w/ Ric Hanson
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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Opening statements are scheduled at a Des Moines civil rights trial at which two black men will argue they were framed for the 1977 killing of a white, retired Iowa police officer. The lawyers for Terry Harrington and Curtis McGhee are expected to make their statements in a Des Moines courtroom today (Thursday).
Harrington and McGhee, originally from Omaha, Neb., served 25 years in prison after they were convicted of killing John Schweer in neighboring Council Bluffs. They were freed in 2003 when the Iowa Supreme Court found that prosecutors committed misconduct.
Lawyers will argue that Council Bluffs detectives used threats against a group of young car theft suspects to trump up evidence against Harrington and McGhee because of their race and the pressure to solve the retired captain’s killing.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – In what may be a sign of an improving state economy, Iowa officials say community college enrollment has dropped for the second year in a row. The Des Moines Register reports that this fall’s enrollment hit just over 100,500 students, a drop of 5 percent from a year ago. Last year’s drop was less than 1 percent. The Department of Education says enrollment rose nearly 6 percent to peak at more than 106,000 students in 2010. It rose more than 14 percent in 2009.
M.J. Dolan is executive director of the Iowa Association of Community College Trustees, and he says that “when the economy improves, people that were going to school go back to work. When the economy declines, people come to community college to hone their skills.”
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly economic index report suggests an economic slump over the next three to six months for nine Midwest and Plains states. The Mid-America Business Conditions index dropped to 46.5 last month from 50.4 in September.
The survey of business leaders and supply managers uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below 50 suggests decline for that factor. The overall index figure was 49.7 in August, 48.7 in July and 57.2 in June.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says “growth in the regional economy is definitely moving lower.” The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
Here’s the Freese-Notis (podcast) forecast for the KJAN listening area, and weather data for Atlantic…
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The Iowa Supreme Court has granted a request for a review of a case involving a Pottawattamie County man convicted of attempted murder. According to the Council Bluffs Daily Non Pareil, the decision was made by the court last week, in the case against Craig Finney, of Macedonia, who pleaded guilty in Nov. 2011, to the attempted murder of Patricia Harker, of Minden. Finney shot the woman, with whom he had a failed romantic relationship, during an altercation in June, 2011. Another man in the home hide a in the bathroom during the shooting, and narrowly missed being shot when a bullet passed through the door.
Finney was apprehended June 17th near the Lake of the Ozarks, in Missouri. He was later sentenced to a maximum of 25 years in prison. He remains at the Clarinda Correctional Facility. Court documents say during his appeal of the guilty plea and sentence, Finney argued he received ineffective counsel because a factual basis to support the charge of attempted murder hadn’t been established. The court of appeals ruled in favor of Finney, and the Iowa Attorney General appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has now followed suite in granting a review of the case, but no decision on whether the or not the justices will hear oral arguments, has been made. The court also hasn’t scheduled a date for hearing the case, just yet.
Due to extended renovations of the US Cellular Center, the 2012 State Volleyball Tournament will be held at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. The State Volleyball Tournament runs Nov. 7th through the 10th.
Class 5-A Quarterfinals – Wed., Nov. 7th
3-p.m. Johnston (26-8) vs. Ankeny (29-6) – Court 1
3-p.m. Bettendorf (20-11) vs. Dubuque Hempstead (29-6) Court 2
4:30-p.m. Dowling Catholic (33-10) vs. Iowa City High (29-8) – Court 1
4:30-p.m. Urbandale (31-8) vs. Pleasant Valley (37-1) – Court 2
Class 4-A Quarterfinals – Wed. Nov. 7th
6:00-p.m. Cedar Rapids Xavier (26-11) vs. Charles City – Court 1
6:00-p.m. Solon (31-4) vs. Harlan (32-5) – Court 2
7:30-p.m. North Scott (27-5) vs. Waverly-Shell Rock (44-7) – Court 1
7:30-p.m. West Delaware (31-11) vs. Bishop Heelan (35-10) – Court 2
Class 3-A Quarterfinals – Thu., Nov. 8th
12:00-p.m. Iowa Falls-Alden (32-4) vs. Mediapolis (42-0) – Court 1
12:00-p.m. Mt. Vernon (27-10) vs. Davenport Assumption (28-7) – Court 2
1:30-p.m. Union (33-7) vs. Sioux Center (31-6) – Court 1
1:30-p.m. Red Oak (27-6) vs. MOC-Floyd Valley (30-8) – Court 2
Class 2-A Quarterfinals – Thu., Nov. 8th
3:00-p.m. Sumner-Fredericksburg (24-6) vs. Dike- New Hartford (42-0) – Court 1
3:00-p.m. Treynor (31-6) vs. Western Christian (41-3) – Court 2
4:30-p.m. Council Bluffs/St. Albert (28-10) vs. West Branch (36-4) – Court 1
4:30-p.m. Lake Mills (43-0) vs. Kuemper Catholic (32-5) – Court 2
Class 1-A Quarterfinals – Thu., Nov. 8th
6:00-p.m. Stanton (34-2) vs. Janesville (31-8) – Court 1
6:00-p.m. LeMars Gehlen Catholic (29-5) vs. Tripoli (35-5) – Court 2
7:30-p.m. Grandview Park Baptist (29-6) vs. Grundy Center (33-6) – Court 1
7:30-p.m. Marquette Catholic (29-5) vs. Holy Trinity Catholic (43-4) – Court 2
Class 1-A Regional Finals
Class 2-A Regional Finals
TODAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 50S. NORTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.
TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 30S. EAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.
FRIDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 50S. EAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.
FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 30S. NORTHEAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.
SATURDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTH WIND AROUND 5 MPH.
SATURDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE MID 30S.
SUNDAY…CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN. HIGH AROUND 50.
SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE UPPER 30S. HIGH IN THE LOWER 50S.
Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press
SMITHLAND, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man who was found dead after an explosion and fire at an old service station in Smithland in western Iowa. Officials say 76-year-old Robert Jones owned the building. He was found outside the station’s office after the blast late yesterday morning. Smithland is in Woodbury County about 40 miles southeast of Sioux City.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a parent of a 5-year-old girl refused medical treatment for her after the girl was struck by a minivan while waiting for a school bus in Davenport. The accident occurred shortly after 7 a.m. yesterday. Davenport police spokesman Martin Lopez says the girl ran in front of a minivan, which struck her.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A 27-year-old Davenport man has been accused of biting his 4-year-old stepchild in order to punish the child. The Quad-City Times says James Darby was arrested Tuesday and charged with felony child endangerment. Scott County Jail records say Darby remained in custody yesterday, pending $5,000 bail.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The attorney for a former Iowa school superintendent is praising prosecutors for their decision not to charge him with misusing public funds. Attorney Brandon Brown said Tuesday his client, former Starmont Community School District Superintendent Gary Stumberg, is “elated and grateful” to prosecutors in the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, who closed the investigation without filing charges.