BENEFIT AUCTION
WEEKEND CHAMPS
More than $30,000 was raised during a benefit auction for Creston firefighters Mick Landers and Adam Leith Saturday evening at Creston Elks Lodge #605. More info on 2A.
The Creston/O-M wrestling team built an early lead in winning the Dallas Center-Grimes tournament over the weekend. A dozen Panthers placed in the top four. More on page 5A. >>
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2015
Suspicious Gov. Branstad talks Syrian refugees, election in Creston death in Union County now under investigation By IAN RICHARDSON
TIME TO VOTE
CNA staff reporter
irichardson@crestonnews.com
The Iowa House District 21 election between Republican Tom Moore of Griswold and Democratic candidate Tim Ennis of Corning will be Tuesday. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Polling locations are at Afton Methodist Church, Southwestern Community College, Salem Lutheran Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, Supertel, Crest Baptist Church, Lorimor City Hall and Arispe Methodist Church.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said Saturday that the federal government’s handling of the resettlement of Syrian refugees needs to include more transparency and less criticism of its opponents. “My concern about the Syrians is the federal government won’t tell us who they are or who they’re being placed with,” Branstad said. “Instead of trying to unite America against the threat, they want to attack the Republicans who are saying, ‘Wait a minute, we need to be thoughtful here and protect our own people.’” Branstad made these remarks during a Q&A session at Adams Street Espresso in Creston, one of four stops in a swing through District 21 where he and Lt. Gov. Kim R e y n olds campaigned with Tom Moore Moore of Griswold, the Republican candidate in Tuesday’s special election. More than 30 people attended the event, including Iowa Sen. Tom Shipley, R-Nodaway. District 21 includes all of Adams and Union counties, as well as portions of Pottawattomie and Cass counties. In September, President Barack Obama made plans to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States over the next year. That number was up from under 2,000 in the previous year. Following the Nov. 13 Paris
CNA photo by IAN RICHARDSON
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, right, speaks Saturday at Adams Street Espresso in Creston. He and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, pictured left, made four stops in Iowa House District 21 to campaign with Republican candidate Tom Moore. For video of Branstad talking about the resettlement of Syrian refugees in America, visit www.crestonnews.com.
terror attack, Branstad was one of more than 30 U.S. governors who called for the halting of resettlement of Syrian refugees, requesting a “thorough and thoughtful review” by the intelligence committee to ensure the safety of the public before continuing. Branstad said Iowans are a “very compassionate people” who have accepted several refugees throughout the state’s history. However, he said, this situation poses more of a risk, citing the growing threat of the Islamic State group and the possibility that one of the Paris attackers had posed as a Syrian refugee. Branstad did not say whether the federal government wants to place refugees in Iowa, but he said he has the highest security clearance and has received little communication.
“They (the federal government) won’t even tell us who they are,” Branstad said. “How can we protect the people of Iowa if they want to place people here and we don’t know who they are or who they’re placed with or when they’re coming? This is the United States of America. We ought to be transparent, and they ought to trust the governors.” Branstad and Reynolds also shared that Iowa had been named third-best on the 24/7 Wall St. rankings of “Best and Worst-Run States in America,” released Thursday. The state is behind to North Dakota and Wyoming and up one position from No. 4 last year. The rankings grade states based on several criteria including credit rating, unemployment rate
and poverty rate.
Special election Branstad called for people to vote in Tuesday’s special election, saying it was an important one to keep a Republican majority in the Iowa House of Representatives, which currently has a 56 Republicans and 43 Democrats. Branstad said his own eighth-grade American history teacher was the inspiration for him to get into politics, and he said Moore’s similar teaching background makes him a solid candidate to fill the spot left vacant following the death of 81-year-old Rep. Jack Drake, R-Griswold. “Jack Drake was a very dear friend of mine,” Branstad said. “He served this area very well. I think Tom Moore will carry on that great tradition with putting people over politics and providing the conservative principles that will help us keep this state’s budget balanced.” Moore said his campaign BRANSTAD | 2A
The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is currently assisting Union County Sheriff’s Office with a suspicious death in Union County. A hunter found the decomposed body of a female in her 30s in a farm pond near the intersection of Redwood Avenue and 105th Street near the Union County and Madison County line. The body was transported to the Iowa Office of the
State Medical Examiner in Ankeny, Iowa, where Dr. Jonathan Thompson performed the autopsy. At this time, the cause and manner of death are not being released. Afton Volunteer Fire Department aided in the recovery of the woman from the pond. Iowa DCI, Union County Sheriff’s Office and Creston Police Department are still investigating the incident. The News Advertiser will have more information as it becomes available.
Ernst tweets congrats to Hawkeyes after loss NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, tweeted out her congratulations to the fourthranked Hawkeyes for winning the Big Ten championship on Saturday night moments after they blew a late lead and lost 16-13 to No. 5 Michigan State. Iowa lost in the title game after allowing a late,
22-play touchdown drive that ended in L.J. Scott reaching for a go-ahead scoring run. “Congrats @hawkeyefootball on the big win! #big10 #B1GFCG #iowa,” Ernst tweeted. The tweet was removed moments after it hit the Internet, but had received at least 675 retweets by that time.
CNA photo by KELSEY HAUGEN
CNA photo by KYLE WILSON
Driving out hunger: Terry Freeman with Creston Automotive accepts grocery items from Lesha
Clark during the Drive Out Hunger food drive held Saturday at Fareway and Hy-Vee. The event — hosted by Creston Automotive, Stalker Chevrolet and M&M Motors of Creston — was deemed a success as food donations collected filled two truck beds. Also, nearly $600 in cash was contributed to the cause. Freeman said the food and money were delivered to the Union County food bank this morning.
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Photos with Santa: Yellow Labrador retrievers Ava, left, and Oakleigh,
owned by Laura Palmer of Creston, pose with Santa Claus during Creston Animal Rescue Effort’s Pets with Santa event Sunday afternoon at Creston Veterinary Clinic. Santa, an anonymous Creston resident, has helped with the event for 13 years. Each photo session was $15 with all proceeds going toward Creston Animal Rescue Effort. With a total of 22 pet photos taken, $330 was raised.
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