A judge says staff at the Black Hawk County jail must allow a man charged with killing a state trooper to meet privately with his lawyers. Officials at the jail in Waterloo had refused to allow Michael Lang to meet with his lawyers outside of their presence. They argued that it would be a safety risk. Lang is charged with first-degree murder in the April 9 fatal shooting of Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Jim Smith during a standoff at Lang’s Grundy Center home. In a ruling yesterday, Judge Joel Dalrymple said he’s confident the jail can take steps to protect jail staff, inmates and the defense team for private meetings.
Federal aviation officials say they have documents showing two people were aboard a small plane that crashed yesterday in south-central Iowa. The Federal Aviation Administration says it does not identify people involved in crashes. The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office says reports of the crash came in around 8 a.m. yesterday, and first responders confirmed a plane crashed near the south end of the Lamoni Municipal Airport’s runway. People working near the crash site say they heard what sounded like an explosion around the time of the crash.
A 20-year-old Sioux City man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for the shooting death of a woman at a New Year’s Eve party. Christopher Morales was sentenced Wednesday in Woodbury County District Court for the death of 18-year-old Mia Kritis. Morales entered a plea of guilty last month to second-degree murder and three counts of reckless use of a firearm in the case, after being originally charged with first-degree murder. Police say Kritis was killed and three others injured when Morales and others fired into the house where the party was being held. Morales was one of four people charged in the case, including his 18-year-old brother, Carlos Morales, who faces a first-degree murder trial on Aug. 24.
A new monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy continues growing at a strong pace in Iowa and eight other Midwest and Plains states. The overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index for the region climbed to 73.5 in June from May’s already strong 72.3. Any score above 50 suggests growth. Creighton University economist Dr. Ernie Goss said the region is expected to keep growing and return to pre-pandemic levels early next year…almost two years from the start of the pandemic-related economic shutdown. Business leaders said supply delays are causing problems in manufacturing, and high inflation remains a concern. In addition to Iowa, the monthly survey covers Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
Fireworks injuries have more than doubled in Iowa in the four years since a 2017 law legalized their sale and use by consumers, and more of them involve children and require amputation. Iowa Department of Public Health data shows emergency room visits stemming from fireworks-related injuries rose to an annual statewide average of 147 from 2017 through 2020. That’s a 114% increase from the state average over the previous four years. A study this week from the state’s two largest trauma centers, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, noted that children have been disproportionately affected by the increase, and that more patients are requiring amputation.
UNI head men’s basketball coach Ben Jacobson has signed a contract extension that keeps the four-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year on the bench in Cedar Falls through the end of the 2028-2029 season. Jacobson is the winningest coach in UNI history with 301 victories and a .605 winning percentage. Under his guidance, the Panthers have earned three regular-season MVC titles, most recently in 2019-2020, as well as four Arch Madness championships.
