Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man who received child pornography has pleaded guilty to the charge in federal court in Sioux City. Federal prosecutors say 27-year-old Joe Elliott Sinnott, of Milford, was convicted Tuesday of one count of receiving child pornography. In a plea agreement, Sinnott admitted that from January through April, he knowingly used a messenger app to receive child pornography.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A 23-year-old Des Moines man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for stealing two dozen guns from Iowa gun dealers and selling one of them. Federal prosecutors say David Marken Aikoriegie was sentenced Wednesday in Des Moines’ federal courthouse for three counts of stealing a firearm from a federal firearm licensee and unlawful sale of a stolen firearm. Investigators say Aikoriegie stole the guns in late 2017 from gun shops in Urbandale and Clive.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa politicians are scrambling to comply with a new and unusual state law that bans them from using taxpayer dollars if there’s a whiff of self-promotion. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board plans to release at least one advisory opinion next month on the law, which goes into effect Sunday. The provision prohibits statewide officials and lawmakers from tapping taxpayer dollars to promote their written name, likeness or voice through various platforms like television and radio.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for three counties in the northwest quarter of Iowa in response to flooding and severe weather that began in mid-June. The proclamation allows state resources to be used in Buena Vista, Cherokee and Webster counties and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant and the Disaster Case Management programs.

About 26 downtown Atlantic business owners and a handful of City officials attending a Downtown Facade Revitalization meeting Wednesday evening, at the Historic Rock Island Depot.

Alexsis Fleener w/SWIPCO

Alexsis Fleener, Community Development Team Leader with SWIPCO (Southwest Iowa Planning Council), explained the purpose of the meeting was to determine how many business owners would be interested in participating in an application for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) specifically for downtown facade restoration or revitalization.

Fleener said if enough businesses commit to filing the application through SWIPCO, the organization would apply for a $500,000 grant to the City, that requires a 50-percent local match. Twenty-five percent would come from the City of Atlantic, if they agree to participate, and 25-percent from the building owners who decide to participate.

There must be at least 10 building applications in order for the full fund amount to be received. The chances of getting the full grant increases if there are at least 12 building facades in the program. The maximum number of facades for the current grant period, she said, would be 14. The total project budget is One-million dollars. Fleener said with a CDBG, there are no concerns about building owner income limits.

She said from the State’s perspective, if a building is contributing to the historic nature of the district, there will be a contribution from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). Fleener said every building owner who applies, will contribute the same percentage amount. The building owner receives the added benefits of free architectural services and construction management.

Facade improvements would include the first two-feet of a building front, restoration, rehabilitation and replacement (as necessary). It may cover (depending on need), the Cornice, Transom, Upper Story Windows, Awning, doors and bulkhead. The building owner may also realize increased energy efficiency when the work is complete.
The CDBG application from Swipco is due April 2019. In the interim:

• SWIPCO will conduct a “Slum and Blight” survey, narrow down building owner interest and participation, to define the target area. If there is enough interest, the City of Atlantic and SWIPCO would hire an architect to discuss the scope of work and budget.
• The architect would provide participating buildings with renderings and a cost estimate.
• Participating Building owners will review the renderings and costs.
• The building owner will deliver a refundable deposit to secure participation in the program.
• SWIPCO will complete the full application and submit it to the Iowa Economic Development Authority
• Award announcements are expected in July 2019.

Fleener said from the time the grant is approved to the time the projects are finished, will be between two to three years.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A 23-year-old Des Moines man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for stealing two dozen guns from Iowa gun dealers and selling one of them.

Federal prosecutors say David Marken Aikoriegie was sentenced Wednesday in Des Moines’ federal courthouse for three counts of stealing a firearm from a federal firearm licensee and unlawful sale of a stolen firearm.

Investigators say Aikoriegie stole three guns from JLM Gun Shoppe in Urbandale on Nov. 16, 10 guns from Rangemasters in Clive on Dec. 2 and another 11 guns from Rangemasters on Dec. 14.

Prosecutors say Aikoriegie also admitted to selling one of the stolen guns to another person on Dec. 16.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man who received child pornography has pleaded guilty to the charge in federal court in Sioux City. Federal prosecutors say 27-year-old Joe Elliott Sinnott, of Milford, was convicted Tuesday of one count of receiving child pornography.

In a plea agreement, Sinnott admitted that from January through April, he knowingly used a messenger app to receive child pornography. Sinnott also admitted to receiving fully nude photographs of a 15-year-old girl that he had met in person in Minnesota last year.

Sinnott will remain in custody until his sentencing at a later date, when he faces up to 20 years in prison.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for three counties in the northwest quarter of Iowa in response to flooding and severe weather that began in mid-June.
The proclamation allows state resources to be used in Buena Vista, Cherokee and Webster counties and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant and the Disaster Case Management programs.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The money can be used for such things as home and car repairs, temporary housing expenses or replacement of clothing or food.
Disaster Case Management offers case managers to work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice and referral to obtain a service or resource.

DEXTER, Iowa (AP) — That’s one way to burn calories. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that a semitrailer carrying chocolate from Hershey, Pennsylvania, caught fire Wednesday on Interstate 80 near Dexter in west-central Iowa.

The Iowa State Patrol says the truck was headed westbound and had brake problems, eventually catching fire. The driver pulled off on the interstate onto a grassy area and was able to unhook the cab from the trailer before the trailer went up in flames.
There were no injuries, but the trailer and all of its chocolate were destroyed.

WEST UNION, Iowa (AP) — A nursing assistant accused of sexually abusing patients at a northeast Iowa mental health facility has pleaded guilty. Fayette County District Court records say 44-year-old Carolyn Wiedrich, of Sumner, entered the plea Monday to sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist. She was given two to five years of probation and was ordered to register as a sex offender.

Wiedrich was one of five nursing assistants arrested earlier this year after an investigation of sexual assaults at Prairie View Residential Care Facility in Fayette. The facility provides services for adults with chronic mental illness.

Twenty-two Iowans have applied with the State Judicial Nominating Commission to fill the vacancy on the Iowa Supreme Court that will occur when Justice Bruce Zager retires September 3, 2018. One of the applicants, according to the Iowa Judicial Branch, is Susan Christensen, District Court Judge, Fourth Judicial District, from Harlan.

The nominating commission will meet Monday, July 9, in the Iowa Supreme Court Courtroom on the fourth floor of the Judicial Branch Building to interview the applicants. The public is invited to observe the interviews in the courtroom. The interviews will also be live streamed and the videos archived on the Iowa Judicial Branch YouTube channel for those unable to observe in person. A schedule of the interviews will be posted at https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/supreme-court/judicial-vacancy/ as soon as the schedule is available.

Immediately following the interviews, the commission will begin deliberations to select a slate of three nominees from the group of applicants.  Once the commission selects its slate of nominees, the commission will forward those names to the governor. The governor will then have thirty (30) days in which to appoint the new justice. The commission welcomes written comments from the public about the qualifications of any of the applicants. Comments must be submitted to the secretary of the commission by the conclusion of all of the interviews.