Man Accused Of Ramming Police Vehicles Faces Trial
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – An October trial in Sioux City has been scheduled for a man accused of ramming police cars on a chase that began in northeast Nebraska and ended in western Iowa.
Woodbury County court records say 43-year-old Larry Johnson II pleaded not guilty Friday to assault on an officer. His trial is set to begin Oct. 2.
The Nebraska State Patrol says the incident occurred July 6 when a Nebraska trooper tried to stop a pickup truck being pursued by South Sioux City police. Officials say the truck rammed the trooper’s car, which had maneuvered in front of it, from behind before crossing into Iowa.
The trooper and a Dakota County sheriff’s cruiser following the truck onto Interstate 29 before it went out of control and became stuck in a median. Officials say the truck then rammed both the trooper’s car and the sheriff’s vehicle before Johnson was arrested.
Northern Iowans Oppose Hog Facilities
LIME SPRINGS, Iowa (AP) – Some northern Iowa residents have banded together to fight what they call pollution of their water and air after several failed attempts to thwart the rise of hog confinements.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the Northeast Iowans for Clean Air and Water has organized an agreement with Howard County residents to form a covenant not allowing manure to be placed on their land. Manure becomes more toxic with a large number of hog confinements.
The covenant is comprised of about 43 families, with 63 separate
properties between four townships. The properties together span more than 5,500 acres (2,226 hectares).
The Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine says swine manure can generate toxic chemicals, including ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and methane.
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Judicial Conference Scheduled For Des Moines
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will be holding a judicial conference in Des Moines next month.
Organizers say U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will be among the speakers at the Iowa Events Center, Aug. 15-17. Also speaking will be Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Va. They are chairmen of the Senate and House
judiciary committees, respectively.
The conference is open only to judges, attorneys, law school students and court employees.
Trial Has Been Re-scheduled For Eastern Iowa Woman Who Allowed Children To Live In Squander Conditions
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – Another trial date has been set for an eastern Iowa woman accused of letting seven children live surrounded by garbage, rotten food and feces.
Dubuque County records say 35-year-old Tiesha Martin has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of child endangerment. Her trial originally was scheduled to begin March 19 but was delayed until April 23, then June 11, June 25 and now Sept. 5.
The records say police and a social worker checking on the children at Martin’s residence Jan. 2 found the squalid conditions and say the children were sharing just one bedroom and bed.
Thirty-four-year-old Jermaine Watson is the father of Martin’s youngest child, and he pleaded guilty to child endangerment and two drug counts. He’s been given two years of probation.
Medical Board Chairman Resigns
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The director of the Iowa Board of Medicine has abruptly retired following a personnel investigation in which he says he was treated unfairly by state administrators.
Mark Bowden announced his retirement on Monday morning, following the board’s decision to reinstate him to his position on Friday.
He had been on paid leave during an investigation into unspecified allegations.
Bowden says state lawyers and staff at the Department of Public
Health and Department of Administrative Services treated him in a “grossly unfair way” during the inquiry. He says the treatment “broke the trust and confidence I need” to stay at the agency, which he had led for 10 years.
The board is responsible for licensing physicians and acupuncturists and investigating claims of misconduct.
