(DES MOINES) – Gov. Kim Reynolds has terminated Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Director Dave Jamison, effective immediately.  On Friday evening, the governor’s office was made aware of credible allegations of sexual harassment against Director Jamison. Upon learning this, Gov. Reynolds terminated Director Jamison’s employment. Gov. Reynolds has named IFA Chief Programs Officer Carolann Jensen as interim director.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The family of a Des Moines police officer killed in a 2016 wrong-way crash is blaming the design of an interstate interchange in a new lawsuit. The Des Moines Register reports that the family of Officer Susan Farrell is suing the cities of Waukee and West Des Moines, as well as several contractors. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Polk County District Court, says the cities and contractors were negligent in opening the Interstate 80 interchange west of Des Moines before basic safety features were finished and “despite construction not yet being complete.”

The March 2016 crash killed Farrell and Officer Carlos Puente-Morales, as well as a prisoner, Tosha Hyatt. The wrong-way driver, 25-year-old Benjamin Beary, also died. Investigators say Beary was drunk and had been traveling more than 100 mph when he hit the officers’ car.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines is gearing up for its annual Earth Day Trash Bash — Iowa’s largest Earth Day volunteer event. The April 20 event sees teams of volunteers clear away winter debris, remove invasive species to improve wildlife habitat, clean up litter and beautify parks, trails, cemeteries and other public spaces.

The registration deadline for teams that want to volunteer is March 30. Captains can register a team of volunteers online at https://earthday.dmgov.org/ . More information can be found by calling 515-248-6380 or emailing trashbash@dmgov.org . Team captains receive a t-shirt as a thank you for organizing and leading a team.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa National Guard will hold a groundbreaking ceremony next week for a new center in Davenport. The ceremony for the new Davenport Readiness Center will take place Wednesday morning. Iowa National Guard senior leaders and representatives from federal, state, and local governments will participate. The ceremony is open to the public.

The one-story, 86,000-square foot building will be located on a 37-acre site and will feature an assembly hall, offices, classrooms, physical fitness space, a kitchen and vehicle maintenance training bays. The space is also designed for community use and can be used to provide shelter during natural disasters.

Construction of the $23 million project will begin immediately following the groundbreaking. Completion anticipated in the spring of 2019.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Downtown Des Moines is anticipating an unprecedented wave of hotel construction, including a 330-room Hilton that opened this week.
The city expects a surge of 951 hotel rooms in the next few years, which is a nearly 50 percent increase from the rooms currently available, the Des Moines Register reported.

Des Moines didn’t add any new downtown hotel rooms between the opening of Des Lux Hotel in 2000 and the Hyatt Place in 2010. A recent wave of construction has added five hotels in the last four years. The Hilton Des Moines Downtown that opened Wednesday is a long-awaited project due to its proximity to the Iowa Events Center. Officials said it’s key to the city’s bid to attract national and regional conventions, as well as thousands of visitors annually.

Assistant City Manager Matt Anderson said the city has an aggressive policy for attracting hotels downtown by providing tax increment financing to developers. For building or remodeling hotels, owners pay property taxes on the assessed value of the building or land prior to renovations, with the length of the agreement depending on each project.

The city has awarded $18.7 million in tax increment financing to six hotel projects since 2014. Officials said there’s a clear return on investment, but many have questioned whether downtown can support the booming hotel construction.

Officials with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office report a man from southwest Iowa was arrested Friday in Nebraska following the theft of vehicles from the Percival, IA area. Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a report a blue 2006 Dodge Dakota and a blue 2008 Ford F350 stolen from a residence in Percival. The Dodge Dakota was located hidden in a barn, in Percival, heavily damaged. The Ford F350 was recovered, also damaged by Nebraska Law Enforcement authorities at a location in Omaha, Nebraska.

Shaun Akers (Photo courtesy Fremont County S/O)

39-year old Shaun Akers, of Sidney, was arrested by the Nebraska State Patrol on a warrant out of Fremont County, for Theft 1st Degree, Operating Without Owner’s Consent, and Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree. Akers was being held at the Douglas County Correctional Center, awaiting an extradition hearing back to Iowa. The Omaha Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.