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Iowa early News Headlines: Friday, March 31st 2017

News

March 31st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A fast-moving Iowa bill would eliminate the public’s right to access 911 calls involving emergencies in which people are injured, sealing key information about public safety. The House passed the measure this month, and a Senate committee approved it Thursday. The bill declares that 911 calls involving injured victims are medical records and exempt from Iowa’s open records law. Calls involving juveniles would all be confidential.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The long-time best friend of former lottery computer technician Eddie Tipton is poised to testify at trials in Iowa and Wisconsin about how Tipton created computer code that enabled him to predict winning numbers. Robert Rhodes, a Texas businessman who has known Tipton for decades, has reached a plea agreement to testify.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has signed into law a ban on local governments raising the minimum hourly wage and another law changing Iowa’s workers’ compensation system. Branstad signed the measures Thursday at a public event. The wage reversal is effective immediately and comes just days before the state’s most populous county was set to raise pay for some workers. The law restricting workers’ compensation will change benefits for on-the-job injuries in the state.

HOPKINTON, Iowa (AP) — Law enforcement officials in northeastern Iowa are on the lookout for some hot artifacts and antiques. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG report that someone broke into the Delaware County Historical Society’s building in Hopkinton on Wednesday night and stole several items dating back to the 1800s. The items include about 40 arrowheads, a silver tea set and Native American moccasins and a vest.