SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say seven people have been arrested in Sioux City, suspected of aiding a man who shot a police officer. A spokesman for federal prosecutors, Tim Duax, on Wednesday declined to identify the seven or address the specific charges against them.

Jamal Dean, the man who shot officer Kevin McCormick, fled Sioux City after the April 29, 2013, shooting. He was arrested five days later during a traffic stop in Riviera, Texas, 105 miles from the Mexican border.

Although McCormick’s police vehicle was riddled with bullets and he was shot in the head, he wasn’t seriously injured. He’s returned to work. Dean later pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

LOGAN, Iowa (AP) – An 18-year-old from western Iowa has testified that while in his fantasy world, he killed a goblin. But Cody Metzker-Madsen said he didn’t realize until later he’d actually killed his 5-year-old foster brother.  Metzker-Madsen testified Wednesday he visits a different world whenever he plays a game with someone and that only he can visit those worlds. His lawyer is using an insanity defense to combat the murder charge in Harrison County District Court in Logan.

Authorities say Dominic Elkins, of Atlantic, was killed last year while the boys were playing outdoors at their home near Logan. An autopsy said Elkins, whose body was found at the bottom of a ravine, died as a result of blunt-force head injuries and drowning. Metzker-Madsen was 17 at the time.

The Superintendent of the Shenandoah Community School District was fired Wednesday night, following a Special Closed Session of the Board. The district’s contract with Superintendent Jeff Hiser was terminated unanimously by the Board.

Among the reasons given:

• Submitting fraudulent requests and acceptance for reimbursement of expenses for pay and receiving said reimbursements.
• Knowing providing untruthful, inaccurate and incomplete information during a Board investigation into Superintendent’s conduct.
• Impeding, obstructing and/or otherwise failing to cooperate with a Board investigation into Superintendent’s conduct.
• Violating district policy and Superintendent’s contract by engaging in outside employment with Board approval.
• Using school district time, property, and resources for personal and financial gain.
• Violating district policies and procedures regarding submittal of leave requests and other documents.
• Violating district policies, and regulations on staff use of technology, including but not limited to, downloading personal software on a district laptop and deleting files from a district laptop.
• Inability to maintain confidence and trust of the Board.

Further details about the allegations were not disclosed, however board members confirm Hiser has the right to appeal the decision, at which point the details of the matter would be discussed in open session. According to reports, Hiser had recently been placed on indefinite medical leave.

Acting Superintendent Monte Munsinger will oversee the district until a decision is made on a permanent replacement for Hiser.

Police in Creston say no injuries were reported and no citations were issued following a collision Wednesday morning between a car and an SUV. Officials say a 2008 Chevy Impala driven by 39-year old Eric Patterson, of Creston, was traveling west on Howard Street in Creston at around 8:10-a.m., as a1997 Ford Expedition driven by 49-year old Laurie Tebbenkamp, of Creston was traveling south on Elm Street.

Patterson told police he saw the SUV with its turn signal on, and decided to proceed through the intersection. As he did so, the SUV continued to travel straight instead of turning. Tebbenkamp told police she almost came to a stop at the intersection and was trying to determine if she needed to go straight, or turn. By the time she made up her mind, Patterson’s car was right in front of her Expedition.

The vehicles collided in a t-bone fashion, causing an estimated total amount of damage at $2,600.

After all the hoopla of the 2014 election, there won’t be much change in the key decision-makers at the statehouse. Republican Governor Terry Branstad easily won reelection, Republicans added four seats in to their majority in the Iowa House and Democrats were able to retain control of the Iowa Senate. Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs suggests legislators need to forget about all the election drama and move on.

“Everybody understands a sore loser. Nobody understands a sore winner. Erase the chalk board. Start over,” Gronstal says. “The voters have put a set of people into this golden dome building and it’s our job to work together and try and face the problems Iowa has and solve them.” For the past two years Democrats had held a narrow, 26 to 24 seat edge in the Iowa Senate and, while some of the seats changed hands Tuesday night, Democrats will be in control by the same 26-to-24 margin for the next few years.

“We go out and recruit really good candidates, people who are already leaders in their community, and help them run smart, savvy campaigns and I think that’s why we succeed,” Gronstal says. Senate Democrats plan to meet on Sunday to hold leadership elections and Gronstal is likely to remain the majority leader. Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix of Shell Rock has scheduled a meeting for Senate Republicans on Monday.

“We’ll all get together,” Dix says. “We’ll work on where we want to align ourselves and make sure we continue to stand for those conservative values that grow Iowa’s economy and jobs and try to find a way to work in any way we can to get those issues done and sent on to the governor.” House Republicans are likely to retain Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha and Linda Upmeyer of Clear Lake as their top leaders. House Republicans plan to meet Monday to plot strategy for the 2015 legislative session. House Democrats plan to meet Saturday, November 15th to discuss election losses and their priorities for 2015.

(Radio Iowa)