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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines teacher and basketball coach who saw sex crime charges against him dismissed earlier this year is now suing police, saying they maliciously sought to prosecute him. The Des Moines Register reports that Gerald “Tig” Johnson’s lawsuit filed Friday says police mismanaged the case. The 47-year-old Johnson is a special education teacher and girls’ basketball coach at Roosevelt High School.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An embattled northeast Iowa zoo is facing a second lawsuit _ this time regarding treatment of its endangered African lions. The Des Moines Register reports that the Animal Legal Defense Fund and five Iowans filed a lawsuit Monday against the Cricket Hollow Zoo in Manchester. Earlier this year, the national group successfully sued the zoo to force the removal of endangered lemurs and tigers.

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — Replicas of two of the three ships Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World will be making a stop in Clinton on Aug. 4. The Clinton Herald reports that the Nina and the Pinta will stay until Aug. 8. Both ships will set up a floating museum, and a 15-man crew will answer questions. The interactive museum displays will describe what life was like 500 years ago on the ships.

CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) — The trial for a Coralville man accused of knowingly spreading HIV to women has been pushed back to October. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the trial for 34-year-old Adam Musser had been set to begin Tuesday. It will now begin on Oct. 25. Musser pleaded not guilty last year to five counts of criminal transmission of an infectious disease.

A traffic stop late Saturday night on Interstate 29, in Fremont County, resulted in the arrest of a man from Kansas, on drug and other charges. Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports the Fremont County K9 Unit conducted the stop on I-29 at about mile marker 9.

Marcus Skinner

As a result of the stop, 20-year old Marcus Skinner, of Kansas City, MO., was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, after Deputies located marijuana inside the vehicle. Skinner was also charged with Reckless Driving. He was brought to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center and held on $1,000 bond.

Police in Council Bluffs are asking for your help in solving an armed robbery that took place late Saturday night. Authorities say at around 11:40-p.m., officers were called to the Walgreens store located at 2508 W. Broadway, following a reported robbery. The suspect entered the store, displayed a black handgun and demanded cigarettes and money from the cash register before leaving the store west bound from the store.

Walgreens Surveillance pic

He was described as being a white male wearing a dark gray hooded sweatshirt, black ball cap, black gloves and a white mask. The suspect was not located and the investigation is ongoing. If you have any information regarding this or any other crimes, please contact Crime Stoppers at (712)328-STOP(7867).

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, who had been one of the people under consideration to become Donald Trumps running mate in the Republican presidential race says she is happy with the selection of Indiana Governor Mike Pence for that role. “I am excited, I think he will bring a lot to that ticket. He has governing experience, he has legislative experience and has worked through all kinds of situations as a governor. So, I am excited to see him added to the ticket,” Ernst says. She believes Pence will help bring in some of those who have been unsure of Trump.

“I think that he will help unify our Republican party, he brings a lot of great legislative experience to the ticket,” according to Ernst. She says Pence adds some of the things that Trump needs when it comes to the political side. “As a governor he has that experience of governing the state, so he has had to address a wide variety of issues with his constituents. So, I think he brings a lot, he’s very well rounded,” Ernst says. The junior Senator will speak at the Republican convention Monday and says she has already started preparing.

“I have had some time to work on my remarks for the convention, we continue to refine those a little bit,” Ernst says. “I’ve been given a time frame that I have to work within — so we’ll continue to refine my message and make sure it comes out strong on Monday evening.” Ernst made her comments following a tour of a food bank in Des Moines.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say a motorcyclist from Iowa is dead and the Nebraska driver of a car that collided with him has been arrested. Police say the crash happened around 1:30 a.m. Saturday at 60th and Center streets in a south part of Omaha. Investigators say a westbound car caused the collision when it turned left in front of a motorcycle operated by 31-year-old Dustin Roof, of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Police say Roof was taken to an Omaha hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police say a 27-year-old Papillion man who was driving the car was arrested on suspicion of felony motor vehicle homicide. Investigators believe alcohol consumption was a factor in the crash.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Those preparing for the new school year in Iowa might want to wait a few weekends before hitting the back-to-school sales. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that Iowa’s annual sales-tax-free shopping holiday is set for Aug. 5-6.

The annual sales tax holiday coincides with back-to-school shopping. It allows shoppers to buy select clothing and footwear priced at less than $100 without paying sales tax or local option taxes. The two days are usually among the best of the year for Iowa retailers. To learn more about the rules, visit https://tax.iowa.gov/iowas-annual-sales-tax-holiday .