(Radio Iowa) – A bill ready for debate in the Iowa House would get rid of the legal limits on the salaries of county attorneys. Republican Representative Brian Lohse of Bondurant says there’s currently no limit on pay for the county attorneys in Polk and Linn Counties, but the other 97 can’t be paid more that a judge. “Under current law, salaries of county attorneys are limited and tied to that of a district court judge,” Lohse says. “Salary must be between 45% and 100% of the judge’s pay.” Lohse says getting rid of those caps will help counties recruit and retain lawyers in the county attorneys offices, especially in rural areas.

“Also allowing them to potentially earn more than the judge in front of whom they’re practing,” Lohse says. “That just highlights the problem with judicial pay that we need to remedy.” House Judiciary Committee chairman Steven Holt of Denison agrees. “We definitely need to deal with judicial pay, the sooner the better,” Holt said. “Our judicial pay is under everybody around us and that needs to change, without a doubt.”

Iowa judges are paid less than judge in every state that borders Iowa. Iowa judges make 16-thousand dollars less per year than South Dakota judges. The salaries for judges in Nebraska are 38-thousand dollars higher.

(Radio Iowa) – The leader of Democrats in the Iowa House says there’s troubling testimony in recently revealed court documents about the state investigation of sports gambling among Iowa and Iowa State athletes. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst) says the way the Division of Criminal Investigation appears to have initiated the probe raises questions.

“Obviously it’s frustrating to see there’s this kind of dysfunction, this kind of lack of accountability in an agency as important as this agency,” Konfrst says. According to court documents, a long-time D-C-I agent who asked to be taken off the case alleged the agency had conducted an illegal search of the athletes’ online bets because it had not obtained a warrant. Konfrst says that’s scary.

“They did that without permission in a way that can be really scary when you think about our liberties,” Konfrst says. “…Data privacy is something that Iowans are really concerned about and we need to look into.” Konfrst, who was asked about the sports gambling investigation on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S, says the D-C-I must account for its conduct.

“If this is the kind of place where people can go rogue and start doing things like, you know, illegally listening to other people, doing illegal searches, things like that — what are the consequences?” Konfrst asked. “…I heard the governor said it’s not up to her to address this issue, but she’s the leader, her job is to hold people accountable and I think Iowans are noticing.”

Reynolds told Radio Iowa state law requires the D-C-I to monitor sports gambling in the state and agents don’t check with her when they’re doing their jobs. Reynolds declined to comment further on the cases since many have yet to be resolved in court. The governor did say the state’s public safety commissioner is getting ready to provide some information about the D-C-I’s investigation.

(Creston, Iowa) – A wheel/tire from an SUV sheered off at the lugs Sunday evening in Union County, and struck a pickup truck. The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a 2006 Jeep Liberty driven by 24-year-old Brock Bucy, of Osceola, was traveling eastbound on Highway 34 when the incident occurred at around 7:20-p.m.

The wheel and tire hit a 2014 F-150 pickup that was traveling westbound, and being driven by 61-year-old David Gaffney, of Essex. Gaffney wasn’t hurt, but his pickup was declared a total loss (estimated damage $5,000). The Jeep sustained $1,500 damage.

(Lewis, Iowa) – Numerous rescue crews responded to the scene of a collision involving two-vehicles this (Sunday) evening, near the Cass-Pottawattamie County line. Lewis First Responders, Griswold Rescue and Cass EMS were dispatched to the scene at 490th Street and Highway 6, at around 5:10-p.m.

Four people were reportedly injured, with a female unconscious. One of the victims was being transported by ambulance to a hospital in Council Bluffs. Two patients, an adult and a juvenile were transported by ambulance to Cass Health, in Atlantic. One of the victims was flown by helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha.

Additional information is currently not available.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department today (Sunday) report five recent arrests.

1-26-24 8:43am: Keifird Kewaun Griffith, 24, of California, was arrested at the Creston/Union County LEC. Griffith was charged with a Union County Bench Warrant for FTA Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana 1^st Offense. Griffith later released on a $1,000 cash-only bond.

1-26-24 8:03pm: Lonny Richard Watters, 46, of Creston, was arrested at the intersection of Montgomery and Vine. Watters was charged with Driving while barred. He was later released on bond.

1-27-24 12:30pm: Charles Ray Balius, 53, of Creston, was arrested in the 200 Block S Walnut. Balius was charged on 2 Union County Warrants for Interference with Official Acts and 2^nd Driving while Revoked. He was later released on bond.

1-27-24 1:35pm: Megan Marie Brown, 42, of Creston, was arrested at the intersection of Division and Summit. Brown was charged with Driving while Barred. Brown was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on bond.

1-28-24 1:53am: Crystal Leigh Estell, 37, of Murray, was arrested at a Creston bar & grill. Estell was charged with Public Intoxication. She was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Authorities on Friday found a loaded handgun in a woman’s carry-on luggage at the Des Moines International Airport. It’s the second firearm detected this year at a Des Moines airport security checkpoint, according to a news release from the Transportation Security Administration.

The woman told authorities that she forgot it was in the luggage. The Des Moines Police Department says she was cited and then released. In addition to any action taken by law enforcement, TSA fines passengers who bring a firearm to a TSA checkpoint with a civil penalty up to approximately $15,000, revokes TSA PreCheck eligibility for at least five years and may conduct enhanced screening to ensure there are no other threats present.

“Passengers are allowed to travel with their firearms and ammunition as long as they follow the proper procedures,” Iowa TSA Federal Security Director John Bright said in the release. “Responsible firearm owners always know where their guns are, and they should never bring them to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage.”

Check the TSA’s website for information about traveling with firearms.

Seven firearms were detected at Des Moines airport security checkpoints in total last year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Transgender Iowans may be considered disabled if an Iowa lawmaker’s efforts to remove civil rights protections for gender identity succeed. House file 2082 would amend the Iowa Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, ancestry, or disability. If passed, the bill would strike gender identity protections from that list.

The bill author, Rep. Jeff Shipley, said he doesn’t want to end civil rights protections for transgender people, just change how they are protected. Instead of explicitly listing gender identity protections, he wants to expand the definition of disability discrimination.

Shipley said he wants gender dysphoria, which is the discomfort someone may feel toward their assigned sex at birth, to be considered a disability. By expanding the definition, he says transgender people will still be protected by the Civil Rights Act.
However, some LGBTQ+ activists are worried that striking gender identity from the list of protections puts transgender Iowans at risk of discrimination, even if the disability definition is expanded.

A subcommittee will host a hearing for the bill at noon Wednesday, Jan. 31, in room 102 of the statehouse.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A former nurse from Sioux City who stole drugs such as fentanyl and morphine from her hospital will serve nine months in federal prison. According to a release from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Morgan Miralles, 32, was sentenced Friday in Sioux City. After her prison term, she will also be under supervised release for three additional years. There is no parole in the federal system.

Miralles originally pleaded guilty in August 2023 to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by means of misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge, and one count of false statements relating to health care matters.

Evidence from the case indicates that she was stealing drugs intended for patient use – fentanyl, morphine, hydromorphine and hydrocodone – and kept them for her own personal use. She was stealing these drugs as early as April 2020 and through August 2022. In order to cover her tracks, Miralles falsified documents “on an almost weekly basis” by omitting certain information from logs. She also admitted to stealing Benadryl after not receiving a promotion as a way to get revenge.

Miralles will surrender to the Bureau of Prisons at an undetermined date.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Saturday, announced that after a five-year hiatus,  the City will once again serve as an overnight stay for RAGBRAI 2024. It’s the 51st year for the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa that begins with bicyclists dipping their tires in the Missouri River. Eight Iowa communities along the RAGBRAI route serve as “host” communities, beginning with Glenwood. This year, the overnight stays include Red Oak, Atlantic, Winterset, Knoxville, Ottumwa, Mt. Pleasant, and Burlington. This will be the eighth shortest route (434-miles) but the hilliest ever, with 18,741 feet of climb.

The route and host cities announcement came Saturday night in Des Moines, at the 2024 RAGBRAI  Route Announcement Party. Atlantic will host cyclists Monday, July 22, 2024.

Chamber Executive Director Bailey Smith said “We are excited to see RAGBRAI has named Atlantic as a host community once again.” Smith said  “RAGBRAI has always expressed how much they love coming to Atlantic and we’re excited to show not just the state of Iowa, but cyclists from around the country and world what kind of people and community we are.”

Atlantic last served as a host community in 2019, welcoming just under 20,000 people to town. The committee, made up of 25 committee chairs, and over 300 day-of volunteers, raised a record $50,000 that was divided between the Atlantic Police Department, Atlantic Volunteer Fire Department, Atlantic School Boosters Club and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. Smith is looking forward to having another record year.

Photo of the 2019 RAGBRAI in Atlantic (Photo courtesy Bailey Smith)

“RAGBRAI gives Atlantic a lot of positive exposure while supporting local organizations and non-profits. We look forward to partnering with community leading entities as well as community minded individuals to have a successful RAGBRAI 2024,” stated Smith.

Details regarding committee and volunteer needs will be made available in the coming weeks and Smith asks for patience while Chamber staff work to gather information.

For more information regarding housing, vendors opportunities, etc., visit www.atlanticragbrai.com or call 712-250-5343. RAGBRAI will be held July 20 – July 27.

Centerville, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Public Safety reports that on Friday, January 19, 2024, at approximately 12:50 p.m., Centerville law enforcement and emergency services were dispatched to 1417 Drake Avenue on the report of an injured child. Responding officers and EMS providers found 2-year-old Journey Marberry injured inside the home. She was immediately taken to MercyOne Hospital in Centerville and then to the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City.

On Saturday, January 27, Journey succumbed to her injuries and served as a donor to aid other families.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., members of the Iowa State Patrol tactical team arrested 48-year-old Roger Gillespie, of Centerville, on a warrant for Child Endangerment Causing Death, a class B felony. Gillespie, who was Journey’s caretaker at the time of her injuries, was taken into custody without incident. He is currently being held in the Appanoose County Jail.

The arrest of Gillespie was the result of a joint investigation by the Centerville Police Department, Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, and the Major Crime Unit of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Roger Gillespie

Journey Marberry

Questions on this investigation can be directed to Centerville Police Chief Tom Demry at 641-437-7100.

A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.