Today's News

January 15, 2021: Richard D. Westphal was recently named the new Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa. He succeeds Marc Krickbaum, who resigned. Mr. Westphal began his law career at Reynolds and Kenline in Dubuque, IA. He then served as an assistant county attorney in Johnson County and later in Muscatine County. In April of 1996, Mr. Westphal was designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, where he specialized in methamphetamine prosecutions. He has also served an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of Iowa, a Branch Chief of the Davenport Branch Office, the Criminal Chief and the First Assistant United States Attorney. Mr. Westphal holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa and a Law Degree from the University of Iowa College of Law.

January 15, 2021: Jonathan Fahey has resigned as Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Department of Homeland Security. Fahey started January 1, 2021 after previous acting Director Tony Pham departed after five months in the role. Fahey had served as Principal Legal Advisor to the Director before assuming the acting duties. Tae Johnson, who became acting Deputy Director last October, will now lead ICE.

January 15, 2021: California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Rizgar Ghazi as Deputy Director of the Hazardous Waste Management Program at the Department of Toxic Substances Control, where he has served as Acting Deputy Director of the Hazardous Waste Management Program since 2017. Ghazi has served in several positions at the Department of Toxic Substances Control since 2006, including Division Chief, Permitting Division, Permitting Branch Chief and Supervising Hazardous Substances Engineer. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $180,000. Ghazi is a Democrat.

January 15, 2021: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced the reappointment of Randall Meyer as Ohio Inspector General. Meyer will begin a full-term commencing January 12, 2021, and ending January 12, 2025. Meyer was appointed in January 2011, and reappointed in 2015. Prior to becoming Inspector General, Meyer spent 25 years in public service, including military service in the United States Navy. Meyer earned his undergraduate degree from Franklin University. He is certified as an inspector general from the Association of Inspector Generals. He also has a certification from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and instructor certification for both the National White Collar Crime Center and the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy. This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Ohio Senate.

January 15, 2021: Jennifer Middleton has been appointed as the Lafayette County, MO, County Clerk. Ms. Middleton has served as Deputy Lafayette County Clerk since 2018. Previously, she served as a substitute teacher for the Wellington-Napoleon R-9 school district. Ms. Middleton holds a Bachelor of Science in equine sciences from Colorado State University.

January 15, 2021: Jeremy Benson, of Belton, was appointed as the Cass County Auditor. Mr. Benson began working for Cass County in 2016 as a Deputy Public Administrator and became Deputy Cass County Auditor in 2019. Mr. Benson holds a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from the University of Central Missouri and a Master of Business Administration from Purdue University.