Iowa Republican U.S. Senators Joni Ernst and Charles Grassley, along with Nebraska Republican Senators Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse, have introduced “Sarah’s Law,” legislation to honor Sarah Root, an Iowan who was killed earlier this year by a drunk driver in the country illegally. Sarah’s Law would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to take custody of an individual who is in the country illegally and is charged with a crime resulting in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. (A pdf of the bill can be found here: http://www.ernst.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/8846bada-c343-4e14-996d-8e5e7c2c8769/6F049B3393E40AA2A666B915E9A4A6FF.sarah-s-law.pdf )

On the night of her graduation, a vehicle driven by 21-year old Sarah Root, from Council Bluffs, was hit in Omaha by Eswin Mejia, who entered the country illegally and was driving drunk – three times over the legal limit – and drag racing. Root died from injuries she suffered in the crash. Following state criminal charges of motor vehicle homicide and outreach by local law enforcement, ICE declined to use its discretion to issue a detainer requesting that local authorities hold the individual until it could take custody. Mejia subsequently posted bond and has since disappeared. Nearly five months later, Mejia still remains at-large.

The Senators say Sarah’s Law would amend the mandatory detention provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the federal government to take custody of anyone who entered the country illegally, violated the terms of their immigration status, or had their visa revoked and is thereafter charged with a crime resulting in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. The legislation also requires ICE to make reasonable efforts to identify and provide relevant information to the crime victims or their families.

Joint-Efforts by the Iowa and Nebraska Senators to Obtain Justice for Sarah Root:

· On March 25, 2016 the Iowa and Nebraska Senators demanded answers from ICE Assistant Secretary Sarah Saldana on why the agency did not detain Edwin Mejia after he killed Sarah Root in a drunk driving incident.

· On April 27, 2016 the Iowa and Nebraska Senators sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell demanding to know who was monitoring Edwin Mejia as he entered the country illegally as an unaccompanied minor.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the state’s longstanding policy of barring felons from voting unless their rights are restored by the governor. The court ruled Thursday that felonies result in disenfranchisement under the Iowa Constitution, which bars voting by those convicted of “infamous crimes.”

The American Civil Liberties Union argued that only a small number of crimes that are an “affront to democratic governance” triggered the loss of voting rights. The ACLU had hoped to use the case to restore thousands of former offenders to election rolls and to erase Iowa’s status as one of the harshest toward felons’ voting rights.

Iowa, Florida and Kentucky are the only states with lifetime voting bans for felons unless their rights are restored by the governor.

Creston Police are investigating a couple of recent incidents of Theft. Officials say a woman residing in the 700 block of S. Poplar Street in Creston, reported Wednesday that someone had taken a wheel and tire from her vehicle, while it was parked outside of her home. The incident, which is believed to have occurred at around 7:30-a.m. Wednesday, resulted in an estimated $350 loss.

And, early this (Thursday) morning, a man residing in the 300 block of W. Montgomery Street in Creston, reported someone stole the front door from his apartment. The incident occurred sometime between 2:30-p.m. Wednesday and 2-a.m. today (Thursday). The loss was estimated at $50.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The 7:06-a.m. report with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A committee in Montgomery County tasked with filling a vacancy on the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors in District 2, has selected Mike Olsen to succeed Joshua Wiig. Wiig resigned from his Board seat on May 31st. The committee took action on his replacement Wednesday evening.

Mike Olson will serve as District 2 Supervisor until the results of the November 8, 2016, General Election are certified. However, Iowa Code states citizens of Montgomery County District 2, may request a special election to fill the vacancy by filing a petition with the Montgomery County Auditor containing 77 signatures of eligible electors within 14 days after the appointment is made.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports two Nebraska residents were arrested Wednesday, following an investigation into a disturbance in Hamburg. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope says deputies were called to the disturbance that occurred between the 1500 and 160 block of Washington Street, after which 18-year old Kassie Neeman, of Nebraska City, NE., was arrested for Trespassing. Neeman was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $300 bond.

Brandon Leckenby

Kassie Neeman

While at the scene of the disturbance, another investigation began that resulted in the arrest of 26-year old Brandon Leckenby, of Nebraska City. He faces charges that include Possession of numerous pieces of drug paraphernalia (Meth & marijuana), carrying weapons, and on a valid arrest warrant out of Boone County. The Fremont County K9 Unit and Iowa State Patrol assisted at the scene. Leckenby was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $2,300 bond while awaiting transfer to Boone County.

Jacob Hills

And, early this (Thursday) morning, 23-year old Jacob Hills, of Hamburg, was arrested in the parking lot of the Casey’s General Store in Hamburg, after Hills was found laying next to a car in front of the store. Hills was arrested for Public Intoxication and was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $300 bond.

(Updated) — Heavy rain falling over parts of northwest and western Iowa overnight into early this (Thursday) morning, prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning for Woodbury County. That warning has since expired. The service said early today (Thursday), that up to 3 inches of rain already had fallen and that thunderstorms in the area were expected to drop heavy rain.

Severe thunderstorms moved through much of western Iowa Wednesday evening, spawning at least one confirmed tornado. The service says the twister touched down near Persia, in Harrison County. Another tornado was observed not far from the Tri-Center High School, in Neola. No structural damage or injuries have been reported, however, hail ranging in size from nickels to quarters, and strong, straight-line winds flattened some corn and soybean field north of Neola, where they received more than an inch of rain.

And, hail up to the size of golf balls was reported three miles southwest of Underwood.

A report released Wednesday shows nearly one-third of Iowans struggle to afford basic living expenses. Deann Cook is executive director of United Ways of Iowa, which issued the statewide study. “This report indicates that over 381,000 households in Iowa, or 31-percent of the state’s total, are unable basic cost-of-living in their county,” Cook said. Around 12-percent of Iowans are below the federal poverty line, but Cook says that federal level is “outdated” and thousands of Iowans above the line are living paycheck to paycheck.

“And, most often, they have nothing left to navigate any unexpected expenses they may have such as a car repair, an illness, or a job loss,” Cook said. Heather Hennings is the president and CEO of the United Way of Siouxland and the incoming United Ways of Iowa Board Chair. She says wages in Iowa are failing to keep up with the rising cost of living. “Sixty-eight-percent of all jobs in Iowa pay less than $20 an hour and most of those actually pay between $10 and $15 an hour,” Hennings said.

The report could fuel more debate over efforts to raise the minimum wage in the state. “There are a lot of people who are working hard, playing by the rules…and we live in a country where you think, if you do work hard, you should be able to support your family. In some cases, that’s not happening,” Hennings said. The United Ways of Iowa represents 25 local United Ways that serve more than half of Iowa’s 99 counties.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Court of Appeals says a lawsuit in Council Bluffs over a property registration fee should be given class action status. Carla Limmer filed suit against the city of Council Bluffs in January of 2015, saying the property registration fee of 15 dollars for each rental unit exceeded the reasonable cost to operate the program. Limmer asked that the suit be certified as a class action so it would include all 26-hundred property owners.

The city opposed the class action status, saying the result of Limmer’s suit would benefit all rental owners whether or not it was a class action. The district court ruled for the city. The Iowa Court of Appeals overturned that ruling, saying
Limmer’s legal fees for pursuing the issue could be more than her individual damages.

It says in cases where the cost of litigation is large in comparison to the damages that could be recovered by each individual, certifying a class action makes it more likely the action will be fully litigated.

(Radio Iowa)