TRUMP-OIL PIPELINE
Trump’s stock in oil pipeline company raises concern
WASHINGTON (AP) – President-elect Donald Trump holds stock in the company building the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline. And that’s raising concerns by pipeline opponents that Trump’s investments could affect any decision he makes on the $3.8 billion project as president.
Trump’s 2016 federal disclosure forms show he owned $15,000 to $50,000 in stock in Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners. That’s down from between $500,000 and $1 million a year earlier.
The Obama administration says it wants more study and tribal input before deciding whether to allow the partially built pipeline to cross under a Missouri River reservoir in North Dakota.
The delay raises the likelihood that a final decision will be made by Trump, a pipeline supporter who has vowed to “unleash” unfettered production of gas and oil. Trump takes office in January.
UNI PRESIDENT-SEARCH
Faculty plans evaluation of U of Northern Iowa candidates
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – The faculty union plans to prepare a post-visit evaluation of the four presidential finalists scheduled to be on the University of Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls next week.
Union president Joe Gorton says the analysis being done by the presidential search committee “won’t be enough to provide a definitive statement about who the faculty thinks should be the next president.”
The last finalist is scheduled to visit campus Dec. 2, and the search committee is scheduled meet with the Iowa Board of Regents on the morning of Dec. 5. The regents are expected to select the new president during their Dec. 5-6 meeting in Cedar Falls.
Former President Bill Ruud left the university this summer to become president at a small college in Marietta, Ohio.
RESTORATION WORK
Former Midtown hotel gets ready for restoration
NEWTON, Iowa (AP) – Work is underway to get a historic downtown Newton building ready for redevelopment.
The Newton Daily News reports that the city purchased the former Hotel Maytag in September. The goal is to preserve the commercial tenant spaces by making maintenance and repair investments to the early 20th century architecture building.
The city has spent more than $19,000 so far. Future expenses will be determined after Braun Intertec gives the final recommendation based on its investigation of the building’s hazardous materials.
Newton Development Specialist Craig Armstrong says the project is challenging, but that it’s “also very gratifying.”
Bryan Friedman is the city’s finance and development director. He says Newton is receiving revenue from commercial tenants’ rent to help offset some expenditures.
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PARKING LOT SHOOTING
Des Moines release name of parking lot shooting victim
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the name of a man fatally shot in a Des Moines parking lot.
Police identified him Friday as 20-year-old Dabryan Smith, who lived in Des Moines.
Officers were sent to the convenience store parking lot around 6:45 p.m. Thursday. Some people there reported being shot at and that one of them had been struck. He was taken by private vehicle to Broadlawns Medical Center.
No arrests have been reported.
PASSENGER KILLED
Man who leaped or fell from vehicle has died, officials say
BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say an 18-year-old has died after falling or leaping out of a moving vehicle on the southwest side of Burlington.
The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office says in a news release that the young man landed on the roadway around 1 a.m. Thursday and later was taken by private vehicle to Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. He then was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. The Sheriff’s Office says he died there.
The man has been identified as Clayton Connelly, who lived in Burlington.
The Sheriff’s Office didn’t provide other key details about the circumstances of Connelly’s death. Representatives didn’t immediately return messages Friday from The Associated Press.
