A federal judge has rejected Tyson Foods’ efforts to have a lawsuit over the death of an employee in Iowa moved to federal court. The family of Isidro Fernandez sued Tyson over his death April 26 from complications from COVID-19, saying he contracted the virus after working at the company’s plant in Waterloo. The lawsuit was filed in state court but Tyson had sought to have it moved to federal court. The company argued it was not liable because it was following federal guidance to stay open during the pandemic. A federal judge rejected that argument last week, sending the case back to state court in Iowa.
Police are investigating a report of shots being fired in Cedar Rapids New Year’s night. It happened just before 7 p.m. Friday in the 1000 block of 12th Avenue SE. Officers called to the scene discovered shell casings and bullet damage to a car. No one appears to have been wounded by the gunfire. Authorities collected evidence and believe this was a targeted shooting. No arrests have been made.
Sioux City police say one person was killed and four others were injured in a shooting at a New Year’s party. Police say several shots were fired early Friday morning from multiple guns into a home where people were celebrating New Year’s Eve. An 18-year-old woman was found dead inside the home. Four others who were shot were treated at hospitals and are in stable condition. Police said many of the people at the party were underaged. The investigation is continuing.
With the start of the new year, a change in the law on legalized sports betting in Iowa–in-person registration is no longer required. That means any Iowa resident, no matter where he or she lives, can download a sports betting app on their phone and place a wager immediately. Before the new year, Iowans had to physically go inside a casino and register to bet in person. While that is no longer the case, sports betters will still need to provide a name, address, phone number, email, birth date and last four digits of their Social Security number to register online.
The Cedar Falls Police Department is enforcing the city’s 48-hour parking ordinance…that started last night at 6. The ordinance prohibits cars from parking on any city street to allow salt trucks and snow plows to treat the roads and clear the recent snowfall. Any vehicle parked on city streets will receive a citation, and if it is not moved within 24 hours after receiving the citation, the vehicle will be towed at the owner’s expense. The city is also reminding residents to clear their sidewalks of snow and ice. Not clearing the sidewalk is a violation of the city’s ordinance and can result in fines and charges.
A Des Moines attorney is suing several police officers and the city over their response to racial justice protests there last May. The class-action lawsuit seeks to represent anyone arrested or assaulted by Des Moines officers during a protest May 31. Attorney Gina Messamer claims in the lawsuit that officers illegally arrested and pepper-sprayed people protesting the death of George Floyd while he was in the custody of Minneapolis police. The lawsuit alleges the officers’ actions violated protesters’ free speech rights and were meant to deter future demonstrations. Des Moines officials did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
Two wanted men were taken into custody Friday night after a short pursuit in a Mason City neighborhood. The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office said it attempted to stop a vehicle for fraudulent use of registration just after 8 p.m. at the intersection of 7th St. NE and N. Pennsylvania Ave. The vehicle led authorities on a short pursuit in an alley before the driver, 23-year-old Joshua Teeter of Mason City, took off on foot. He was soon apprehended. Teeter was wanted on a Cerro Gordo County arrest warrant for violation of parole and pretrial release violations. He was also charged with eluding, interference with official acts and fraudulent use of registration. One of the passengers, 32-year-old Tony Jones of Mason City, was taken into custody on a warrant from Worth County. He was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
