Iowa News

HEALTH CARE-IOWA        Branstad: Not enough info for Iowa exchange choice        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad plans to tell the federal government Friday that Iowa still doesn’t have enough information to move forward with a state-based insurance marketplace that is required under the federal health care law.        The federal government has imposed a Friday deadline for states to confirm whether they will create their own health exchanges for consumers and small businesses. States don’t have to provide specific details about their plan until next month, but those that don’t declare their intention by the deadline will have to move forward with a state-federal partnership or a federal takeover – at least for now.        Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht says the federal government has set arbitrary deadlines for the states without answering basic questions that would help Iowa officials choose the best option.

IOWA HOUSE-LEADERSHIP        House GOP leadership remains almost the same        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Republican leadership of the Iowa House will remain virtually unchanged for the upcoming legislative session.        House Republicans on Wednesday selected Representative Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha to continue as speaker of the House.  Representative Linda Upmeyer of Clear Lake will continue as majority leader. Also continuing in a leadership role is Representative Steve Olson of DeWitt as speaker pro tem.        Representative Chris Hagenow of Windsor Heights is the new majority whip. He replaces Representative Erik Helland of Johnston, who lost in the GOP primary earlier this year.        Republicans have held a 60-40 majority in the House for the past two years. The GOP lost seven seats in last week’s election. The margin is now 54 Republicans and 47 Democrats.        The Legislature convenes on January 14th.

ATHLETICS OFFICIAL-INVESTIGATION        Records: Ex-U. Iowa official had been fired in SC        IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The former University of Iowa athletic department official at the center of a sexual harassment investigation was fired from a previous job at a liberal arts college in South Carolina in 1999.        Coastal Carolina University released records Wednesday to The Associated Press showing Peter Gray was dismissed after working less than a year as its director of advisement and retention.        A personnel document says that Gray was let go during his probationary period because of “unsatisfactory working results” and that his supervisor checked a box saying she would not rehire him. The document said Gray was dismissed because his employment was “not in the best interest of the institution.”        Gray resigned from Iowa last week after an investigation accused him of sexually harassing students. He hasn’t returned messages.

MISSING COUSINS-IOWA        Feds to drop petition against missing girl’s mom        IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Federal authorities have apparently changed their mind and will not seek to punish the mother of one of two missing Iowa cousins for allegedly violating the terms of her supervised release.        U.S. District Judge Linda Reade had ordered Misty Morrissey to appear in her courtroom Wednesday to answer a sealed complaint seeking to revoke her supervised release in a decade-old methamphetamine case.        But the hearing was cancelled at the last minute, and a prosecutor filed a document under seal Wednesday seeking to dismiss the petition.        Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan said he could not comment. Morrissey’s attorney, public defender Jane Kelly, didn’t return a message.        Morrissey is the mother of 11-year-old Lyric Cook, who disappeared while riding bikes in Evansdale four months ago with her cousin, 9-year-old Elizabeth Collins.

MISSING COUSINS-INMATE        Feds: Inmate falsely claimed info on missing girls        IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Prosecutors say a Cedar Rapids inmate made phone calls falsely claiming to have knowledge of the whereabouts of the missing Iowa cousins.        Federal prosecutors say in a filing that Shawn Gant called the U.S. Attorney’s Office in August and September and left messages claiming to know the location of Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins and that “they would never be found.”        The filing says the calls were traced to a phone in the Linn County Jail and video confirmed Gant made them.        FBI agents interviewed Gant in September, and he denied knowing anything about the girls or the calls.        Gant faces sentencing Thursday for a series of arsons in northeastern Iowa. A prosecutor says Gant’s false claims show a “propensity to engage in criminal conduct” and justifies a longer sentence.

ALLIANT ENERGY-NEW PLANT        IPL files paperwork for new Marshalltown plant        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Interstate Power and Light Company has filed paperwork for regulatory approval for a new natural-gas fired power plant in Marshalltown.        IPL, a subsidiary of Wisconsin-based Alliant Energy Corporation on Wednesday filed applications for construction and ratemaking principles with the Iowa Utilities Board.        IPL President Tom Aller says regulatory approval is the next step in the process to construct the plant. It’s also required to seek board approval on the ratemaking principles prior to investing in the project.        Interstate Power and Light says it expects a decision from the board in late 2013.        The plant is expected to cost between $650 million and $750 million and won’t become operation before mid-2017.  It’s part of Alliant Energy’s long-term plan to provide electricity for customers in Iowa and Minnesota.

IOWA BABY-DEATH        Iowa mom convicted in baby’s death released        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com)        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Des Moines woman convicted in the 1998 death of her infant son is out of prison.        The Des Moines Register says 53-year-old Heidi Anfinson was released from the women’s prison in Mitchellville on Wednesday.        The Iowa Board of Parole granted her parole two weeks ago. Anfinson will live her father, Irv Hoffbauer, in West Des Moines.        Anfinson pleaded guilty in 2009 to multiple acts of a child endangerment in the drowning of her 2-week-old son whose body was found in Saylorville Lake.  She was sentenced to 50 years in prison. She served nine years of a previous 50-year sentence for second-degree murder when the Iowa Supreme Court granted her a new trial.        Supporters say Anfinson was suffering from severe postpartum depression at the time of her son’s death.

IOWA FIRE-FOUR DIE        Authorities ID victims of Lake City house fire        (Information in the following story is from: KTIV-TV, http://www.ktiv.com)        LAKE CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the names of three children and an adult who died in a house fire in Lake City in western Iowa.        Police Chief Bobby Rist on Wednesday identified the victims as 22-year-old Tyra Pierson and her 10-month-old son, Xavier, 8-year-old Madison Pierson and 3-year-old Wyatt Pierson.        Rist says they died of smoke and soot inhalation. The deaths are listed as accidental.        Authorities believe a worn electrical cord from a lamp caused the fire early Tuesday.        KTIV-TV in Sioux City says Lake City Fire Chief Mel Alcox says the cord got stuck in the cushions of a couch, overheated and started the couch on fire. He says the room was being renovated with exposed walls and insulation, which caused the fire to quickly spread throughout the house.

IOWA-SIGNING DAY        Valley’s Jok signs with Iowa        IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – West Des Moines Valley star Peter Jok has signed a national letter of intent to play for Iowa.        Jok, a 6-foot-6 guard, averaged 10.2 points a game for Valley last season after transferring from Des Moines Roosevelt.        Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery says Jok can play up to four positions and is strong 3-point shooter.        Jok and Wisconsin transfer Jarrod Uthoff will be eligible to play for Iowa starting with the 2013-14 season

IOWA ST-SIGNING DAY        Iowa State signs 4 to letters of intent        AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State has signed four basketball to letters of intent in a recruiting class ranked 24th in the nation by ESPN.        High school stars Matt Thomas and Monte Morris and junior college teammates Dustin Hogue and Richard Amardi will be eligible to play starting in 2013 to 2014.        Thomas is a 6-foot-4 guard who is considered among the best shooters in the nation. Morris is a 6-foot-1 point guard from Flint, Mich., and he and Thomas are considered consensus top-100 recruits.        Hogue and Amardi play for Indian Hills Community College. Hogue will have two seasons of eligibility at Iowa State, but Amardi will have just one.

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