Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports there were four arrests over the past week. On July 2nd, 26-year old Francisco Javier Bermudez, of Des Moines, was arrested on an Adair County warrant, by an Iowa State Patrol Trooper. Bermudez was wanted for Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense. He plead guilty to the charge and served two days in jail before being released. On July 3rd, 31-year old Michael Anthony Hull, of Winterset, was arrested a little after 2-a.m. in a vehicle outside the Kum and Go store in Adair. Hull, who was not wearing a shirt, was passed out in his vehicle with the door open. When a Deputy approached, Hull jumped up and got out of his car.

The Deputy then noticed a glass meth pipe in plain view on the driver’s seat. During a search of the vehicle, a green leafy substance and white crystalline substance were found, along with a liquid-filled syringe. The first two substances tested positive for marijuana and meth. The syringe also contained meth. Other drug paraphernalia were located inside the vehicle, as well. Hull was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and on two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, 3rd or subsequent offense. He was brought to the Adair County Jail and later released after posting $10,300 bond or the allowable 10-percent bond.

Also arrested July 3rd, was 46-year old Kimberly Ann McCormick, of Des Moines. Adair Police took her into custody on a Polk County warrant for Possession of a controlled substance/1st offense. McCormick was turned over to Polk County Deputies. And, 35-year old Joseph Lee Reynolds, of Stuart, was arrested last Saturday for Driving While License denied or revoked for OWI, after being pulled over for an expired license registration tag.  Reyolds was released at the scene with a citation to appear in court.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors have a lot on their agenda for their meeting 9-a.m. Wednesday, in Greenfield. During their regular session in the Courthouse Courtroom, the Board will hear from County Attorney Clint Hight, with regard to a Special Prosecutor Appointment Resolution. Other scheduled speakers include: Josh and Lisa Rardin, with regard to Wind Farm/County Health and Safety; John Schildberg, who will discuss paving the Greenfield Airport road; Sheriff Jeff Vandewater will talk about a New Deputy Hire, and Dave Homan, Supervisor – will provide an update/discussion with regard to the MATURA Board.

Adair County Auditor Mindy Schaefer will discuss $300,000 General Obligation Bonds Series 2018, and the Board will act on appointing a Pay Agent, along with related matters. County Engineer Nick Kauffman will also present his regular weekly report, among other business.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Four of 14 attorneys who were paid by Iowa to represent low-income defendants have been convicted of overbilling the state following an audit that found excessive billings of nearly $500,000. The Des Moines Register reports that the 10 other attorneys have repaid the government, but weren’t criminally charged.

Kurt Swaim is a former state representative and first assistant public defender for the state. He says most of the cases that weren’t prosecuted involved unintentional bookkeeping errors. Auditors say the attorneys made excessive billings or mileage reimbursement claims during a nearly five-year period that ended in August 2013. Swaim says attorneys so far have been ordered to or voluntarily agreed to repay more than $250,000. He says Iowa is seeking restitution of more than $100,000 in one case and repayment in multiple cases not involving criminal charges.

KEOSAUQUA, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa prosecutor whose behavior was described as “egregious” by the Iowa Supreme Court will resume his duties after the court ordered him reinstated. Abraham Watkins announced Tuesday he intends to resume serving as Van Buren County attorney. The all-male Supreme Court last month found Watkins shouldn’t have been removed as county attorney in January 2017 despite allegations of sexual harassment. In a 4-3 ruling, the court found that Watkins’ conduct wasn’t enough to remove an elected official. Allegations included that he commented on an employee’s breasts, repeatedly appeared in underwear in his home office and displayed nude photos of his wife.

Watkins says he hasn’t decided whether to seek re-election this fall. Former Van Buren County Craig Miller is the only person running so far.

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa recently sent a letter to Department of Defense Principle Deputy Inspector General Glenn A. Fine seeking answers on why the department is wasting $10,000 of taxpayer money on individual toilet seat covers and whether he and his investigation team are looking deeper into this and other possible examples of egregious and wasteful spending. More than a month later, Grassley is still waiting for a reply from Fine and the DoD. In a May 29th interview published by Defense One, Dr. Will Roper, the current Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, confirmed that “the price to buy a new” 3D-printed toilet seat cover used in a C-17 cargo plane “is $10,000.” Though the cost to print one toilet seat cover is $300, the total price tag to taxpayers is $10,000 due to process costs.

“If Dr. Roper’s information is accurate, I would be very discouraged, indeed. It would tell me that we have not made much progress in the war on waste. In fact, it would tell me that we may be losing ground,” Grassley wrote in the letter. “Moreover, the DoD should view this revelation with alarm, because it could be used to cut the defense budget – as it was in the 1980’s. It seems to me that there is no way to justify a $10,000.00 price tag for a toilet seat lid. It’s just not credible. It needs scrutiny.”

This disturbing report comes nearly four decades after a similar report came to light during the Reagan administration, in which the Defense Department spent $640 on a C-5 toilet seat. It is also another example in the ever-growing list of flagrant abuses of taxpayer dollars at the Pentagon. Grassley’s extensive oversight work throughout his career has included a dogged pursuit for answers from the Pentagon over decades of wasteful spending and its inability to produce a clean financial audit. Most recently, he has worked to hold the Defense Department accountable for its excessive and largely unaccounted for spending in Afghanistan, including a $43 million gas station.

The text of the letter can be found here: https://www.grassley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/constituents/10,000%20dollar%20toilet%20seat.pdf

The Glenwood Police Department reports two people were arrested Monday, and two were taken into custody this (Tuesday) morning. 24-year old Patrick Giesting and 20-year old Alex Lauenroth, both of Glenwood, were arrested today (Tuesday), for Disorderly conduct. Their bonds were each set at $300 cash or surety. On Monday, 45-year old Andrew Schoening, of Glenwood was arrested on two counts of Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Bond was set at $4000 cash or surety. And, 31-year old Alexander Slater, of Glenwood was arrested Monday on a Mills County warrant failure to appear on an OWI 2nd charge. Bond set at $5000 cash or surety.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’ll likely use the opportunity of chairing the confirmation hearings for President Trump’s U-S Supreme Court nominee to forward a personal crusade. For years, Grassley has pushed to have videocameras in federal courtrooms and the Republican says he’ll probably quiz Judge Brett Kavanaugh for his opinions on the topic. “They aren’t the most important questions I ask, but I usually bring it up when I get an opportunity to,” Grassley says. “Sometimes, it brings a chuckle about because I’ve been on this kick for so long of a period of time.”

Grassley says he’s tried to make the argument for cameras in the courtroom with several previous nominees who’ve come before his Judiciary Committee. “You kind of get an answer like, ‘Well, what would you expect me to say to you,'” Grassley says, laughing. “I’m not sure whether they give me a candid answer or not.” He maintains allowing cameras in the courtrooms will make the federal judiciary more transparent, accountable and accessible. “It’s something that I’m going to continue to promote,” Grassley says. “I might not be successful at it, but every opportunity, I bring it up and I’ll probably bring it up with Judge Kavanaugh and if I don’t bring it up in our oral discussion, I’ll probably submit a question for answer in writing.”

Last week, Grassley asked the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court to make court proceedings more open by immediately releasing audio from oral arguments. Audio from those arguments is now released at the end of the week.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Downstream residents can breathe a little easier, now that the water level is dropping in the reservoir that protects Des Moines from Des Moines River flooding. Dayne Magneson is assistant operations project manager for Saylorville Lake, and he said Tuesday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake crested overnight less than 4 feet below full, reaching around 89.5 percent of capacity. He says the level was the sixth highest in the lake’s 41-year history. He says the figures are allowing officials to let loose “a minor sigh of relief.” Magneson also says the water will drop slowly on its way to the normal level of 11.5 percent of capacity.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education is expected to act Wednesday, on resignations, and Superintendent suggested Contract and/or Letters of Assignment recommendations. Their meeting takes place 5:30-p.m. in the High School Media Center, during which the Board will act on the resignation of Joe Brummer as Head Freshman Football Coach, and his hiring as Assistant J-V Football Coach. Other hiring recommendations or Letter of Assignment recommendations include: Cole Renken, High School P.E. Teacher; Caroline Madsen, 5th Grade Teacher; Dan Vargason, Head Girls Basketball Coach; Brad Rasmussen, High School Assistant Cross Country Coach, and Jeremy Blake, JV Volleyball Coach. Each of those appointments are subject to Board approval.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board will act on the purchase to two COMBI Ovens from Martin Brothers, in the amount of $33,652. The ovens would be paid for from the Nutrition Equipment Fund, and would be used to replace two ovens that are 45-years old, and can only be used currently, to warm food. The Board will also act on their Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) Priorities, which include: Early literacy; Teacher Leadership and Development; Alternative Licensure; Labor/Employment Laws; School Funding Policy; SAVE (Secure an Advanced Vision of Education), and Sharing and Recognition.

Other action items include: School Insurance Renewal ($91,621 for liability insurance premium through EMC Safety Group – a $10,000 increase from last year); and, firming-up the 2018-19 Board Master Calendar, which consists of a list of actions and discussions that will take place throughout the school year. Other items may be added as the year progresses, as needed.