WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG) – An assistant principal for Central Middle School in Waterloo has resigned while facing termination proceedings for allegations of misconduct with a student. The Waterloo School District has refused to name the staff member. But police confirmed his identity to TV9. The Waterloo Police Department investigated the incident involving Central Middle School assistant principal Michael Thomas. Police found he did not commit a crime. This week, the Waterloo School Board approved what the agenda called Thomas’ retirement. In fact, he had already been approved to retire at the end of the school year. This action made it effective immediately. But the district later said Thomas was facing a termination proceeding but chose to resign instead. At that same meeting, a parent told the board what she said happened with her son. TV9 is not identifying her so as to protect the identity of her child. Michael Thomas allegedly asked a Waterloo middle school student to buckle his belt. The mother said the principal didn’t take what Thomas did seriously. TV9 reached out to the district with questions, including why it listed Thomas as ‘retiring’ on the board agenda and whether it reported the incident to the board of educational examiners. The district did not answer any of our questions. Instead, it reiterated its statement posted to Facebook, adding “This has been a difficult time for our district, our families, and our community. While I wish I could answer your questions, several of them are personnel or disciplinary related, so we cannot legally answer,” a school district spokesperson said. TV9 has filed a Freedom of Information Request with the district for specific reasons and rationale that Thomas resigned in lieu of termination; that’s specifically considered an open record in Iowa. We’ve also asked if there is any written agreement between the district and Thomas. We did try to make contact with Thomas but were unable to reach him.
DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – Iowa schools now have an idea about how much money they’ll receive from state taxpayers from the coming year, but not exactly. Thursday afternoon, the Iowa House passed a 2.25% increase in state funding for public schools. That’s more than the 2% increase Senate Republicans passed. Democrats say neither one is committing enough to schools. The House plan also includes an additional one-time payment of $22.6 million to help rural schools with increased costs. Five Republicans joined Democrats in voting no. Senate Republicans passed a 2% per student funding increase, so House and Senate leaders will need to find a funding compromise before the legislature can send the plan to the governor. Governor Kim Reynolds’ budget called for a two percent per student funding increase.
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (KCRG) – An Oklahoma man died on Monday, days after a crash in Marshalltown involving a semi-trailer. According to the Marshalltown police department, the crash happened at around 6:27 a.m. on Feb. 4 when the driver of a pickup truck rear-ended a semi-trailer at the intersection of Iowa Avenue and 18th Avenue. Police said the driver of the pick-up truck, later identified as 28-year-old Carlos Hernandez-Caro, of Guymon, Oklahoma, was taken to the hospital. He died from his injuries on Monday. The driver of the semi tractor-trailer was not hurt. The crash remains under investigation. Marshalltown police are asking that anyone who may have information regarding this incident contact them at 641-754-5725 or Marshall County Crime Stoppers at 641-753-1234.
BUENA VISTA COUNTY, Iowa (KTIV/KCRG) – Another case of bird flu has been found in turkeys in one Siouxland county. On Thursday, Feb. 13, The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced it has detected highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) or bird flu in a commercial turkey flock in Buena Vista County. Bird Flu affects both wild and domestic birds and can travel in wild birds, without those kinds of birds appearing sick. However, the viral disease is deadly to domestic birds. Besides birds, the disease can be found in dairy cattle and chickens. In June of 2024, bird flu was detected in Iowa dairy herds. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says with the use of supportive care; dairy herds can recover with limited or no mortality with Bird Flu.
