DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Iowa school regulators have temporarily removed the top two officials in the Davenport school district amid concerns about inequities in discipline for minority students, inadequate special education and school safety. The State Board of Education decided Friday to replace Superintendent Robert Kobylski and Chief Financial Officer Claudia Wood while the district rectifies deficiencies.

The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Department of Education says Davenport schools have failed to make progress on goals outlined by the state over the past three years. The agency called the decision “a critical step” toward ensuring a quality education in a safe and secure environment.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say gunfire erupted at a gathering of motorcycle clubs in Iowa, killing one person and wounding seven others. Waterloo Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald says about 100 people were at the gathering inside a building in Waterloo early Saturday when there was “some kind of confrontation.” He says nearby police officers heard the gunfire and responded within seconds.

Eight people had gunshot wounds and one of them later died. Four other people were hurt by broken glass or other debris while fleeing. Investigators are still trying to determine whether there was more than one shooter and no arrests have been made.

Council Bluffs Police responded to an injury accident in the 300 block of Lincoln Avenue a little after 1-p.m., Saturday.  Upon Officers’ arrival, Council Bluffs Fire Department personnel were treating a 2-year old female who suffered life-threatening injuries. The child was transported to Nebraska Medicine Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased.

A preliminary investigation indicates the child was struck by a vehicle pulling into the driveway. No further details were released as of 3:20-p.m.

w/ Chris Parks

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LeMARS, Iowa (AP) — A former sheriff’s deputy in northwestern Iowa is facing several felony charges for burglaries and thefts that occurred while he was working as a deputy. The Sioux City Journal reports that 41-year-old Aaron John Leusink is accused in a series of crimes between December 2017 and January of this year. Authorities say the thefts were related to prescription medications. Leusink was working as a Plymouth County deputy at the time. Sheriff Michael Van Otterloo asked the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate after the allegations against Leusink came to light in April. Leusink was initially placed on administrative before being fired in April.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa teenager has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for killing another teenager in 2019. The Des Moines Register reports that Eliazar Montoya Gama of West Des Moines was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Sakira Bonner. Dallas County Attorney Charles Sinnard says the judge’s ruling allows Gama to be eligible for parole after serving 30 years in prison. Gama was 17 at the time of the crime. Had he been an adult, he would have been sentenced to life without parole.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa legislative panel has approved several proposals by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate to alleviate a last-minute crunch on Election Day. The Iowa Legislative Council will let voters use a driver’s license for their identification even if it expired this year and will allow Pate to move a polling place in an emergency. Nursing home residents may receive ballots by mail rather than have them hand-delivered as required by state law. Also, county election boards may remove mail ballots from their outer envelope on the Saturday before Election Day to make tabulating them go faster on the day before Election Day as state law allows.

By RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Members of the University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving team are suing the school over a decision to eliminate their program. The lawsuit argues that Iowa is not offering equal opportunity for female students in sports as required by a 1972 law that bars gender discrimination in federally funded education programs. The plaintiffs are four members of the team. They want a court to reinstate their program. They’re also seeking class-action status for all female undergraduate students and more sports opportunities. The university is cutting men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis and men’s gymnastics due to budget woes.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents of a phone scam that has been reported in the area. In the scam a number comes up on a person’s caller ID as Cass County. Upon answering the scammer will claim they have received a report of misuse of social security numbers and will proceed to ask for the last four digits of those numbers. Upon refusal, the scammer will try to say they’ll have to put a warrant out for the person’s arrest.

Please beware of this scam. The Sheriff’s Office reminds residents that they would never cold-call someone to ask for their social security number or other personal information.

DES MOINES – Friday, Governor Reynolds signed a new proclamation continuing the Public Health Disaster Emergency.

The proclamation extends the closure of bars, taverns, wineries, breweries, distilleries, night clubs in Johnson and Story counties for an additional week, until 11:59 p.m. on October 4, 2020. They may continue to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off premises. Restaurants in these two counties are still permitted to remain open, but must stop selling and serving alcoholic beverages after 10:00 p.m.

Restaurants in Johnson and Story counties, like bars and restaurants in all other counties, must also continue to follow other mitigation measures. This includes the requirements to ensure six feet of physical distance between each group or individual dining or drinking; to ensure all patrons have a seat at a table or bar and consume alcohol or food while seated; and to limit congregating together closer than six feet.