Conflicting Reports On Ironshells Status
(Sioux City) — There seems to be conflicting information regarding the status of Noah Ironshell. Sioux City Police issued a release and are reporting the man responsible for shooting officer Jill Ohm has died as a result of his self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Police say 27 year old Noah Ironshell of Sioux City passed away on Thursday while hospitalized at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. However, the Sioux City Journal is reporting that family members claim Ironshell is alive, but “clinically unresponsive”. According to an Associated Press article, Jenny Nowatzke, a spokeswoman at the Nebraska Medical Center, says Noah Ironshell was listed in critical condition as of 5:50 p.m. Thursday.
Authorities say Noah Ironshell shot Officer Jill Ohm on Friday as she responded to a Sioux City house about a disturbance and a person who might be suicidal. He is accused of shooting her in the chin. There is no additional information regarding Officer Ohm’s condition.
Gehlen Catholic To Celebrate Homecoming
(Le Mars) — Today, is Gehlen Catholic’s Homecoming Celebration. The crowning of the royalty will happen at 12:00 noon at the LeRoy Kellen Memorial Gym. KLEM will rebroadcast the ceremony at 1:00 p.m. and the Homecoming parade is scheduled to begin on the north end of Central Avenue at 1:45 p.m. KLEM’s own Denny Callahan will broadcast live the parade entries. The football game will take place this evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Jim Lorenzen field when the Gehlen Jays will play Sioux Central.
Museum To Host “Harvest Quilt Show”
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Historical Museum will be holding a quilt exhibit in its Study Hall room. The “Harvest Quilt Show” will open Saturday, October 18th and run for a week through October 26. An open house is scheduled for Sunday, October 19th. Museum volunteer, Margaret Henrich is overseeing the quilt show, which will feature more than 75 quilts crreated area residents. In addition to the quilt show, the museum is ready to show two new rooms of exhibits. The Service Club room, a room showcasing many of the Plymouth County Civic Service organizations is now ready for viewing, as is the new County Fair and Township Room. Both are located on the second floor. Henrich recently completed the exhibits in the County Fair/Township Room. The room features historical artifacts relating to the Plymouth County Fair.
Mowrer To Visit Northwest Iowa
(Le Mars) — 4th District Democratic Congressional candidate Jim Mowrer will make a campaign swing through northwest Iowa on Friday. Mowrer, a former Iraqi war veteran and Pentagon staffer from Boone, will host a coffee hour at the Old Factory Coffee Shop in Orange City at 10:30 a.m. Over the lunch hour, Mowrer will be at the Prairie Queen Bakery in Sheldon. Mowrer will conclude his northwest Iowa tour with a coffee hour at the Daily Grind Market and Bakery in Sioux City. That event will begin at 4:00 p.m. Recent polls show Mowrer is closing the gap between himself and incumbent Republican candidate Steve King. Mowrer is within the margin of error with King at 46 percent and 43 percent for Mowrer.
First Lady Michelle Obama To Visit Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Michelle Obama is headed to Des Moines to campaign for Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Braley.
The first lady will attend a rally Friday afternoon at Drake University. The event will stress the importance of early voting in the competitive Iowa Senate race.
Braley, a four-term congressman from Waterloo, is locked in a tight race against Republican Joni Ernst, a state lawmaker from Red Oak and officer in the Iowa National Guard. They are vying for the seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.
Republicans are hoping to win in Iowa in their drive for the six-seat gain they need for the Senate majority.
Obama has been stumping for Democrats in a number of tight races. She is scheduled to appear in Michigan earlier Friday.
Iowa’s Tax Revenue May Show Modest Growth
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A panel of state budget experts predicts modest growth in Iowa’s tax revenue during the current fiscal year.
The Revenue Estimating Conference met Thursday to project state revenue. The three-member panel includes the governor’s top budget adviser, the financial adviser to the Legislature and an independent member, Mason City economist David Underwood.
The group predicts net state revenue – made up of taxes and other sources – will come in at just over $6.7 billion in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. That represents a 6.7 percent increase over the previous year and the growth is expected to continue.
The panel will meet again in December to set the revenue projection that the governor must use to craft the next budget.
Defense Attorney Says DeCoster Should Not Be Jailed
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A defense attorney says disgraced egg producer Austin “Jack” DeCoster should be kept out of jail when he’s sentenced for food safety violations linked to a 2010 salmonella outbreak.
Attorney Frank Volpe filed a motion this week arguing that it would be unconstitutional for DeCoster to receive jail or home confinement. He says the only appropriate sentence is a fine and probation.
DeCoster and his son, Peter, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce. They face up to a year in jail.
Their company, Quality Egg, pleaded guilty to bribing a federal inspector, selling misbranded food and introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce.
Volpe argues DeCoster is being held responsible because he was a corporate officer and had no criminal intent. Sentencing hasn’t been scheduled.
Law Enforcement Academy Instructor Abruptly Retires Amid Investigation
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A 30-year instructor at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy who abruptly retired during a state investigation says he’s wants to spend more time with his dogs.
Instructor Mark Edmund retired Monday from the academy in Johnston, where he taught physical fitness to officers-in-training and other subjects.
The retirement came after the Department of Administrative Services had launched an investigation into a complaint at the academy.
Reached on his cell phone Thursday by The Associated Press, Edmund snapped that it was “none of your business” whether he had been on leave and wouldn’t speak about the investigation.
Instead, he repeatedly said that he decided to retire because he recently “bought two golden retriever puppies” and wanted to spend time with them.
Edmund’s departure marks the latest personnel problem at the academy.
Female Prison Guard Suing State For Sexual Harassment
Council Bluffs Men Accused Of Stealing Tractor
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say two Council Bluffs men are suspected of stealing a tractor and abandoning it when it became stuck in the mud.
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says 55-year-old James Sarver and 46-year-old Leroy Tichota were arrested Monday night. They each face a charge of first-degree theft in connection to the disappearance of a 1967 John Deere tractor from a farm in Hamburg.
Sheriff Kevin Aistrope says he was following a suspicious vehicle Monday which led to a brief pursuit. During that time, Aistrope located the tractor stuck in the mud. Additional information about the circumstances was not available.
The fleeing vehicle was eventually stopped. Sarver and Tichota, who were in the car, were arrested. Messages left for their attorneys were not immediately returned.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A lawyer for a female prison guard suing Iowa for sexual harassment says the Department of Corrections practice of allowing violent inmates to watch sexually graphic movies encouraged prisoners to harass and threaten her.
Kristine Sink’s attorney, Paige Fiedler, told jurors in closing arguments Thursday that Sink tolerated threats of rape and murder. She is seeking up to $4.5 million for emotional distress.
Sink says supervisors at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison allowed harassment by inmates and co-workers.
Assistant Iowa Attorney General Tyler Smith, representing the state, says showing the movies was wrong but officials dealt appropriately with Sink’s issues, which he called no worse than those other guards faced.
A jury of four men and four women heard testimony over nearly three weeks and has begun deliberating.
