Iowa News

HARKIN INSTITUTE-DONATIONS        APNewsBreak: $1 coin backers give to Harkin center        IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A South Korean businessman and his Iowa metals subsidiary have given $500,000 to support a university institute for Sen. Tom Harkin, who is pushing for a one-dollar coin that would bring the company business.        The donations to the Harkin Institute of Public Policy at Iowa State University come from PMX Industries and CEO of its Seoul-based parent, Jin Roy Ryu.        Harkin is sponsoring a bill that would eliminate the paper dollar in favor of a dollar coin, for which PMX supplies the materials. PMX is a member of the Dollar Coin Alliance lobbying for the change.        PMX says ISU’s foundation asked for its donations and it agreed. Yet they are an example of possible ethical concerns that Republicans warned could result from naming a university institute after a sitting lawmaker.

MISSING COUSINS-IOWA        Judge won’t give break to slain Iowa girl’s mother        (Information in the following story is from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, http://www.wcfcourier.com )        WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – A judge is refusing to allow the mother of one of two slain Iowa girls out of a halfway house so she can plan her daughter’s funeral.        The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports U.S. District Judge Linda Reade declined Monday to end Misty Morrissey’s supervised release 45 days early or allow her to live with her mother.        Morrissey is mother of Lyric Cook, who disappeared with cousin Elizabeth Collins in Evansdale in July. The bodies of the girls were found this month by hunters.        Morrissey has lived at the Residential Reentry Center in Waterloo since August, and is allowed to leave for work and scheduled events. Morrissey’s attorney says she is unable to devote enough time and attention to planning Lyric’s Dec. 29 memorial service while at the center.

SAME SEX-DEATH CERTIFICATE        IA judge orders change in death certificate policy        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com )        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Polk County judge has ordered the state to change the way it handles child death certificates for same-sex parents.        The Des Moines Register reports that District Judge Robert Hutchison issued the ruling on Friday. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought a same-sex couple suing state health officials for omitting the name of one parent on the death certificate for their child.        The judge found that “a mother’s wife is identical to a mother’s husband in every common and ordinary sense except for biology.” He also said the Iowa Department of Public Health’s policy of refusing to register a mother’s wife on a death certificate violates the state’s equal-protection laws.        The gay rights group Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit on behalf of Jenny and Jessica Buntemeyer of Davenport.

POWERBALL-FOOTBALL DONATION        Iowa lottery winners fund new football stadium        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com )        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa couple who won a $202 million Powerball jackpot in September is donating $3 million to their son’s high school for a new football stadium – but the gift comes with a catch.        The stadium visitor’s locker room must be painted pink.        The Des Moines Register reports that the Bondurant-Farrar school district accepted the donation from Brian and Mary Lohse on Monday. The couple from the Des Moines suburb of Bondurant requested only that the new stadium be completed before the fall 2014 football season – their oldest son’s senior year – and that the visiting team’s locker room be painted pink.        Mary Lohse says she was half-joking about the locker room, but was pleased when school officials said they’d be happy to indulge the color scheme.

HIAWATHA TODDLER’S DEATH        Iowa man accused of killing daughter testifies        (Information in the following story is from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/ )        CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – A Cedar Rapids man accused of killing his 17-month-old daughter says he wasn’t concerned about bruising on the toddler because he thought it was normal.        The Gazette reports Zyriah Schlitter testified Tuesday in Linn County District Court that he did not suspect child abuse when he took Kamryn to the doctor in March 2010. He says he thought her bumps and bruises were normal for a child.        Schlitter faces first-degree murder and child endangerment charges in connection with Kamryn’s death. Investigators say the girl suffered head injuries and had bruising on her neck, chin, underarms and chest.        Closing arguments in the case are scheduled Wednesday.        Schlitter’s former girlfriend, Amy Parmer of Hiawatha, faces the same charges. She has pleaded not guilty, and her trial is scheduled for January.

TSA-BANNED ITEMS        TSA in Des Moines: Keep certain items at home        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com )        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities at Des Moines’ airport are reminding holiday travelers to keep any replica grenades at home.        The Des Moines Register reports the Transportation Security Administration at Des Moines International Airport is telling travelers to keep certain things away. They showed items Tuesday that were confiscated at security checkpoints.        Included on the list was a replica grenade brought by a five-year-old boy and an assortment of ninja throwing stars. Police batons and a crow bar also were on the list.        But TSA officials say a major holdup at the airport is still removing certain liquids from luggage during security.

FIRED PRINCIPAL        Eastern Iowa principal steps down for settlement        (Information in the following story is from: KWQC-TV, http://www.kwqc.com )        DURANT, Iowa (AP) – An eastern Iowa school principal has agreed to step down as part of an $850,000 settlement from an ethics inquiry.        Davenport television station KWQC reports Monica Rouse voluntarily stepped down Monday. Her attorney says the money is in addition to $300,000 the Durant Community School District has already given her in back pay from the ethics inquiry.        The settlement ends years of litigation between Rouse and the school district that stems from her firing at Durant High School in 2009. Administrators alleged Rouse changed records to allow some students to graduate. She took her termination to court and was reinstated as principal.        Rouse claimed she was mistreated when she returned and the district school board was found in contempt.

SIOUX CITY CASINO-MAYOR        Iowa mayor to abstain from voting on casino issues        (Information in the following story is from: Sioux City Journal, http://www.siouxcityjournal.com )        SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The mayor of Sioux City says he won’t vote on any gambling-related issues as the city considers a new casino.        The Sioux City Journal reports Mayor Bob Scott announced his decision Monday during a City Council meeting. He says it is in response to speculation that he has a financial stake in the development of a new casino. He would not elaborate.        The newspaper reports Scott then abstained from a council vote on a public hearing date to extend a lease for the Argosy Casino riverboat. It’s set for Jan. 28        Three developers have proposed land-based casinos that will eventually replace Argosy. The Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission will name the winning proposal in April.

 

Admin Log In