United Group Insurance

Iowa early News Headlines: Tuesday, Jan. 3rd, 2017

News

January 3rd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:39 a.m. CST

VIENNA, Ill. (AP) — Authorities in southern Illinois have identified the four people who died after a single-engine plane crashed in a wooded area on New Year’s Eve. Johnson County Coroner David Rockwell says 34-year-old Curt Terpstra, 35-year-old Jordan Linder, 26-year-old Jasmine Linder and 37-year-old Krista Green died in Saturday night’s crash. All four were from eastern Iowa.

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa police officer has been fined and ordered to complete a treatment program for drunk driving and weapons charges. Former Newton officer Dustin Hamell received the sentence last week in connection with an Aug. 30 traffic stop on Interstate 80 outside of Des Moines. Authorities said that his blood tested at nearly three times the legal alcohol limit, and that he had a loaded handgun and unopened cans of beer in his truck.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A University of Iowa benefactor has donated $5 million toward the renovation of Kinnick Stadium’s north end. The university announced Sunday, during Outback Bowl festivities in Tampa, Florida, that Ted and Deb Pacha had made a contribution to the $90 million project. The project plans include a second deck for seating and expanded concourses. The project is expected to be finished before the 2019 season.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A charity controlled by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has missed a deadline for disclosing the names of donors who paid for his 2015 inaugural celebration, keeping them secret even as he prepares to become the U.S. ambassador to China. Tax experts say the lack of disclosure potentially subjects the group to IRS penalties of $100 per day. It means the public doesn’t know the identities of those who wrote checks totaling $1 million to fund Branstad’s inauguration and namesake college scholarships.