IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Seventeen individuals with extensive public service backgrounds are suing the State Historical Society of Iowa for deciding to close its Iowa City research facility and archives. The individuals–who the lawsuit says are a group of Iowa historians, archivists, donors, and community members–claim the Society made the decision to close its Iowa City research facility and archives unexpectedly and without public input. The building is set to close on June 30, 2026, due to cost factors. According to the lawsuit, the Iowa Code explicitly mandates that the state maintain history research centers in both Des Moines and Iowa City. The plaintiffs are asking the court to permanently order the Iowa City Research Library to be maintained and its collections be open to the public for research. The lawsuit was filed in Johnson County District Court on September 26. A hearing for a temporary injunction is scheduled for October 14.
ALLAMAKEE COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – New details have been released regarding the landslide accident on Tuesday that killed an Allamakee County man who was struck by a large rock. The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office said it received a 911 call that a hillside slid down into the man’s home in the 1100 block of Red Oak Road. First responders said “numerous rocks” rolled down a hill from a nearby property. A large rock then crashed through a wall of the home, hitting and killing the man. The victim, identified as 76-year-old Michael Stok, of Harpers Ferry, was pronounced dead at the scene. The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating if heavy equipment was used on the property above the residence around the time of the incident.
GUTTENBERG, Iowa (KCRG) – Authorities recovered the body of a 79-year-old Cedar Rapids man from a lake in Guttenberg on Wednesday. At approximately 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, the Guttenberg Police Chief located an empty flat-bottom boat just north of the Bussey Lake boat ramp in Guttenberg. Fire crews launched a search for a potential drowning victim after witnesses reported seeing a man in the water. The man was no longer able to be located. The Iowa DNR used Sonar Technology to help in search efforts. A 79-year-old man from Cedar Rapids was found dead in the water at approximately 3:45 p.m. The victim’s name has not been released at this time.
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – New information shows that former Des Moines superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts may have provided false information about his academic credentials when he applied for the job. The additional scrutiny comes at a time when Roberts faces several investigations into whether he has been living and working in the United States without legal authority, and whether he illegally possessed a gun at the time federal agencies apprehended him last Friday. A Des Moines School District spokesperson confirmed to AP that Roberts claimed that he had a doctoral degree from Morgan State University. The university has confirmed that’s not the case. The Des Moines Register reported MIT said it has no record of Roberts attending there, despite his claim. They also report that George Washington denies ever awarding Roberts principal of the year, as he claimed. Roberts had been a historic figure as Des Moines superintendent, since he was the first person of color in the position. The leader of the Iowa NAACP, Betty Andrews, acknowledged what Roberts’ hiring had meant to the black community. She asked people to withhold judgment until all the investigations are finished. Andrews stated that the NAACP is monitoring the case closely to ensure Roberts receives due process.
