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Wednesday News, August 1st

Psychologist Testifies That Bibler May Have No Recollection Of Stabbing Incident Due To Ambien Medication

(Le Mars) — The Thomas Bibler murder trial being held at Plymouth County District Court in Le Mars, continued Tuesday with the Defense asking Judge Neary for an acquittal of the trial saying the State has not been able to prove their case that Thomas Bibler actually caused the death of his sister,
Shannon Bogh. Judge Jeff Neary denied the acquittal request. The Defense then called a psychologist to the witness stand, to offer an opinion on the mental state of Bibler. Dr. Angela Stokes testified that she evaluated Bibler and believed Bibler understood the case before him.
But Stokes also testified that some medical prescriptions for anxiety and other mental health disorder issues that were prescribed to Bibler may have caused him to have amnesia and not recall the incident involving the fatal stabbing of his sister.

Stokes continued with her evaluation of Bibler.

The psychologist says when she discussed the situation with Bibler he was aware of the circumstances, but he didn’t blame the medications.

Stokes says the drug Zolpidem, with the trade name Ambien, has been proven to have side effects including hypnotic conditions. Ambien is usually prescribed as a treatment for insomnia and anxiety. Stokes says in her research, she found several examples of people that had been prescribed the
drug Ambien, who committed some horrible crimes, including homicide, but later they did not have any recollection of the incident.

Stokes says often times when people take the medication of Ambien they will then fall asleep, and don’t have any memory of the incident. The Le Mars Police said when they executed their search warrant, they had found Bibler asleep in his apartment. Bibler claims to not have any recollection of the stabbing incident involving his sister, Shannon Bogh. The trial is scheduled
to resume on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

 

 

Delaney To Visit Le Mars

(Le Mars) — A Maryland Democratic Congressman with aspirations of running for president has scheduled a visit to Le Mars. Congressman John Delaney will make his 13th campaign trip to the Hawkeye state. By the end of his trip, Delaney will have campaigned in 75 Iowa counties, and will have made
more than 140 campaign stops in Iowa. Delaney began airing his newest television ad in Iowa, titled “Focusing on the Future.” The television ads have been appearing in the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids markets. The television ad argues that automation can create jobs overall, if elected officials take the proper steps to prepare and prioritize workers. Delaney will make multiple trips to Iowa in the coming days, including speaking at
the Iowa State Fair and the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding on August 10th.
Delaney will appear at the Lally’s Eastside Restaurant located at 125 Plymouth Street northeast this afternoon between 2:00 and 2:30 p.m.

 

 

Briar Cliff Introduces New President

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The interim leader of Briar Cliff University in Sioux City has been named the new president.
The university trustees announced their choice of Rachelle Karstens on Tuesday. She’s been leading the campus since last summer, following the resignation of President Hamid Shirvani. He quit after 14 months on the job.
Karstens was among three finalists for the job and was named interim president in February after a person who was offered the job withdrew from consideration because of family obligations.
Briar Cliff is a private, Franciscan, Roman Catholic university that has an enrollment of about 1,200 students.

 

 

Economic Growth Slowing Down In Midwest

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly survey report suggests economic growth is still slowing in nine Midwest and Plains states.
The report released Wednesday says the Mid-America Business
Conditions Index declined to 57.0 in July from 61.8 in June and 67.3 in May.
It’s still the 20th straight month that the index remained above growth neutral 50.0.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the region’s
manufacturing growth of 2.6 percent over the past 12 months exceeds the U.S. growth rate of 2.3 percent.
The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.
The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

 

 

Authorities Offer Update On Missing University Of Iowa Student

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) – Friends say a missing Iowa college student had been planning to travel to the Dominican Republic this week for a wedding.
Blake Jack says his brother Dalton and Dalton’s longtime girlfriend, 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts, were supposed to be there when he married his fiancee, Aimee Houghton. He says he joked with his brother that he should propose to Tibbetts during the trip.
Tibbetts was last seen jogging on the evening of July 18 in Brooklyn, a small Iowa town where the University of Iowa student had been living this summer with the brothers.
Blake Jack says the cancelled wedding plans are nothing compared to what the town is going through. He’s urging anyone with information that may be relevant to Tibbetts’ disappearance to report it to authorities.

 

 

Western Iowa Man Pleads Not Guilty To Animal Neglect

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A man who operated a western Iowa kennel and training facility where dog carcasses and dozens of malnourished dogs and puppies were found has pleaded not guilty.
Pottawattamie County records say 35-year-old Dustin Young entered the written pleas Monday to four counts of serious misdemeanor animal neglect resulting in death. His trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 18. He also remains charged with 36 simple misdemeanor counts of animal neglect.
The dogs and carcasses were discovered in May at Young Gunz Kennel, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) southeast of Hancock.
Officials said the inside of the business was covered in animal urine and feces, and there was no food or water for the dogs.

 

 

University Of Iowa Launches Temporary Housing Program

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa has launched a new program that offers temporary housing for students who have lease gaps.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the university’s lease-gap program provides students with rooms at a rate of $35 per night from July 20 to Aug. 4. Forty students are currently living at Burge Hall through the program.
Charles Tassell of the National Real Estate Investors Association says Iowa City’s gaps between leases ending this month and beginning Aug. 1 is common in college towns nationwide. Landlords use the time for maintenance repairs and to clean.
Members of student government proposed the idea for temporary housing to the University Housing and Dining and Student Life in November. It’s based on a program that launched at Iowa State University last year.

 

 

8,000 Speeding Tickets Issued From Des Moines Traffic Camera

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines officials say nearly 8,000 tickets have been issued to speeders in the first month of renewed operation of an Interstate 235 traffic camera.
The Des Moines Register reports that the camera monitors eastbound lanes near Waveland Golf Course and was turned back on June 25.
Citations hadn’t been issued since April 26 last year, upon an order from the Polk County District Court. Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Muscatine took action to keep the cameras operating after the Iowa Transportation Department ordered some speed cameras turned off, saying the cameras didn’t make interstates safer.
This past April 27, however, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled the department didn’t have authority over speed cameras.
The Des Moines Police Department had reported an increase in speeding after the ticketing halted.