Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill that will make handgun carry permits and background checks on unlicensed sales optional in Iowa. As of July 1, people will be able to buy handguns from private, non-licensed sources such as websites, gun shows and individuals without a permit or background check. The law notes anyone buying a gun from a federally licensed dealer would still have to either pass a federal background check or show a permit to carry. People also will be able to carry a gun into public places such as grocery stores and malls without prior safety training or a permit.
A woman is dead after a field fire burning out of control in Linn County surrounded her in flames. It happened around 3:15 p.m. yesterday in the 3000 block of Gillmore Road north of Marion. Several agencies responded to the scene but it was too late to rescue the woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
A fireworks ban previously tabled by Waterloo City Council members last month will be considered again today. Waterloo officials voted 4-3 to push back the proposal at a March 15 meeting after City Council member Dave Boesen suggested coordinating with nearby cities. Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart said he would reach out to other municipalities, but acknowledged it could be difficult to negotiate given Waterloo’s mixed past with fireworks ordinances.
Cedar Falls Public Safety officers responded to a report of a gunshot victim in the 2200 block of College St. shortly before 1 o’clock early Sunday morning. The man was transported to a hospital for his injuries. Upon further investigation, it was learned that the victim accidentally shot himself. There were no other injuries reported. The incident remains under investigation.
A man convicted of gunning down an Iowan more than 20 years ago has died in custody. Terry Dudley died Friday, two days after he was found unresponsive in his cell from an apparent suicide. Dudley was taken from the Anamosa State Penitentiary to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he later died. Dudley had been serving a life sentence since May 30, 1988 for the shooting death of Curtis Pizinger. Pizinger was found shot to death along a gravel road near Altoona.
Black Hawk deputies have arrested a rural Waterloo man for sexually abusing a child under the age of 16. 54-year-old Dale Yarrington was taken into custody Friday, charged with 3rd Degree Sexual Abuse after authorities were alerted to the incident. Yarrington is a registered sex offender on federal probation for a prior conviction of Possession of Child Pornography. Yarrington is in custody, and also faces additional charges for violating the terms of his federal probation.
An hours-long standoff at a Waterloo apartment building Friday ended after the suspect apparently took his own life. A woman who lived at the apartment in the 3500 block of Cobblestone Circle was not home, but her ex-boyfriend entered the building and began shooting shortly before 8 a.m. Friday. Officers who arrived found about a dozen holes in the windows and outside wall centered on a corner on the north side. Neighboring homes and nearby streets were blocked off as police took up positions around the building and mustered the department’s tactical team. After a period of not getting a response and not hearing any further gunfire, officers entered the building and found a man deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. No other injuries were reported, although Waterloo paramedics did transport a displaced resident for an unrelated medical issue during the standoff.
Waterloo city officials could pay consultant Magellan Advisors more than $150,000 to design a portion of fiber network. The agreement is up for consideration at today’s City Council meeting. The fiber connections would allow sewer and storm water pump stations to electronically monitor performance and alert city staff to emergencies, according to city documents. The potential agreement comes before a full broadband study is being publicly released to Waterloo taxpayers, which could be as soon as next month. Magellan Advisors was commissioned a year and a half ago to complete the study to explore a city-owned broadband utility, which could provide another option for high-speed internet, phone services and cable television. The initial fiber project for consideration today would include installing 30% of the network in an effort to connect every City utility site and facility.
Two people are in custody after a shooting early Saturday morning in Waterloo. Police were called to Club Legacy after several bullets hit the building while patrons were inside around 12:15 early Saturday. Officers chased a suspicious vehicle after the shooting before the driver and passenger abandoned the car. Investigators say they found the weapon used in the shooting inside the vehicle.
Police have now charged 23-year-old Jyshawn Robertson of Waterloo with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Intimidation with a Weapon, Interference with Official Acts and Carrying a Weapon. Robertson was in the Black Hawk County Jail on $300,000 bond. 30-year-old Ted Scott of Waterloo was also arrested and charged with Felony Eluding and Intimidation with a Weapon. Scott’s bond was set at $200,000.
Cedar Rapids Police and Fire were called to Prairie Creek Fishery just after 5 o’clock Saturday morning after someone saw a vehicle in the water with its headlights on. As the first crews arrived on the scene, the tan SUV submerged. Rescue teams deployed boats and the Johnson County Dive Team was sent in but no victims were found. Police are still investigating what led to the SUV going into the water. The owner of the vehicle has been notified.
