Authorities Investigate Sioux City Apartment Fire
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at an apartment complex in Sioux City.
Assistant Fire Chief Robert Wilson with the Sioux City Fire Department says the fire was reported around 3 a.m. Tuesday. Crews found heavy smoke coming from the second floor.
Reports indicate residents were evacuated safely. No injuries were reported.
Wilson says crews found the fire in the rear of a stairwell. The fire was contained to the second floor.
Red Cross Responds To Offer Aid To Apartment Fire Residents
SIOUX CITY, IA, —American Red Cross volunteers answered the call for help on Tuesday morning – responding to that Sioux City apartment fire in the 1600 block of Grandview in Sioux City. Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers met with those living in five affected units offering comfort and hope, and based on their needs provided assistance which may have included lodging, food and clothing. The Disaster Action Team is a group of specially trained volunteers who respond to home fires when called upon at any time of the day or night. Red Cross case workers will continue to work with all of those affected over the coming days to determine if there are other ways the Red Cross can help with their recoveries.
Red Cross Reponded To More Fires Than Any Other Disasters
DES MOINES, IA, – Speaking about the American Red Cross…this year the Iowa Red Cross helped more people affected by home fires than all other disasters combined. Local volunteers responded at all hours of the day with food, blankets and comfort to help more than 2,100 people with nowhere else to turn after home fires from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, 2014.
The Red Cross also provided financial support to 611 households after home fires to help replace lost belongings and begin the long road to recovery. Nationally, the Red Cross responds to a disaster in the community every eight minutes and the vast majority of these are home fires.
Leslie Schaffer, Regional Executive for the Iowa Region says “While tornadoes, floods and hurricanes tend to dominate the headlines, people often underestimate the frequency and devastation caused by home fires, and that’s where the Red Cross comes in,” Schaffer says “Our work doesn’t end after the smoke clears, every day local volunteers are helping people to recover and get better prepared.”
Because of the high number of home fires in this country, the Red Cross launched a campaign this year to reduce the number of home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent over the next five years. The organization is asking every household in America to take two simple steps: check their existing smoke alarms and practice fire drills at home.
Since the campaign launched in October, the Red Cross—in partnership with fire departments and community groups nationwide—has already reached more than 29,000 people by installing 17,000 smoke alarms. These efforts have already saved five lives nationwide. The program is modeled after the smoke alarm installation program developed by the Iowa Red Cross two years ago.
Marshalltown Man Pleads Not Guilty To Killing Tama Man
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – A Marshalltown man has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with the death of a Tama man.
Court records show 18-year-old James Head entered his plea Monday to charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a felony in connection with the death of Adam Garrett. Head is being held at the Marshall County Jail.
Garret was found dead inside a Marshalltown residence on Dec. 6. Additional information about the death is not available, but the state medical examiner’s office classified it as a homicide.
A second man, 29-year-old Jeremy Lynn Lavender, also of Marshalltown, has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the case. A message left for his attorney was not immediately returned Tuesday.
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Iowa Supreme Court To Hear Branstad Speeding Case With Fired Agent
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court will hear an appeal in a lawsuit brought by an investigator who was fired after reporting Gov. Terry Branstad’s speeding SUV.
The court this month granted former Division of Criminal Investigation agent Larry Hedlund’s request to appeal a key ruling while the rest of the case is on hold.
At issue is whether the state should have a public policy that protects police officers from losing their jobs for trying to enforce the law.
Judge Dennis Stovall ruled in September that while Hedlund had an obligation to enforce traffic laws, that is “too vague and general” of a public policy to qualify for added legal protections. He noted that Hedlund has other job safeguards, including the ability to appeal his firing administratively.
Man Arrested In Connection To Courthouse Bomb Threat
NEWTON, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have arrested a man in connection with a bomb threat at a county courthouse in central Iowa.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office says 39-year-old Martin Real Meloche, of Newton, was taken into custody Tuesday. He faces two counts of false report of the placement of explosives devices. Court records do not list an attorney.
Authorities say Meloche called in two threats Monday morning about a bomb at the Jasper County Courthouse. The building was briefly evacuated. No devices were found.
The Newton Daily News reports Meloche was scheduled to be sentenced Monday at the courthouse on felony drug charges. He is being held at the Jasper County Jail on $100,000 bond.
South Dakota To Raise Minimum Wage
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – A bump in the minimum wage means a pay raise for thousands of South Dakotans in the new year.
The change takes effect Thursday. It raises the minimum hourly wage from the $7.25 to $8.50, increases the $2.13 hourly tip wage to half the minimum wage and ties future increases to the cost of living.
The hike means more money for Laurel Lund, of Hot Springs, to pay for prescriptions. Lund will get a 50-cent raise from her $8 hourly wage at Taco John’s in Hot Springs.
A study last fall estimated the measure could impact 34,000 South Dakotans. Business groups say it could trigger layoffs and higher prices.
The Board of Regents says it will have to find another $970,000 to pay for the hike.
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Iowa City Man Charged With Sexual Abuse
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa City man charged with several counts of sexual abuse faces additional charges.
Court records show 23-year-old Nathan Schloss is charged with 22 counts of invasion of privacy. He also faces 18 counts of third-degree sexual abuse. Court records do not list an attorney.
Schloss was arrested Dec. 19. A criminal complaint says he had 18 encounters of sexual abuse between May 2012 and September 2013. Schloss is accused of sexually abusing visibly “incapacitated” women and recording the encounters, but additional information is not available.
It’s unclear how many alleged victims are involved in the case.
Sgt. Scott Gaarde of the Iowa City Police Department says Schloss posted a $54,000 bail Monday and was released from jail.
Mason City Director To Receive Settlement Money
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – An ex-commission director in Mason City who filed a lawsuit against city officials will receive $240,000 as part of a settlement.
The settlement avoids a trial in the lawsuit filed by Lionel Foster, the former Mason City Human Rights Commission director.
The 76-year-old Foster was director from 1978 to 2013. His job was eliminated after the City Council cut the commission’s budget from $143,000 to $15,000. Officials argued the new budget was more in line with that of commissions in other cities about the size of Mason City.
Foster, who is black, claimed age and race discrimination in his lawsuit. Other counts in the lawsuit were later dismissed.
The Mason City Globe Gazette reports the settlement does not constitute an admission of liability for the defendants.
