SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man charged with stabbing a man to death during an argument last year will have his new trial moved out of Sioux City. The Sioux City Journal reports that a judge granted 48-year-old Elias Wanatee’s request for a change of venue, citing pretrial publicity. The judge said he would choose by Monday where Wanatee’s new trial, set to begin Feb. 28, will be held.

Wanatee’s first trial ended in a mistrial in December after jurors said they couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict. Wanatee is charged with first-degree murder in the Feb. 17, 2016, stabbing death of 50-year-old Vernon Mace, who was stabbed nine times.

There were no eyewitnesses, and police never found the weapon. Defense attorney Jason Dunn has suggested that Wanatee acted in self-defense.

SANDYVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Animal torture and other charges have been filed against a woman after several dead, injured and neglected dogs were found on property she rented. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday that Lindsay Morrow with five counts of animal torture and 22 counts of animal neglect, as well as theft, fraud and ongoing criminal conduct.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says 19 living dogs and three dead dogs were removed Wednesday and Thursday from property in south-central Iowa that Morrow rented. The group is treating and hoping to find homes for most of the dogs rescued. The group said Saturday that Lindsay described herself on a website as the director of a “no-kill” group called “Bully Breed Miracle Network and Rescue.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Attorneys for nine patients have filed a lawsuit against Iowa Methodist Medical Center, blaming the hospital for a pharmacy tech’s theft of potent painkillers from hundreds of vials. The Des Moines Register reports that the lawsuit accuses the hospital of being negligent in its supervision of the pharmacy tech who stole fentanyl and Dilaudid during a six-week period last year.

The hospital contacted more than 700 patients last October after learning of the tampering, fearing the patients might not have received full doses of the drugs. The attorneys say there are 185 former patients whose pain medication was diluted who are willing to take their cases to court and expect more to sue in the coming weeks.

Hospital spokeswoman Amy Varcoe denied several allegations in the lawsuit Friday.

New data indicates Iowans, in general, are earning more income — but the growth rate is modest. The Pew Charitable Trust released a “Fiscal 50” report on all the states, tracking a wide variety of data. The report shows Iowans’ personal income grew six-tenths of a percent in the past year. That’s about the national average.

The report shows Iowa has a greater share of its population in the workforce than most any other state. Nationally, about 78 percent of adults who’re under the age of 55 are working. In Iowa, 86 percent of the people in that “prime working age” category ARE working.

Like 32 other states, the Pew report found tax payments to the State of Iowa declined last year. However, the report found the State of Iowa has enough cash in reserve that the state could operate for 45 days on that cash reserve alone.

(Radio Iowa)