DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Attorneys for an Iowa man accused of killing two Des Moines-area police officers are seeking to have his trial moved, citing pretrial publicity. The Des Moines Register reports an attorney for 46-year-old Scott Michael Greene told a judge in a hearing Thursday that he plans to file the change-of-venue request within days.

Scott Greene has pleaded not guilty to two murder charges in the Nov. 2 ambush-style slayings of Urbandale Police Officer Justin Martin and Des Moines Police Sgt. Anthony Beminio.

The shootings took place about two miles apart within minutes of each other as both officers were sitting in their patrol cars. Authorities have said that Greene turned himself in hours later, and that a police dog later recovered a high-powered rifle used in the attacks.

HOUSTON (AP) — Tommy Allsup, a guitarist best known for losing a coin toss that kept him off a plane that later crashed and killed rock ‘n’ roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson, has died. He was 85.

Singer and musician Austin Allsup says his father died Wednesday at a hospital in Springfield, Missouri, due to complications from a hernia operation. Tommy Allsup was part of Holly’s band when the Lubbock, Texas, singer died in the 1959 plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. Allsup flipped a coin to see if he or Valens would get a seat on the plane.

Austin Allsup said Thursday his father took losing the coin toss as a blessing and “knew that he was very lucky to be here.”

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a teenage driver and her passenger suffered suspected, minor injuries during a single-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon. 15-year old Devin Dawn Abell, of Creston, was driving a 2007 Saturn Vue eastbound on 190th Street at around 2:35-p.m., when she lost control of the vehicle. The SUV entered the south ditch and struck a fence before coming to rest. Abell, and her passenger, 15-year old Christian Michael Gist, of Creston, both of whom were wearing their seat belts, were transported by ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, for treatment of their injuries. The vehicle sustained $6,000 damage during the accident. A fence, owned by Dan Martin, sustained about $600 damage.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for inappropriately touching a preteen girl over a five-year period. The Sioux City Journal reports 38-year-old Bryan Barnhart was sentenced Tuesday in Woodbury County District court, after pleading guilty to third-degree sexual abuse.

Court documents say that Barnhart babysat the girl from 2006 to 2011, starting when she was 5 years old. The girl told police that Barnhart touched her inappropriately many times during that period. Authorities say Barnhart admitted the allegations were true and acknowledged sexually abusing other children.

Police in Council Bluffs have arrested two people in connection with the robbery early Thursday morning, of a cab driver. 23-year old Jessie Caballero, of Council Bluffs, and 36-year old Victor Garcia, of Omaha, were arrested at a residence located in the 200 block of 16th Avenue in Council Bluffs, and are currently in custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail.  Both face charges of Robbery in the 3rd Degree and Interference with Official Acts.

Their arrests followed an investigation that began with a report at around 5:45-a.m., of a robbery in the 1600 block Harry Langdon Blvd. Upon arrival officers located the victim, 64-year old Donald Vanderwerf, of Omaha, who is a cab driver. Vanderwerf told officers that he picked a fare in Omaha and gave the male and female passengers a ride to a business in the 1600 Block of Harry Landon Blvd in Council Bluffs.

At that location the suspects told Vanderwerf they were unable to pay the fare and  Caballero ran from the area. As she ran from area, Garcia allegedly pointed what appeared to be a handgun at Vanderwerf. Garcia then turned and ran from the area as well.

During the preliminary investigation officers were able to establish information on the possible identity of the female suspect (Caballero). They proceeded to a home in the 200 block 16th Ave where they obtained consent to search the residence. Inside the residence they located Caballero and her male accomplice, Victor Garcia.

Officers recovered a pellet pistol and other evidence related to the crime.

Garcia

Caballero

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa education officials expect the state to face a teacher shortage, and leaders are preparing to address the issue. The Des Moines Register reports Iowa universities are graduating 400 fewer teachers, counselors and administrators annually than in 2013. The Iowa Department of Education says about 2,100 graduates are earning education degrees a year.

Education leaders are hosting round-table discussions and increasing recruiting efforts, especially for jobs in special-education. The looming problem is also compounded by the number of teachers nearing retirement. Some education officials are increasing incentives to lure applicants. Des Moines Public Schools is offering a $3,000 signing bonus to special education teachers.

Anne Sullivan, chief of human resources in Des Moines schools, says another incentive for teachers beginning their careers is a free master’s program.

WESTFIELD, Iowa (AP) – A site in northwest Iowa inhabited by Native Americans roughly 800 years ago is now designated a National Historic Landmark. The designation announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of the Interior highlights the location’s significance and offers some protection against development.

The Sioux City Journal reports that historians believe the 1.9-acre Kimball Village Site near Westfield was inhabited between 1100 and 1250 by Prairie-Plains tribes living along the Big Sioux River. The site remains about 97 percent untouched despite several archaeological field investigations.

State archaeologist John Doershuk says the exact location of the site, which is in the middle of a farm field, will be kept confidential under the new designation due to private property rights. The site is marked by a mound that rises several feet above ground.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – MidAmerican Energy has announced that it will build a wind farm in Boone and neighboring Greene counties and another in Mahaska County.
The company said in a news release Thursday that the two will be the first built as part of its Wind XI project.

The Beaver Creek project in Boone and Greene counties will have 85 turbines that will generate 170 megawatts. The Prairie wind project in Mahaska County will have 84 turbines that will provide 168 megawatts of power. Construction is expected to begin in April and be finished by the end of the year.

In April the company announced its planned $3.6 billion investment in the Wind XI project, which calls for construction of 1,000 turbines that will add 2,000 megawatts of wind generation capacity in Iowa.