CENTERVILLE, Iowa (AP) — The first-degree murder trial has begun for a man accused of killing a hunter in south-central Iowa. Appanoose County Attorney Susan Scieszinski said in her opening statements Wednesday that there is no known motive for the November 2017 killing of 31-year-old Curtis Ross. The Daily Iowegian reports that Ross was shot 10 times with a high-powered rifle, stabbed more than 26 times and his neck, abdomen and legs gashed open. A sheriff’s deputy found Ross’ naked body in a creek on public hunting grounds.

Scieszinski said the evidence will show Davis perched from a hilltop, using an AR-15 to shoot Ross. Officials say Davis’ finger and palm prints found on ammunition in the area connected him to the killing, and a search of his family farm turned up a hidden AR-15 that forensics determined was used in the shooting.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature is moving forward a series of bills that would legalize sports betting. Lawmakers discussed four bills Wednesday in a Senate subcommittee, and the bills are on the calendar for discussion Thursday by House members. The bills offer opportunities for competing groups, including state-licensed casinos, a horse racing group, the Iowa Lottery and professional sports organizations, to run sports gambling operations.

Rep. Bobby Kaufmann drafted the bills to give the various gambling interests a chance to argue why they’d offer the best sports betting platform. Legislative leaders say they plan to support a single plan that allows one or more organizations to run sports gambling. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission would regulate operations run by casinos, professional leagues or horse groups while the Iowa Lottery would oversee such betting if its plan is approved.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last May that states can legalize sports betting. Eight states accept bets and several others are considering laws that would enable sports betting.

(Radio Iowa) — More wicked weather is snarling traffic and freezing fingers across much of Iowa. The entire state is under a Winter Weather Advisory, an Ice Storm Warning is in effect for southeast Iowa, while a Blizzard Warning is posted for northwest and north-central Iowa. Meteorologist Mindy Beerends, at the National Weather Service in Johnston, says only a few inches of snow are predicted but the winds will be whipping up whatever falls, potentially causing white-out conditions. “Winds will be strong enough that we are expected to see blizzard conditions, starting late morning in northwestern Iowa and into the afternoon in north-central Iowa,” Beerends says. “That looks to continue through the evening hours with winds gusting 40 to 45-miles an hour at times.”

Another round of frigid, arctic air will arrive in Iowa shortly. “Tonight, we could see wind chills dipping to between 30-below and 40-below in parts of far northern Iowa and then between 20-below and 30-below for portions of central and southern Iowa,” Beerends says. “Those bitter cold wind chills will continue tonight into tomorrow morning and the temperatures will drop again Friday night, looking at lows around ten-below to teens-below in far northern Iowa.”

The long-range forecast calls for more chances for snowfall on Sunday and again on Monday night and into Tuesday

Authorities late this (Thursday) morning opened-up the left lane of Interstate 80 eastbound, north of Atlantic. Both lanes had been blocked due to a crash between two semi tractor-trailers. The blockage in the right lane is between Exit 54: IA 173 and Exit 57: (Olive Street) County Road N16 (5 miles west of the Brayton area). The accident was reported at around 9:30-a.m.  Initial dispatch reports said one semi crossed the median and collided with the other. At least one person was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance.

No other details are available.

An accident between two semi tractor-trailers on Interstate 80 Eastbound was reported at about 9:30am Thursday morning. According to initial reports the accident occurred near the Olive Street exit at mile marker 57 north of Atlantic. One semi crossed the median and collided with the other. It was believed one driver suffered minor injuries. No further details are known at this time, expect traffic delays in the area.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge says the University of Iowa was wrong to strip a Christian student group of its registered status after the organization barred a gay student from a leadership position.
The Des Moines Register reports that U.S. District Judge Stephanie M. Rose granted a permanent injunction banning the university from rejecting the status of the group, Business Leaders in Christ. Rose says the university unevenly applies its human rights policy by allowing other groups to limit membership based on religious views, race, sex and other protected characteristics.

Business Leaders in Christ said it denied the student’s request because the group requires leaders to affirm a statement of faith rejecting homosexuality. The university says it plans to follow the court’s decision.

On January 16, 2019, Shopko, a leading operator of general merchandise stores throughout the Central, Western and Pacific Northwest regions of the U.S., announced that it, along with its subsidiaries, has filed voluntary petitions for a court-supervised financial restructuring under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Their updated (area) list of stores that are closing now, and their estimated last day of operation, includes:

• Cherokee (March 2nd)
• Clarinda and Onawa (April 14th)
• Audubon, Greenfield, Missouri Valley and Mt. Ayr  (May 5th)
• Glenwood (May 12th)

In order to position the Company for future success, Shopko has announced that it will be closing an additional 38 stores, relocating over 20 Optical centers to freestanding locations, and conducting an auction process for its pharmacy business.

Glenwood Police report one arrest took place, Wednesday. 34-year old Ivan Houser, of Glenwood, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. He posted a $1,000 cash or surety bond, and was released.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa regulatory board won’t let Alliant Energy charge customers who decline to have smart meters used to track how much electricity they use. The Iowa Utility Board voted Wednesday to reject Alliant’s request to charge $15 a month to customers who opt out of the smart meter program. The board told Alliant to file a revised rate request that lets allows customers opt out without facing a fee. The board says Alliant already charges customers for meter reading in its current rates.

The board didn’t bar Alliant from seeking a future charge in a broader rate case. Alliant says its smart meter system uses two-way wireless communication to retrieve meter data and funnel it through a secure and proprietary network.