Home News Tuesday News, February 25, 2020

Tuesday News, February 25, 2020

(Le Mars) Firefighters were called to a rural Le Mars home  around 10am Monday for a fire after homeowners reported hearing explosions.  Responders found a garage next a home on the 25200 block of 190th Street on fire.  Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper says a tire or propane tank blew up inside the shed during the fire.  The garage housed a figure 8 race car, tools, and many tires.  Other fire departments were called in from Akron and Merrill for water supply.  The building was ruled a total loss.  There were no injuries.

 

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A Hartington, Nebraska man has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison on drug charges.  62-year-old Rowland Sudbeck was sentenced to 46 months in prison Monday for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.  Sudbeck was spotted by authorities in November of 2018 in Keith County driving the wrong way on Interstate 80.  A county deputy saw the vehicle driving all over an abandoned farm.  Sudbeck, who appeared intoxicated, was taken to a hospital and then arrested.  A search of his vehicle found two packages containing two pounds of methamphetamine.          Sudbeck admitted driving to California to get the meth.

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Three well known national acts have been booked for outdoor concerts at Battery Park this summer.  The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Concert Series includes Grammy Award-winning rapper Nelly performing on Saturday, May 30th.  Grammy Award-nominated rock band Papa Roach with Hollywood Undead will rock the stage on Tuesday, July 14th.  Multi-platinum rock band Shinedown performs on Friday, August 7th.  Tickets for all three shows go on sale this Friday, February 28th at 10 a.m. online at hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com or in-person at the Rock Shop. Shows in Battery Park are open to all ages.

Iowa man guilty in 1979 killing of high school student
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Jurors have convicted a man of murder in the killing of an Iowa high school student more than 40 years ago. It took jurors about three hours to convict 66-year-old Jerry Burns of first-degree murder in the December 1979, stabbing death of 18-year-old Michelle Martinko. Her body was found inside her family’s car at a Cedar Rapids shopping mall. Police arrested Burns on Dec. 19, 2018, at his Manchester, Iowa, business. It was the 39th anniversary of Martinko’s death. Burns was linked to the crime by DNA evidence. Burns didn’t testify, and his defense called only one witness. In Iowa, first-degree murder carries a mandatory term of life in prison.

Iowa Supreme Court elects Susan Christensen chief justice
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has elected Justice Susan Christensen as its next chief justice. She becomes only the second woman in state history to rise to chief of the seven-member court. Appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2018, Christensen is part of a new more conservatively constituted court. Reynolds has named three justices to the court since becoming governor and will name a fourth after acting Chief Justice David Wiggins retires next month. Wiggins became acting chief after the unexpected death of Chief Justice Mark Cady in November from a heart attack.

Iowa agency director resigns after less than year in job
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services announced he would resign after less than a year in the position. Jim Kurtenbach said Monday his resignation would be effective March 6. Gov. Kim Reynolds named him to head the agency in June 2019. In a written statement, Kurtenback said that during his tenure the department’s culture had improved and is now “customer-focused and outcome driven.” The Department of Administrative Services handles human resources, maintains the Capitol grounds and buildings, buys state vehicles and manages state payroll.

3rd man accused of conspiracy in Waterloo robbery-slaying
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — A third person has been charged with conspiracy in the slaying of a Waterloo man during a robbery attempt. Marquas Gafeney remained in custody Monday, charged with conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. The records don’t list an attorney for him. Gafeney and two other men are accused in the Dec. 4 shooting death of Grant Saul. The two others are charged with the same crime. They are James Wright-Buls and Keyon Roby. The court records don’t list attorneys for them either.

One clear message from Democrats: We want big change
WASHINGTON (AP) — For a majority of Democratic voters, going back to the days before Donald Trump isn’t good enough. In Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, the first three states to weigh in, voters have elevated the candidate promising the biggest departure from the politics of the past — not necessarily the clearest path to defeating President Donald Trump or a restoration of the Obama era. After fighting to a draw in Iowa, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who bills himself as the leader of a revolution, bested candidates in New Hampshire and Nevada promising a restoration of the pre-Trump era and those who focus mainly on their electability.

State documents: Top DHS manager knew of arousal study plans
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Newly released documents indicate a recently retired top official overseeing Iowa’s mental health and disability services programs knew of plans to perform sexual experiments at a state-run institution as far back as nearly two years ago. The Iowa Department of Human Services has released letters, emails, and other documents about Glenwood Resource Center indicating increasing concerns of staff members about sexual arousal experiments on patients. An email written to Rick Shults on May 21, 2018, shows he approved of a research plan drawn up by Jerry Rea, the former superintendent at Glenwood who was fired in December. It detailed experiments on patients at Glenwood and a separate state facility that holds sexual offenders.