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Iowa early News Headlines: Tue., Aug. 2nd 2016

News

August 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 2:40 a.m. CDT

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) — A bus driver charged in the hit-and-run death of an Iowa State University student has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. KCCI-TV reports 23-year-old Benjamin Clague, of Gilbert, pleaded guilty Monday to failure to report a crash. Prosecutors will recommend he serve 30 days in jail and pay a $100 fine. Police arrested Clague more than a month after Iowa State student Emmalee Jacobs was found in the middle of a street bordering campus. She died at a hospital.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Machinery located at three oil pipeline construction sites in central Iowa has been extensively damaged by fire. Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty says it appears the fires were intentionally set along the Dakota Access pipeline.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says he’s meeting with Iowa groups this summer to float around a new proposal to fund water quality initiatives in the state, but it’s unclear if he’ll have backing in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Branstad told reporters Monday he’s traveling Iowa to meet farmers, educators and community leaders to pitch a plan that would use some money typically designated for school infrastructure to pay for water improvement.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The executive editor of The Des Moines Register has been promoted to a new position with Gannett. The Register announced Monday that Amalie Nash, its executive editor and vice president for news and engagement, has been named Gannett’s west region executive editor. The Register is owned by Gannett, a media company based in McLean, Virginia. In her new role, Nash will oversee about 50 news organizations in the Midwest and West.