes the redevelopment will spur other improvements to the neighborhood.

(Radio Iowa) — Highway 20 east of Correctionville was closed for a time Tuesday afternoon following a fatal accident involving two trucks that left spilled debris across the roadway. Major Todd Wieck of the Woodbury County Sheriff’s office says the accident happened around two p-m. “It involved a semi tractor trailer with some sort of a tanker on it because it had possible hazardous chemicals on it. And it was traveling westbound — the pickup truck was traveling eastbound,” Wieck says.

He says the two trucks ran into each other. “They collided in the roadway, how that happened, they are not sure. They are still doing that part of the investigation,” Wieck says.  The driver of the pickup died in the accident, while the semi driver was taken to the hospital in Sioux City. Their names have not yet been released. Traffic was detoured around the area while the debris was cleaned off the roadway.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a deputy conducting a traffic stop on a 2006 Audi at around 2-a.m. today (Wednesday), observed drug paraphernalia in plain view. The vehicle was pulled over for having no registration plates. Two people were taken into custody. 45-year old Michael Dean Stillian, of Atlantic, and 40-year old Paula Jean Burnison, of Avoca, were arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and unlawful possession of a prescription drug. Stillian was also charged with OWI/1st offense. Authorities recovered one glass and two metal smoking pipes (1 meth, 1 marijuana), along with 3.9 grams of a green leafy substance in a bag, and a stamp bag containing various broken medications. Their bonds were set at $1,000.

An Oakland woman, 65-year old Brenda Faye Bornn, was arrested Tuesday afternoon, on a Pott. County warrant for Probation Violation. Bornn was booked into the Pott. County Jail and held on a $2,000 bond. A Council Bluffs man already being held in the Pott. County Jail on Theft and Possession charges, was served with a Douglas County, NE., warrant, Tuesday, for being a Fugitive from Justice. 29-year old Brent Lee William Foote was read the warrant and then returned to his cell.

(Radio Iowa) — A viral video craze perhaps even more foolish than the Tide Pod Challenge is emerging which is making traffic safety experts cringe. It’s called the Shiggy Challenge. People tape themselves hopping out of cars — while the vehicles are still moving — to dance beside the rolling car to a song by rapper Drake. Nick Jarmusz, spokesman for Triple-A Iowa, was stunned to see the videos online. “This is one of those things where I can’t believe that we would have to tell people that this is dangerous,” Jarmusz says, “but at the same time, it’s also not completely surprising. We know that people regularly engage in all sorts of dangerous behavior behind the wheel.”

The videos feature both passengers and drivers jumping out the vehicle to dance, sometimes even splaying themselves across the hood, as the car careens down the road. “You’re kind of torn between not wanting to give it more attention and put ideas in people’s heads if they haven’t already heard about this, but I think it is still important to stress just how dangerous this is,” Jarmusz says. “Anytime you’re talking about a moving vehicle, there is the potential for not just serious injury but death.”

One collection of Shiggy Challenge videos is entirely made up of people falling, getting caught on the open door are even slamming themselves into utility poles, as they’re more interested in mugging for the camera than paying attention to their surroundings. “Certainly, if you’re the driver and you’re doing something like this, that’s unquestionably dangerous,” Jarmusz says. “Even if you’re the driver and you’re the one taking the video of your passenger getting out and doing this, that’s a dangerous distraction. You shouldn’t be using your phone for any purpose behind the wheel. You should be focused on the road and focused on the task of driving.”

The craze is clearly leading to people injuring themselves but Jarmusz says it’s likely only a matter of time before someone is killed. “When it comes to the passengers who are jumping out, you’re basically transitioning from being a passenger to a pedestrian and being a pedestrian is inherently dangerous,” Jarmusz says. “You’re putting yourself into a very risky situation by exiting the vehicle while it’s moving, especially right out into an active roadway.”

Police departments in some communities are posting warnings about the challenge, though there are no reports of any serious incidents in Iowa — yet.