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Monday News, December 31

BODY FOUND-ARREST
Police in Iowa arrest suspect after kids find body

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A man is facing murder charges after
some Iowa children found a dead body near the trash at a Des Moines
apartment complex.
Des Moines Police say the children found the body of 27-year-old
Gerald Bonner of Des Moines Saturday evening. Their mother called
police after learning that Bonner’s body was cold to the touch.
A gunshot wound to Bonner’s torso indicated his death was a
homicide.
Police arrested 27-year-old John D. Edwards of Des Moines early
Sunday morning. He is in custody facing charges of first-degree
murder, robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Police say they seized a gun believed to be the one used to kill
Bonner.

IOWA-CREATING JOBS-COST
Iowa pays millions to spur job creation in 2012

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The state of Iowa has paid tens of
millions of dollars in tax benefits and loans in 2012 to nearly 70
companies that promise to create about 2,000 jobs.
It was an unprecedented year for economic development. The state
landed huge fertilizer projects in Lee County and Sioux City, each
involving capital investments exceeding $1 billion.
Companies receiving state incentives pledge to spend $3.7
billion in the state to build facilities or expand existing
businesses.
The Iowa Economic Development Authority says it spent about $12
million on loans to companies expanding or locating in Iowa during
the year. The agency did not immediately have a breakdown of tax
credits awards offered this year alone, but says it made more than
$151 million in tax credit awards in 2011 and 2012.

RED LIGHT CAMERAS
Iowa petition group tries to ban red light cameras

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A group of Iowa City residents is
gathering signatures on a petition to ban the use of traffic
cameras and drones in their hometown.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the group has collected
between 500 and 1,000 signatures since October. The group hopes to
get 10,000 signatures by April 1st to put their proposal on the
ballot.
Martha Hampel says she worries that traffic cameras might be
part of a growing trend toward government surveillance of citizens.
She says that could violate American’s constitutional rights.
The group also wants to ban the use of automatic license plate
recognition systems.

FATAL COLLISION
Iowa woman, 18, dies in head-on collision

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities are investigating a head-on
collision that killed an 18-year-old woman and injured two other
people in eastern Iowa.
KWWL reports that Angela Harrison, of Washington, died Sunday
morning after the crash in Johnson County.
The Iowa State Patrol says Harrison was driving along Highway 22
south of Iowa City when her car crossed into oncoming traffic near
Utah Avenue.
Harrison’s car collided with a pickup truck.
The truck’s driver and passenger were taken to an Iowa City
hospital for treatment, but they are expected to survive.

HUNTER SHOT IN FOOT
Iowa pheasant hunter shoots himself in the foot

ELDORA, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa hunter is recovering after shooting
himself in the foot with a shotgun while getting into a pickup
truck.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says it is
investigating the incident that happened near Eldora.
Officials say that 53-year-old Tim Oelschlager of Roland shot
himself in the foot Saturday morning.
He was taken to Grundy County Memorial Hospital and then flown
to University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City.
Hospital officials refused to release any information about his
condition on Sunday.

FAKE CHARITY
Iowa man avoids jail for faking charity concert

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – A 64-year-old Cedar Falls man convicted of
fraud for staging a bogus charity concert can avoid prison if he
pays his fine.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports Dennis Leahy was
sentenced Friday despite showing up for the hearing without a
lawyer.
Judge Nathan Callahan went ahead with the delayed sentencing
because he said Leahy had ample time to hire a lawyer since a
December 17th hearing.
Prosecutors say Leahy tried to collect money in March for a
charity concert that didn’t exist. He was convicted of a similar
crime involving a charity basketball game in 2003.
Callahan ordered Leahy to pay a $2,225 fine with a 35 percent
surcharge and pay court costs. If Leahy can’t pay the fine, he will
have to serve 365 days in jail.

LIBERTY BOWL-REMATCH
Liberty Bowl offers different kind of rematch

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Iowa State and Tulsa don’t necessarily
think of their Liberty Bowl showdown as a rematch, even though they
already faced each other September 1st in the season opener for
both teams.
So much has changed since Iowa State’s 38-23 victory over Tulsa
that both teams feel as though they’ll be facing an entirely new
opponent Monday in a game sponsored by AutoZone.
Iowa State quarterback Steele Jantz threw two touchdown passes
and ran for a third score in the regular-season victory over the
Golden Hurricane. He has since lost his job to redshirt freshman
Sam Richardson.
Injuries will prevent Iowa State running back Shontrelle Johnson
and linebacker Jake Knott from playing in the rematch. Johnson
rushed for 120 yards and Knott had a team-high 11 tackles against
Tulsa in September.

N IOWA-WICHITA ST
Wichita State beats Northern Iowa 66-41

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – Cleanthony Early scored 16 points to lead
Wichita State to a 66-41 win over Northern Iowa on Sunday in the
Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams.
Early was 6 of 11 from the field.
Malcolm Armstead had 14 points, and Demetric Williams and Tekele
Cotton had 12 points apiece. Jake White had eight rebounds for the
Shockers (12-1) in Wichita, Kansas.
Wichita State led 30-18 at halftime. Wichita State shot 46
percent from the field for the game, while Northern Iowa shot 32.6
percent. Wichita State also led Northern Iowa in rebounds 40-22.
Jake Koch led the Panthers (7-6) with seven points. Austin Pehl
had four rebounds.

T25-INDIANA-HOLLOWELL REINSTATED
No. 5 Hoosiers ready to get freshman forward back

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – 5th ranked Indiana will have freshman
forward Jeremy Hollowell back Monday night at Iowa.
Hoosiers athletic director Fred Glass issued a statement Sunday
saying the NCAA has cleared Hollowell of any potential infractions.
On Friday, Glass said Hollowell and his family notified the school
of a potential “compliance issue.” Glass says those details will
be released later.
Glass thanked the NCAA for making a quick ruling and accepting
Indiana’s self-reported secondary violation, which led to the
immediate reinstatement of Hollowell.
Indiana can use another body in the line-up after losing
sophomore forward Austin Etherington for the season to a fractured
left kneecap. Backup guard Maurice Creek also is out indefinitely
with a right foot injury.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)