HINTON, Iowa (KCAU) — The Hinton Community School District (CSD) and several officials are being sued by two students through their families over allegations of abuse within the junior varsity wrestling program. KCAU reports the two lawsuits were filed in Plymouth County and are directed at Hinton CSD, former wrestling head coach Casey Crawford, wrestling assistant coach Bradley “Woody” Skuodas, Hinton superintendent Ken Slater, and former Hinton athletic director Brian DeJong. All four were employed by Hinton CSD at the time of the incidents detailed in the lawsuits.

The lawsuits accuse Crawford, Skuodas and DeJong of “encouraging” bullying, hazing and violence by the students on the team. They also accuse Hinton CSD of failing to address the behavior despite reportedly being aware of it. At the center of the lawsuits is a series of incidents that allegedly occurred during two wrestling trips, and involved the use of sex toys. Afterward, the alleged victimized students were sexually exploited when photos and videos of the incidents were shared to the team’s Snapchat group chat, according to the lawsuits. The trip allegedly had no supervision, room checks or bag checks.

Coaches became aware of the usage of these items and allegedly took them away. But the incidents allegedly happened again at another wrestling site city.  Again, the coaches were apparently aware of what was going on, but they did not tell the victims’ parents. The parents of the victims found a video showing the incidents on a child’s phone. They then showed it to other parents and an assistant coach. According to the lawsuits, the coach “told parents that he would initiate the reporting process, but simultaneously commented that this could negatively affect the wrestling program.”

The lawsuits accuse Hinton CSD of not being communicative enough with the parents of the victims of the alleged abuse. Additionally, the lawsuits accused the wrestling practices as being a “breeding ground for harassment and bullying.” Coaches allegedly “allowed, encouraged and led” games that resulted in injuries to students. The lawsuits accuses all defendants of one count of negligence against all defendants, one count of negligent training and supervision of employees against Hinton CSD, and two counts of loss of consortium against all defendants.

The lawsuits demand a jury trial and for a judgment “in an amount to be determined at trial, together with interest, all costs incurred herein, and for all such other relief that is just and equitable under the premises” on all counts.

On Feb. 14, 2024, two wrestling coaches were placed on paid administrative leave. One of them was still on leave, while the other had gone back to work. Two students were “reassigned” soon after. On March 18, the head wrestling coach formally resigned from his position as wrestling head coach, though he also said in his resignation letter that he hoped to continue teaching math at Hinton.

School board members have since discussed possible school trip policy changes, such as bags checks, printed itineraries, and contact information.

(Radio Iowa) – Fines will be increasing for motorists caught ignoring crossing gates and flashing lights and illegally driving across railroad tracks in 21 Iowa locations called “quiet zones.” Trains approaching railroad crossings in these zones are not required to sound the horn, in an effort to reduce noise in urban settings. Senator Tom Shipley of Nodaway says doubling the fine for illegally crossing train tracks in an Iowa “quiet zone” will hopefully be a deterrent. “It’s just simply a matter of safety of being able to keep people from trying to beat the train because they didn’t hear the whistle,” Shipley says.

Cities are able to install flashing lights and gates to establish a “quiet zone” at a railroad crossing, but Representative Derek Wulf of Hudson says it’s expensive. “This increase of penalties will help these communities stomach that potential cost which can range anywhere from $30,000 to $1 million,” Wulf says.

The fine, starting July 1st, will be five-hundred-20 dollars ($520) for illegally driving through a railroad crossing in a quiet zone when the warning lights are on. Three railroad crossings in the city of Hiawatha were recently designated as quiet zones where train horns don’t have to be activated to warn vehicles a train is approaching. Cedar Rapids officials are hoping to take similar steps for some railroad crossings, including one that’s near a 267-room hotel in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Among the cities that have “quiet” railroad crossing in western Iowa, are those in: Creston, Denison, Sergeant Bluff and Sioux City.