DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court will determine whether the police practice of using minor infractions as a pretext for stopping drivers they suspect of more serious crimes violates the Iowa Constitution in a case that civil liberty groups say has implications for police racial profiling.

The state’s high court heard arguments Tuesday in the case of Scottize Brown, of Waterloo. Brown, who is black, was stopped in 2015 on suspicion of driving through a yellow light and having a burned-out license plate light. The officer later acknowledged that he used those reasons to pull over the vehicle after learning the vehicle’s owner had gang connections. Brown, who was driving, was arrested and later convicted of a second offense of driving while intoxicated.

In her appeal, Brown argues that the conviction be vacated and dismissed because the officer’s pretext for stopping her violates the state’s constitutional prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure.

The Clarinda Police Department would like to remind the citizens of Clarinda that no parking is allowed on the following streets from 7:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 29, 2018 for the annual Band Day Jamboree Parade.

The 100 through 800 block of W. Main Street

The 100 block of E. Main Street

The100 block of N. 15^th St.

The 100 block of E. Washington Street

The 100 block through 300 block of W. Washington Street

24^th Street (Cardinal Drive) from Garfield Street to State Street (*SCHOOL BUS PARKING*)

The police department appreciates the cooperation of all citizens in removing their vehicles from the parade route. Vehicles that are not removed from the parade route by 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 30, 2018 will be towed at the expense of the vehicle’s registered owner(s).

If a citizen has any questions concerning this, please contact the Clarinda Police Department Office of the Chief of Police at 712-542-2194 extension 201.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Finance Authority Board voted Tuesday to allow an attorney investigating the conduct of the state agency’s fired director to interview a lawyer who once worked there but is now in private practice. The board approved a resolution Tuesday to allow James Smith to discuss the behavior of fired IFA Director Dave Jamison. Female employees who worked for Jamison say he talked about sex and often made lewd and suggestive comments to women in the workplace.

Prominent white-collar attorney Mark Weinhardt is leading an investigation into Jamison’s actions and the agency’s response. Weinhardt requested an interview with Smith, now a partner in a Des Moines law firm.
Jamison, a long-time political ally of Gov. Kim Reynolds was fired by her in March after women complained to her office. IFA Interim Executive Director Carolann Jensen says Weinardt is expected to file the final report on his investigation by the end of this month.

An audit of the agency ordered by the Iowa Legislature going back to the beginning of Jamison’s tenure in 2011 is expected to be completed by mid-November.

LU VERNE, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of killing another man at a northern Iowa home has pleaded not guilty. Kossuth County court records say Jeffrey Winters, of Livermore, entered the plea last week to a charge of first-degree murder. The records don’t show that a trial has been scheduled. He’s suspected of killing 54-year-old Randy Page, who authorities say died before deputies reached the Lu Verne home on Aug. 27. His wife had called to report that he was on the garage floor and unresponsive.

A criminal complaint says four 9 mm bullet casings were found near the body, but no gun was found.

The Griswold School Board Monday night elected Aaron Houser as President, and Don Smith as Vice-President. Smith was V-P last year, also. They also voted to keep their meeting schedule the same as this past year. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said the District is taking a cue from other districts, and will make changes for the 2019-2020 School Year with regard to activity tickets. He says the bottom line is, next year they will not charge Griswold students to attend Griswold events.

And, the district’s students have an excellent opportunity to experience the green thumb of growing vegetables. Henrichs says FFA Advisor Kevin Blair recently came into contact with an individual who owns about five-acres of land. That person lives out-of-state, and the land is currently being rented. The person currently renting the land feels the land is too small for their equipment, therefore the school and FFA have the opportunity to assume the rental agreement. The rent will be on a crop share basis, with two-thirds to the school, and one-third to the owners. The school hopes to get donors for the seed and equipment. Students will plan, plant and harvest the crops, which will be in a test plot for different varieties. Henrichs says it’s a way for kids to extend their learning outside the classroom.

A homeless man charged in Iowa with killing a top amateur golfer from Spain has a history of violence and drug use dating to his teenage years. Court records show that since 2014, 22-year-old Collin Daniel Richards has been charged with abusing a former girlfriend, using a baseball bat to smash a vehicle window and burglarizing a gas station. He’s now charged with first-degree murder in the death of Celia Barquin Arozamena. He was ordered jailed Tuesday on a $5 million, cash-only bond.

In one case, Richards allegedly threatened to shoot clerks at a convenience store after they caught him shoplifting. In another, Richards admitted he stole a man’s pickup truck while high on drugs. In a third, the Iowa State Patrol seized a long knife from him during a traffic stop. The records also show Richards left prison earlier this year, once lived in a halfway house in Ames, and was arrested in June after being found passed out near a liquor store.