DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 15-year-old boy died after the “unintentional discharge of a weapon” at a house in Davenport. The shooting occurred around 1 a.m. Sunday. The boy’s name and other details about the incident have not been released. Police said Tuesday that an autopsy was performed.

(Radio Iowa) — A bill Republican sponsors are calling a “religious freedom restoration” bill has cleared its first procedural hurdle in the Iowa Senate. Joan Thompson of the Iowa Catholic Conference says it’ll prevent the government from forcing Iowans to do things that violate their religious beliefs.  “This bill provides a standard of review for the court when there’s a conflict between the First Amendment’s protection of free exercise of religion and a particular law,” she said. “This is not a license to discriminate. It simply gives people and institutions a chance in court.”

Opponents say religious freedom is already protected in the Iowa Constitution and several business groups pointed to the boycotts that have been launched against other states which have similar laws. Iowa Chamber Alliance executive director John Stineman. “It has not made those states look like they are trying to attract and appeal to all comers and that’s the reality,” Stineman said, “and there are economic consequences to that.”

This is the second year bill backers have tried to get this bill through the legislature. It’s unclear if Governor Kim Reynolds would sign it into law if it does pass the House and Senate. Reynolds told reporters yesterday (Tuesday) that she hasn’t read the bill. “The constitutional protection that is already in place for individuals to freely live out their religious freedom and the protections, the laws that are in place to make sure we don’t discriminate against Iowans — there’s no reasons that the two of those things can’t co-exist,” Reynolds said.

Twenty-one states have enacted religious liberty bills, but the language in those laws varies.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa commission has rejected a proposal from two environmental groups to adopt stricter standards for the state’s nearly 160 recreational lakes, saying the effort would be too expensive. The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission rejected the proposal Tuesday because of the $205 million estimated cost. Jon Tack is the water quality bureau chief for the state Department of Natural Resources. He says the cost “per capita would be astronomical.” The Environmental Law & Policy Center and Iowa Environmental Council filed the proposal in November.

A state analysis found that 93 percent of the state’s lakes would be declared impaired with the new standards. Josh Mandelbaum is an attorney for the Environmental Law & Policy Center. He says that percentage is troubling because many lakes are also a source of drinking water.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office has issued a lengthy report on arrests. A traffic stop on a speeding vehicle at around 1:50-a.m. Tuesday on Interstate 29 in Pott. County, resulted in the arrest of 45-year old Jason L. Bloebaum. He was taken into custody on an Iowa State Patrol warrant for OWI/1st offense. And, at around 4:40-a.m. Tuesday, 20-year old Justin DeLee Holland, was picked up from Mills County Deputies and transferred to Pott. County. Holland was wanted for Failure to License a dog or cat. A man being held in the Cass County (IA) jail, was transported to the Pott. County Jail Tuesday. 48-year old David Michael Boggs was wanted on a warrant for Violation of Parole. 25-year old Mariah Mae Dale was transported from the Fremont County Jail to Pott. County, Tuesday. The woman was wanted on warrants for Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense, and Theft in the 5th Degree. And, 38-year old Nicole Rae Ross turned herself-in to the Pott. County Courthouse, Tuesday. Ross was wanted on a warrant for Failure to Appear on charges that include Theft in the 3rd degree (4 counts of credit card fraud and 4 counts of Forgery, all under $1,000). She was booked into the Pott. County Jail.

An accident Monday afternoon in Crescent resulted in a verbal disturbance, and the arrest of a woman on Pott. County warrants. 38-year old Sarah Renee Fields was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree. An investigation continues for possible ​OWI related charges. Also arrested Monday, was 34-year old Hollie Nicole Fort. She was taken into custody on a warrant out of Council Bluffs for felony Burglary in the 3rd degree, after a deputy saw her walking in the roadway at the intersection of North 1st and Kanesville ​Blvd.   Fort said she was walking in the roadway because the sidewalk was slick. A records check confirmed she had a valid arrest warrant. Monday night, an investigation into an assault resulted in the arrest of 20-year old Nicholas Matei Shonka. He was charged with Assault Causing Bodily Injury without intent, and booked into the Pott. County Jail. And a traffic stop in Shelby County Monday resulted in the arrest on a Pott. County warrant, of 70-year old Stephen Craig Tasto, for Failure to Appear. Tasto was turned over to Pott. County Deputies and booked into the jail.

Last Sunday, 45-year old Shawn P. Dolezal was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, following an investigation into a stolen pickup. At around 4-a.m. Saturday, a woman from Underwood reported a disturbance involving her husband, 31-year old Travis J. Humbert, of Underwood. Authorities say when deputies contacted the man, he allegedly tried to fight with law enforcement. Travis Humbert was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. That same day, a Deputy was dispatched to the Pottawattamie County Jail with regard to a controlled substance introduced to the Jail. The contraband was a orange waxy substance in a lemon flavoring packet. The packet was found in a sock worn by 22-year old Lonnie Griffin, who was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Griffin would not disclose what the ​substance was. ​The substance was tested for opioid heroine,​ ​and marijuana. Both came back negative. The substance was packaged as as evidence and placed into a secure locker. It will be tested at the State DCI lab. The results will determine whether or not Griffin is charged with possessing contraband in a correctional facility. A Deputy dispatched to a residence on Jennings Avenue in Council Bluffs, with regard to a stolen vehicle, arrested 22-year old Alison Kay Frank, for Burglary in the 3rd Degree non-vehicle, and Theft in the 1st Degree – motor vehicle/over $10,000 value

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — The Waterloo City Council has poked a small hole in the city’s fireworks ban. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the council voted 4-3 on Monday to allow consumer fireworks to be set off July 3-July 5 each year. The three-day window is far below the 53 days that Iowa law allows but replaces a complete city ban. Council member Steve Schmitt says the total ban wasn’t effective in stopping people from shooting off fireworks. Council member Sharon Juon says she thinks “there is more potential harm with expanding the fireworks than there are benefits.”

Matt Reisetter co-owns Crossroads Fireworks and he says the three-day period approved is “a very reasonable compromise.” Waterloo will allow fireworks use between noon to 11 p.m. July 4 and from noon to 10 p.m. on July 3 and July 5 each year. The fine for using fireworks outside of those times was boosted to $375 or more from $250.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says a woman from Shenandoah was injured during a single-vehicle accident, last Friday evening. In their report issued Tuesday, authorities said 68-year old Ruby Knight, of Shenandoah, was driving a 2006 KIA eastbound on Highway 34 at around 5:55-p.m., when her vehicle went out of control due to the slick road conditions. The car crossed the center line of the road and entered the north ditch, where it rolled over and came to rest on its wheels. Knight was transported by Red Oak Rescue to the Red Oak Hospital.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, issued a report on arrests that occurred over the past week. Most recently, on Tuesday, 66-year old James Edward Vaughn, of Pacific Junction, was arrested on a warrant charging him with three counts of Indecent Contact with a Child. Bond was set at $6,000. On Monday, 36-year old Jacob Lee Kimball, of Henderson, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault and Obstruction of Emergency Communications. Bond was set at $600. Sunday, 23-year old Shyanne Marie Mathews, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving While Barred ($2,000 bond). And, 43-year old Jeffrey David Robichaud, a homeless person, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear in court (Bond $10,000).

On Saturday, 32-year old Colton Michael McLain, of Glenwood, was arrested in Mills County for OWI/1st offense, Operating a non-registered vehicle, and speeding (Bond $1,000). Last Friday, 23-year old Amanda Lee Nicole Blazer, of Emerson, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension (Bond ($300). And, 23-year old Shyanne Marie Mathews, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Driving While Barred and Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance (Motor vehicle-related). Bond was set at $2,000.

And on Thursday, 22-year old Jacob Allen Strong, of Wahoo, NE., was arrested in Merrick County, NE., on a Mills County warrant for two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond was set at $50,000.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Another trial starting date has been set for a 19-year-old in northwest Iowa accused of stabbing to death his ex-girlfriend and another young man. Woodbury Country District Court records say prosecution and defense attorneys requested another delay in the trial of Tran Walker. The trial had been set to begin Tuesday . The new starting date is April 30. The original starting date was July 24.

Walker’s pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. He’s accused of killing 17-year-old Paiten Sullivan and 18-year-old Felipe Negron Jr., who both lived in Sioux City. Police say Walker was in a car with the other two on Jan. 28 last year when he began to stab Sullivan because he was upset that she had broken up with him. Police say that when Negron tried to intervene, Walker stabbed him, too.