DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Nebraska filmmaker caught up in Iowa’s film tax credits scandal has been acquitted at his third trial. The Des Moines Register reports jurors found Dennis Brouse not guilty Thursday of fraudulent practice. He’d been convicted at two previous trials, but the Iowa Appeals Court overturned both convictions, once because of issues with evidence, once because of faulty jury instruction.

Brouse made public television programs about horse training that aired in Nebraska. He moved his company to Iowa to take advantage of generous tax credits. Iowa suspended the credits program after auditors discovered that $26 million in credits were improperly issued.

Prosecutors accused Brouse of buying a trailer for $10,500, but reporting that it cost twice that much so he could inflate his credits.

Under current law, licensed teachers, administrators and coaches can be charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee if they’re suspected of inappropriate contact with an Iowa student. A new law the governor approved yesterday (Thursday) expands the list of people who could be charged with this crime to “non-licensed” school employees like cooks, custodians, bus drivers and volunteers who oversee students. Representative Megan Jones of Sioux Rapids has been trying to pass this legislation for a few years.

“Many of you have reached out to me in one way or another and said that you had a similar issue in your district and I just appreciate the thoughtful, hard consideration you put into this bill so that we can make the children of Iowa safer,” Jones said during House consideration of the bill last month. Those found guilty of the crime of sexual exploitation by a school employee can be sentenced to up to two years in prison.

Three years ago lawmakers adjusted the law so prosecutors could charge COACHES with the crime of sexual exploitation of a student. Legislators acted after the Iowa Supreme Court tossed out a conviction against an assistant basketball coach for having sex with a 16-year-old student. The court ruled the 36-year-old coach did not fall under the law forbidding sexual exploitation of students because he did not have a teaching license. His main job was at a manufacturing plant.

(Radio Iowa)

An Iowa lawmaker says it was a “terrible, horrible mistake” that a man convicted in connection with his wife’s death was able to collect on her life insurance policy — and a new state law will ensure it won’t happen again. Representative Marti Anderson of Des Moines was director of the Iowa Crime Victim Assistance Division seven years ago when Bridgett Wirtjes, of Manly died.

“She had cuts on her nose and on her knees, blunt force injuries and I’m not going to tell you about the rest,” Anderson said. It HAS been illegal in Iowa for people to collect the life insurance benefits of someone they’ve been convicted of MURDERING, but Tyler Wirtjes and two others were convicted of sexually assaulting his unconscious wife, who died soon after the incident.

“He was found guilty of two, third-degree sexual assaults because they couldn’t really determine what the exact cause of her death was,” Anderson said. “But when this happened, her kids were sleeping in the next room. His kids were sleeping in the house when he did this to his wife.” Wirtjes, who took photos of the assault with his cell phone, successfully filed a claim on his dead wife’s life insurance policy. Her parents went to court, but lost.

“This insurance was a policy that they had bought for her when she was four years old and they had paid for,” Anderson says, “but the man who contributed to her death…he got the insurance.” The governor signed a bill into law Wednesday that now bars people like Wirtjes who are convicted of a felony like sexual assault from collecting on the life insurance policies of their victims. Those convicted of other felonies, like kidnapping and human trafficking, also will be prohibited now from being the beneficiary of their victim’s life insurance.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CDT

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — A Republican congressman who campaigned on repealing the Affordable Care Act is cautioning constituents that the House GOP replacement bill is just “a tweak of Obamacare.” Two-term Iowa Republican Rod Blum indicates that the GOP bill would have gone further if he had his way. Blum and others are understating the impact of the bill that, if enacted, could drop millions from their insurance by next year.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An audit of the University of Iowa athletics department says administrators failed to adequately monitor information technology purchases, allowing wasteful spending and creating a major risk for equipment theft. The report cites missing iPads, unnecessary travel and improper credit card spending. The department’s IT director left his job in February as auditors were nearing the conclusion of their inquiry.

MARION, Iowa (AP) — A teen convicted of fondling three kindergarten students while volunteering at an eastern Iowa elementary school has been sentenced to a state training school. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that the teen, now 16, was sentenced Thursday to the school in Eldora, and a judge recommended he stay there until he’s nearly 20. However, the school has discretion to decide how long he’ll stay. He’ll also have to register as a sex offender.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Greg Forristall, a Republican state representative from southwest Iowa, has died. Colin Tadlock, a spokesman for House Republicans, said Thursday that Forristall’s wife, Carol Forristall, contacted legislative staff to confirm the Macedonia lawmaker died Wednesday. He was 67. House Speaker Linda Upmeyer said in a press release that Forristall had been battling cancer.

Hy-Vee pharmacies are now offering over-the-counter the drug that can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. A state order allows Iowa pharmacies to go through training to be able to sell naloxone without a prescription. The director of prevention services at the Area Substance Abuse Council in Cedar Rapids, Erin Foster, says Hy-Vee’s decision is a good start to making sure naloxone is available to those who need it.

“If someone wanted to obtain naloxone before the standing order, they actually would need to go to a medical provider and get a prescription for it. It kind of takes that barrier out of going and talking to a medical provider, which we know there’s a stigma against substance use,”Foster says. Foster says the pharmacies appear to be slow in moving on this.

“Our agency actually did a quick survey not too long ago to see who was actually utilizing the state standing order, and sadly not too many pharmacies had jumped on board with that yet,”Foster says. She says two doses of naloxone in the Cedar Rapids area can cost between 140 and 280-dollars. She says people still need to seek immediate medical treatment after using the drug.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is reporting two, recent drug-related arrests. Today (Thursday, May 11th), 19-year old Seth Alan Nelson, of Atlantic, turned himself in at the Cass County Sheriff’s Office on a Sheriff’s Office felony warrant for Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana. Nelson was booked into the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond.

And, on May 5th, 23-year old Joy Margaret Foley, of Omaha, was arrested in Cass County on charges of Possession of Alprazolam 1st Offense; Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drug; and Theft 4th Degree. Foley was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released the following day on $1,000 bond.

In other news, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office say 28-year old Leslie Ann Olwell, of Atlantic, was arrested Monday on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Harassment 1st Degree. Olwell was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $2,000 bond. And, 39-year old Richard Lee Wegenke, of Lewis, was arrested today (Thursday) on a charge of Violation of No Contact Order. Wegenke was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held until hearing before the magistrate.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Missing iPads. Unnecessary travel. Improper credit card purchases. A recent audit of the Iowa athletics department warns that administrators failed to adequately monitor information technology purchases, allowing wasteful spending and creating a major risk for equipment theft.

The department’s IT director, Patrick Delin, left his job in February as auditors were nearing the conclusion of an inquiry that was sharply critical of his practices. The audit comes at a difficult time for athletic director Gary Barta, who is facing criticism following last week’s jury award of $1.4 million in damages to his former top aide, Jane Meyer.

At trial, the university argued that deputy athletic director Gene Taylor was paid $70,000 more than Meyer because his job included overseeing IT. Taylor is now at Kansas State.

A western Iowa legislator has died. State Representative Greg Forristall, a farmer from Macedonia, has died of cancer. Forristall was first elected to the Iowa House in 2006. He represented House District 22, which included parts of Pottawattamie County. A date for a special election for House District 22 will be announced at a later date.

Forristall’s health declined precipitously in the past several months and he was unable to participate in many legislative activities. Fellow Republican Linda Upmeyer, the speaker of the House, said Forristall was a “dedicated public servant” and “an advocate for the arts and education.”

Foristall’s wife, Carol, is a retired music teacher. She served as his clerk in the House. Funeral arrangements are pending. Forristall, who was 67, grew up on his family farm near Macedonia. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1972 and then earned a master of arts degree in 1973 from the university.

Governor Terry Branstad said he “Was sorry to hear about Greg Forristall’s passing. Greg bravely fought cancer for months while going above and beyond to fulfill his legislative duties and serve his constituents in western Iowa.  He was an outstanding legislator and will be greatly missed.  Carol and the Forristall family are in our thoughts and prayers.”

Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds said “Greg was a passionate legislator who served as Vice Chair of the House Education Committee and also served on the House Labor Committee. For 11 years, he fought hard for children’s education, job growth and protecting Iowa’s small businesses.  Kevin and I want to extend our prayers to Carol and the Forristall family during this difficult time.”

(Radio Iowa)

Four people from Michigan were injured this (Thursday) morning, when the Recreational Vehicle they were in went out of control on Interstate 80 westbound between the Walnut and Avoca exits and rolled into the median. The accident happened at around 8:50-a.m. near mile marker 43. According to reports, the injured were members of a Christian Rock group, “Ammunition Band,” from the Detroit area.

The Iowa State Patrol says the driver of the 1999 Coachmen RV, 19-year old Viviana Elise-Alaniz Garcia, of Lincoln Park, MI, and her passengers: 25-year old Jonathon Lee Moriconi, of East China, MI; 21-year old Nathan Paul Barringer, of Livonia, MI, and 26-year old Sean Joseph Mueller, of Fair Haven, MI., were transported to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan, by Avoca, Harlan and Shelby Rescue squads. None of the accident victims were wearing seat belts. Their injuries were believed to be non-life threatening.

The Patrol says once the RV went out of control, it rolled onto the driver’s side and came to rest partially in the median and partially in the left lane of I-80 westbound. Traffic in the area was snarled for some time, while crews worked to remove the victims, their vehicle and trailer containing musical instruments and other property.

The accident remains under investigation, and charges are pending.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Investigators say an inmate accused of shooting two deputies, killing one, in an Iowa jail escape somehow managed to unlock his shackles inside a transport van. Court records presented Wednesday at 24-year-old Wesley Correa-Carmenaty’s initial court hearing say he was in handcuffs and leg shackles May 1 when he was taken from a courthouse to the Pottawattamie County Jail. But he had unlocked them by the time the van reached the jail.

Police say a struggle ensued between Correa-Carmenaty and the deputies, and that Correa-Carmenaty managed to grab one’s gun. Police say he shot Deputy Mark Burbridge in the head and Deputy Pat Morgan in the abdomen before taking both deputies’ guns, ammunition and the keys to the van. Burbridge died; Morgan is recovering.

Correa-Carmenaty was recaptured in Omaha, Nebraska.