More Bird Flu Cases Detected In Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – State officials say the bird flu virus has been found in four more northwest Iowa poultry farms with more than 2 million chickens.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture announced Monday there were probable cases of avian influenza at two farms in O’Brien County, one in Osceola County and one in Sioux County.
Additional testing of the birds is pending, and if confirmed all of the birds will be killed to prevent spread of the disease.
Since early March, bird flu cases have prompted officials to order that turkey and chicken producers euthanize more than 7 million birds from several Midwestern states.
The latest cases include three commercial laying operations and one farm that produces young hens. The largest operation is in Sioux County, with 1.7 million birds.
Sioux City Man Sentenced To Ten Years For A Bank Robbery
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with a bank robbery.
The Sioux City Journal reports (https://bit.ly/1bLoLur ) 22-year-old Jonathan Birdnecklace was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to second-degree robbery. He has been ordered to serve a minimum of seven years before he is eligible for parole and pay $200 in restitution to Great Southern Bank in Sioux City.
Court documents say Birdnecklace admitted in October to writing a note demanding $1,500 from a bank teller and pretending to have a weapon. He was arrested about half an hour later.
A phone number for Birdnecklace’s attorney could not be located to request comment on his behalf.
—
Cement Company Given 24 Work-Related Citations
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Mason City cement company has received several citations from a federal agency following safety inspections conducted in March.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration on Monday announced that Lehigh Cement Company in Mason City was issued 24 citations for violations of the Mine Act, which prioritizes the health and safety of employees in coal or other mining industries.
Of the 24 citations, seven were deemed violations likely to cause serious injury or illness, while the remaining 17 violations were determined less likely to pose such a risk.
Federal inspectors issued a total of 188 citations across the country and two orders to remove employees from particularly hazardous work environments.
Lehigh Cement Company produces cement and construction materials in the U.S. and Canada.
Inmate Dies
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa man serving a life sentence for first-degree murder has died.
The Iowa Department of Corrections says 62-year-old Michael Rouse died Sunday in Iowa City after he told a nurse he was having trouble breathing and was transported to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where he was pronounced dead.
According to a news release, Rouse died of natural causes resulting from worsening chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Rouse was assigned to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville, where he had been staying at the center’s Long Term Ambulatory Unit for inmates who need a high-level of nursing care.
Rouse began his life sentence in May 1996.
Burnt Macaroni And Cheese Causes State Capitol Building To Evacuate
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A burnt bowl of macaroni and cheese forced a brief evacuation at the Iowa Capitol.
Iowa Department of Administrative Services spokesman Caleb Hunter says Monday that somebody’s lunch burned in a microwave behind the Senate Chambers on the second floor of the Capitol. He says the smoke prompted a short evacuation of the entire building during the morning.
Hunter says he wasn’t aware of any property damages or injuries due to the incident.
Concert Shooting
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police say a Minnesota man was shot following a rap concert in Iowa.
The West Des Moines Police Department says officers were directing traffic after the concert at the Val Air Ballroom when they heard at least one shot just before 2 a.m. Monday. The show featured Chicago rappers Twista and King Louie, also known as King L.
Sgt. Brent Kock says 24-year-old Daroyce Mills, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was shot in the abdomen. He was taken to a Des Moines hospital, where police say he was listed in stable condition Monday.
No suspects have been identified.
Des Moines Police Investigate Brewery Shooting
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police are investigating after one man sustained a gunshot wound to his rear end in a shooting outside of a Des Moines brewery.
The Des Moines Police Department were monitoring an after-hours party early Sunday morning at Confluence Brewing Company when they heard several gunshots in a nearby parking lot.
A police report says the officers heard bullets whiz overhead as they moved toward the parking lot.
Officers reported spotting Jeremy Stokes limping toward a vehicle with a gunshot wound to the buttocks. Stokes was transported to Mercy Medical Center for treatment.
No arrests have been made in the shooting. The case remains under investigation.
Iowa Education Funding
PLEASANT HILL, Iowa (AP) – The superintendent of a suburban Des Moines school district says new dollars for teacher leadership training benefit schools, but he adds that basic school funding is still needed for expenses like books.
Southeast Polk Community School District Superintendent Craig Menozzi spoke Monday at a press conference with Gov. Terry Branstad. The event highlighted the progress since the governor’s plan to boost funding for teacher training was approved two years ago.
Branstad says the program will “transform education.”
Menozzi praises the new program, but expresses concern over how much new basic funding that schools will get for the upcoming school year. The issue is unresolved, with lawmakers at odds over the amount. He says that the funding level supported by Branstad and Republican leaders in the state House would force cuts.
