From the KXEL NewsCenter, Thursday morning’s news headlines:
The man charged in the shooting death of an Iowa State Patrol trooper has been moved from the hospital to jail. Michael Lang of Grundy Center was released yesterday from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where he was recovering from wounds he suffered in that confrontation with law enforcement officers on April 9. Patrol Sgt. Jim Smith was killed while trying to arrest Lang. Lang was taken to the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, where he made his initial appearance. He was charged with first-degree murder and two other counts. He is now being held on $3 million cash bond at the Black Hawk County Jail.
Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Corrections are criticizing a call for a federal investigation into the deadly attacks at the Anamosa State Penitentiary last month. Three Democrats–Congresswoman Cindy Axne, Iowa Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls, and Iowa House Minority Leader Todd Prichard—announced the request Tuesday after sending a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. Reynolds’ office called the letter disingenuous and noted none of the three contacted either the governor’s office or the Department of Corrections before their public announcement.
The fourth finalist for the University of Iowa presidency is Dr. Daniel Clay, Dean of the College of Education at the University of Iowa. He’ll meet with officials and the campus community today and tomorrow. He is the only male, and the only finalist currently at the university, of the four finalists.
Two people were arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia following a rollover accident around 8:30 Tuesday night just outside of Sumner. Fayette County sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene in the 15000 block of X Avenue to find that the driver, 48-year-old Jayme Steege, lost control of his truck. He was found at a nearby residence and arrested for driving while suspended, possession of drug paraphernalia, no proof of insurance, and failure to maintain control, all simple misdemeanors. A passenger in the vehicle, 44-year-old Carrie Christi of Sumner, was also arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Des Moines police have identified a man whose body was discovered early this week alongside a submerged vehicle near a boat ramp in a Des Moines River lagoon. Police say the body of 47-year-old Jamie Alan Hurley of Des Moines was pulled from the water Sunday afternoon. The vehicle was also recovered, and police say it had been reported stolen in October 2018. Hurley was last seen in early January of this year, and police say it did not appear that Hurley had been in the vehicle when it entered the lagoon. Police continue to investigate how Hurley died.
Gov. Kim Reynolds is urging Iowans to get vaccinated for COVID-19, but rejected attempts by some media outlets to tie slowing demand for the shots with political party preference. We told you yesterday that 43 of Iowa’s 99 counties declined additional shipments of vaccine this week because of less consumer demand. At a news conference yesterday, Reynolds said the state is concentrating efforts on trusted community leaders to help convince resistant Iowans to get the shots. Reynolds noted polls showing young adults are more likely than older people to say they will not get vaccinated.
A judge has ruled that former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad does not have to testify in a long-running lawsuit brought by an investigator who was fired in 2013 shortly after filing a complaint about Branstad’s state vehicle speeding. Lawyers for former Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Larry Hedlund wanted to take Branstad’s deposition as they prepare for an August trial date in his case, which alleges Hedlund was wrongly discharged for blowing the whistle on the speeding and other agency misconduct. But Judge Paul Scott this month granted the state’s request to quash a subpoena that had been sent to Branstad, saying he is protected by the “high-ranking official privilege.”
Authorities are investigating the death of a teenage girl who was found unconscious at a hog facility building in northern Iowa. 17-year-old Victoria Marie Parra Lerdo of Rockwell City was found just after 9 p.m. Monday unconscious on the ground of the facility in rural Swea City. The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office says the teen was helping to clean and power wash the facility when she was found by someone who was also working in the area. Lerdo was taken to a hospital in Algona, where she was pronounced dead. Officials say an autopsy has been ordered to determine her cause of death.
A former Des Moines Public Schools janitor convicted of sexually abusing a young child has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. 43-year-old Jesse Allen McIntosh of Des Moines was sentenced last week after entering a plead of guilty earlier this month to two counts of third-degree sexual abuse. McIntosh was arrested and charged in February with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a child younger than 12. Officials said the abuse took place in a Des Moines house. District officials say McIntosh was placed on leave following his arrest and fired upon his conviction.
