DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources is stepping down next week. Chuck Gipp announced his retirement Thursday in a news release. He submitted a resignation letter dated April 2 to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. His retirement begins Tuesday.

Gipp has been director for six years. He previously served nine terms in the Iowa House, including as majority leader. He says in the letter that running the DNR was “the crowning achievement” of his public service career.

Gipp says he plans to spend more time with his family in Decorah. Deputy Director Bruce Trautman will take over as acting director. The DNR oversees environmental regulation, state parks and natural resource stewardship programs in Iowa. Some DNR programs have seen significant cuts, and a proposed budget backed by Republicans would spend less on the agency next year than when Gipp became director six years ago.

A motorcyclist died Wednesday afternoon following a collision in Mills County. The Iowa State Patrol said Thursday, 48-year old Andrew Kaczmarek, of Malvern, died when the 2003 Harley Davidson XL 1200 he was riding, for reasons unknown, crossed the centerline of westbound Highway 34 and sideswiped a 2014 Kia Sol.

The motorcycle went out of control, causing Kaczmarek to be ejected. He died at the scene. The driver of the KIA, 60-year old Giselle Roenfeld, of Silver City, was not injured. The accident, which happened at around 4:40-p.m., Wednesday, remains under investigation.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Malvern and Glenwood Fire and Rescue.

An Audubon County woman who pled guilty to two counts of Felony Child Endangerment with Serious Injury, and one count of Neglect or Abandonment of a Dependent Person, was sentenced to prison, Thursday. Cass County Attorney Michael Hooper reports 51-year old Samantha Kay Bailey, of Gray, received 20-years in prison after her grandchildren ate methamphetamine they found on her, while searching for Easter eggs on April 9^th, 2017.

Bailey was originally scheduled to be sentenced this last Monday, April 23rd, after entering a guilty plea to three of four charges against her on February 12th of this year. The case had dragged on for nearly a year before Bailey entered her guilty pleas on February 12th.

Back on February 1, 2017, defense counsel requested its fifth continuance of the trial date. Cass County Attorney, Michael Hooper, entered an appearance in the case as “special prosecutor” to assist Audubon County Attorney Sarah Jennings and he quickly filed a “resistance” to any further continuances. Court records reflect that subpoenas were served on all of the State’s witnesses, and with their back to the wall, the defense entered guilty pleas to three of the four counts against Mrs. Bailey.

On the day set for sentencing Bailey hired a new attorney and made a motion to withdrawal her guilty plea and requested another continuance. Hooper filed a resistance to the motion to withdraw the guilty plea and the motion to continue. The Court denied Bailey’s request to withdraw her guilty plea finding it untimely. Under Iowa law, a motion to withdraw a guilty plea must be filed at least five days prior to the date set for sentencing. Bailey filed her motion just hours before the sentencing hearing was set to begin. After denying Bailey’s motion to withdraw her guilty plea, the Court did grant her one last continuance, but only until Thursday.

Bailey did give a remorseful statement but Judge Christensen pointed out that she wasn’t remorseful just days prior when she attempted to withdraw her plea. In handing down the consecutive sentences Judge Christensen indicated that Bailey will serve ten years for each victim of her crime.

The mother of the two children who ingested the meth said in court, “Sam, you didn’t have to witness what I witnessed that day, and I’m still not sure that you fully grasp just how much your addiction has affected your grandchildren. Your struggle with drug addiction nearly cost my children their lives. Everyday I wonder…. at what point is enough truly enough.”

A Nebraska man was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Council Bluffs, following a two-vehicle crash in Montgomery County on Thursday morning. Authorities say emergency personnel were called at around 10:50-a.m. to the accident scene at the intersection of Box Elder Avenue and 200th Street.

A 2016 Chevy Malibu driven by 40-year-old Michael E. Osterhoudt of Lincoln, NE., was traveling north on Box Elder Avenue when he failed to stop at the stop sign with 200th Street. A 2014 Mack CXU Semi driven by Terry Gene Sleep of Northboro, IA was traveling east on 200th Street. Sleep saw the Malibu run the stop sign, but he was unable to avoid colliding with the car. The semi hit the front driver’s side fender of the car, causing the vehicle to spin into the south ditch. Following the crash, the semi entered the north ditch. Osterhoudt was extricated from the Malibu by mechanical means before being transported by Lifenet helicopter to Bergan Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs for suspected serious injuries. Sleep was uninjured in the collision. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts.

The crash totaled both vehicles, with the damage amounting to $58,000 altogether. A fence at the intersection, owned by Tony Johnson, sustained an estimated $500 damage.

Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau in Des Moines, said today (Thursday), following an investigation, 43-year old Michael Dean Kirsch, of Shenandoah, was charged with ongoing criminal conduct-influencing enterprise, a Class B Felony, three Class C Felony counts of first degree theft, seven Class D Felony counts of second degree theft, and third and fourth degree theft.

Michael Dean Kirsch (Page County S/O photo)

The charges against Kirsch stem from an investigation that began in December 2016 after the Fraud Bureau was notified by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Securities and Regulated Industries Bureau that Kirsch allegedly misappropriated his client’s funds which were intended for burial related expenses.

Kirsch, in his capacity as a funeral home owner, engaged in the selling of pre-need agreements to customers using forms that would lead customers to believe they were obtaining an insurance contract to pay for funeral expenses, services and merchandise.  It is alleged that Kirsch instead used the funds he obtained under this understanding for his personal financial gain on a continuing basis.

On April 24th, 2018, Kirsch was arrested on a Page County Iowa warrant and released from the Page County Jail after posting $50,000 bond pending further court proceedings. Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-242-5304.

As a result of the previous administrative action, Kirsch paid restitution of $32,813.88 to eight Iowans affected by his actions.

(Radio Iowa) The inappropriate behavior of a state official Governor Kim Reynolds fired in late March was escalating and made women feel unsafe at work, according to an employee who wrote a letter outlining complaints about her boss. The woman has asked that the letter be released to the public.

Governor Kim Reynolds released the letter, with some passages blocked out to try to preserve the identity of the Iowa Finance Authority employee who wrote it. Reynolds fired Iowa Finance Authority director Dave Jamison shortly after receiving the information. It alleges Jamison tried to pressure his employee to go to his hotel room and talked repeatedly in the office about sex, the size of his penis and the breasts of his employees.

Jamison, according to the letter writer, knew he was engaged in sexual harassment because he often referred to prominent men like Matt Lauer and Harvey Weinstein who were fired for alleged sexual misconduct. The woman who wrote these and other details down in a letter gave the governor permission to publicly release the document. Governor Reynolds has issued a statement, calling Jamison’s behavior “disgusting and abhorrent.”

Reynolds added that information like this “should only be released on the victim’s terms and no one else’s” because it is their story to tell. On Monday, Reynolds told reporters there were no paper documents related to Jamison’s firing and she did not intend to reveal the reasons for his dismissal to protect the victims of Jamison’s actions. In addition, Reynolds argued the new state law that requires public disclosure of the reasons state employees are fired does not apply because Jamison was an “at-will” employee she appointed to the job rather than a worker hired under the state’s merit-based system.

The executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council says the way he reads the law, it applies to ALL state employees and state officials, including Jamison.

Warning, the following link is not for children…Read the full, redacted letter here: https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/redacted-letter-1524770772.pdf

(DES MOINES) – Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Chuck Gipp announced his retirement Thursday. His last day at the department will be Tuesday, May 1, 2018.

“Chuck has an outstanding record of service to Iowa,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said. “He’s spent the last six years leading in this important department, protecting Iowa’s most valuable resources – our land, lakes, waterways and air. Thank you, Chuck, for your service to this great state, and I wish you all the best as you enter retirement.”

“During his time as director, Chuck used his passion for Iowa’s natural resources as his guide in leading the department,” Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg said. “He served our state well for many years, and I know this retirement is well-deserved.”

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to serve Iowans for the past 28 years,” Gipp said. “I’ve been blessed to work among some of the best in the state, and nothing is more gratifying than being able to make a difference in the lives of Iowans.”

Gipp was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1990, where he served nine consecutive terms in several different capacities, including House Majority Leader. After deciding not to seek re-election, Gipp was hired by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey as director of the Division of Soil Conservation. He served in that role for three years.

Gipp began serving as deputy director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in August 2011. Not long after, he became director.

Gipp resides in Decorah with his wife, Ranae. They have two children and one grandson.

Deputy Director Bruce Trautman will serve as acting director of the DNR.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A judge says an Iowa man is competent to stand trial on allegations that he used an electric guitar to beat his mother to death. Des Moines County District Court records say the judge filed the ruling Monday on 29-year-old Garret Selters, who has been undergoing treatment at a state mental health facility in Oakdale since the killing. He initially was ruled incompetent.

Selters, of Burlington, has pleaded not guilty to murder. Prosecutors say he swung the guitar into the head of 56-year-old Linda Selters at her home on Oct. 17. Defense lawyers say Selters will use an insanity defense at trial, which is allowed under Iowa rules. The trial has yet to be scheduled.

The Guthrie County Extension Service is hosting a Resume Workshop on May 15th. Iowa Works will be coming to the office at 212 State Street in Guthrie Center, from 1:30-until 4-p.m. that day, to help anyone looking for help on their resume and/or looking for resources to help find a job. A computer will be provided. You will be setting up an account with iowajobs.org, and companies will be coming to speak with you about job opportunities with them.

Registration IS REQUIRED. Call the Guthrie County Extension Office by May14th, at 641-747-2276 to reserve your place.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill requiring schools to adopt return-to-play rules for students who may have concussions. The Republican governor signed the bill on Thursday. The new law received bipartisan support from both legislative chambers. Schools will be required to adopt medical review protocols. Those protocols were first developed in 2013 by the associations that oversee high school athletics in Iowa. Most schools already followed the protocols, but they have been optional until now.

Legal liability will be limited for schools that choose to have a health care provider present at games. The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency says the law is expected to result in “minimal” costs for schools.