Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man already serving life in prison for killing an Iowa City cab driver has been convicted of murder in the 2017 shooting death of an Iowa City bail bondsman. Television station KGAN reports that a jury convicted 42-year-old Curtis Jones on Wednesday of first-degree murder in the death of 34-year-old Jonathan Wieseler.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Republican-controlled Iowa House is refusing to grant press credentials to an influential liberal journalist who has covered the Legislature for years. Laura Belin, who operates the Bleeding Heartland blog, said the House chief clerk hasn’t cited any valid reason for the denial, which she suspects is tied to her critical coverage of Republican leaders and policies. The chief clerk of the Iowa House told Belin that “press credentials are not issued to members of the public.”

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Hawkeye Ten Conference
Red Oak 56, Atlantic 47
Denison-Schleswig 57, St. Albert, Council Bluffs 32
Glenwood 59, Lewis Central 54
Shenandoah 60, Creston 41

Western Iowa
AHSTW, Avoca 74, Missouri Valley 37
Logan-Magnolia 70, Riverside, Oakland 32
Treynor 62, IKM-Manning 42
Tri-Center 68, Audubon 49 (Marissa Anderson 24 points) 

Rolling Valley
Ar-We-Va, Westside 62, Woodbine 32
Boyer Valley 59, West Harrison 33
CAM 80, AC/GC 26 (Paige McAfeee 27 points, 6 assists, 6 steals. Madison Gettler 26 points.)
Glidden-Ralston 63, Coon Rapids-Bayard 35
Paton-Churdan 59, Exira-EHK 47

Other Scores
ADM, Adel 68, Perry 39
Ballard 42, Bondurant-Farrar 26
Boone 53, Carlisle 49
Carroll 53, Winterset 41
Des Moines Christian 73, West Central Valley, Stuart 30

Pride of Iowa
Central Decatur 64, SW Valley 44
Martensdale-St Marys 60, Bedford 45
Mount Ayr 71, East Union 15
Nodaway Valley 60, Southeast Warren, Liberty Center 25

Corner Conference
Griswold 36, East Mills 25

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police in northwestern Iowa have made an arrest in the death of a woman whose body was found inside a fire-damaged hotel room in Sioux City. The Sioux City Journal reports that police on Friday announced the arrest of 29-year-old Jordan Henry of Sioux City. Police say he faces charges of trespassing, possession of drug paraphernalia, first-degree arson and assault.

Police say officers found 40-year-old Elizabeth Bockholt, of Hinton, in the fire-damaged Wingate Hotel room Thursday night, and medics were unable to resuscitate her. Bockholt, a mother of four, was pronounced at the scene.

Sioux City Police Detective Nick Thompson said Friday at a news conference that Henry is suspected of having intentionally set the fire in the hotel room. Police declined to say whether Bockholt knew Henry or how she died. An autopsy has been ordered.

Police in Council Bluffs arrested a Nebraska man on a theft charge and warrant, after he was seen in a stolen vehicle. Officers were notified at around 10:13-a.m. Friday, that a stolen gray 2001 Chevy Suburban was traveling east on Broadway from 32nd St.  The vehicle was being followed, and information relayed to police, by a party familiar with the vehicle being stolen.

Ronald Shane Hoschar

Officers were able to get in behind the Suburban as it turned into an apartment complex at 805 2nd Ave. The driver — 29-year old Ronald Shane Hoschar, of Omaha, NE., was apprehended and vehicle was returned to a woman who owned it, in Omaha, without further incident. Hoschar was charged with Theft 2nd Degree and was also found to have an outstanding warrant. He was transported to Pottawattamie County Corrections and was being held in the Pott. County Jail.

The Council Bluffs Police Department would like to remind people to lock their vehicles and not to leave them running unattended.

Two masked individuals allegedly attempted to rob a bank in Council Bluffs, Friday morning, but were foiled by a security door. Council Bluffs Police say at around 9:13-a.m., officers responded to a reported of an attempted armed robbery at the Cobalt Credit Union (1712 Madison Ave.). Two masked parties attempted to gain access into the bank, but were stopped by an interior security door. They fled from the scene in a maroon 4 door Chrysler Aspen, which was located abandoned in the area of So 1st St and Platner. The vehicle was determined to have been stolen out of Omaha.

Authorities said bank surveillance camera still frame images show one of the suspects appears to be wearing a winter white camouflage vest coat with a white hooded sweatshirt under it. White or light colored pants black or brown boot type footwear. Sunglasses and a white bandana or clothing covering the lower half of their face.

The second suspect is wearing a black hooded coat with what appears to be a vertical gray Nike Swoosh emblem on the left side of the coat. This suspect was also wearing sunglasses, dark pants (possibly sweatpants), black tennis shoes with white soles. A lighter colored bandanna or cloth covering the lower half of their face.

At this time it is believed the suspects may have been armed. Verification on what type of weapon is not known at this time. The incident is under investigation by the FBI and Council Bluffs Police.  Anyone with information or who can identify the suspects is urged to contact one of the following:
Council Bluffs Police Criminal Investigation Division at (712) 328-4728; Council Bluffs Police Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP (7867); FBI Omaha Great Plains Violent Crime Task Force at (402) 493-8688.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, today (Friday), began presenting more information with regard to their Press Releases. Previously, unless there was a major incident, the Sheriff’s Office would simple send a call sheet or list of what Deputies responded to, but not much in the line of details. Officials say “The purpose of the new weekly press release is to give the public a better understanding of the case work done by the members of the sheriff’s office and to keep the public informed about who is arrested and for what.”

Among those arrested over the past week, was Stephanie Cooley, of Guthrie Center, who was taken into custody today (Jan. 25th) on a warrant for Pre-Trial Release Violation. Cooley’s original charge was for Methamphetamine Distribution. At the time of the press release, Cooley was being held on a $50,000 cash or surety bond.

On January 23^rd, Conar Hornsby and Samantha Henderson, both of Jefferson, were arrested following a traffic stop in Stuart.  Hornsby was charged with Possession of Marijuana 3^rd Offense, Drug Paraphernalia and Child Endangerment.  Henderson was charged with Possession of Marijuana 1^st Offense, Possession of Psilocybin Mushrooms 1^st Offense, Possession of Cocaine 1^st Offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Child Endangerment.  Henderson also has a pending Operating While Intoxicated 1^st Offense charge as well. Hornsby is being held on a $2,000 cash or surety bond and Henderson posted a $5,000 surety bond.

January 21^st,  a juvenile male from Stuart was referred to juvenile court on a charge of Theft 5^th Degree. The charges stem from multiple vehicle burglaries in Adair and Guthrie County. The juvenile’s name was not released.

January 18^th – Sheryl Palmer, of Jamaica and Curtis Jurgensen, of Woodward were arrested in Perry following a disturbance in Jamaica.  Palmer was charged with Harassment 1^st Degree, Domestic Abuse Assault while Displaying a Weapon and Disorderly Conduct.  Jurgensen was charged with Harassment 1^st Degree and Accessory to a Misdemeanor.

Both Palmer and Jurgensen are still in the Guthrie County Jail. Palmer is being held on a $2,000 cash bond. Jurgensen is being held on $1,000 cash or surety bond. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Woodward Police Department, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and the Perry Police Department.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Tuesday afternoon of 66-year old James Edward Vaughn, Jr.  The Emerson man was taken into custody on a warrant for Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree. His bond was set at $25,000.

And, a Glenwood teen was injured during a single-vehicle accident Thursday morning. 17-year old Harlan Wetterlund was driving a 2015 Chevy westbound on Gaston Avenue at around 8-a.m., near the intersection with 262nd Street, when his vehicle went out of control on the snow and entered the south ditch. The vehicle then collided with a utility pole, causing the pole to snap. Wetterlund was transported to the Bellevue Medical Center by Silver City Rescue.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the use of speed cameras in Cedar Rapids in a revised ruling. The Supreme Court reheard the class action lawsuit against the cameras on Interstate 380 — after the city said the ruling did not rely on the most current version of the ordinance. In the new ruling the high court says many citizens many regard the automated cameras as “speed traps,” and the city seeks to encourage payment of fines rather than to force driver into small claims court.

But the ruling says while the court respectfully acknowledges these concerns — the case involves traffic citations with small fines — “not the pumping of a resisting person’s stomach.” The ruling does say it is possible to imagine a scenario in which the challenger develops a factual record that demonstrates the system is not related to public safety concerns and is simply designed to raise revenues for the city. But it says the drivers in this case have not done so.

(Radio Iowa) — Information was released this week on the investigation into the actions of three Denison city employees who were placed on administrative leave in December. The city manager, city clerk and fire chief were reinstated while the investigation continued, but the city said it was personnel issue and no public information was released. Attorney James Gilliam gave the city council an update and revealed the investigation reviewed how the three employees handled various budget and personnel actions.

He said “I did not find any evidence that any of the administrative decisions I review as part of my investigation were a product of bad faith, personal profit or constituted criminal conduct. Instead the decisions were made in what that the administrators believe were in the best interest of the city,” Gilliam says. Gilliam says that a portion of the problems resulted from a change enacted in 2012 when the current city manager took his position and a portion of his duties were assigned to the city clerk position. He says the changes led to a less active management style by the council.

“The decisions were made in an environment where the council was exercising less than full oversight and control over administration decisions,” Gilliam explains. “And the administrators — taking advantage of that lack of council control — usurped the council’s policy-making authority.” He says this led to a lack of communication among the council and administrators.

“In this environment city administrators developed a habit of under-informing council of their actions — and became defensive when the council asked legitimate questions,” Gilliam says. Gilliam presented several recommendations on how the council and administration could improve their working relationship and the way the city conducts its business.

The council accepted the report and concluded the investigation. No further action was taken, but the council will be able to ask written question of Gilliam to obtain information on specific items in his full report before a special city council meeting is likely to be scheduled. That council meeting could include an endorsement of the council to maintain the current staff. No other action was taken.