INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — Voters have approved a bond measure to finance construction of a replacement courthouse and jail in southern Iowa’s Warren County. The measure was passed with nearly 70 percent of the votes Tuesday. The $29.9 million facility will be more than twice as big as the old facility. Voters rejected a similar proposal two years ago.

The state had ordered the county to close the jail earlier this year. Among its problems: failing a state fire marshal’s inspection, inadequate water supplies, inmate escapes, mold, inadequate food storage, cleanliness. The jail is on the third floor of the courthouse in Indianola.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University has paid $125,000 to settle two lawsuits brought by a former university administrator who accused the school of blocking her efforts to investigate sexual assault reports. The university says the State Appeal Board approved the settlement with Robinette Kelley on Monday. The settlement resolves two lawsuits Kelley filed. She was the university’s equal opportunity and Title IX director who was fired in October 2015. She now works for North Carolina State University.

She alleged in the lawsuits that she knew Iowa State was not complying with Title IX, the federal law that requires public schools to provide equal opportunities to students regardless of sex. Kelley alleges the university tried to intimidate her and coerce her into ignoring her compliance concerns. The university denied her allegations.

Creston Police say one person was arrested, Tuesday. 49-year old Victor Thatcher, of Creston, was taken into custody at around 4:06-p.m., on a charge of Public Intoxication/2nd offense. Thatcher was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

A Democrat from Maryland who is running for President – in 2020, will visit a farm near Atlantic, Thursday morning. Maryland 6th District Representative John Delany will visit with Democratic Iowa House District 21 Candidate Denise O’Brien at her home located at 59624 Chicago Road, from 10-until 10:30-a.m., Thursday, as part of his tour of the State that continues through Sunday. The tour marks his 14th campaign trip to Iowa, which also includes the Des Moines Register’s State Fair Soapbox and Iowa Democratic “Wing Ding,” on Friday.

MD-6 Democratic Pres. candidate John K. Delany.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The federal government has decided it wants to build a new courthouse in Des Moines on the former riverfront site of a YMCA. The General Services Administration said Tuesday in a news release that the planned $137 million courthouse will “complement the character and context of the surrounding structures and amenities, interact with the Principal Riverwalk in a way that facilitates pedestrian activities and outdoor recreation, and include publicly accessible space.”

The government will have to acquire the site from Hubbell Realty Co., which released plans Monday for a luxury condominium development there. The city had wanted to reserve the land for private development.
Officials say courthouse construction is scheduled to start in fall 2019, and the building would open the following year.