Appointed Cass County Attorney Michael Hooper has announced he intends to run for the Republican nomination for the Office of the Cass County Attorney in 2018. In a statement, Hooper, who was appointed by the Cass County Board of Supervisors in January, said “As someone who has spent a great deal of time in the courtroom, I have the highest respect for the office and know firsthand how important it is for justice to prevail. I will aggressively prosecute criminal acts with reason and good judgment while upholding the principles of the Constitution.”

Cass County Atty. Michael Hooper

He said also, “A County Attorney must serve with integrity and be trusted. I am not a politician, and this is my first time running for public office. My choice to run now is due to my sincere belief that at this time I am prepared and qualified to seek this office, both professionally and personally. As part of my personal beliefs, I believe it is important to give back. I’ve worked professionally in the Cass County court system for the last seven years, and Cass County has been good to me, and I would welcome the opportunity to serve as your County Attorney.”

Michael Hooper is 43 years old and has been married to Erin Hooper for 15 years. They have three children.

A proposed amendment to insert legal rights for crime victims in Iowa’s constitution was the subject of two hearings at the capitol Wednesday. Paul Cassell, a law professor at the University of Utah, told Iowa lawmakers 34 other states refer to the rights of crime victims in their constitutions. “This would make a real world difference for those people,” Cassell said. “The experience in other states has been very positive and I hope Iowa will move forward make this a part of its constitution as well.”

Two organizations that advocate for crime victims registered their opposition. Kerri True-Funk of the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault says the amendment is “largely symbolic” and will do little to protect victims. “When we’re talking about crime victims being heard in a situation, being valued as a person, we have to change our culture, not our constitution,” True-Funk said.

Lawmakers are still reviewing the proposed amendment and considering alterations before deciding whether it may advance to a committee.The proposal would put in the state constitution a requirement that victims be notified at multiple steps in the legal process and victims would be given the right to refuse to give a “deposition” — the legal term for a meeting before a trial when the defendant’s lawyer asks the victim questions. The proposed amendment would have to be okayed by legislators this year and again in either 2019 or 2020. Only then would it be placed on the ballot so Iowa voters could decide if the language is added to the state constitution.

(Radio Iowa)

The Council Bluffs Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are conducting a joint investigation  of an officer involved shooting that took place at 611 East Broadway, in Council Bluffs.
The incident took place shortly after 3am.  A preliminary investigation indicates that a Council Bluffs police officer, while responding to a call of suspicious vehicle on the business lot, discharged his firearm while attempting to take the driver  of the car into custody.

After being shot, the driver of the car sped off the lot and crashed, resulting in the car flipping onto its roof.  The driver  then fled the wrecked vehicle on foot and was apprehended after a short foot chase.
The injured driver was transported by ambulance to a metro area hospital for treatment.

Names of any officers involved, and of the suspect who was shot and crashed, are not being released at this time.  More  information will be released later this afternoon.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A report says a business conditions index for nine Midwest and Plains states slipped over the past month but still pointed to continuing improvement in regional economic conditions. The report released Thursday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index dropped to 57.3 in January from 59.0 in December. The November figure was 57.2. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says manufacturing and other business sectors in the region are adding jobs at a solid pace.

Iowa’s overall index climbed to 58.0 from 54.3 in December. Components were new orders at 67.4, production or sales at 67.8 delivery lead time at 42.2, employment at 51.3 and inventories at 61.1. Both durable- and non-durable goods manufacturing are experiencing growth well above that of the region and the nation. Goss said he expects this growth advantage to continue for the next three to six months..

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.