From the Associated Press (11:20 a.m.):
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A snow storm is expected sweep parts of northern Nebraska and Iowa and could drop up to 8 inches of snow in some places heading into the weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Friday into early Saturday for much of northern Nebraska and northern parts of Iowa. The warning area includes the cities of Valentine, Ainsworth and O’Neill in Nebraska and the cities of Storm Lake, Mason City and Estherville in Iowa. The service says heavy snowfall coupled with high winds is likely to produce blizzard-like conditions in many area within the warning area. The weather service has also issued a winter weather advisory for a band of counties just south of the warning area.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The attorney for an Iowa teenager charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of his high school Spanish teacher has asked a judge to try him as a juvenile and not as an adult as prosecutors plan. If convicted as a juvenile Willard Miller could be released in less than 24 months, something prosecutors said would not serve the interests of the community. Miller’s attorney says he’s 16 and has no prior court involvement. Miller and Jeremy Goodale, also 16, are charged in the killing their high school Spanish teacher Nohema Graber in Fairfield in early November. They have pleaded not guilty.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa health officials have confirmed the first case of the omicron coronavirus variant in the state. The Iowa Department of Public Health said Thursday that the case was detected in a sample at the Iowa Hygienic Lab and came from an unvaccinated individual under the age of 18 who lives in Black Hawk County in eastern Iowa. The individual has no symptoms but because of travel exposure the family sought testing based on public health guidance. More than a third of Iowans remain unvaccinated and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 57.5% of the population is fully vaccinated, placing the state 24th in the nation.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An 84-year-old man convicted of killing a northeast Iowa police officer nearly 65 years ago who later saw his death sentenced commuted to life in prison has died at the state penitentiary in Fort Madison. Warren John Nutter was the state’s longest serving inmate. Iowa prison officials say he died of natural causes Wednesday morning in a hospice room of the Iowa State Penitentiary where he had been housed due to chronic illness. He was 18 when he was sentenced to death by hanging in February 1956 after pleading guilty to killing Independence police officer Harold Pearce. In 1957, Gov. Herschel Loveless commuted his death sentence to life in prison.
Newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises has rejected a takeover offer from the Alden Global Capital hedge fund that is one of the largest newspaper owners in the country with a reputation for intense cost cuts and layoffs. Lee said Thursday that its board unanimously rejected Alden’s offer to buy the company for $24 per share or about $141 million because it “grossly undervalues” Lee. Also Thursday, Lee reported $5.3 million fiscal fourth-quarter profit this year, rebounding from a $1.3 million loss a year ago, as the number of digital-only subscribers at the company grew 65% to 402,000.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday issued a strong condemnation of the way Iowa treats people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, telling the state it must find ways to care for people in community settings and not in institutions or be sued. A federal civil rights lawyer said in a letter and report sent to state officials that after a yearlong investigation the DOJ concluded Iowa likely violates the federal Americans with Disabilities Act by institutionalizing people who should be placed in community settings. The investigation focused on state-run institutions in Woodward and Glenwood. Iowa Department of Human Services Director Kelly Garcia says she is committed to ensuring people are able to live their most independent lives possible.
