Man Arrested For Council Bluffs Shooting
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A western Iowa man has been arrested on suspicion of shooting a 22-year-old woman and her toddler son.
Council Bluffs Police Sgt. Chad Meyers says 30-year-old Ronald Farr Jr. was arrested at his home in Harlan without incident on Tuesday. Farr is accused of shooting Heather Wilson and her son,
Tyson Underwood.
Authorities say Wilson was putting the boy and another child into a car just before 6 a.m. Tuesday when the gunfire erupted at the apartment complex on the east side of Council Bluffs. Wilson
was hit several times. Tyson was hit once in an arm.
They are being treated at hospitals in Omaha, Neb.
Online records say Farr remained in Pottawattamie County Jail on Wednesday. Online court records don’t list the name of his attorney.
Dubuque Legislator Says He’ll Run for US House
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Democratic state Rep. Pat Murphy says he’s running for the Iowa congressional seat that will be vacated by U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley.
Murphy, from Dubuque, announced Wednesday he would run in next year’s election for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, which covers the northeastern part of the state. Murphy has served in the state
House since 1989 and was speaker from 2007 through 2011.
Murphy says he will focus on issues like jobs, education and health care. Other possible Democratic candidates include state Sen. Liz Mathis and state Rep. Tyler Olson.
The 1st District seat will be open because Braley, of Waterloo, has opted to run for Senate after four terms in the House. The Senate seat will be vacant because incumbent Tom Harkin has decided
against seeking re-election.
Northern Iowa City May Take Over Country Club
GARNER, Iowa (AP) – The City Council in the northern Iowa city of Garner has agreed to discuss taking over operation of an ailing country club.
The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that the Garner Golf and Country Club is $140,000 in debt. Membership has declined from 210 to about 140, and the club is looking for a partner.
The president of the club’s board of directors, Doug Cox, told the council on Tuesday night that the course and club are assets to the community.
Mayor Ken Mick agreed and said the council should study the idea of taking over the operation.
Garner council members asked for an accounting of the club’s finances and its assets.
Western Iowa Principal Plans to Fight for Job
GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) – The principal of Glenwood Community High School in western Iowa says she’s been wrongly accused and intends to fight for her job.
The school board voted Tuesday to begin the process of firing Kerry Newman, who’s been on paid administrative leave since Jan. 18.
The board cited four reasons: an inappropriate relationship with a district employee, poor judgment, inappropriate use of resources and being an ineffective role model.
District officials have not elaborated on the allegations. Newman says the allegations are false.
Newman has been principal at the school since 2007.
North Liberty council OKs chief’s resignation deal
NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa (AP) – The North Liberty City Council has approved a resignation package that includes nearly $37,700 in salary for former Police Chief Jim Warkentin.
The Gazette reports that the package approved unanimously Tuesday night extends Warkentin’s benefits through March 31. It also includes a confidentiality clause and bars him from filing any
employment claims against the city in court.
Warkentin has said personal reasons led him to resign, but he hasn’t elaborated.
North Liberty Mayor Tom Salm and City Administrator Ryan Heiar have declined to comment on Warkentin’s resignation.
Warkentin worked for the department from Aug. 9, 1999, until Feb. 6.
Lt. Diane Venenga has been named acting police chief.
Iowa Town Ends Contract With Sex Offender
CENTERVILLE, Iowa (AP) – The city of Centerville has terminated the contract of a convicted Iowa sex offender it had hired as temporary city administrator.
Thirty-seven-year-old Kevin Stocker, of Elkhart, was hired by the City Council earlier this month. The city said in an email from Councilman Edwin Brand on Wednesday that Stocker’s contract was
terminated as of Tuesday. The email said the council would have no further comment.
Mayor Jim Senior had said he’d known about Stocker’s past but didn’t share the information with the council before Stocker was hired.
The Iowa Sex Offender Registry says Stocker was convicted of enticing a minor in August 2006 in Black Hawk County. The girl was between the ages of 14 and 17. The judge gave him probation and a
suspended prison sentence of two years.
