Vice President Mike Pence headlined a rally in Council Bluffs on Tuesday to tout the tax cuts President Trump signed into law late last year. “President Trump promised over the course of the campaign that we’d cut taxes across the board for working families and job creators large and small,” Pence said. “And just over two months ago President Donald Trump signed the largest tax cuts and tax reform in American history and our economy has taken off every day since.”

Pence took the stage by saying, “Hello Iowa!” quickly followed by a “Hello Nebraska!” Pence told the crowd businesses now have “unprecedented opportunities” to pass tax savings onto their employees. “We believe workers in Iowa and Nebraska can expect to see pay raises,” Pence said. “…We’re already on the way.” About 500 people attended the event organized by America First Policies. The group was formed to tout the president’s accomplishments and has scheduled a series of rallies around the country focused on tax policy. Pence, however, addressed other pressing issues of the day, including news that North Korea is willing to talk about ending its tests of nuclear weapons. “We’ll continue to apply maximum pressure to the Kim regime until we see North Korea take credible and concrete steps towards denuclearization,” Pence said. “We will remain firm in our resolve and we will continue to stand strong until North Korea abandons their nuclear program once and for all.”

Pence also addressed the president’s proposed trade tariffs on steel and aluminum exports. The vice president described it as a “crackdown” on unfair trade practices. “Now, the president said earlier today the United States has been taken advantage of for too long by too many countries when it comes to trade,” Pence said. “…Whether it be in renegotiating NAFTA or protecting our steel and aluminum industries, President Trump is always going to put American workers, American companies and American farmers first.”

About a dozen Democrats staged a protest outside the venue. They accused the vice president of “spreading a misleading message” about what the Democrats called the “G-O-P tax scam.”

(Radio Iowa)

An incident in Stuart late Tuesday night ended with no injuries being reported. Stuart Police said on their social media page, that “Officers with the Stuart Police Dept., Adair, Dallas and Guthrie Co. Sheriff’s Office and Iowa State Patrol responded to a report of a suicidal person barricaded in a hotel room in the 1200 block of S. Division St. The subject, who had claimed he was armed with a handgun had made threats that he was going to harm himself and Officers. After approximately 2 hours of negotiating, the subject came out of the room peacefully without incident. The adult male was transported to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines for psychiatric treatment.”

Stuart Police thank those agencies who assisted in handling the situation successfully, saying “In small rural communities it often takes several agencies to handle incidents like this and it’s nice to know that when necessary we all work so well together.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Voters in most Polk County cities have rejected a 1-cent increase to the local sales tax. Unofficial results show the measure failed by 227 votes Tuesday in the 10 Polk County cities that have contiguous borders: Altoona, Bondurant, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Pleasant Hill, Urbandale, West Des Moines and Windsor Heights. The tax was expected to generate $79 million annually, and cities planned to use the money to hold down property taxes and pay for such things as parks, trail extensions and street improvements.

Without the $37 million Des Moines would have received in the first year of the increase, city officials are expected to raise the city property tax rate by 20 cents Thursday before passing a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Voters in Adair County managed to brave the howling winds and frigid temperatures, Tuesday, to cast their ballot in a Special Election. Adair County Auditor Mindy Schaefer says unofficial results show 277 registered voters (a 5-percent turnout) cast their ballots, with the result being 175 yes (or, 63.2%) votes approving a Courthouse Elevator Bond, and 102 voting against. A 60% majority was needed in order for the measure to pass.

The Special Election was held with regard to passing an additional bond for the courthouse elevator project. The question was “Shall the Board of Supervisors bond for an amount not to exceed $650,000 for the purpose of installing an elevator?” The elevator will be installed in the Adair County Courthouse, and will replace an elevator installed in the 1980’s that is no longer ADA compliant and never intended for commercial use.

Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns reports another candidate has filed nomination papers for the June 5th Primary Election. Linda Templeman, of Atlantic, has added her name to the Republican ticket for Cass County Board of Supervisors, District 3. Her challenger is fellow Republican Dana Halder.

County positions to appear on the Cass County ballot for the June 5th Primary include: District 2 County Supervisor; District 3 County Supervisor; County Attorney; County Recorder and County Treasurer.

Persons wishing to file nomination papers have until March 28th to do so.  Nomination papers are available at the office of the county auditor and from the secretary of state.

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence’s trip to western Iowa and eastern Nebraska is one in a series of stops to tout a recently approved federal tax cut, as well as attend a fundraiser for Republican Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts. Pence spoke at an America First Policies event in Council Bluffs, the latest in his bid to sell the American public on the tax overhaul signed into law by President Donald Trump in December.

LAKOTA, Iowa (AP) — An autopsy shows a northern Iowa woman whose body was found in a home died of “sharp force injuries.” The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office also determined 38-year-old Krista Lynn Hesebeck’s death was a homicide. The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office says deputies and medics were sent early Saturday to a Lakota home after a domestic assault. They found Hesebeck’s body at one address and then found an injured man at another address. Chad Dietrick, of Lakota, was charged with first-degree murder.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Court records indicate a former information technology worker for the city of Urbandale will change his plea later this month on charges that he stole from the city library. Chad Nielsen pleaded not guilty in December to nine theft counts stemming from the theft of more than $47,000 worth of computer hardware. The records say Nielsen and his attorney have been working on a plea deal with prosecutors.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A former paraeducator at a Fort Dodge high school has been accused of having sex with a student. Court records say 22-year-old Denico Johnson is charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee.

A former Atlantic resident who died early Saturday morning in Kossuth County, suffered from “Sharp force injuries.” The determination was the result of an autopsy performed on 38-year old Krista Lynn Hesebeck, of Lakota, whose body was found in a home. Her death was ruled a homicide. 45-year old Chad David Dietrick, of Lakota, faces a charge of 1st Degree Murder in connection with her death.

Deputies discovered Hesebeck’s body after a 911 call was made from a separate residence in Lakota, where Chad Dietrick said he suffered from a laceration to his arm.

Kossuth County authorities were advised to check on another residence where they located Hesebeck who was already deceased.

A collision in Page County Tuesday morning resulted in one person being transported to a hospital. Authorities say the accident happened at around 7:32-a.m on Highway 2 near V Avenue, about one-mile east of Clarinda.

An investigation determined 73-year old Elaine Lucille Whitehead, of rural New Market, was westbound on the highway in a 2003 Ford Ranger pickup.  22-year old Stefanie Kole Johannes, of Villisca, was eastbound at the same location driving a 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix.

Whitehead’s pickup began to slide into the eastbound lane.  Johannes attempted to move to the westbound lane to avoid the pickup.  Whitehead corrected her vehicle and contacted the passenger side of Johannes vehicle in the front passenger side fender / door area.  Both vehicles then spun around and came to rest in the slow moving lane of the westbound lanes.

Whitehead was not hurt, but Johannes was transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center by the Clarinda Ambulance Service, for treatment of unknown injuries. At the time of the accident, Highway 2 was icy. No citations have been issued. Both vehicles are considered a total loss.