Governor Reynolds Orders Flags To Be At Half-Staff
(DES MOINES) – Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags in Iowa at half-staff from sunrise to sunset today, Thursday, Dec. 7, in honor of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex. Flags will also be half-staff on all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state.
Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.
State Senate Candidates Share Views On Issues During Legislative Forum
(Le Mars) — The candidates seeking the vacated State Senate District 3 seat faced off during a legislative forum held Wednesday morning and heard on KLEM radio. Republican Jim Carlin and Democrat Todd Wendt answered questions about
economic development and tax break incentives, the budget shortfall, education, mental health and agriculture.
Carlin says he is interested in tax reform for the state’s taxpayers.
Carlin, an attorney, also spoke about the need for better water quality, but adding any rules implemented must be fair to agriculture. He also spoke of being in favor of school vouchers.
Wendt, the former school superintendent for Le Mars Community School District, advocates for public education, saying it needs to be a priority for the state.
In his closing remarks, Wendt asked voters to select the person over the party.
The special election for the State Senate District 3 is scheduled for next Tuesday, December 12th.
Sioux City Police Arrest Student Thought To Be Responsible For Bomb Threat
(Sioux City) — Sioux City Police have arrested a student in connection to Tuesday’s bomb threat against North High School.
Police say the unidentified student is charged with false reporting concerning the placement of any incendiary or explosive device, a class D felony.
The Sioux City School district says the threat was identified by a student that saw the message displayed on a Minecraft message board.
Police searched the school, students were evacuated and no devices were found.
The investigation of the incident is continuing.
Employee At Storm Lake Bomgaars Arrested For Theft
STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – An employee at the farm supply store in Storm Lake has been arrested, accused of stealing more than $7,000 in cash from the store. 19-year-old Abigail Clark, of Early, was arrested Tuesday and charged of ongoing criminal conduct, second-degree theft and five counts of forgery. Storm Lake police say Clark forged customer names and completed
fraudulent returns for cash within the Bomgaars store where she worked, and then kept the money. Police say that during the investigation, officers recovered more than $400 in merchandise bought with the stolen money from Bomgaars. A phone number for Clark could not be found Wednesday. —
Cyndi Hanson To Challenge Steve King In Republican Primary
(Mason City) — Iowa Congressman Steve King will face a Republican challenger in the June primary. Cyndi Hanson kicked off her bid to unseat King on Tuesday with
a stop in Mason City.
The Mapleton native, who now lives in Sioux City, says she’s frustrated with the “division and gridlock” taking place in Washington, D.C. “I’m solution focused and collaborative in the way that I work, so seeing what’s happening is a great
deal of frustration for me,” Hanson said. “I think the only way we can change the current situation is to change the players we have involved.”
Hanson is the executive director of Northeast Community College’s extended campus operation in South Sioux City. Hanson said she’s heard from a lot of people who say King’s “divisive rhetoric” isn’t good for Iowans.
“As I’m an Iowan and I talk with a lot of other people from our district, I think very often we are not about dividing people and separating and being divisive, but a lot more about pulling people together and recognizing the strengths in people,” Hanson said. “So yes, that is certainly a piece of it, I
think it no longer represents Iowa.”
King is seeking a ninth term in Congress to represent Iowa’s Fourth District, which cover 39 counties. Hanson was also appointed two years ago by then Governor Branstad to the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service.
Four others have announced they are seeking the Democratic nomination in the Fourth District race; Webster City transit bus driver Paul Dahl, Spencer city councilwoman Leann Jacobsen, former professional baseball player J. D. Scholten of Sioux City, and Ames pediatrician John Paschen.
Man Arrested For Shooting Hunter
CENTERVILLE, Iowa (AP) – A man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a hunter in south-central Iowa has made an initial court appearance in the case. The Daily Iowegian reports that 27-year-old Ethan Davis, of Promise City, appeared Wednesday in Appanoose County District Court, where a judge set his bail at $1 million. Davis did not enter a plea. A message left with his court-appointed public defender, Kenneth Duker, was not immediately returned Wednesday. Davis is suspected of killing 31-year-old Curtis Ross, of Cedar Falls, whose body was found in a remote area of Appanoose County on Saturday. An
autopsy report says Ross suffered several stabbing and gunshot wounds. Officials say fingerprints on bullet casings discovered near Ross’ body led investigators to Davis. Investigators also say his fingerprints were found on a rifle that was hidden under farm equipment at Davis’ property about 3 1/2 miles (6 kilometers) northeast of Promise City.
