DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines resident has been convicted of killing an Urbandale man after breaking into the man’s home and stabbing him. Polk County court records say a jury found 20-year-old Magai Anai Kur guilty on Monday of robbery and first-degree murder. The murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. His sentencing is set for Nov. 14.

Prosecutors say Anai Kur broke into the home of 77-year-old Robert Howe early on Sept. 3 last year, demanded money and then choked, punched and stabbed Howe after Howe tried to fight back. Prosecutors say Howe died of his injuries four months later, so they raised the charge of attempted murder to first-degree murder.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge in North Dakota has handed Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds a victory in temporarily halting enforcement of a Barack Obama administration clean water rule in the state. The Waters of the United States rule is disliked by conservative groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Farm Bureau Federation which claim it’s classic government over-regulation. It was challenged in court in June 2015 by a dozen states seeking to halt its implementation.

The rule, supported by environmental groups, provides a definition for which rivers, lakes and other water bodies may be regulated by federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency. Iowa was not one of the original states in the lawsuit, but Reynolds had asked the court to allow the state to join in. That would mean Iowa also could halt enforcement of the clean water rule until the issue is fully litigated in the courts. On Tuesday Judge Daniel Hovland granted Reynolds’ request.

Police in Red Oak who conducted a traffic stop Tuesday evening in the 2400 block of Broadway, arrested the driver of the vehicle on warrants and for Driving While Barred. 31-year old Joshua Kenneth Wolcott (whose address was not listed in the report) was arrested on a Fremont County warrant charging him with three counts of Theft in the 4th Degree. Wolcott was being held in the Montgomery County Jail, awaiting extradition to Fremont County. His bond was set at $2,000.

Strong storms that moved into western Iowa Tuesday afternoon, brought hail, winds of up to 60 miles per hour, and caused scattered power outages. According to the National Weather Service, a thunderstorm wind gust of up to 60-mph at around 3-p.m. was recorded by an Iowa DOT system, and hail a bit larger than the size of peas was observed. The event occurred about two-miles south/southeast of Adair.

Four-miles north/northeast of Anita, about 10-minutes earlier, a DOT automated site recorded a 60-mile per hour gust of wind. Power lines and/or poles were reported down in Kimballton Tuesday afternoon, as well, after storms pushed their way through Shelby and Audubon Counties.

There were no other, immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Celia Barquin Arozamena was a top amateur golfer from Spain who was finishing her degree at Iowa State University. Collin Daniel Richards was a former inmate from small-town Iowa with a history of violence. Investigators say their contrasting lives intersected in the most violent way when Richards allegedly attacked and stabbed Barquin to death at a golf course on Monday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge in North Dakota has handed Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds a victory in temporarily halting enforcement of a Barack Obama administration clean water rule in the state. The Waters of the United States rule is disliked by conservative groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Farm Bureau Federation which claim it’s classic government overregulation but supported by environmental groups.

UNDATED (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court will determine whether the police practice of using minor infractions as a pretext for stopping drivers they suspect of more serious crimes violates the Iowa Constitution in a case civil liberty groups say has implications for police racial profiling. The state’s high court heard arguments Tuesday in the case of Scottize Brown, of Waterloo.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Finance Authority Board voted Tuesday to allow an attorney investigating the conduct of the state agency’s fired director to interview a lawyer who once worked for there but is now in private practice. The board approved a resolution Tuesday to allow James Smith to discuss factual matters involving the investigation of fired IFA Director Dave Jamison.

Statewide Park Volunteer Day is this Saturday, Sept. 22. Iowans can help out at more than 40 state parks with activities that may include litter pick-up, staining or painting buildings, planting trees, clearing trails and more. Locally, volunteers are needed at Lake Anita State Park from 7-until 9-a.m., Saturday.

You’ll meet at the Primitive campground and pick up branches and rocks around the campground, and trash along the shoreline. Plan to stay aftward for a Dutch Oven cooking and sampling session from 9:00 – noon in the primitive campground.

Bring water bottle. Trash bags and gloves provided. Stay afterward for a Dutch oven cooking session and breakfast! For more info., contact: Anne Riordan at 641-295-6028 or anne.riordan@dnr.iowa.gov.

Volunteers are also needed at Prairie Rose State Park, near Harlan, Springbrook Park near Guthrie Center, Viking Lake near Stanton, and Waubonsie Park in Hamburg. Details including meeting times, locations and activities for each participating state park can be found at www.iowadnr.gov/volunteer .

Clean-up efforts are partly in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of the Iowa state park system, which takes place in 2020. The DNR is working with several organizations to create park improvements and plan activities for the centennial event. Volunteers for the Sept. 22 clean-up day are encouraged to share their activities on social media with #iowastateparks.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Swiss cruise company wants to bring ships to Dubuque if the city builds a dock along the Mississippi River. David Simmons of Viking River Cruises discussed the company’s potential plans at a City Council work session on Monday, The Telegraph Herald reported . The company hopes to build a cruise route with eight stops from St. Louis to St. Paul, Minnesota, with a potential stop in Dubuque if the city had the docking facilities, Simmons said.

The company’s brand involves pulling up to a port and allowing passengers to walk off the ship and explore a downtown area, he said. “(Dubuque is) currently in the schedule, you’re currently on the brochure, but we have to be certain we can deliver on that product,” Simmons said.

City Council members agreed last month to prioritize building a $4 million dock for the coming year. Officials still need to formally approve such a project. Viking is willing to partner with the city to build the dock, Simmons said. Council Member David Resnick said he was glad Simmons expressed cost-sharing ideas, but he said he wants to see a more formal commitment from the company.

The Mississippi River and vessels that travel on it are a critical part of Dubuque’s tourism, said Keith Rahe, president and CEO of Travel Dubuque. “(Viking) would be another tremendous asset to add to our inventory,” he said. “Any time you get a company like that, it is another avenue to get more people into Dubuque and showcase what we have here.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court will determine whether the police practice of using minor infractions as a pretext for stopping drivers they suspect of more serious crimes violates the Iowa Constitution in a case that civil liberty groups say has implications for police racial profiling.

The state’s high court heard arguments Tuesday in the case of Scottize Brown, of Waterloo. Brown, who is black, was stopped in 2015 on suspicion of driving through a yellow light and having a burned-out license plate light. The officer later acknowledged that he used those reasons to pull over the vehicle after learning the vehicle’s owner had gang connections. Brown, who was driving, was arrested and later convicted of a second offense of driving while intoxicated.

In her appeal, Brown argues that the conviction be vacated and dismissed because the officer’s pretext for stopping her violates the state’s constitutional prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure.

The Clarinda Police Department would like to remind the citizens of Clarinda that no parking is allowed on the following streets from 7:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 29, 2018 for the annual Band Day Jamboree Parade.

The 100 through 800 block of W. Main Street

The 100 block of E. Main Street

The100 block of N. 15^th St.

The 100 block of E. Washington Street

The 100 block through 300 block of W. Washington Street

24^th Street (Cardinal Drive) from Garfield Street to State Street (*SCHOOL BUS PARKING*)

The police department appreciates the cooperation of all citizens in removing their vehicles from the parade route. Vehicles that are not removed from the parade route by 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 30, 2018 will be towed at the expense of the vehicle’s registered owner(s).

If a citizen has any questions concerning this, please contact the Clarinda Police Department Office of the Chief of Police at 712-542-2194 extension 201.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Finance Authority Board voted Tuesday to allow an attorney investigating the conduct of the state agency’s fired director to interview a lawyer who once worked there but is now in private practice. The board approved a resolution Tuesday to allow James Smith to discuss the behavior of fired IFA Director Dave Jamison. Female employees who worked for Jamison say he talked about sex and often made lewd and suggestive comments to women in the workplace.

Prominent white-collar attorney Mark Weinhardt is leading an investigation into Jamison’s actions and the agency’s response. Weinhardt requested an interview with Smith, now a partner in a Des Moines law firm.
Jamison, a long-time political ally of Gov. Kim Reynolds was fired by her in March after women complained to her office. IFA Interim Executive Director Carolann Jensen says Weinardt is expected to file the final report on his investigation by the end of this month.

An audit of the agency ordered by the Iowa Legislature going back to the beginning of Jamison’s tenure in 2011 is expected to be completed by mid-November.