Rural Ireton Home Catches On Fire
(Ireton) — A fire was reported at a rural Ireton residence during the early morning hours of Saturday. The Ireton Fire Department responded at about 5:30 a.m. to a report of a residential fire that occurred at 4021 Eagle Avenue, six miles north of Ireton. Upon arriving at the residence it was discovered that a large portion of the house was engulfed by fire. The family of four were inside the residence sleeping when the fire began and were able to escape. One resident sustained minor injuries when they broke a window of the residence to obtain a phone in order to call 9-1-1. That person declined further medical attention. The fire is believed to have started due to a faulty electrical system in a portion of the residence. The Ireton Fire Department was assisted by the Sioux Center Fire
Department, Ireton Ambulance and the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office.
Hull Woman Arrested For Theft Of Clothing
(Orange City) — Sioux County authorities have arrested a 47 year old Hull woman on Friday, after it was discovered she had committed theft. Tina Busch was arrested after an investigation showed she had stolen several articles of clothing from the B Fierce Boutique store in Hull. The items of clothing were valued at $340.
Judicial Commission Offers Recommendations
(Des Moines) — A commission charged by the Iowa Supreme Court to identify and remove barriers to justice for low-income and disadvantaged Iowans has released its first recommendations. The vice chair of the Access to Justice Commission, Anjie (Angie) Shutts (Shuts), says barriers to justice can be a lot of things.
One recommendation is to get more lawyers involved in helping.
Shutts says there are lawyers who want to contribute, but they may not have
the expertise required in high demand areas like family law.
The commission also looked at ways to help lawyers deal with rules that may prevent them from donating their time.
The commission also looked at some specific issues involving veterans and made suggestions about them as well.
Shutts admits it seems like a large task to tackle, but she feels they have made a good start.
You can see the full report on the Iowa Judicial Branch website.
Pottawattamie County Looks To Increase Security Measures For Inmates Transported To Court
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A deadly jail escape has prompted officials in a southwestern Iowa county to consider spending up to $200,000 to install body scanners that would be used on inmates when they enter the jail.
Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker tells The Daily Nonpareil that the scanners would be used to find contraband inmates try to smuggle into the county jail. It would be used as they enter the jail and for trips to and from the courthouse.
A May 1 attempted escape at the jail that resulted in the death of a deputy has led to the push for more security.
County Supervisor Tim Wichman says the jail recently brought in $600,000 above the anticipated revenue which could be used to fund the purchase of the machines.
Teacher Pleads Guilty Of Sexual Exploitation
OSKALOOSA, Iowa (AP) – A former southern Iowa teacher has pleaded guilty to a felony count of sexual exploitation by a school employee.
61-year-old Alan Stewart, of Oskaloosa, pleaded guilty this week.He was charged in March after a report was filed of an inappropriate relationship he had with a student in 2015.
Stewart faces up to two years in prison when he’s sentenced Sept. 21. As part of his plea, he must register as a sex offender.
Police say Stewart and the victim had exchanged gifts and private messages, held intimate conversations in his office and spent time at his home.
Stewart was a physical education and industrial arts teacher and cross country coach at Twin Cedars Community School District high school in Bussey.
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Fire Destroys Exira Businesses
EXIRA, Iowa (AP) – A fire that started in a downtown bar has destroyed four businesses in the small western Iowa town of Exira (ex-ZYE’-ruh).The fire began early Friday morning in a two-story building housing Jerry’s Bar. Gene Schmeling of the Atlantic Fire Department says more than 24 area fire departments were called in to help battle the blaze.
The fire spread to nearby businesses, including a hardwood floor and decor store, a gift shop called Gabby’s and Crabby’s Place, and a building where a local psychologist lived.
The psychologist, who uses a wheelchair, was rescued from the building. No injuries were reported.
Exira is 66 miles (105 kilometers) west of Des Moines and is home to fewer than 800 people.
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Meservy Man Found Guilty Of Kidnapping His Girl Friend
MESERVEY, Iowa (AP) – A northern Iowa man has been convicted of kidnapping and torturing his girlfriend.
41-year-old Charles Raymond Albright, of Meservey (meh-ZUR’-vee) was convicted Friday of two felonies related to the kidnapping.
Prosecutors say Albright held a 36-year-old woman captive for 12 to 14 hours on Oct. 7 in Meservey, where she was punched, slammed against a floor, shocked with a stun gun and bitten by a dog. She also told officers she was then taken to Sheffield, where he continued attacking her.
Her injuries included burns, sinus damage and broken bones in her face as well as bruises on her body and face.
Albright is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 31.
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Study Shows No Racial Bias On Traffic Stops
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – An independent study finds no racial bias in traffic stops by police in a city in eastern Iowa but notes that minority drivers are more likely to be arrested and cited once they’re stopped.
St. Ambrose University researchers tell The Telegraph Herald that further analysis is needed to determine if these disparities found in Dubuque signify racial bias. The study found that minority drivers were nearly 20 percent more likely to receive citations than white drivers.
University professor Chris Barnum says another round of analysis should be done on traffic data from 2016 and 2017 to look for trends.
Dubuque Police Chief Mark Dalsing says he’s content with the findings but that his department will continue to work to improve.
City Council approved the $25,000 study in September as a way to increase transparency.
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Two Types Of Endangered Rattlesnakes Found In Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An environmental organization is encouraged by the sightings of two endangered snakes in Iowa.
The Des Moines Register reports that the two rattlesnakes were spotted earlier this year.
The Nature Conservancy says that for the first time in 15 years, the group confirmed a massasauga rattlesnake in the Lower Cedar Valley Preserve in Muscatine. They’re also known as “swamp rattlers.” Conservancy spokeswoman Shelly Hiemer says there have been concerns about the survival of the snakes,
because of heavy flooding in the area the past two years.
The other endangered snake sighted this year was a prairie rattlesnake in the Broken Kettle Grassland Preserve near Sioux City. More good news: The conservancy says she was pregnant.
To the conservancy, the sightings of the endangered snakes means their habitats are survivable.
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