Iowa News

DES MOINES DRONES        Activists protest in Des Moines against drone plan        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Peace activists don’t want drone aircraft hovering over Afghanistan to be powered from a control room in Iowa.        Waving signs that said “No War Drones, Des Moines,” activists protested Wednesday morning outside the Des Moines Air National Guard Base.        The military plans to pilot drone aircraft at the base, now that the F-16 jets based there will be removed.        Local military and elected officials support the move to operate what are known as “remotely piloted aircraft” from Iowa, noting that this will preserve most of the roughly 1,000 jobs on the base.        But Leah Bolger, national president of Veterans for Peace, say U.S. drones have killed thousands of people and the military’s program has limited oversight.

IMMIGRANT DRIVER LICENSES        State agency will issue licenses to immigrants        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Department of Transportation says it will issue driver licenses to young illegal immigrants allowed to remain in the county by a presidential order.        The decision announced Wednesday reverses a policy made in December, when state officials argued the federal rules didn’t give them legal authority to issue licenses to the immigrants.        The Obama administration clarified its policy last week, saying young people allowed to remain in the country under the “Dream Act” policy are considered to be authorized residents.        The Transportation Department says that because of that clarification, it can issue driver licenses and nonoperator identification cards.        Under the federal program, illegal immigrants can receive renewable, two-year deportation reprieves if they were brought into the U.S. as children. They also must meet specific age, residency and education requirements.

ABORTION-IOWA        GOP will renew effort to ban Iowa abortion funding        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republican lawmakers say they’re going to try again to ban the rare use of public money to finance abortions for low-income women.        Missouri Valley Representative Matt Windschitl says he and other House Republicans are holding preliminary talks on a proposal to prevent Medicaid reimbursement for any abortions. Last fiscal year, the state reimbursed 22 abortions at a cost of $19,402.        State and federal laws now limit abortion funding to low-income women who are rape or incest victims, whose lives will be in danger if they don’t get an abortion, or whose fetuses face severe deformities.        A similar effort delayed Iowa lawmakers during the end of last legislative session, as Republicans tried to push a rule banning government-funded abortions. Republicans finally gave up the effort under pressure to end the session.

SIOUX CITY HEIST        Iowa man pleads not guilty to bank robbery charges        (Information in the following story is from: Sioux City Journal, http://www.siouxcityjournal.com)        SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A man accused of robbing a bank in Sioux City has pleaded not guilty to federal charges related to the case.        Johnnie Hawkins Junior entered his plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court to federal bank robbery and firearms charges.        Hawkins is charged in connection with a bank robbery in November at Heritage Bank. Authorities say he displayed a handgun as he confronted an employee while she was opening the bank.        A federal indictment says Hawkins left the bank with nearly $6,000 and the handgun. Both were later recovered.        The newspaper reports Hawkins faced first-degree robbery and other charges in Woodbury County District Court. That case was dismissed because of the federal indictment.

POLLUTION DISCHARGE-FINE        Judge fines Iowa firm $100K for water discharge        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A judge has ordered an Iowa company to pay a $100,000 fine for discharging contaminated water into a creek that flows into the Des Moines River.        U.S. Magistrate Judge Ross Walters also ordered Chamness Technology on Wednesday to perform community service and develop a compliance and ethic program.        Blairsburg-based Chamness recycles organic waste. Investigators say the discharge happened at its composting facility near Eddyville in November 2010, where leachate water and storm water runoff was pumped from a hose into Palestine Creek.        Chamness pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after cooperating with prosecutors. The company has argued the discharge was caused by a rogue site manager, and did not cause a fish kill or environmental damage other than discoloring the water. Chamness says it’s taken steps to prevent future problems.

MULTIPLE STABBING        Prosecutor: Iowa man stabbed woman out of jealousy        (Information in the following story is from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/)        CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – A prosecutor in eastern Iowa says a man stabbed his ex-girlfriend 16 times because he was jealous and using drugs.        The Gazette reports Assistant Linn County Attorney Nic Scott made the comments Wednesday during opening statements in Shaheed Pendleton’s trial.        Scott says Pendleton stabbed his ex-girlfriend in October after a day of arguing that involved the couple drinking and using drugs. Scott says Pendleton attacked the woman after she went out on a porch and talked to two men who came by. She survived the stabbing.        Pendleton is charged with attempted murder, willful injury causing serious injury and assault to inflict serious injury. His trial is expected to continue through Friday.        The newspaper reports Pendleton’s attorney says his client is a victim and he didn’t commit the stabbing.

IOWA ST-TEXAS TECH        Texas Tech rallies past Iowa State for 56-51 win        LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) – Josh Gray scored 16 points to lead Texas Tech to a 56-51 win over Iowa State on Wednesday night.        Jordan Tolbert added 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Dejan Kravic had eight points and eight rebounds for the Red Raiders (9-8, 2-4 Big 12).        Will Clyburn led the Cyclones (13-5, 3-2) with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Korie Lucious added 11 points, nine of them from beyond the arc.        Texas Tech took a 48-47 lead on a Tolbert field goal with 3:20 remaining. A Gray lay-in as the shot clock expired made it 50-47 with 2:32 left.        Both teams traded baskets, and the Red Raiders led by three again, 54-51, with just under 40 seconds remaining. Clyburn attempted a 3-pointer to tie the game with 14 seconds left but came up short. Tolbert went to the line again and made both free throws to seal the victory.

BKC25-CREIGHTON-DRAKE        Drake upsets No. 17 Creighton 74-69 in Des Moines        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Richard Carter scored 20 points and Drake stunned Number 17 Creighton 74-69 on Wednesday night, handing the Bluejays their first consecutive losses of the season.        Ben Simons added 13 for the Bulldogs (9-10, 3-5 Missouri Valley Conference), who blew a 16-point lead before rallying for their first win over a ranked opponent in five years.        Grant Gibbs brought Creighton within 71-69 with 32 seconds left, and the Bluejays got the ball back on a steal. But Gibbs missed a layup and Simons sealed the win with a steal and two free throws with 0.5 seconds left last night.        Doug McDermott had 19 points to lead Creighton in Des Moines. The Bluejays shot just 24 percent from 3-point range. But McDermott had just two points in the second half and didn’t touch the ball on Creighton’s last two possessions.

S ILLINOIS-N IOWA        Northern Iowa drops Southern Illinois 58-45        CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – Marc Sonnen had 15 points on five made 3-pointers and Northern Iowa shot 48.8 percent from the field in a 58-45 victory over Missouri Valley foe Southern Illinois on Wednesday night.        UNI (11-9, 4-4 Missouri Valley) took a 28-22 halftime lead and led by as many as 20 in the second half.        Desmar Jackson gave Southern Illinois a 5-3 lead with a lay-up just over 2 minutes into the first half but the Panthers answered with a 10-0 capped off by a Sonnen 3-pointer to give UNI a 13-5 lead with 13:32 to play. The Panthers never trailed again.        Anthony James had 14 points, five rebounds and four assists for UNI, which has won three of its last four contests. Seth Tuttle scored nine points and grabbed 10 rebounds.        For Southern Illinois (8-11, 1-7), Dantiel Daniels had 11 points and Jackson finished his night with nine points and five rebounds.

T25-BAYLOR-IOWA ST        No. 1 Baylor beat No. 24 Iowa State 66-51        AMES, Iowa (AP) – Brittney Griner scored 22 points, blocked six shots and dunked for the 11th time in her career in leading top-ranked Baylor past Number 24 Iowa State 66-51 on Wednesday night.        Baylor (17-1, 7-0 Big 12) took control early, running off 17 straight points in the first half while holding Iowa State scoreless for 11 1/2 minutes. The Cyclones (13-4, 4-3) had taken a quick 6-4 lead on a pair of 3-pointers, but didn’t score again until Baylor was up 21-6 in Ames.        Griner triggered the big run when she picked off a pass intended for Anna Prins, drove unimpeded to the other end and threw down a two-handed dunk. It was just one more slam for the most prolific dunker in women’s college basketball history.

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