IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate is slowing down the confirmation of Geri Huser as the Iowa Utilities Board chairwoman after The Associated Press revealed her extensive private legal work. Members of the Senate commerce committee had been scheduled Tuesday to consider Huser’s appointment for a second two-year term as board chairwoman. Hours before the meeting, the AP reported that Huser had maintained a busy personal law practice on the side.

State law requires board members to devote their “whole time” to their state duties, and other members who are lawyers have resigned from their law firms. Sen. Janet Petersen said Huser’s appointment was pulled from the calendar because members wanted “time to read the article and do some due diligence.” Petersen says she wants to know how Huser balances her two jobs.

Police in Council Bluffs this (Wednesday) afternoon identified the bicyclist who was struck earlier this morning during a hit-and-run accident. The victim has been identified as 57 year old Melvin Brown, of Council Bluffs.

Bluffs Police says emergency crews responded at around 4-a.m. to the area of S. 13th and 6th Avenue in Council Bluffs, following a report of a man lying on the curb with a bicycle. A preliminary scene investigation indicated the bicycle was struck from behind by a vehicle while it was traveling south. Brown suffered head trauma and was transported to CHI Creighton University Medical Center.

The man was riding a red, black and silver mountain bike and carrying a Star Wars backpack. Authorities are still asking anyone with information in reference to this crash to contact the Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit at (712) 328‐4948 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328 ‐ STOP (7867).

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa judge has moved the murder trial of a man charged in the killing of two police officers to another part of the state. Judge Karen Romano granted a change of venue for Scott Greene, ordering Tuesday that his trial be moved from central Iowa’s Polk County to Dubuque County, in the east of the state.

Greene is accused of shooting Des Moines officer Anthony Beminio and Urbandale officer Justin Martin in their patrol cars in November. He is due to stand trial in September and faces life in prison, if convicted. Romano says Greene may not be able to get a fair trial in the Des Moines area because the case has received extensive media coverage and generated an outpouring of support for police.

She says the case has received less coverage in Dubuque.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following an accident Tuesday afternoon. Authorities say a 2005 Buick LeSabre driven by 16-year old Issac Davis, of Creston, was traveling north on Iris Avenue at around 2:40-p.m., when the teen lost control of the vehicle. The car entered the west ditch and struck a utility pole and a fence, before coming to rest.

Damage to the pole, owned by the Farmers Electric Co-Op in Greenfield, was estimated at $1,000. Damage to the fence, owned by a man from Des Moines, was estimated at $300. And, the car sustained $3,500 damage. No citations were issued.

A reminder from Cass County Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall about property taxes being due. Marshall says Second-half tax payments of real estate and mobile homes are due by March 31st. You can go online to pay your taxes at www.iowatreasurers.org, or stop by the Treasurer’s Office at the Cass County courthouse, where they accept Credit and Debit cards for in-office payments.

The deadline for payments without penalty is Friday, March 31st, 2017. Payments with a postmark of March 31st, 2017 will be accepted without penalty.

A traffic stop Tuesday afternoon west of College Springs resulted in an arrest. Sheriff’s Officials say the driver of the vehicle, Jeffrey Wade Bartles, was arrested for Driving while Barred, an Aggravated Misdemeanor.  Bartles was transported to the Page County Jail.  He posted a $2000 bond and was released pending future court proceedings.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Nebraska was arrested Tuesday afternoon, for eluding. At around 12:40-p.m., a Pott. County Deputy clocked a 2009 Ford Mustang traveling 89 miles per hour in a 50-mph zone. When the Deputy turned around to conduct a traffic stop, the car sped-up. The driver, 38-year old Stacy A. Yslas, of Lincoln, NE. was taken into custody a few minutes later.

And, at around 12:35-a.m. today (Wednesday), 44-year old Steven N. Morlan, of Omaha, was arrested in Pottawattamie County after a Deputy was called to a residence near Honey Creek late Tuesday night, to check on the welfare of an individual. Morlan, who had somehow suffered a minor injury, was taken into custody for Theft in the 2nd degree/Theft of a Motor Vehicle, for allegedly taking a 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser valued at $5,000, from a business in Fremont, NE.