MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of stabbing to death his grandparents in the Mason City home they shared has been ruled competent for trial. A judge said in a Cerro Gordo County District Court filing Tuesday that 25-year-old Codie Matz will be able to understand the proceedings and assist in his defense. In December his attorneys filed court documents saying it “appears the defendant is suffering from a mental disorder.”

Matz’s trial is scheduled to begin March 27. He’s pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. Prosecutors say he killed 61-year-old Kenneth Hackbart and 64-year-old Kathleen Hackbart. Officers found their bodies Nov. 7.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, is backing an immigration bill along with Senator Chuck Grassley that would eventually allow children brought to the country illegally by their parents to become citizens. That part of the proposal for those under what’s known as DACA has generated some controversy, but Ernst says she hasn’t gotten negative feedback. “I’ve have not gotten any pushback on that and I have talked to, even folks on the far right of the spectrum, conservative leaders across Iowa,” according to Ernst.

She says the conversations went better than she expected. “I was actually really surprised at the engagement that they are having with the pathway to citizenship, because understanding that these children who are now young adults did not break the law,” Ernst says. “So they are here, they are members of our community. Why would we not want to make them productive citizens.”

Ernst says they are needed in the state. “I would love to see them go on and be in the military. I would love to seem them go on and go to college and be a doctor and a nurse, because we need them in rural areas,” Ernst explains. “They are productive members of our society — and again — they haven’t broken the law.”

Ernst says leadership has said they will look at a lot of different proposals from both sides on the immigration issue. She says she’s not sure what the final bill will look like.

(Radio Iowa)

The family of an Audubon man missing since Feb. 10th is asking the public for help in locating him. His family says 38-year old Jason Malloy has no car, and .no money. Text messages and calls to his phone are not answered. The family says Jason is known to suffer from mental issues. He’s described as being 5-feet 11-inches tall, about 180-pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.

If you know where he is, call the Audubon Police Department, Audubon County Sheriff’s Office or your local law enforcement agency. You may also contact: the Missing Person Information Clearinghouse Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation 1-800-346-5507. If you recognize him authorities say DO NOT TAKE ANY ACTION YOURSELF. Get as much information as you can (e.g. license number of a vehicle, exact location of sighting, activities individual involved in) and then call law enforcement or the number mentioned above.

Jason Malloy

CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Corrections Department says an inmate struck a correctional officer at the Iowa Medical Classification Center in Coralville. The assault occurred around 2:05 p.m. Thursday. The officer handcuffed the inmate and then moved inside a cell to help move him, because the inmate uses a wheelchair. The department says the inmate then used both fists to strike the officer once on the side of his head.

The officer suffered bruising and scratches from the strike and a headache. He was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for examination. The names of those involved have not been released.

Police in Creston say 41-year old Timothy Allen Hansen, of Creston, was cited for Fraudulent use of registration, failure to provide proof of insurance and careless driving, Thursday, after his car struck a utility pole. Hansen was traveling too fast southbound on Jarvis Street in Creston at around 4:45-p.m., when his 2003 Nissan 350Z went out of control. Hansen tried to regain control, but the car continued out of control before hitting an Alliant Energy utility pole at the corner of N. Jarvis and Summit Street.

The impact caused the pole to break in-half. Alliant crews were called to the scene, due to the fact a power line was down. Neither Hansen, nor his female passenger in the car, were hurt. Damage from the collision amounted to $6,200 altogether.