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Iowa News Headlines: Wed., Nov. 27th 2013

News

November 27th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) — An 81-year-old northern Iowa man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for sexually abusing two 8-year-old girls. Clarence Miller, of Thompson, received 25 years on each count of second-degree sexual abuse. Miller must serve at least 35 years before he is eligible for parole. A jury convicted Miller in September of two counts of sexual abuse involving the girls. Prosecutors say Miller assaulted the girls at his home between January 2010 and August 2012.

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) — A southwest Iowa man has reached a plea deal in connection with the death of a 13-month-old girl he was babysitting. Twenty-three–year-old Colby Puckett, of Pacific Junction, pleaded guilty Monday in Mills County Court to second-degree murder in the February 2012 death of Aliyanna May. Puckett was dating the infant’s mother when he was watching the girl and two of her siblings. Authorities say the infant sustained extensive injuries to her head and eyes while in Puckett’s care. Officials later ruled her death a homicide.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Falls is expanding outward by 100 acres for residential housing. The City Council approved three annexation applications and the City Development Board in Des Moines must now approve it before it can receive residential zoning status. The three properties include dozens of acres of farmland. A developer plans to build single-family units on the site, which is close to the city’s industrial park.

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — Police in eastern Iowa are investigating a hit-and-run collision involving two patrol cars. Clinton police say two marked squad cars were parked Monday night when a vehicle traveling at a high speed crossed into an opposite lane of travel and hit them. The crash caused considerable damage to the patrol cars. The high-speed vehicle fled the scene.