Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven says he was unexpectedly asked to resign by the governor last month after he objected to the governor’s request that he continue paying the salary of a woman moving from his department to the governor’s office. Foxhoven, who gained national attention last week after The Associated Press reported on his admiration for the late rapper Tupac Shakur, says he declined to approve paying the salary of Elizabeth Matney.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — An El Salvador national has been arrested and charged with kidnapping after police say he snatched a teenage girl from an eastern Iowa yard, dragged her into a house and tried to sexually assault her. The Courier reports the incident happened Tuesday afternoon in Cedar Falls. Police have charged 43-year-old Saul Santos Vasquez-Martinez with second-degree kidnapping and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors for Iowa say a 35-year-old Cedar Rapids man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexually exploiting a child and for having child pornography. John Hunt was sentenced Tuesday in Cedar Rapids’ federal courthouse. Prosecutors say Hunt pleaded guilty in October to the two counts.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Preston Cole is telling wildlife officials attending a multi-state conference on chronic wasting disease that they need to talk to each other and come up with a regional approach to slowing the disease. Representatives from wildlife agencies from an array of Midwestern states are gathering Wednesday and Thursday in Madison to discuss CWD.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa state official, whose affinity for lauding rapper Tupac Shakur to colleagues drew attention after he was unexpectedly asked to resign, said Wednesday he had objected to the governor’s request that he continue paying the salary of a woman moving from his department to the governor’s office.

Jerry Foxhoven confirmed to The Associated Press that he declined to approve paying the salary of Elizabeth Matney, who left DHS on May 17 to accept a job as Gov. Kim Reynolds’ adviser on health policy.

Documents obtained by AP from the governor’s office show a memorandum of understanding between the governor’s office and DHS was signed more than a month later on June 19. It indicates Reynolds’ office was to bill DHS for wages and salaries from May 17 through June 30, the end of the current fiscal year.

It is signed by Reynolds’ Chief of Staff Sara Craig. The document was initially drafted with Foxhoven’s name , which is crossed out and replaced in handwritten script with the name of Gerd Clabaugh, the interim director of DHS named by Reynolds to replace Foxhoven. Clabaugh signed it.

Foxhoven was asked to resign on June 17. He has declined to say why. Reynolds has only said she asked him to leave for several reasons and she wanted to go in a new direction. Spokesman Pat Garrett said Foxhoven never raised an objection to paying Matney out the DHS budget to the governor’s office. He said the document was prepared before Foxhoven left but not signed until after Clabaugh was interim director.

When asked Wednesday if he objected to paying Matney out of his department’s funds, Foxhoven replied: “Yes, that’s what they got their own appropriation for.”
He declined to specify if it had any bearing on his departure.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — An El Salvador national has been arrested and charged with kidnapping after police say he snatched a teenage girl from an eastern Iowa yard, dragged her into a house and tried to sexually assault her.

The Courier reports the incident happened Tuesday afternoon in Cedar Falls. Police have charged 43-year-old Saul Santos Vasquez-Martinez with second-degree kidnapping and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. His bond has been set at $500,000. Court records say Vasquez told immigration officials he is in the country illegally.

Police say the girl was outside with a child she was babysitting, when Vasquez grabbed her and pulled her into a home. She told police that, once inside, he forced her against a wall and began to fondle her. She fought back, escaped and called police. Investigators say she and Vasquez did not know each other.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Federal prosecutors for Iowa say a 35-year-old Cedar Rapids man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexually exploiting a child and for having child pornography.

John Hunt was sentenced Tuesday in Cedar Rapids’ federal courthouse. Prosecutors say Hunt pleaded guilty in October to the two counts.

As part of his plea agreement, Hunt admitted that, between 2015 and 2017, he persuaded a minor send him sexually explicit images, then threatened to distribute the images in an effort to get more such images. Investigators say Hunt also had child pornography that included images of prepubescent children.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former state executive unexpectedly asked to resign by the governor last month says he had objected to the governor’s request that he continue paying the salary of a woman moving from his department to the governor’s office.

Jerry Foxhoven, who gained national attention last week after The Associated Press reported on his admiration for the late rapper Tupac Shakur, says Wednesday he declined to approve paying the salary of Elizabeth Matney. She left DHS on May 17 to accept a job as Gov. Kim Reynolds’ adviser on health policy.

Documents obtained by the AP from the governor’s office show a memorandum of understanding was signed on June 19, two days after Jerry Foxhoven was asked to resign. His name appears on the document but is crossed out and replaced by interim director Gerd Clabaugh, who signed it.

A Reynolds’ spokesman says Foxhoven never raised such objections to her office.

Foxhoven was asked to resign on June 17. He declined to specify that it was the reason for his departure but confirmed he objected to paying Matney out of DHS funds.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education held about two-hours of sometimes passionate discussion with regard to the District’s Athletic Facilities, the costs for which, as it currently stands, is running over budget. The Board met with Tom Wollan from FRK Architects, who discussed issues regarding the topography of the Trojan Bowl, and other facilities’ matters. Following the discussion, Board members Ali Bruckner said “I think we asked them to look at cost savings if the removed some retaining walls and slopes….” Board President Josh McLaren chimed in with “The potential for cost savings,” and Vice President Kristy Pellet said “The cost is…the overall project (cost) is high, and we’re making our way to ‘value engineer'” the project. She said they’re not looking to make major changes to the Trojan Bowl itself.

As it stands now the timeline is for a pre-bid meeting to take place Aug. 31st, with a bid date of Sept. 19th, a Public Hearing and awarding of Project on Sept. 23rd. Demolition with regard to certain aspects of the Trojan Bowl would begin in October or November, following the football season, and occupancy by Sept. 2020. The High School Track project would begin in May or June 2020, along with the field and all other elements, with occupancy by April, 2021. That timeline is subject to change, depending on the final decisions made with regard to the Atlantic Athletic Facilities, as it relates to cost.

The Board, Wednesday, approved of a bid for Middle School Chromebooks and peripheral tools in the amount of $137, 742.50 from 2ndGear. The price includes 350 Dell 3100-series laptop computers, carts, cases and licenses. The cost will come out of the District’s SAVE fund.

The Board will approved Contract Recommendations for: Henry Hallgren, HS Government Teacher; Mandi Bauer and Emma Bireline, TLC Mentors; and Alex Bales, Drama/Fall Play Co-Sponsor along with the late addition of Brian Guy as custodian. They also approved two resignations: Andrea Halterman, WA Para, and Nick Sandbothe, Mechanic.

Sheriff’s deputies in Adams County arrested a woman on an assault charge at around 4:50-p.m., Wednesday. Authorities say 30-year old Katherine Coleman, of Corning, entered the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and said that her mother was dying at their residence.

Deputies then responded to 406 10th Street in Corning, and upon further investigation, found no one was dying, but that an assault had occurred. Coleman was arrested on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault. She was transported to the Adams County Jail and held pending an appearance before the magistrate.