(Radio Iowa) – If a bill in the Iowa House becomes law, a group of legislators could force lawmakers to vote on whether the proposed carbon capture pipelines can get state government permission to seize property for the project. Twenty-one members of the Iowa House or 11 members of the Iowa Senate would have to sign a petition seeking an up or down vote on the use of eminent domain for the project. Victoria Sinclair, a lobbyist for a group called Land of the Free Action, says the Iowa Utilities Board review of the Summit Carbon Solutions project has been grossly unfair. “A mechanism for the legislature to tap the brakes in situations like this is appropriate and necessary,” Sinclair said.

Landowners like Kathy Carter of Rockford in Floyd County say it’s been an exhausting to fight against having her farm property seized through eminent domain. “The use of eminent domain for a private company to be allowed to take my land is one word: wrong,” she said. “This has got to stop and this bill will help do exactly that.” Pete McRoberts, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says the A-C-L-U is not taking a position on the pipeline, but support the bill strongly.  “We take a strong position against the abuse of power as evidenced by the Iowa Utilities Board and the Office of the Consumer Advocate through this long and corrupt process that has caused so much pain to these landowners,” McRoberts said. “…We believe in legislative oversight of the constitutional provisions of eminent domain in a way that is proper and fair.”

Republican Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City says existing Iowa Utilities Board rules for pipeline developers have been manipulated to deprive Iowans of their due process rights. “This bill, if it becomes law, will restore some of the checks and balances by returning to the elected officials of Iowa — the membership of the General Assembly– a final decision about the propriety of the pipeline and public use,” Thomson said. “…I think it’s important that elected people, not appointed people, make this decision.”

Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says it’s frustrating that landowners who don’t want the pipeline on their property aren’t protected under current law. “My party is supposed to stand up for the Constitution, is supposed to stand up for the Bill of Rights,” Holt said, “and it’s extremely disappointing to me that the legislation we passed last year did not move forward in the Senate.”

The Iowa House passed a bill last year setting up some new guidelines for carbon capture pipelines, but Senate Republicans did not bring it up for a vote. No one representing Summit Carbon Solutions spoke at this (Wednesday) morning’s House subcommittee hearing on the bill.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Glenwood was arrested Tuesday night. 28-year-old Jericho Cash Clements was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $10,000.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, today (Wednesday) issued a statement with regard to a Sports Wagering Investigation. The statement says “Iowa Code section 80.25A directs the Commissioner of public safety to establish a subdivision with the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) “to be the primary criminal investigative and enforcement agency for the purpose of” enforcing Iowa’s gambling laws. Historically, these agents have worked in Iowa’s 19 casinos. With the legalization of sports betting in 2019 and its rapid growth since betting became legal on digital devices, DCI now has six agents dedicated to sports gambling. In 2023 alone, $2.4 billion in sports bets were placed in Iowa.

The evolution of gaming has given rise to emerging technologies that help regulate the industry and enforce the law. Iowa Administrative Rule 491-13.5 requires “the sportsbooks to implement location detection procedures to reasonably detect and dynamically monitor the location of a player attempting to place any wager” and to notify accountholders about information being gathered and shared.

Additionally, Iowa Code section 99F.7A requires sports wagering licensees to “employ reasonable steps to prohibit coaches, athletic trainers, officials, players, or other individuals who participate in an authorized sporting event that is the subject of sports wagering, from sports wagering.”

Analytical software programs developed by the licensees that provide mapping and anonymized data points were made available to the DCI to help identify anomalies suggesting suspicious or criminal activity that could undermine sports gambling in Iowa and ensure regulatory compliance.

Prior to using the tools provided, the Department of Public Safety conferred with legal counsel to ensure lawful access to and use of the technology. Two county attorney offices also reviewed all relevant investigative information before making the ultimate decision to file charges.

The Department traditionally does not comment on active investigations or litigation in an effort to ensure these matters are appropriately addressed by our justice system rather than the media. We believe the evidence was obtained in a constitutionally permissible manner. Ultimately it is up to the courts to decide. We want to reassure Iowans that the Department always strives to scrupulously uphold the laws and constitutions of the United States and the State of Iowa.”

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision late Tuesday morning in Union County resulted in a person transported to the hospital in Creston. The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a 2003 Ford Ranger pickup driven by 75-year-old Charles Rayburn Davenport, of Arispe, was traveling west on Highway 34 at around 11:25-a.m. A 2020 International box truck driven by 22-year-old Gage William McCoy, of Ames, was stopped at the stop sign on Osage Street near the southeast City limits of Creston, and was attempting to turn left to head east on Highway 34. Because some semi’s were turning north from the westbound turn lane, McCoy failed to see the oncoming pickup truck.

When he pulled out into the intersection into the path of the pickup, the box truck was struck by the pickup. Charles Davenport was injured during the collision, and transported to the Greater Regional Medical Center, in Creston.

Authorities say Davenport had the right-of-way, and McCoy should have waited until he could determine if the road was clear, before proceeding into the intersection. No citations were issued. Damage from the accident amounted to $6,500.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports a man was arrested Tuesday night on an OWI charge. 39-year-old Miguel Angel Zapata-Gonzalez, of Creston, was arrested at around 11:52-p.m., near a Creston auto dealership. Zapata-Gonzalez was charged with Operating While Under the Influence, and Driving While Suspended. He was taken to Union County Jail and later posted at $1,300 cash or approved surety bond.

(Corydon, Iowa) – Sheriff’s official in southern Iowa, Tuesday, said a teenager faces a felony, Threat of Terrorism charge, following an alleged threat against the Wayne Community School District (CSD), in Corydon. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office received a report Tuesday morning from the Wayne CSD with regard to information they received from another school district, concerning the threat of violence at each of the school districts.

The Wayne Community School District implemented a Level I External Lockdown following their policies and safety protocols, and immediately notified law enforcement. Deputies with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Secondary School in Corydon, and obtained information received by the school concerning the threats. Law enforcement acted immediately in identifying the individual and located him at a residence in rural Wayne County.

As a result of the investigation a 14 year old male juvenile was taken into custody without incident, by deputies with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, under the authority of an existing court order, and due to the incident reported that morning. The juvenile was not, at any time known to law enforcement, on school grounds. The teen remains in custody, and was transported to another agency pending the current criminal charges and the existing order.

The teen was charged with Threat of Terrorism, a Class “D” Felony. Authorities say while the case remains under investigation, there is no current danger to students, staff or community at this time. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in their investigation, by the Osage Police Department,Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Juvenile Court Services and the Wayne Community School District.

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI]— A Mississippi man who police say admitted last month to damaging the Satanic Temple’s display at the Iowa Capitol has now been charged with a hate crime. Michael Cassidy, of Lauderdale, Mississippi, was initially charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief on Dec. 15, a day after the damage was reported. He was released after his arrest. Court documents say the cost to replace or repair the property is between $750 and $1,500. They also show that the act was committed “in violation of individual rights” under Iowa’s hate crime statute. Both pieces of evidence bring the charge to 3rd degree-criminal mischief, a class D felony.

Cassidy is set to be arraigned on Feb. 15. The display sat on the east side of the Capitol beside a column and an ornate staircase, about 100 feet from a Christmas tree displayed in the rotunda. It was permitted by rules that govern religious installations inside the Capitol. Lucien Greaves, co-founder of the Satanic Temple, said at the time that the display was a symbol of their right to religious freedom.

The display drew criticism from many conservatives, including Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. Founded in 2013, the Salem, Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple doesn’t believe in Satan but describes itself as a “non-theistic religious organization” that advocates for secularism. It is separate from the Church of Satan, which was founded in the 1960s.

(Radio Iowa) – An extensive botanical reference library that’s a growing resource for research has been on the Iowa State University campus for more than one-and-a-half centuries. The Ada Hayden Herbarium is home to nearly three-quarters of a million plant samples, according to curator Deb Lewis. She calls the herbarium a one-stop shop for studying Iowa’s native plants, as well as plants from all over the globe. Most of the herbarium’s holdings are plants that have been dried, pressed, labeled, attached to archival paper and stored for reference. Mounted and kept correctly, Lewis says they can last for centuries. The herbarium is housed in a complex of four adjacent interior rooms on the third floor of Bessey Hall. The samples are stored in about 250 large metal cabinets that are spread across the facility’s 43-hundred square feet.

(Defiance, Iowa) – Firefighters from six area departments responded to a residential structure fire in Defiance, Tuesday morning. Our sister station KNOD reports the blaze broke out at around 8:30-a.m.  Crews with the Defiance and Irwin Fire Departments were provided mutual aid from the Earling, Harlan, Panama and the Westphalia Fire Departments.

Reports indicate that the furnace in the house did not work and they were using a portable LP heater to heat the house.  When a person tried to light it a fire erupted.

Photos contributed to KNOD by Jason Anastasi and Chris Thurman.

The occupants were able to get out of the house but lost everything in the fire.  Efforts were being made to find them clothing and housing.